Newbie would like some guidance

[Denis54]

I am 60 years old and have never waxed a car. I have always washed my cars regularly but have never bothered to wax them. So I know nothing about waxes.



As I am now retired and have more time, I am willing to spend a bit of time looking after my brand new silver 08 Cayman S. My main priority is speed/ease of use. I have read a lot of posts on this site but am still pretty lost as to which products to use.



My understanding is that there are 3 main types of products: cleaners, polishes and waxes. My questions are as follows:



Should I use a cleaner? Which one? What should I use to apply it? What should I use to remove it (if it needs to be removed)?



Should I use a polish? Which one? What should I use to apply it? What should I use to remove it (if it needs to be removed)?



Wax: P21S 100% seems to be very popular. Would that be a good product for me? Again, what should I use to apply it? What should I use to remove it? Should I look at some other waxes?



As I said earlier, I do not need the best products. Speed and ease of use are my priorities. My car is always garaged and covered.

[imported_Denzil]

Since you have more time, you`re best bet would be to read this (http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/) to cover all the basics. ;)



After reading that, you should have a solid foundation of knowledge and if you have any more-specific questions, we`ll be able to answer them.



Enjoy!

[SuperBee364]

As Denzil said, that link is a great resource for learning the basics. Once you kinda get the idea of what process you are going to use, we can help point you in the direction of some products to get you there.



I`m very envious of that car, btw. :)



Welcome to Autopia! I hope you enjoy your new hobby of car care as much as all of us nut cases do.

[Denis54]

I have already read all the articles in the library but am still somewhat confused. That is why I asked the question.



What I was looking for was basic products to get me started. I guess I will have to select them by myself.

[3puttjay]

For a new car like yours you probably don`t need much stuff. You will need a good car wash such as meguiars gold class or any decent wash that you see in the reviews section. If you don`t have a PC or an UDM you might want to skip the polishes as most work best by machine. If you need to do it by hand, Autoglym SRP seems to be the choice of most on here. Waxes or sealants are really personal choices. If you want looks and are willing to wax every month P21S, Souveran, Zymol, and swisswax are highly regarded here. If you want to wax every 6 months then I would sugest either collinite waxes or Zaino, Ultima sealants.

[Denis54]

Could you tell me which Zaino or Ultima sealant I should get?



I do not want the shiniest car. All I want is to protect the paint on my car.



I do not have a PC and do not plan to get one.

[SuperBee364]

In the Zaino line, you might want to consider Zaino All In One, Zaino Z2, and Zaino Z5. The All In One makes a good surface cleaner, and it will leave a small layer of protection, which you can add to with either the Z2 or Z5. Also, Zaino Clear Seal is a Wipe On, Walk Away product that looks great and is quick and easy to use.



In the Ultima lineup, you should check and see if their Sample kit is still available for forty bucks. It contains Ultima Paiint Guard Plus (which is one of my favorite sealants), which is a WOWA sealant, as well as an assortment of the other Ultima products.

[Mark77]

Welcome to Autopia. Well in your case I think Meguiars Color X and NXT 2.0 would do a fine job.

Not maybe the most durable out there, but very easy to use by hand and it really makes the paint look awsome with little effort. Don`t forget clay either.

[abbeysdad]

I`m gonna suggest Duragloss. Get some 105 or 111 and then some Duragloss Aquawax. They are great products that last a long time and are about the best prices going!

You can order DG products on the web or look for them at NAPA auto parts.

[GatorJ]

"My main priority is speed/ease of use."

This screams for Ultima.





Ultima Paint Care Sampler Kit (http://www.autopia-carcare.com/ultsamp.html)



Enter "Cargirl" at checkout for 15% off.

[bwalker25]

I`m going to suggest the following:



Get a Claybar (the meguiars kit) comes to mind here

get maybe a dozen or so microfiber towels (used to wipe off the paint after a "claying" and to remove wax residue)

Also the $40 kit of the ultima products is perfect stuff, a good paint cleaner and a superb sealant (wipe on walk away)



You can apply wax with a microfiber applicator and remove with a microfiber towel.



as far as waxes go I`d say go with NXT 2.0, its decent stuff and is available OTC, if not that then the colonite products are great and available at harbor freight. Or if you want to order a good wax I`d say go with P21s 100% its very good as well.