A little clarity please!

[JOE.M.]

So until I discovered this wealth of knowledge and VAST array of opinions my detailing experience and knowledge that I have used for the last 28 years has been, well.. Old school.

1) Polish
2) {for the last few years} Glaze
3) Wax
{every 3 months, and a carnauba topper every 2 weeks}
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Now that I have been enlighten by the members here and the massive wealth of knowledge I have come up wit this new routine.

1) {Clay if necessary}, Polish
2) glaze
3) seal
4) wax

This is a routine that I plan to do every 3 months as I have for the last 28 years and in between I would do light coat of carnauba every 2 weeks and a quick detailer on the off weeks.


So here are my questions,
1) Is this over kill? {I have lots of free time so it is not a hassle}
2) Paint sealants, I want a sealer that will hold up to these conditions (for 3 months). Just for the record I have been using a "new blend" sealant from RIGHTLOOK that was recommended by a friend at a local Lexus dealer. It that has produced and amazing shine and the durability has seemed to hold up as it has taken a beating for the last 3 months and still looks great.

Things to keep in mind:
1) I live in New Mexico where the summer`s are 90* - 100* on a daily bases, I live at 6500 Ft above sea level so you can Imagine how strong the sun is.
2) Very minimal humidity {and even less rain}, Sand storms, hard water and the winters have been bitter cold with not much snow.
3} Ready for the topper... Wait for it... I have a 3 car garage that is used as a gym and work shop so the cars are never in it unless I am detailing.




Any help would be appreciated in advance!

[cwcad]

I think that you have the situation well in hand. The process is a solid one.

What kind of detailing tools are you using? Do you use brushes for the wheels? Have you used any power tools? PC, Flex, rotary to name a few. Have you used any MF towels while detailing? How do you dry your care? I wish that I had a garage that was used as a gym. That would mean that sometimes the vehicle would get inside rather than the storage facility that it has become for the rest of the family.

[Beemerboy]

Your old school way and new one are both solid IMO...its the regular maintenance that makes it a good plan...I follow your new one on my cars, it seems to give me the best look...my cars are garage queens and I don`t have nearly as much weather issues as you...my suggestion is that you stay with the new process and move stuff around so that you can get that car in the garage at night, it will save you tons of work in the end:D:D

[GearHead_1]

As you suggested, you probably won`t need clay every 3 months and the same may be true of polish though I suspect in your environment there is a lot of sand/grit in the air. If this is the case you may find the need. The trick here is finding a happy medium. One where you won`t be polishing the finish away but a look you can be proud of. Some will disagree with me on this but the perfect finish is more than just elusive but truly impossible on a regularly driven vehicle. Careful use of glazes and waxes with fillers (a nasty word to some) on a slightly more regular basis than you are suggesting can keep the appearance of swirls to a minimum. The Wax-as-You-Dry (WAUD) type products can really extend the fresh look of a recently detailed car. That`s probably more than you wanted to hear so I`ll shut up for now.

[Troy@Protekt]

This is only my opinion so take it for that, but in a hot climate, applying a coat of wax on top of your sealant on a daily driver just isn`t a good idea. If you do this then you will probably be claying more often. Here`s why.

Natural waxes are great and will give some added pop and depth to your finish even after the sealant has been applied, but they do melt. In your climate they will either melt right off the car or at best become like fly paper to road grime and brake dust trapping it on the surface until it has had a chance to get imbedded in the sealant and ultimately the paint.

The added pop and depth of shine makes them great for garage queens, show cars or vehicles that are in cooler climates but if it were me, I would pass on topping with a natural (carnauba) wax.

This may not be the best post for me since I would make more money selling you the wax too but what can I say, I never said I was smart.:redface:

[cwcad]

I am in total accord with Troy`s opinion. It is in fact the exact same experience that I have encountered here in Central Texas. I especially noticed the embedded dirt and sand using a carnuaba.

Nubas look good but burn off in the heat of the day so to speak.

[barryscott]

This is only my opinion so take it for that, but in a hot climate, applying a coat of wax on top of your sealant on a daily driver just isn`t a good idea. If you do this then you will probably be claying more often. Here`s why.

Natural waxes are great and will give some added pop and depth to your finish even after the sealant has been applied, but they do melt. In your climate they will either melt right off the car or at best become like fly paper to road grime and brake dust trapping it on the surface until it has had a chance to get imbedded in the sealant and ultimately the paint.

The added pop and depth of shine makes them great for garage queens, show cars or vehicles that are in cooler climates but if it were me, I would pass on topping with a natural (carnauba) wax.

This may not be the best post for me since I would make more money selling you the wax too but what can I say, I never said I was smart.:redface:

Thanks Troy, never thought of it like that!:bow :bigups

[JOE.M.]

Thanks for the reply gentlemen! As for tools, I have been doing all the work by hand, but as of this Tuesday I will be doing all work with a PC. I use MF towels to do everything including blot drying. The wheels I wash by hand with a small soft sponge and seal with Rightlook sealant. I understand what you are saying about the carnauba and it`s attraction to anything air born, but the polish just does not last when it comes to a nice deep shine. I have a White sand tri-coat metallic Lariat and my wife has a charcoal gray metallic Lexus. My last full detail of both I used PB`s Black Hole and White Diamond glaze under Rightlook sealant topped with {24 hours later} SC Barrier Reef Carnauba Wax. The deep wet shine is amazing. The only problem I have is that when I wax the next day the applicator pad seams to grab the surface of the cars like I am rubbing glue on the car. I spray the pads with clay lube or a QD spray before I put the wax on and it does not seam to help. Is that caused buy the sealer?


Just one more thing, I like the Rightlook sealer but I am looking for some suggestions on something new, If you had to pick one, what would it be?

[blk45]

Just one more thing, I like the Rightlook sealer but I am looking for some suggestions on something new, If you had to pick one, what would it be?

DG105 or UPGP if you want a WOWA.