I need a new wax

[imported_bckpack]

I`ve been lurking around off and on for about a year now and picked up a lot of good info. Now, I`ve got a question. Here`s some background...



I have a black 2004 Toyota Tacoma. I wax it (along with a wash, clay and polish) about every three months. Sometimes it doesn`t even get washed between wax jobs. It`s usually not worth it to me to wash it often as it goes off road often, as in every other week. I will sometime rinse off heavy dirt but that`s usually it.



I`m currently using Griots products. I`m not really a fan of theirs in general but I`m pretty happy with their machine polish and I especially like their pads. The one thing that I don`t like is their liquid BOS wax. I can`t get it to work for me. I`m using the Porter Cable dual action polisher to apply it. No matter how long I leave the wax sitting, it smears when I try to remove it. I`ve varied the quanity I apply also. I`ve even used a terrycloth bonnet over a pad to remove the bulk of the wax but it still smears when I try to give it a final buff by hand using a cotton or microfiber cloth. It takes a whole lot of effort to remove all of the product. It looks great once I do but it isn`t worth the effort. Is this just a characteristic of BOS?



So, I`d like to try a new wax. I don`t want to totally switch my whole system since nothing else gives me problems. Any recommendations? It seems that people are pretty pleased with P21S. I`m assuming since it is a paste it is applied by hand? Are there any other recommendations? Eventually I`d like to try some synthetic products but I`d like to get my money out of the products I have now first.



Thanks in advance for everyone`s help.

[tomstin]

As I recall the black Tacomas do NOT have a clearcoat...correct? Either way, your are probably better off with a good prep and one of the polymers, Zaino, Wolfgang, AIO or NXT.

[tom p.]

Richie Griot needs to have that product re-formulated :down



backpack, describe the climate where you live/drive.

[jasonatv22]

I`m a non-clearcoated black also. If you haven`t gone to the Harley dealer and picked up some S100, you definately need to do that. I`ve not tried AIO, but it`s on my very short list of cleaner waxes to try. Recently, I`ve discovered that Meg`s ColorX is a pretty good cleaner wax, but it`s so solventy, I`m worried it will dull a finish over the long term like, say, NuFinish does.



Also, recently read about the Hi-Temp line here. Went to Top of the Line and they seem to really respect the brand. I was thinking about trying one of those.



I`m also planning on getting, I think it`s #7, the Meg`s glaze. There was a fellow who posted recently who was getting great results with it, but it faded off in three months. Hey, that sounds great to me, as I feel stupid this time of year redoing my car over and over just to spend time with it.



Edited to add:

Oh, and NXT and Poorboys. I have to get some of those too. And 1z Glanz. And #16 when my S100 runs out. :D

[imported_bckpack]

I`m in Georgia.

Like I say, the truck usually has a thick coat of mud applied within a few weeks of a wax job. I`m totally obsessive about how my truck looks...when I take the time to detail it. The interior is vacuumed/detailed every two weeks at the latest but I dont have the time to wash the exterior often. I`m basically just disappointed with the BOS wax.

[Matt M, PA]

I`m a big-time Zaino fan and these is a Zaino polish for non-clearcoated and clearcoated.



A friend of mine uses the Griot`s machine polishes with good results. but he too did not like the BOS wax. Besides the aggravation of putting it on. Once on, it also had a very short life...I re-named it "day of show wax".

[tom p.]

have you considered products like Klasse or Collinite`s Insulator Wax? They will offer superior protection under harsh conditions.



Menzerna`s new FMJ product may also be of interest.

[AkronSi]

I think tomstin is on the right track suggesting one of the big polymers. I think one of them might be more durable than S100/P21S with the abuse that you`ll put it through. You could probably run down to your local auto store, walmart, target, etc... and pick up a bottle of Meg`s NXT.

[imported_bckpack]

Can these polymer protectants be applied over a "standard" polish? Can I still use my Griot`s polish and then apply a non carnuba based protectant?



Also, what`s this about Tacoma black being non-clearcoat? That`s the first I`ve heard of this. Thanks.

[jasonatv22]

Maybe it`s clearcoated, I`m just listening to Tomstin up there. When you polish, do you get black off?



NTX will strip off a little glazeyness left by a polish, but otherwise bond fine. Zaino, I`ve actually never heard anyone say it didn`t bond well, but we`re all paranoid that it wont.



But you dont` want to go Zaino...you`ll be like those Corvette people. :D Bad enough you`re a Griots person. ;)



Oh, and I searched for that Insulator Wax. Sounds like good stuff. I drive by some hellishly bad construction crap right now, and I could really use some good protection.

[imported_bckpack]

No paint comes of when polishing. I wouldn`t think that black Toyota Tacoma`s are one of the last cars on the planet without a clearcoat. I was just a little confused.



I`ve been hearing about Zaino for a few years now. I`ve never seen the results in person but what I have seen in pictures is pretty impressive. Really, I`m only hesitant to use it because I like the whole Zen thing that comes with using the random orbital. I`ll give it a shot one of these days though. I`d just hate to order some and have no use for my "old" collection of detailing supplies.

[membim]

Sound like POS wax to me!!! Try some Wolfgang Sealant or P21S/S100.