Clay, Polish wax?

[powellt28]

I love a clean car. I usually wash at least once a week and wax pretty often. My car has 30,0000 miles on it and im wanting to clay and polish it. Can i clay, polish and wax it all in the same day? is this safe for my clearcoat. i plan on using a polish that isnt abrasive as my car`s paint is in very good condition IMO. I am switching over the NXT wax to see how weel it works. Any help on the matter would be great! :xyxthumbs

[powellt28]

I love a clean car. I usually wash at least once a week and wax pretty often. My car has 30,0000 miles on it and im wanting to clay and polish it. Can i clay, polish and wax it all in the same day? is this safe for my clearcoat. i plan on using a polish that isnt abrasive as my car`s paint is in very good condition IMO. I am switching over the NXT wax to see how weel it works. Any help on the matter would be great! :xyxthumbs

[papi_jay]

Powell ,

As long as your paint is the original , clay your car & glass & then use a paint cleaner such as Meguiar`s California Gold #30 ( step 1 of 3 ) with a blue pad afterwards washing it .

Then a good polish such a Optimum polish with a blue pad at slower speed or final finishing pad if you have no marrs swirls or otherwise .

Have you considered a good sealant such as Meguiars #21 so you don`t HAVE To wax your car weekly ? You can still apply the NXT over top of it after every wash for a little extra protection if you like ( with quality car wash not dishliquid ) but #21 alone will last a STRONG 3 months + if applied right

[the other pc]

:welcome



If the finish is in good shape you should have no trouble washing, claying, polishing and waxing in one day, on a normal sized car anyway.



If you had a few defects to remove or just have a big vehicle it could be a long day.





PC.

[Accumulator]

powellt28- Welcome to Autopia!



Doing all three steps in one day would be a considerable undertaking and most people find that this stuff takes far longer than they expect it will. I`d allocate two days if only so you don`t feel rushed/under pressure. You`ll see how long it takes *you* and then you`ll know for next time.



Even mildly abrasive polishes are safe for clearcoats. You can polish many, many times without taking off too much clear as long as you`re not too aggressive about it. I`ve polished some of our vehicles dozens of times without trouble. And often, polishes containing (mild) abrasives are easier to use. Just don`t use something very harsh (those aren`t suited to hand use anyhow) and you`ll be fine. But there are many good choices both with and without abrasives.



If you really want to try a nonabrasive polish, one that would compliment your NXT would be Step #2 in the Meguiar`s Deep Crystal line. You might even want to use their Step #1 first, right after claying. Most people find these products quite easy to use and they`re commonly available.

[powellt28]

where can i buy #21? Is it a product i can pick up locally, or is it something that needs to be ordered?

[the other pc]

#21 (http://meguiars.com/estore/product_detailpage.cfm?product=Synthetic-Sealant&sku=M2164&sectionID=31501) is sort of "the professional version of NXT", you get from Meg`s pro dealers like body shop and paint suppliers. It comes in half gallon jugs.



It`s is a somewhat different formula from NXT but the changes are more for the professional application environment (you can use a rotary) than protection. If you`re already using NXT it`s not likely you`ll notice a significant difference.





PC.