I need some advice for cleaning and waxing in Georgia

T

twahlert

New member
I need some help figuring out how to properly take care of our two cars. My wife and I own a 2010 Subaru Outback (dark graphite color) and a 2011 Nissan Sentra (light grey). Both our cars have clear coat finishes and plastic trim (mine has more trim though). Right now I'm using Meguires deep crystal car wash and I have a couple car waxes, both liquid, Turtle Wax Ice and Meguires NXT 2.0. I was referred to the Ice wax because it doesn't leave a white residue on plastic.



We keep them in a garage at night and when we're home but our work parking lots are uncovered. Every manufacturer site or detailer's site I look at for information claim their products are the best. Consumer reports even says one brand's paste is better than the same brand's liquid. Some websites say to use a polish before waxing or clay bar to remove stubborn dirt so the wax can adhere better. Others say pastes work better that liquids.



I don't like spending every weekend cleaning the cars so I'd like something that will be durable and protect from the GA humidity and sun. Can someone, anyone please give me some guidance on what to do? Thanks in advance.
 
Polishing and claying twice a year is a good idea, but most don't have time. You can probably get away with claying once a year if you dread it and using an All-in-one product. A true AIO is a paint cleaner, polish and protectant in one.



The Megs NXT you have is already is a great product, but yes it does stain trim and while having mild cleaning abilities, it is not a true AIO.. Something very similar but more towards the AIO side would be Duragloss 105, which you can usually find at Carquest (but not any other chain store). NXT's achilles heal is its durability, although some people make it past 4 months, most get 2-3 tops. Most people with the DG105 get 4-6 months easily. If you clayed once a year and applied DG105 2-3 times a year, your paint would likely last longer than the car.



The key really is to wash on a regular basis and remove problem contaminants as soon as you see them. Bird poo and certain bugs can eat through paint VERY quickly, especially in the sun. Many of us have some MF towels and some quick detailer that rides along in the car.
 
twahlrt- Welcome to Autopia!



Noting that "GA" covers a lot of territory, you're very fortunate to have guys like gmblack3 and Jean-Claude in your general vicinity. They will *NOT* steer you wrong.
 
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