I'm on info overload, please help me, smoke coming out of the ears! ScottWax Help!!!

03COBRA

03COBRA

I miss my 03 Cobra......
Well, I'm fairly new to the detailing world, and for the last week I have been pretty hard at work researching the Autopia website! Looking for answers mostly for the Cobra! Anyways, I have been using VM/CMW on my Sonic blue Cobra! Well after researching I have loved some of the pics of dark colored cars with VM/EX-P, was told that VM/CMW was the best for dark colors, and EX-P was for light cars! Well I'm wanting to try the VM/EX-P combo, but my real question is, what are the steps!! I have heard you need to polish the paint, then glaze, then seal, then wax, is this correct? I have been reading as many opinions as I can, and it seems like everyone is different! My mind is spinning!! Please help! I'm also looking to try and have a good combo for the girlfriend's truck, I would like to use the same products as my car to help with costs, let me know! here are my thoughts, please help if you can! I will post a pic of my car and my girls truck at the bottom, do you think I can use the same products on both and have great results!! Also, can I wax before the EX-P, some say not to after, but I guess there would be no point to do it before EX-P!:confused:



--Dawn

--Wash (NXT)

--Clay

--Poorboys Pro Polish

--VM

--EX-P

--Natty's Wax

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eggroll said:
Pick PP or VM, they both serve the same function. PP will leave the paint cleaner, VM will give a more wet look.
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Dumb question maybe, can I use both! For the best look possible?
 
~One man’s opinion / observations ~



I thought that the NXT range comprised, NXT Generation Car Wash, NXT Tech Wax and NXT Spray Wax



~Hope this helps~



Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/ Jon

justadumbarchitect * so I question everything *
 
Great color on the car!



Your process looks fine except for a few things.



Skip the Dawn wash. Unnecessarily harsh (I found that out early on.) Just wash with NXT wash (or any other decent car shampoo.)



PP or VM. Both aren't really necessary, especially as your car is pretty new. If you have dealer installed swirls, neither will remove them (althought the VM will fill them.) My recommendation is VM because of it's wetter look.



After you put on the EX-P, step back and evaluate to see if you really think you want to put Natty's on. VM and EX-P give you such a clear look that looks great on light or dark metallic paints. Natty's, with its carnauba content will change the look to something deeper and wetter but not as clear. So after EX-P, if you really like the look, I would save some money and skip Natty's.



I doubt too that you could put additional coats of EX-P on top of Natty's and have it bond. Therefore, if you put Natty's on top of EX-P, you can only keep adding Natty's. To add additional coats of EX-P, you'd have to start over.
 
TOGWT said:
~One man’s opinion / observations ~



I thought that the NXT range comprised, NXT Generation Car Wash, NXT Tech Wax and NXT Spray Wax



~Hope this helps~



Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/ Jon

justadumbarchitect * so I question everything *
Click to expand...



Yup you are correct, there is also an NXT metal polish coming soon.



NXT Car Wash - Car Wash

NXT Tech Wax - Polymer Sealant

NXT Spray Wax - Spray Booster

NXT Tech Protectant - Vinyl/Rubber Protectant



http://www.meguiars.com/whatsnew/nxt_home.cfm
 
I don't know why you specifically needed my help, lots of excellent detailers here on Autopia. :nixweiss



I agree with the others, first NO DAWN WASH.



You only need to use a stronger polish than PP or VM if neither one can correct any paint problems you might have. If the paint is in excellent shape, either one is fine. Only clay if needed also. If the paint is smooth to the touch, no need to clay. If the paint feels rough, clay. EX-P seems to be compatible with most other products, so you can probably apply it over wax and still get good durability.
 
Originally posted by maecrispy

Skip the Dawn wash. Unnecessarily harsh (I found that out early on.) Just wash with NXT wash (or any other decent car shampoo.)
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I've done a little research this weekend on the pH levels of car washes and shampoos. All this information is obtainable in the MSDS Sheets.



pH @ 70 degrees F:



Dawn: ~8

Meguiar's NXT Generation Car Wash: 8.5



Yeah, Dawn is unnecessarily harsh.



Dawn should NOT be used everytime you wash your automobile. As many of us know, claybarring and polishing removes the existing wax or sealent on the surface, therefore, no need to "strip" anything from the surface using Dawn.
 
Can I layer EX-P? So that's it huh, just VM and top it with EX-P? Sounds like a good plan!
 
dternst said:
I've done a little research this weekend on the pH levels of car washes and shampoos. All this information is obtainable in the MSDS Sheets.



pH @ 70 degrees F:



Dawn: ~8

Meguiar's NXT Generation Car Wash: 8.5



Yeah, Dawn is unnecessarily harsh.



Dawn should NOT be used everytime you wash your automobile. As many of us know, claybarring and polishing removes the existing wax or sealent on the surface, therefore, no need to "strip" anything from the surface using Dawn.
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There is more to it than just PH. You are contradicting yourself by insinuating that Dawn is not as harsh as NXT Tech Wash and then saying that Dawn shouldn't be used every time you wash your car. If it is milder than NXT Tech Wash than my gosh why wouldn't you use it every time?
 
I do have minor paint swirls, how many times should I apply VM, or should I use another product to get the swirls out, then VM, then EX-P? So no natty's wax or topper huh?
 
Originally posted by rjstaaf

There is more to it than just PH. You are contradicting yourself by insinuating that Dawn is not as harsh as NXT Tech Wash and then saying that Dawn shouldn't be used every time you wash your car. If it is milder than NXT Tech Wash than my gosh why wouldn't you use it every time?
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The poster recommended to use NXT over Dawn. I was explaining that if he was going to recommend not using Dawn, due to the harshness, then NXT should also not be recommended for the same reason. I wasn't siding with either product.



No where does it say to use Dawn each time you wash your car.

Then I went on to explain why Dawn, or any product used to "strip" existing product for that matter, does not need to be used frequently.



"Dawn should NOT be used everytime you wash your automobile. As many of us know, claybarring and polishing removes the existing wax or sealent on the surface, therefore, no need to "strip" anything from the surface using Dawn."
 
dternst said:
The poster recommended to use NXT over Dawn. I was explaining that if he was going to recommend not using Dawn, due to the harshness, then NXT should also not be recommended for the same reason. I wasn't siding with either product.
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I wasn't being product specific either, just so happens NXT is the example used in this thread.



Your whole argument is based strictly on PH. You don't take into account what might actually be in Dawn. They don't list all the ingredients in the MSDS . Lastly Dawn strips wax, NXT Tech Wash does not. What is your explanation for that?



I can't think of a single good reason to use Dawn. We aren't talking floor wax here, the products we use just aren't persistant enough to last through washing, claying and subsequent surface prep. There is just no need to "strip" your paint.



With that I apologize for diverting this thread :D
 
O4cobra said:
I do have minor paint swirls, how many times should I apply VM, or should I use another product to get the swirls out, then VM, then EX-P? So no natty's wax or topper huh?
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Depends on your approach. You'll need an abrasive polish to get rid of the swirls (as in remove, not hide.)



VM will hide your swirls (minor ones anyway) if that's what you want to do. You only have to do one application of VM. VM has cleaners so any subsequent application will just remove the previous application.



Whether to top EX-P is up to you. I personally think EX-P looks great on top of VM with nothing added. After you lay down a layer or two of EX-P, see if you like the look. If so, you're done! :D
 
O4cobra said:
I do have minor paint swirls, how many times should I apply VM, or should I use another product to get the swirls out, then VM, then EX-P? So no natty's wax or topper huh?
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As maecrispy already said, that is really up to you. I prefer to remove them but, I do have a few that are beyond what I can remove without taking away too much clear so I do my best to hide them. On a daily driver you really want to keep as much of your clear as possible. Light swirls though should be no problem to remove by hand as Mustang paint is fairly soft. I have had good luck with Meguiars ScratchX on isolated marring but, I usually use Meguiars #82 Swirl Free Polish to do whole panels. These days I don't do surface prep by hand anymore. Have you looked at the Porter Cable Dual Action Polisher?
 
rjstaaf said:
Lastly Dawn strips wax, NXT Tech Wash does not. What is your explanation for that?
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Do you know for sure NXT doesn't strip wax? Perhaps you are being fooled?



From my research, NXT contains Diethanolamine. Diethanolamine can be used as a neutralizer agent in car wash shampoos, degreasers in general, wax removers and as corrosion inhibitors. NXT also contains Coconut Diethanolamide which is used as a lubricant agent, thickening agent and wetting agent. Perhaps this is why you believe it does not strip wax. It also contains other conditioning agents that would make it appear that it does not strip wax.
 
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