Proper Wax for New Vehicle

B

Bieradler

New member
I was hoping I could get some advice. I'm new here, so if this is in the wrong section, I apologize.

So I will soon be taking home a new car. I want very much to keep it looking new, at least to the best of my ability. I've done a lot of searching, hours worth for the past few days, and I'm a little overwhelmed by so many choices and different types. Up until a few days ago, I thought a polish and a wax was the same thing. :lmfao

Here it is. I'm looking for the proper wax for my application. The vehicle is black. I live in WI where we get some harsh winters. I also don't have the ability to wash and wax my car every week either, despite wanting to. So for me I think durability and protection would be better. Throughout my search, I've found user feedback that Collinite 845 may be a good solution. In the past I've used Megs Gold Class. I didn't seem to have a problem with it. I've also used a clay bar once. That's the extent of my experience and skill level. But I'm looking to learn and take advice if it's offered. I value your feedback.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but since it's a new vehicle, it shouldn't need clay bar and/or polish. Or am I mistaken? This is where I need your help. I'm search exhausted and would appreciate any answers and advice you're willing to give.

Thanks in advance.
 
Welcome to forums :)

First off, a lot of new cars come off the lot with rail dust, fallout, and minor swirls. If you want long lasting protection with your LSP (wax / sealant) then claying would be most beneficial.
What claying does, is remove all of the contaminates from the surface of your paint making any wax bond better & last much much longer. I would suggest a fine grade clay (ill link at the end).

Next, polishing. Unless you have a machine (PC7424xp / GG6) I would skip this step to be honest. Or just use a light hand polish. If your not worried about not having a "show-car finish"

Lastly, some protection. Collinite 845 is a great choice. Its very affordable and offers great protection. Around 5-6 Months, looks great to. Another option is putting a Sealant down first then topping it with wax after its cured. Which is a very strong barrier on your clear coat and would last for quite some time. My recommendation would be Blackfire Wet Diamond All-Finish Paint Protection.

Blackfire Polyclay II
Or Megs Clay kit

Blackfire Wet Diamond, All Finish Paint Protection
Collinite Liquid Insulator Wax No. 845


Hopes this helps!
-Colin
 
Welcome to AF !!!!

I agree with what Colin has said. You really can't beat Collonite 845 for durability. I use it on my boat and easily get 6 months protection out of it.

Blackfire Wet Diamond is an excellent sealant. Very easy to apply to apply by hand or machine. Removal is a breeze and it looks fantastic.

You really can't go wrong with either.
 
Welcome to Autopia!!

If at all possible make sure the dealer does no exterior prep work on your car. Ask them to allow you to be present when they remove the protective wrap for final inspection and then don't let them touch the exterior beyond that. Most dealers will do more harm than good to a new car.

Black is a difficult color to maintain without swirls so when you get it home wash using the 2 bucket method and clay (as mentioned by others) using a mild clay as to not induce swirls. Use quality MF towels and a quality wash mitt--the Carpro Merino Wool mitt is excellent and not too expensive.

Lived in Milwaukee for 4 years while attending Marquette so I know your pain in the winter. If you must use an commercial car wash make sure it is brushless or use one of the drive in bays.

As mentioned Collinite 845 offers excellent protection. If you want to add a sealant layer you might want to take a look at Duragloss 105. It offers 4-6 months protection, easy to use and is very reasonably priced. Their AquaWax spray sealant is also a very good product you can use to boost protection in between applications of 105. You may find the look fine with no need for the adding another layer.

Good Luck!
 
congrats on the new ride. i take it that you'll be doing all this by hand which is ok, but you'll never get the results you'll get with a properly machined finish. eventually you'll want to get a good da polisher set up and it'll be one purchase you won't regret.
in the meantime, +1 on the blackfire products. after a good two bucket wash and claying, you might want to try using BLACKFIRE Total Polish & Seal. it's a sealant and polish combination that is very easy to use by hand with good results. to add even more shine and protection, you can top it with bfcs- Create WHIPLASH on paint, plastics, and metal!, also very easy to use (wipe on and walk away) and can be easily re applied whenever you feel like it.
eventually you'll want to try everything and that's normal around here ! :D
 
My current ride I just bought last May and I have been trying to take the best care of it. I to live up North here in MN and the winters are hard on a finish. Before this car I used the usual Turtle Wax, Nu-Finish, Meguiars that I could get OTC at any local retailer or auto store. I did research on the net then found this forum and opted for Finish Kare FK1000p for my winter coat. I can only comment on this wax and can only compare to what I have used before. All I can say is I am impressed with the durability of this wax compared to the OTC ones I have used. I applied 2 coats end of September and about a week or 2 later I added a 3rd coat and covered the wheels and door jambs as well and it still sheeting water when I take it to the car wash and hose the salt off of it after 6 months. For the Summer I am switching to BLACKFIRE products.

Dean. :cool:
 
I moderate a Honda accord forum and we have found get success and EASE by following the Blackfire "rapid flashfire" formula:
1. clay if needed
2. Blackfire Total polish and seal
3. Blackfire Crystal Seal
4. Wash with Blackfire Rinseless and 10 microfiber towels - re-up the crystal seal every 3 months

works fantastic...
 
I would recommend using the NanoSkin AutoScuber...(no one has time to clay anymore). For a not expensive Nano Hybrid Wax..I would use the NanoSkin Hydrophobic Wax and ive seen it last 8 months including the hard raining season here in Western Wa.st.
 
choices would be.....

COLLINITE 845
BLACKFIRE POLISH & SEAL ( GREAT ONE STEP PRODUCT!)
BLACKFIRE CRYSTAL SEAL. (AFTER YOU GOT YOUR LSP ON)
PRIMA HYDRO SEAL (VERY DIFFERENT APPLICATION FOR A SEALANT. EASY.)
 
To start I might suggest some basics and a modified list from above.
I tried to make this list IMHO the best value & good stuff that works.

Washing:
1) CarPro Wool Wash Mitt
2) Professional Grit Guards (Two Needed)

Decontamination:
Nanoskin Autoscrub Speedy Prep Sponge – Fine Grade
Detailer's Universal Clay Lubricant

Optional but recommended

CarPro TRIX Tar and Iron Remover
or
CarPro Iron-X Iron Remover

Polishing:
Machine paint correction and gloss enhancement
This is a deep dark rabbit hole for another thread.

Protection:
Three basic options - waxes, sealants and coatings.
Each Last Step Product (LSP) (left to right) increases in longevity.
You will find that "Proper Wax for New Vehicle" is very subjective.

Microfiber Towels:
1) The Supreme Guzzler Waffle Weave By Cobra (Drying)
1) Gold Plush Jr. Microfiber Towels 3 Pack
1) Chinchilla Microfiber Buffing Cloth

Quick Detail Spray:
This is a maintenance item for cleaning fingerprints, tree sap, bird dropping, pollen etc.
This could vary from OTC Meguiars Ultimate Quik Detailer to Wolfgang Instant Detail Spritz
_____________

I know I didn't answer your "Proper Wax for New Vehicle" but there are many factors.
Ease of application and removal, look and feel, durability etc. What are you wanting it to do?
This can range from two year protection to Saturday night out-on-the-town head turning wax.
 
If you're looking for longevity and don't mind the same routine year after year, I would do this.

Wash of course.

Polish with Amigo by Prima.
Seal with Epic by Prima.
Allow Epic to haze, then mist with Hydro and hand buff to remove. Use at least 3 towels to buff away product.

Apply the Hydro/Hydro Seal every other wash and you're good for the season.

3 parts Hydro & 1 part Hydro Seal. Mist on, wipe on to spread product. Buff to a glorious shine.

Go golfing.
 
Lots of really good advice. As noted, there are a lot of great products, which can make your selection a little more confusing -there is no BEST. But there are a lot of great choices.

Ultimately, technique will triumph over product selection. Proper washing and maintenance are going to make a huge impact on the condition of your paint as the years add up. Check out the how-to guides on autopia-carcare.com.
 
I just did my new black car. My products (after ultra poly clay):

Blackfire Total Polish and Seal
Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection
wait 12 hours
Blackfire Crystal Seal - 2 coats 3-4 hours apart.
Blackfire Midnight Sun paste wax (12 hours after last CS application)

I try to keep out of any rain for at least 12 hours after my final step.

If you like a glass-like shine, stop at the Crystal Seal. The Midnight Sun adds another layer of depth if you prefer that look.

When I strip and re-seal for winter, I am going to do the process above but top with Collinite 845.

If I don't get a lot of dirt buildup during the week, I'll do a rinseless wash on the weekend and finish it off with Blackfire Wet Diamond Polymer Spray. If it gets more grime during the week, I do a full hand wash, 2 bucket method and finish again with the WD Polymer Spray. I'm using Duragloss 901 for my shampoo for the full hand wash. Blackfire Wet Diamond Rinseless Wash for the rinseless.

You may have noticed...for now, I am mostly sticking to one brand so I know everything is working together. And I've been happy with BF, so I haven't found a need to branch out at this point. I swear, Todd isn't paying me! :lol2:
 
Good Morning.
Please allow me to offer maybe a different option. We have a NuPower II, a 'drywash' that leaves a UV protectant on it. With this, you will not have a "clearcoat/wax/sealant" to deal with. But it still provides amazing protection and gives great depth in the color.


(Link Removed)

Radara McHugh
 
All lots of really good suggestions. Not to jack the thread, as this sort of falls in the same category, but what do you guys think of using an IPA before applying sealants? (and waxes I guess too) I know it's vital when applying a coating like Opti-coat, but wasn't sure if it's beneficial before a sealant.
 
Brunkel said:
..what do you guys think of using an IPA before applying sealants? (and waxes I guess too)...
Click to expand...

Short answer: YES. My favorite IPA is Eraser Intense Oil & Polish Cleanser. IMHO it "behaves" better that IPA or mineral spirits.

_____________

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wxBanner
Merlin
 
Collinite 845 to get through the winters.
You can still put a topper wax on it if you want. For longevity and looks Bouncer's Vanilla Ice is a winner.
IPA after polishing use 11% by volume with distilled water. Some would say that is too low of a percentage but consider that IPA is a solvent. 11% will not hurt the paint or leave any residue behind. With todays water based polishes IPA can cut through the oils without a problem. I never had issues with LSP's or wax failure at this percentage. You are removing extremely low amounts of oils from the paint when you get to your final wipe down.
 
Bieradler said:
...Throughout my search, I've found user feedback that Collinite 845 may be a good solution....I've also used a clay bar once. That's the extent of my experience and skill level... But I'm looking to learn and take advice if it's offered. I value your feedback.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but since it's a new vehicle, it shouldn't need clay bar and/or polish. Or am I mistaken? This is where I need your help. I'm search exhausted and would appreciate any answers and advice you're willing to give.
Click to expand...

Colli 845 has a proven "winter" wax track record.

How to check if you need to clay:

Clean a small 24" x 24" paint area.
Use as Wash or Quick detail spray.

Put your hand in a sandwich bag.
Then lightly feel the paint surface.
Can you feel grit and little bumps?

If so, you need to "clay" the paint.
Yes, even new paint needs decon.

To start use a Nanoskin Autoscrub
Speedy Prep Sponge – Fine Grade
Use clay lube. Keep the paint wet.

Before claying I'd suggest using:
IronX LS (Lemon Scent). NO more
harsh Odor, with Equal Power of
decontamination as you come to
expect from Iron X Classic!

IronXls.jpg
 
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