This detailing stuff is way more confusing than I thought...

My new Lariat Screw (black) is on order and will be here shortly... I want to keep this vehicle perfect from day 1. So:

1. Regarding polishing/waxing, based on some of the reviews I have read here, and other forums, I was going to use Meguiars NXT, but am concerned because of it containing silicone, and is synthetic, instead of carnuba. Should I be?

2. I plan on using a quick detailer/spray wax after every wash while drying, is this all right or harmful?

3. Is it necessary to a clay a new vehicle, if so, order of jobs from start to finish, ie: wash, clay, wash, polish, wax, QD..?

4. Meguiars 9 and 26 seem to be favored for polish and carnuba, where can they purchased? Are they just commercial products? My wife bought me a bottle of Meguiars Gold class, is this adequate?

5. If I do use the NXT and then a carnuba on top of it, how long before I could wax again, could I just wash and then wax, without stripping first? I plan on waxing monthly, washing weekly (at least).

Thanks...

 

KTNC, check it out. the #9 is a swirl remover, also it removes the spider web marks (those super fine scratches you can only see in certain light) what ytou should get is what i use. i have a brand new SCREW, bright red! i use all meguires products. first i use gold class shampoo and conditioner, also, what your wife got ya, is the commercial product of meguires, all is good. wash using a micro fiber towel, or what i use, lamb's wool. get it good and clean and dry it using a waffle weave microfiber (MF). then use the number 7, called show car glaze, follow through with yellow wax #26. then your upkeep, in-between waxing, you could use either 'quik detail' or i use, final inspection which is the pro line as well. all using MF towels. now if you have the swirl marks, spider webs, use the #9. work it till almost dry, then move to another spot. i used it today and was floored!! so in a nut shell...
if scratches are visible...number 9
shampoo and conditioner
show car glaze number 7
yellow wax number 26
upkeep, final inspection.
all products i listed are professional grade meguires, except the shampoo. got it at wal-fart! the other's, i go to a auto body supply shop out here near me, although i have seen them at autozone, big auto supply store. and if all else fails, go to megiures web site. www.meguiars.com. good luck! and hope i help ya out, like i have been helped out from all the great people from this site!

 

KTNC:

In addition to what has been said - you should not need to clay a new vehicle unless it had a hard trip from the factory to the point you probably need not accept the truck. Also, do not jump on the new paint too fast for it needs to cure. I did a search for it but could not find it, "It" being the recommended cure time established by the different automotive paint finish manufactures. The recommended time to wait before applying any sealers or waxes ranged from 90 days to 6 months. I can not remember who said 90 days and who said 6 months.

Screwdrive

 

First, the paint on your vehicle is cured when it is painted at the factory. So, by the time you take delivery, it can be treated just like any other paint.

1. No need to be concerned about the NXT! It is synthetic (that's a good thing), and it will work fine on your paint. If there are silicones in there, they won't hurt............... Meguiar's wouldn't put them in there if they did.

2. Using a QD after washing is an excellent idea, as it keep the paint slick. Some QD's even add a little protection to the paint. However, do the QD'ing after the vehicle has been dried.

3. Check the paint by lightly rubbing your hand over it. If you feel tiny bumps or roughness, the paint might need to be clayed. It depends on how long the vehicle sat, and where it sat. The vehicle might only need a light paint cleaning, or polishing if there are swirls/spider webs due to those "fine" dealer prep jobs.

4. No, #26 and #9 are not "consumer products". They are from the "professional" line. Only some auto parts stores, and distributors sell them. Do a search on Meguiar's site for Professional products in your area. As for the GC......... it's OK, but I think you would like the NXT, and/or #26 better........ especially on black.

5. If you plan on waxing monthly, and washing weekly, you can probably go a long time with "stripping" anything. The weekly washing will remove some of the carnauba topper. So, by the time you go to wax again........... it will need it.

Hope this helps.

 

One little comment - I would use a lamb's wool or 100% cotton wash mitt to wash and not a microfiber towel. The idea is you want something high-pile to pull the dirt off the paint and deep into the mitt. There may be MF towels made for washing, I'm not sure, but I would avoid using a regular one. Otherwise, quality MF towels are a must (for drying, removing wax/sealant/polish, general cleaning) if you plan on taking "perfect" care of your truck.

 

Well Boss, not to contradict the master but… paint is dried at the factory in a manner that generally cannot be duplicated in body shops simply due to the expense and the risk of melting non-metal parts. However, the paint it is not totally cured by this process. Applying a sealing type product on a new vehicle prior to 90 days from the build date, and that time is relative to climate and where one lives, can result in the paint becoming cloudy and pre-mature deterioration of the clear coat – we have all seen vehicles with the clear costs pealing off. I would love to research some of these to see if the original owners purchased a dealer applied “miracle” paint sealant. Clearly this is not the only reason for clear coat failures.

However, we all have opinions based on experiences and mine is to wait and yours is not to wait. So, lets agree to disagree on this point.

Screwdrive

 

Screwdrive,

Certainly not the master, and I've been wrong before. However, I've waxed/sealed several new vehicles the day they got home, without a problem.

Here's what Meguiar's says about it, and they know much more than I do a about automotive paint.

http://www.meguiars.com/fastrack/fas...wse.cfm?Turn=4

 

Thanks for all the replies...

I just checked, and my local Autozone does have Meguiars #7 and #26. They also have the "consumer" products numbered 1, 2, and 3.

1. Would this Cleaner #1 be comparable to #9?

2. Is it necessary/beneficial to wash/wax the hood from front to windshield, and the sides from bottom to top, or it doesn't matter. I'm just real apprehensive about swirl marks, and how they show on black. This will be my first black vehicle.

3. What is the best applicator for applying polish/wax?

I plan on using the 7 and 26 for now, and maybe later some NXT.

Thanks again for all this info..!

 

KTNC,

1. No, the #1 isn't even close to the #9. The #1 is a paint cleaner (chemical). While the #9 is an swirl remover with abrasives/fillers in it to do just that........... remove/hide swirls. The #2 is similar to #7 in it's abrasiveness, and will not remove swirls either.

2. If your finish is absolutely perfectly clean, and you are working with super clean applicators, then it won't matter which way you apply your wax. However, on black (and other dark colors) it sometimes helps to use the front to back, top to bottom method......... just in case.

I like to wash my vehicle with the front to back, top bottom method you are speaking of, as I feel that it minimize the "type" of swirls (vertical vs circular). Of course, the better (more lubriaction) the car wash has, the better off you are. Also, the wash mitt must be a mitt that won't scratch, and is in good/clean condition.

3. I like to use Terry apps with paint cleaners, and aggressive polishes (if I'm doing it by hand), as the Terry apps have a little more bite, and seem to clean/polish better. For glazes like #7, and for waxes/sealants, I like to use foam apps.

Hope this helps.

 

To continue this discussion a bit more...

I went to Meguiar's site and ran a personal car care RX schedule. I got the typical wash, clean, glaze and wax.

The suggested products were:

#1. Mirror Glaze Hi-Tech Wash
#2. Meguiar's Medallion Premium Paint Cleaner
#3. Polish #7
#4. Wax #26
#5. Final Inspection #34

I have a local shop that sells most of Meguiar's professional line, however I couldn't find anything remotely resembling the Medallion Premium Paint Cleaner. Anyone have any other suggestions of a replacement product. Would the Step #1 of the 3 step bottle product work just as good? I plan to clay it after washing (some imbedded road grime I can't take off without anything else)

Also, considering that my truck is oxford white in color, will I benefit much from the #7 or should I just save my time and go straight to the #26 wax after claying?


Thanks,
TonyPTX

 

You sound fairly versed in the whole scheme of things and seem to understand what each step does and why you do it...

Let me ask you this... do you have oxidation on your truck? How old is it? What type of environment does it typically sit in?

In short, I'm wondering if you really need the MPPC in the first place...

I hate to further answer your post with questions but, do you use a PC to apply? By hand?

Let me know and I should be able to better explain #7/MPPC and introduce another product, #9.

RP

 

RP,

You've been helping me out quite a bit here (i had the questions w/ the small specs of road grime and you suggested clay).

I haven't done anything to the vehicle other than wash it once a week or every other week (based on time).

The truck is an oxford white 2003 F-150 SCrew. Manufact. Date is June 2003. I picked it up in July 2003. I'm a traditionalist and believe you should wait 5-6 months before waxing a new car.

ANYWAY, it's about time to apply the first waxing (with it warming up here in southern Louisiana, New Orleans to be exact).

Other than the black road grime specs I need to scrub off, the paint is in excellent condition (one of the reasons I love white is that it's difficult to see faint scratches, spider webs, and swirl marks). No oxidation is yet visible.

If you're not familiar with New Orleans weather, it's relaviely humid all the time, hot as hell (+90°F summers), rains almost every week (possible exposure to acid rain).

The truck sits outside at night (exposure to dew in the mornings), and sits in a parking garage during the day while I'm at work (out of the sun). On weekends, it's sitting in the sun.

I contimplated getting the #9, but thought that I don't have swirl problems and figured #7 would be milder.

As for the Paint cleaner....it was just a thought and nothing more. I see everyone using it and thought I should be too.

I'm an ex-Mother's product user. Not that I don't like their products, I just want to try something different with this pickup.

EDIT: Forgot to state this in the orginal post, but I like hand jobs so it will all be manual labor.

 

In my honest opinion, Meguiar's paint care prescription is a bit too agressive for what you've described to me...

Here's what I'd do...

Ditch the whole 'paint cleaner' idea. The products that you're speaking of are chemically agressive to remove oxidation and very small extent of 'stuck on' contamination. In short, being that the truck is less than a year old from the factory, I SERIOUSLY doubt that you have oxidation problems...

A product like Meguiar's #9 Swirl Mark Remover (SMR) might be a good product to keep on hand in addition to the #7. Both have specific purposes and will be used over the course of time IMO.

The #9 is just what the product reads it is... a swirl mark remover. It achieves this by using a very small amount of abrasives coupled with fillers and other ingredients to work your swirls away and also to conceal them. The #7 is, again, just what it says it is... a glaze (pure polish). The 7 will give you little to no help on any minor swirl or imperfection. It'll simply add a gloss. Again, in my opinion, the #7 is a little more difficult to work with than the #9 but, that's just one man's opinion.

With that in mind, I'd go with the #9 as I assure you that repeated washing/drying will produce some swirls. You did assume correctly that the #7 was less agressive than #9 but, on a scale of 'agressivness' the #9 is VERY mild. Ditch the #7 idea IMO for your situation.

After the wash, clay, #9; I'd go with NXT and then a topper of #26. With the Louisiana climate in mind, I'd rather throw a good sealant like NXT at it and then bring the depth and color back with #26... I'm worried that #26 might not provide much duration for protection in your particular instance.

Further, I'd reapply #26 monthly over the NXT... you'll know when it's time to #9 again as you'll begin to see the swirls again.

I know that was a general ramble but, I think it made a little bit of sense... LOL!

RP

 

#9 over #7 eh?

Will need to make a nother trip back to the store for it.

OK, so what about the pin striping that comes with the Lariats? Do I need to keep these products off of it, or can I just apply it over the striping and buff it off? I'd really hate to have to be so picky with the wax application.

 

Trust me, you're not being too picky. It's simply showing me that you're as **** about your vehicle as I am about mine... I don't think that's a bad thing in the least...

#7 is a good product but, for a vehicle that sits outside alot and, from the sounds of it, will be washed alot, #9 will be a better product for you I believe.

As far as the pinstriping is concerned, you shouldn't have a problem. Of course, once you get it around the edges of the pinstripe, be careful going back down it with a fingernail as you could, inadvertantly, flake a piece of the stripe off. Just be ultra careful around those areas. To date, I don't think I've ever not waxed them... I've never had any problems.

RP