Which Wax To Use?

[Preacherman]

I have a '94 LS400, and I'm going to be waxing it soon. What is a good wax to use? The color doesn't need to be restored or anything, but I would like to get some of the scuffs, etc. out.

Any recommendations?

[GDixon]

Try the Detailing Forum. Be ready for a flood of suggestions. You might also check Consumer Reports. They have several waxes listed including their different uses and longevity.

I personally use a clay bar and Turtle Wax ICE. It goes on easily, doesn't bother plastic, and leaves a nice shine. Some say that it doesn't last long but the shine and water beading has done well so far.

[Lash]

I really love Zymol, although it's only good for 5 to 6 months. But it looks great and does great with imperfections...swirl marks, etc.

[SKperformance]

moved to detailing

[SW03ES]

Bear in mind that a wax is not going to remove any defects from the paint. Certain waxes may hide them, but they'll always come back.

Look around here and read up

[carlexes330]

I have a '94 LS400, and I'm going to be waxing it soon. What is a good wax to use? The color doesn't need to be restored or anything, but I would like to get some of the scuffs, etc. out.

Any recommendations?

meguiars NXT tech wax and the detailer sprayer are both awesome products :)

[mburnickas]

go to autopia and do some reading. It will only take like days! It comes down to personal pref at some point.

[Cory]

If the scuffs are small (microswirls and such) Meguiar's #7 "Show Car Glaze" will work wonders. If they're more pronounced, you might have to apply a few coats of "Scratch-X" directly to the scuffs before you polish. I would follow the polish with some "Ultimate Quick Detailer" and then a few coats of "NXT Tech Wax" or "Gold Class Liquid Wax."

This is the formula I used recently and it worked like a charm.

[SW03ES]

The problem is you aren't really removing the marring, you're just hiding it temporarily. You need an abrasive polish to remove swirls, Scratch X is mildly abrasive but you need to really work it in to make it work.

[mburnickas]

I think, been a long time, Scratch X has fills in it. I like OC or OHC for removing scratches.

[smooth1]

If your going to use a wax instead of a paint sealer, I would just use #3 polish first. If after that you still want more than you can move to a #2 polish which is a little heavier. Then Go ahead and put on a good coat of wax, maybe two. The only way to get sctratches out other than repainting the area is to remove the ridges the sctratches create by "thinning" the layer of paint around it. And that is frankly a bad idea. So there are some scratches that you should just learn to live with.

And as for a suggestion on wax, I happen to really like Zaino and P35 Satin Creme now. After what I learned about Maguire's, I will never use that stuff again.

[Steve]

P21S Rocks!!!

[Scrub Hunter]

Zaino

[gabep]

Used Mothers clay bar kit on 2 vehicles. 94 Camry had overspray from an idiot who painted the rear bumper with no protection. Came out great.

[ROBERT THOMASON]

I really love Zymol, although it's only good for 5 to 6 months. But it looks great and does great with imperfections...swirl marks, etc.

I am a BIG Zymol fan myself. It works great on black cars. After you wax your car take a spray bottle and mist the car with distilled water and towl dry. This process takes any residue off the car and makes the shine "set in" Zymol can be a little on the greasy side and this steps takes that out. I used Zymol on my blk Porsche 86 928 with original paint and it always looked like new.

[Nica]

I would have to agree with what has been said here about improving the apperance of the vehicle. If you simply want to protect the vehicle then a quick wax job will do just fine...as to what wax to use? As previously mentioned it's all a personal preference...heck there are lots of products to choose from but if you really want to improve the apperance of your vehicle or to trule make your vehicle stand out a good polish to remove all imperfections from the vehicle is a must. The best tool to use to remove imperfections is a rotary but it does require some skills to be able to operate it and achive good results. There are Dual Action tools that are much safer and are very user friendly such as Porter Cable, Cyclo, UDM..ect...ect. Polishing a vehicle is fun, well at least I consider it to be fun, and if done properly it's very rewarding :D

[Elrukin]

Wax is outdated and a lot of work, If I'm going to rub on anything that long, I want it to rub me back.

There are too many new synthetic conditioners on the market that apply easier, protect better and last longer. These products may be described as wax or polish but that is inaccurate, they contain neither abrasive elements found in polish or plant based wax. I prefer VaporWax above all

Edited November 26, 2007 by SW03ES
STOP POSTING LINKS AND REFUSING TO SAY WHETHER YOU SELL THIS STUFF

[mburnickas]

Wax is outdated and a lot of work, If I'm going to rub on anything that long, I want it to rub me back.

There are too many new synthetic conditioners on the market that apply easier, protect better and last longer. These products may be described as wax or polish but that is inaccurate, they contain neither abrasive elements found in polish or plant based wax. I prefer VaporWax above all: http://www.ibc34.com/VaporWax.html

You might think WAX is outdated but it is not. Some people like the look of it and some like the look of poly etc.

So far from reading online, the product sucks the big one. I like the do not do anything for 24 hours, or the "replaces lost electrons in the paint"..Talk about junk product!

[Elrukin]

Wax is outdated and a lot of work, If I'm going to rub on anything that long, I want it to rub me back.

There are too many new synthetic conditioners on the market that apply easier, protect better and last longer. These products may be described as wax or polish but that is inaccurate, they contain neither abrasive elements found in polish or plant based wax. I prefer VaporWax above all: http://www.ibc34.com/VaporWax.html

You might think WAX is outdated but it is not. Some people like the look of it and some like the look of poly etc.

So far from reading online, the product sucks the big one. I like the do not do anything for 24 hours, or the "replaces lost electrons in the paint"..Talk about junk product!

Said the caveman when he first saw fire,

[mburnickas]

Said the caveman when he first saw fire,

Sorry man but it is typical crap online. Go one some major detailing forums and do some reading. It is junk. The write it they post is a total joke.

I still love:

1) ...loose electrons---good one

2) "VaporWax your vehicle in under 20 minutes"----I can do the samething with CG5050 along with other cheaper products

3) ...It does not promote rust.------ya think!

4) WHEN SHOULD YOU PUT WAX OR POLISH ON A NEW CAR FACTORY FINISH? NEVER

A wax shine is achieved by the use of abrasive particles that are designed to remove the factory finish and replace it with a lessor after market shine.

Close inspection after waxing will reveal millions of micro thin scratches. (swirl marks) Wax or polish is fine for older vehicles. They have nothing to loose."-----Now wax removes factory finish????

5) website sucks

6) "Alien Liquid Research"""...hmm, okay

Sorry but this product is below spam...and I think you are spamming here.

[kkaid2]

If your going to use a wax instead of a paint sealer, I would just use #3 polish first. If after that you still want more than you can move to a #2 polish which is a little heavier. Then Go ahead and put on a good coat of wax, maybe two. The only way to get sctratches out other than repainting the area is to remove the ridges the sctratches create by "thinning" the layer of paint around it. And that is frankly a bad idea. So there are some scratches that you should just learn to live with.

And as for a suggestion on wax, I happen to really like Zaino and P35 Satin Creme now. After what I learned about Maguire's, I will never use that stuff again.

Ok I will byte what did you learn about Maguier's? If I am using something bad I want to know

[Elrukin]

Said the caveman when he first saw fire,

Sorry man but it is typical crap online. Go one some major detailing forums and do some reading. It is junk. The write it they post is a total joke.

Step into the 21 century.

I use the product so I know it works. your comments only stand to show how little you understand about chemistry.

As far as the other forums, they are all dominated by cavemen like your self who keep encouraging people to use outdated wax.

What kind of credibility do you think you have when you speak on a product you have never tried?

none, just sour grapes.

Maybe you need a major detailing forum to tell you how to think, but I do just fine on my own.

You must really be scared of VaporWax to have never tried it but discussed in major detail forums, that only happens when a product is so good it worries the competition.

You're right to be worried because cavemen are a dieing breed.

Try to stop progress and you will be run over by it.

keep holding on to the past and you will be forgotten with it.

Wax on cavemen.

[mburnickas]

you are right...all 8 of your posts too! LOL

[SW03ES]

Cool it guys. Debating is fine, but your tone is out of line Elrukin.

The statement "wax is outdated" is rediculous. Detailing is a collection of processes, skills that make use of tools. Products are just some of those tools. What product a detailer chooses isn't nearly as important as the techniques used. Waxes are old fashioned thats absolutely true, and some synthetics last longer thats also true, but thats where the facts end. Look is subjective, ease is subjective. I personally much prefer carnuaba to synthetics on my cars. Thats my cars though, if I detailed less and needed more protection I might feel differently.

I haven't used Vapor Wax, but there are a lot of things about their site that concern me. When the manufacturers of a product lie to promote it, something has to be lacking in the quality department. Their website being as primitive as it is doesn't inspire confidence either. I expect its just a rebranded bulk product (tons of these out there). And at $70 for 4 ounces its outrageously expensive which isn't a good sign either, especially given the hokey taglines like "Alien liquid research" and the cheap, home printer labels on the bottles.

The following statements from the manufacturers of Vapor Wax are outright lies. In 12 years of detailing cars both professionally and for fun I have learned how products and processes work, and these statements are factually lies.

There are reasons why you are advised to wait before you wax a new car.

The application of wax is considered a contaminant to new paint. It can create surface tension on the finish

that will damage a newly painted surface. Wax does not shine better than paint

Lies. First of all, there is no reason not to wax a new car. Thats outdated 1970s nonsense. Modern paints are hard cured at the factory. The reason why you used to not want to do this, and still don't want to do this on repaints from body shops, is that the wax traps the offgassing of new paint which can keep it from curing properly over time. This product will do the same thing. Wax doesn't shine at all, and neither does this stuff. It simply fills in imperfections and creates a flat surface allowing the paint to shine. Actually it does a crappy job as will this if proper paint prep hasn't been done beforehand.

Wax can promote rust in older vehicles.

The thinking on sealing your paint with a product like wax is changing. Wax is the major cause of accelerated

body molding rust. After a car has been washed, water drops are trapped within the body moldings and trim.

Over time they will naturally evaporate into the air. Hardened wax traps small particles of water, In the

trimming against the metal. With the continued use of wax, sealed spaces or pockets where moisture can

collect are created. The result is rust .....

Lies. The thinking is sound, but modern steel is galvanized and without some sort of break in the paint surface rust is extremely unlikely. Perforations are almost impossible.

Plus, if you wax properly and use quality wax you won't have any hardened wax in your trim so its a moot point.

Wax has no arresting chemical or molecular reaction against rust. It cannot stop or !Removed! its

formation. Rust will actually feed off the moisture in wax.

The wax manufactures will never willingly admit this but it is well known to people who have had the

experience of having a frequently waxed car begin to rust. It always starts where water collects.

The problem is even worse on older cars that may have pits in the paint where wax can seal moisture in

against the paint.

More lies. They talk about rust like its this fast acting menace just waiting for a chance to strike and thats just not true. It takes a lot of exposure over a long time to rust any metal, let alone galvanized metal in a car that is primed and painted all the way around.

Waxing your new car can produce scratches that will dull your paint. You can look at a cars paint and see the

dull swirl marks from previous wax jobs Wax can contain solids that cut and fill fine lines into the paint each

time you use it. Wax hardened on buffing pads and previously used waxing towels are the main cause. Wax

is a solid and when it drys some of it can get pretty hard

More lies. Scratches are caused by improper washing, polishing, and buffing technique or by inferior towels, applicators, etc. True there are abrasive waxes that can scratch, but there are abrasive sealants that can scratch too. You can scratch your car with this stuff. Dried solids in towels and pads? Thats why you wash towels and pads in between uses.

a lot of work for a

shine that has such a short life expectancy (one week to two weeks)

More lies. There are plenty of waxes that will retain their look and protective qualities for FAR longer than two weeks, and there are sealants that will only last that long.

Notice how smooth new paint looks. Nothing solid has ever been applied to it and until you take

your car to a automatic car wash, put wax or polish on it, Your car will keep its new car finish

BIG lie. When you buy a car its already been detailed twice, once at the factory and once at the dealership. Guess what they use? Wax! Crappy wax too.

To close there are tons of products out there for the detailing professional or the detailing enthusiast. To say an entire class of products is outdated is simply untrue. You say mburn can't comment on this product because he hasn't used it yet you can condemn all carnuaba waxes because you've used one product? How many waxes have you used? Can you name them? One product isn't going to make the difference, and at the end of the day the goal is to have a well detailed car that looks great and to preserve its look over time. I've certainly done that with wax, as has mburn. So obviously its still good for something.

And yes, I do realize that Elrukin probably sells and makes this stuff especially considering he doesn't have a Lexus and his only posts here have been talking about this.

Take a lesson from this. Selling a product based on the shortcomings of your competition doesn't work, and it absolutely doesn't work if those shortcomings are lies. Don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about, I'm the consumer. Its your job as the manufacturer to assess my needs and create and market a product that fills them and that I would be interested in buying. You've done none of this here, and on top of that you come on here and make an !Removed! out of yourself calling your consumers backward and cavemen for not buying into your junk. If we don't see the value in what you're selling, thats YOUR failure. I wouldn't quit your day job.

[smooth1]

If your going to use a wax instead of a paint sealer, I would just use #3 polish first. If after that you still want more than you can move to a #2 polish which is a little heavier. Then Go ahead and put on a good coat of wax, maybe two. The only way to get sctratches out other than repainting the area is to remove the ridges the sctratches create by "thinning" the layer of paint around it. And that is frankly a bad idea. So there are some scratches that you should just learn to live with.

And as for a suggestion on wax, I happen to really like Zaino and P35 Satin Creme now. After what I learned about Maguire's, I will never use that stuff again.

Ok I will byte what did you learn about Maguier's? If I am using something bad I want to know

Well, while this is not an officially sanctioned test, I did this in my garage for myself.

http://www.ffcobra.com/magazine/waxtest.html

I now no longer use Maguires.