Best Advice For New Cars

[bjgross]

I have been reading so much of the car detailing forum that my head is about to explode. A lot of this advice is directed at restoring and maintaining existing cars, but I can't seem to find anything specific on new cars.

My wife and I just purchased a new IS250 AWD Smoky Granite and it just turned over 500 miles last weekend. The finish is perfect and so far all I have done is to wash it with a microfiber mitt using Meguiars car wash, followed with a light application of Meguiars Gold paste wax. I have followed this forum's advice and only washed and wiped in a single direction (man, the old circular motion habit is hard to break). The results are silky smooth and so far I am satisfied with the look. I keep reading about using pre-wax cleaners, but I really am hesitant on putting anything on the clearcoat and really don't think I need it at this time. Is that correct? I plan to wash every couple of weeks with monthly re-applications of a good quality wax. Is that sufficient? Would a different wax (like P21S) improve the look?

We only plan to drive the car on the weekends for short trips, which includes a once per month trip over Steven's Pass (elevation 4000 ft). I am a little concerned my once-a-month wax job will not provide enough protection for the winter pass conditions (snow, ice and sanded roads - Washington State supposedly doesn't use salt). Should I plan to put a sealant on before winter? If so, what type and what steps are needed to prep the car for sealant? Is a synthetic wax, like Meguiars NXT the same thing as a sealant?

If I do go the sealant route, this forum suggests:

1) Wash the car with Dawn detergent (to strip off all the wax)

2) Apply P21S Gloss Enhancing Paintwork Cleanser

I like the description "P21S GEPC is better at adding oils to the paint, better for near new condition paint", but wonder if I need this step given how new the car is?

3) Apply some type of sealant

I would really like to have some additional recommendations other than Poorboy's EX

4) Follow with a good carnauba wax like P21S, which I would continue to do once a month.

Does this sound like a good regimen, or are there other recommendations for a brand new car?

Love this forum - thanks for all of the great advice!

[SW03ES]

Welcome to the site and congrats on the purchase of your new Lexus!

Starting from new your car won't require much in the way of paint restoration. To keep it in top shape you'll need to wash it regularly (I'm a huge proponent of WEEKLY washes, but if the car is just an occasional driver its probably overkill), protect the finish with a wax at least 4 times per year, and you'll probably have to polish the paint out once or twice a year depending on how careful you are with your washing regimen.

Now, bear in mind, this all depends on how high a degree of quality you want to keep the finish in.

When working with a sealant its important to remember that the term "sealant" is thrown around a lot. It basically means a product that is applied to protect the paint that is derived from artificial means as opposed to a wax which is comprized of, at least in part, an organic compound. Really a Dawn wash isn't neccisary unless you're working with a really picky sealant like Zaino or Klasse. For the hybrid products that are very popular (Wolfgang, all the Werksatt stuff, Poorboys EX and EX-P, Meguiars NXT) its not neccisary. When working with picky sealants the GEPC wouldn't be appropriate because it contains oils which will keep crosslinking sealants like Zaino and Klasse from bonding properly which will reduce longevity. The GEPC would be great for your color, but its better used with a wax.

From a protection standpoint, if you plan on waxing once a month you'll be covered no matter what you use.

[bjgross]

Thanks Steve,

My wife and I are absolutely thrilled with the IS and it is our intent to keep her (we named her Miss Moneypenny) in perfect condition. That is the main reason we decided to keep the old Honda for trips to the store, errands, etc and keep Moneypenny away from the parking lot jungle.

Since you recommend GEPC for our color (about every 6 months or so), what do you recommend for the top coats? When you say it works best with a wax, is that a pure wax or do the hybrid systems work as well? I do like the idea of added protection (from a sealant or hybrid product), and from what I can tell, a final coat of a good carnauba wax (like P21S) gives the deepest shine, which something I am also interested in (and willing to put in the effort). As you can tell, I am completely new to this and don't want to make any mistakes on our baby!

We really appreciate all of the great information you and the team share on this forum.

Thanks again!

[SW03ES]

No problem! You should check out www.autopia.org. There are tons of articles and how-tos there that will help you get a fundamental grasp of the basics.

As for products, one thing to remember about detailing is its 90% technique and 10% product. The type of products you use don't matter nearly as much as the technique with which you use them. You can read a lot about technique and products and tools there, much more than I could ever tell you.

Good luck!