What is the best car wax out there?

MacCool

I agree that polishing is needed only occasionally if one follows good finish care and prevents micromarring during washing and waxing. And assuming you don't get hit with bugs. I also agree that sealing once or twice a year is likely all that's necessary and that waxing as needed with a good carnauba wax will keep the car shiny as long as the paint underneath isn't scuffed, swirled, or marred. I don't agree that polishing to remove swirling, scratches or micromarring will damage the paint (clear coat, I'm sure you meant). IMHO, to rely on wax as the sole means of keeping your car's finish looking its best is incorrect.

StrokeThis347

I am in no way saying to rely on wax alone. But to polish every single time is unnecessary. Granted this will be different for every car and what it sees. But wax (synthetic or caranuba) does wonders in taking car of minor imperfections.

With the polishing buffing part I did not mean it damages the paint. But everytime you use a polish, compound, or buffing (7/8 times have abrasives in them) you are removing a small layer of paint (yes clearcoat). Hold a buffer on a edge/corner or in one spot too long you burn through the paint. This isn't hurting your paint job but if you are doing it 4 times a year versus someone who does it once a year your paint will thin out and not last anywhere near as long if they are given the same care otherwise.

MacCool

Ah. You don't grasp the polishing concept. I am in no way saying you should polish every time you wax. A direct drive buffer is rarely used by us hobbyists...it's only virtue is its speed. It doesn't do a better job on the finish. It would take some substantial effort to damage or burn a vehicle with a Flex polisher and virtually impossible with a Porter Cable. If you want to go beyond the concept of which hardware store car wax will make your car look the best, Junkman (in this subforum) would be a good place for you to start.

StrokeThis347

I don't grasp what part lol. You can still royally f*** up a paint job with just a orbital buffer. Use the wrong pad or the wrong compound and it is swirl city. Especially on something like a black car. Seen it 100's of times. From my experience the "high speed" buffer does do a better job on the moderate to severe imperfections.

1Stunna

I will usually endorse Mcguiars NXT 2.0 wax but if u say best wax. I don't know if you would pay it unless you like Jay Leno...lol...look into this if money is not an object.

Chemical Guys N_002 Project J97 Paste Wax - Ultra Refined White Brazilian Carnauba Wax

Chemical guys Project j97 n_002 wax if you really about it.

Cmike2780

Not to sound like a ****, but it doesn't really matter if its black. The swirls are usually just in the clear. A dual action polisher like a Porter Cable or Flex polisher can be as effective as a rotary polisher with the right compound. You'd have to be an idiot to cause "swirls" with a DA polishers. That's not what usually causes swirl marks unless you have a dirty pad. The point of aggressive pads and coarse compounds as you've stated is it remove microns worth of clear. If you were a pro, you would use a paint guage to determine safety every time. It all depends on the polish, technique and tools. You're obviously not wet sanding every time, but you can get away with light touch ups before each wax application with the right products.

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[09][MB][6-Spd MT][Touring][Stillen Gen III][K&N][Borla CBE][Evo-R]

StrokeThis347

Of course they are in the clear. What I meant is that a black car will show swirls instantly. Compared to something like a silver car where there could be swirls in the paint and you wouldn't see them because of the color. Like I said I have seen people put swirls in a car before with a standard orbital buffer. It is pretty easy when they use something like a wool pad and rubbing compound across the whole car lol. Yes we did use paint gauges. I totally agree you can spot buff to touch up your car to remove imperfections.

Cmike2780

I think we can all agree a dirty pad or surface can cause swirls, but I too have to disagree about a clean orbital buffers causing swirls with certain pad and compound combinations. It's more likely that there is a contaminant in the pad, compound or surface. Compounds/polishes are suppose to technically "sand" down the clear coat as we've all agreed. I think the arguement here is basically what you define as "swirls". A coarse polish technically causes "swirls" to flatten everything out. That's why you finish it with a finer "finish" polish. I for example, use Meg's 105 followed by 205. The 105 leaves a somewhat duller finish than I starter with a more uniform "swirls" throughout. The 105 reduces those "swirls" to even smaller "swirls".

Also, to avoid further confusion. There are basically three types of polishers/buffers available. A rotary, dual-action and the flex type which is sort of a hybrid of both. A rotary polisher, by its nature will cause ghosting/holograms or burn the paint before you ever get true "swirls" caused by improper technique.

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[09][MB][6-Spd MT][Touring][Stillen Gen III][K&N][Borla CBE][Evo-R]

MacCool

Yeah. I don't think I can help you. Good luck, though.

cheshirecat

I also disagree with his assessment. An orbital buffer will not leave streaks as long as the paint is clean. If you don't clay to remove contaminants before buffing, you'll be moving dirt around and defeating the purpose of buffing in the first place.

StrokeThis347

I am not the one that needs the help. Besides the point I am not trying to argue with anyone I am going off of what I have seen people do when I worked in a detailing shop. It is very possible to swirl a paint job pretty easily on a clean surface. Like I said use something like a wool pad and a aggressive compound that will do it. Granted it is 10x easier to mess up paint with a "high speed" buffer.

cheshirecat

Obviously, if you use an aggressive cutting setup, you're going to get a marred surface. That's part of the beast.

That's why you follow it up with a lighter compound to take out the marring the aggressive cut creates.

I agree that it's easier for an amateur to create paint defects with a high-speed buffer, hence the popularity of many lower-speed dual action polishers. I don't understand, though, how this applies to the discussion as most of us here don't use these tools or work in a body shop.

It's very important for anyone who's thinking about paint correction to educate themselves on what buffers, pads, and compounds to use to achieve their goals. If they go at it with a brillo pad glued to a high speed makita, I assume they're going to have serious issues.