What is the best car wax out there?
 

I want to know the best paste car wax out there that will make my car really shiny. I have a 2011 base pearl white 370z.

Read up on what really makes the car shine first. Any wax is just their to enhance and protect the shine/paint. If money is no object, go with Swissvax...or Adam's Americana, if you're looking for something better than the store bought stuff but more reasonably priced. Like I said though, learn some stuff about polishing the paint first. Plenty of info here.

Yep, like Mike mentioned- wax is for protection, not shine.

I would personally suggest using a sealant first, then waxing. The sealant will give you that shine you're looking for. I personally like this:

Amazon.com: Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant: Automotive

I really like the looks of sealants on white. The others that posted above that polishing and prepping the paint for the wax/sealant is the main thing that will make your paint pop. As for protecting the paint I use collinite 476S if i'm using a wax or I use 4star ultimate paint protectant. I am starting to look into the opti-coat, cquartz and the most interesting permanent sealant 22ple! expensive but the results are awesome.

Can you use the sealant with your hands instead of a machine?

Will the sealant mess up the paint in the long run?

Yeah even I want to know the Best car wax for my Car that really makes it look very Shiny,my Car color is Black.

Yeah right! haha hopefully we find em!

Not a paste wax..But Liquid Glass is my favorite...Really rocks on Black!

Like I said, the wax only enhances the shine. Here's the thread when I tried Swissvax Onyx.

http://www.the370z.com/attachments/d...swissvax-2.jpg

Yes, Sealants are the protectant after you polish the paint. They are applied by hand and not by machine. The machine part is used during the polishing the paint phase.

not at all! they last about 8 months. Very easy to apply and have more of a sterile mirror look to them vs traditional waxes.

You HAVE to prep the paint before you apply the wax/sealants. This is mandatory. The best wax in the world will look like *** on a paint that isnt prepped correctly. This is the start of the never ending cycle of perfection lol.

I personally use and recommend Dodo Supernatural, and Supernatural Hybrid. They give a great shine, and make the car look super wet. I am an auto mobile lover and I often visit Remanufactured Automotive Engines - Car/Truck Crate Motors (Big/Small Long Blocks) it’s one of the most useful resources I have ever visited. If you too an automobile lover I suggest you to check out their link.

Very, very subjective question. Parallels the "what is the best oil" question.

My choice is Meguiers nxt.

How long is a piece of string?

Zaino

I use Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax.

Old pic of my 350Z:http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/..._7791509_n.jpg

Absolutely with no doubt ZAINO, Strip your car with dawn dish washing soap clay bar it and go through the steps of giving your car that show car shine. Always use their soap and wash your car by hand. you will not regret it.

I used to work at a professional detailing shop back in high school. If you want a wax for shine, go with a true caranuba wax. But for lasting protection a synthetic is the way to go. Wax will also make the car pop and shine not just polishing. The wax rejuvenates the paint and fills in tiny imperfections. If you want protection go with meguiars ultimate. For shine go with a zymol product (true zymol not the stuff at wal-mart).

Zymol is basically turtle wax. If you're looking for something in that price range, go for NXT.

On going joke in Fl. How long does Zymol last? As long as it took you to apply it!

Clay bar then Zymol cleaner wax then Meguires Sealant 2.0 was what I used on my 09 PW 370Z and it turned out great everytime.






DAN

Reason Zymol doesnt last as long as others is because its all natural, that is why you apply a sealer to it and it will last for months.








DAN

I jumped on the Zaino bandwagon a while ago too. Their Z5 makes dark colors look amazing. It lasts a very long time and can be applied over a clear bra without inducing a nasty yellowing problem.

Wax is the last step. After you polish (machine), then seal, then you apply the wax.

I said not the wal-mart stuff. The stuff you but there IS Turtle wax. True zymol ranges from $50 to thousands of dollars for a few ounces of wax. http://www.zymol.com/zymolroyaleglaze44oz.aspx

Yes, but it gives a deeper better shine than anything else. This is why concourse cars and show cars use caranuba, not worried about longevity.

You do not need to polish every single time you wax, especially machine. The only time you should have to is to remove moderate to severe imperfections. Wax will alone in itself take care of light scratches and swirl marks ext.

You also need to remember every time you use a polish, compound, or machine you are thinning your paint a little bit each time. Granted this is not going to hurt your car doing it something like once a year, but I would not do it every single time you wax (as some people like myself clean/wax their cars more often than this).

Not true but to each their own.







DAN

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.

I like this Zymol and it smells like bubble gum :icon17:

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/ZYMOL-CLEANER...pNg~~60_35.JPG

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.

That is turtle wax with a zymol label.

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.

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.

Best wax huh!
 

I will usually endorse Mcguiars NXT 2.0 wax but if u say best wax. I don't know if:icon18: 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.

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.

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.

The darker the color (usually), the more swirls tend to show up as the contrast between the sunlight catching on the light scratches and the dark paint is that much more apparent.

Polishing the car is done to correct paint imperfections. Usually, this is in the form of light scratches that form when moving something across the surface of the paint. For this post, we are going to assume that's the only flaw your paint has- no paint chips or deep scratches.

The 370z has a very soft clear coat. This means that light scratches will appear very easily as a result of physical contact. I've actually seen them happen from application of detailer using a cheap microfiber towel.

If you've polished the scratches out, there's no need to polish again. Please also understand that many products contain "fillers" which fill in the scratch with materials which will eventually wear down and wash off. Many waxes have these fillers which even out the coat and make your car look more "shiny" because your paint now has a more uniform surface. However, this is all just a temporary solution.

If you have a panel that has light scratches (scratches that you cannot catch a fingernail on), you can buff those scratches out to get that uniform appearance without *any* application of a product with fillers. The process goes like this:

- Wash the car with a detergent-based soap. Dawn or Joy works. This takes the existing wax/sealant and detailing products off of the paint and gives you the raw surface to work on.

- Clean the panel you're going to work on with a 70/30% water/rubbing alcohol (IPA) solution. This will get the remnants of those products off just to make sure the surface is completely clear of product.

- Remove the embedded dirt and debris from the paint using a claybar or other contaminant removing product. Get some detail spray, a bar, and put on a latex or neoprene glove. Spray the deailer on to use as lube for the bar. If the bar catches, you aren't using enough detailing spray. This should be done on a cool panel in the shade. Run your gloved hand over the panel. Feel any dirt? Run the claybar over it until it's smooth.

- Clean the panel again to get the detail spray off

- Buff the panel. This step is pretty involved, so please go to Junkman's youtube to check out the process as well as pick the right pad and product for your scratches

- Once your panel is smooth, you're ready to apply the sealant. Think of sealant as a super-wax. Not only does it last quite a while (perhaps six months or more depending on driving conditions and storage) but it will give your paint that gloss coat that you thought wax did. Apply it by hand and follow the directions on the bottle.

- let the sealant cure. the bottle should tell you how long the sealant needs to properly bond with the paint. 24 hours or more isn't uncommon

- apply your wax. the wax exists for one thing: to protect your paint. apply by hand, wait for it to dry, and wipe off. don't get it on your rubber trim, noob. tape off areas if you need.

use a final detailing spray if you'd like to give it a nice glossy sheen.

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

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.