LHARTWICK

I have a 2008 IS, Starfire Pearl (pearl white). I've done some research on these boards as well as websites such as Zaino's and Meguiar's but am still confused as to what products are best for me. Since my car still has that new car shine, I would like to keep it that way but I'm confused as to which products to use. In the past on my old car, I've always just used Meguiar's Cleaner Wax about every two - three months and that was the extent of my paint care. I kept the car washed and waxed it when the water beading began to stop. But I didn't know until reading these boards that the Cleaner Wax is slightly abrasive. Is there a way to protect my car's finish without putting 7 hours worth of work into it? i.e., maybe just two steps like a wax and a polish? I also have begun using Meguiar's Quick Wax after I wash to help maintain the shine in between waxings.

I also have a clear bra on my car and need a specific recommendation as to what product to use on it to prevent yellowing and to protect the film itself. Obviously, this product needs to be non abrasive as well. On another thread, someone recommended Zaino, but didn't tell me which specific Zaino product.

Any help is appreciated!

C-man jr

I would use Zaino on your Starfire Pearl, I think it is the best for light colors. The first treatment will take longer, but it is important to do it properly in order to get a lasting and protecting result. I would recommend the following: wash with Dawn, go through with the claybar, then use Z-AIO and after that a layer of Z-2 and Z-6 and once again Z-2 and Z-6, and then you can finish it off with Z-8. The maintenance of the surface after this is easy: wash always with Z-7 and after washing put on a layer of Z-6 (this is a spray which is wiped off immediately, so really fast & easy).

For the clear bra I would say that Z-14 is the best one, it is non abrasive and suits clear plastic (or film) really well.

UDel

First you need to decide whether you want a product you can just go out and get at most stores or something a little better that will be more expensive and you will have to order.

If you want something pretty good that you can run out to and get at most stores and you seem to like Meguiars then Meguiars NXT2 is pretty good. A little expensive but gives a nice shine and decent protection. It does not take 7 hours to apply, you just put it on, let haze and take off, you should be able to do your whole car in less then a hour. Don't believe how many of these products say they will last 3-6 months to a year. That all depends on conditioners your car is exposed to daily and other factors and it is usually alot less with a daily driven car or car exposed to the elements. I would put a coat of NXT2 once a month. Just don't get any of the Turtle Wax crap because it is not good.

If you want products that offer better longer lasting protection and maybe a little better shine then you will have to pay more and go through the hassle of ordering online and many are two step processes. Klass AIO and Klass AG are very good and have many fans and will give protection a pretty long time. Jeff Werkstatt AIO AP and AG are very good too, maybe a little better the Klass but the final product can be kind of difficult to take off if you put too much on. Zaino is very good but also very expensive(a bit overpriced in my opinion) but I like it and it has many fans. There are several different products and it maybe confusing with everything but you can use their Zaino AIO(ALL IN ONE) as a base coat for you car followed then by 2 coats of Z2 which will provide very good protection and a great look. These are all synthetic sealants which generally provide the best/longest lasting protection and a nice shine but do not really provide the deep wet look a carnuba wax will. There is an exception to the carnuba does not provide as much protection or last as long as a sealant with a product called Collinite 476S. Collinite 476S is a carnuba based wax but also offers pretty much the longest lasting and best protection out of all sealants/waxes and has a pretty nice carnuba shine to it to and I highly recommend it. The best thing is it is pretty inexpensive from most online retailers around $15-$17(but you do get hit with a shipping cost).

There are plenty of other products out there too that are very good, these are just the ones I use and have been happy with. Don't get talked into paying too much for waxes/sealants as many of the really high priced stuff like $100+ designer carnubas do not do any better job then the lower/mid priced stuff.

Autopia is a great car detailing site to visit and ask questions.

LHARTWICK

UDel & C-Man JR - thanks for your quick replies!

I think the wax I used a few weeks ago is the Meguiar's NXT2 since that's what I had on hand. I don't mind ordering products at all. I was just confused as to what to order if I went with the Zaino line. A lot to pick from! In regards to the Turtle Wax: I wouldn't put that crap on my dog's car! It shouldn't be allowed to be sold. Horrible!

One question - I have never used a clay bar before. Can either of you give me a brief tutorial on application?? Thanks again for your help!

C-man jr

Well simply said you just rub it straight on the surface.. Basically, after washing with Dawn you remove all the remaining contaminants with the claybar, and it removes pretty much everything. Put a half a cap of Z-7 and water in a spray bottle and spray this on the area you are cleaning with the claybar (approximately 3 feet x 3 feet), and then rub with the claybar. It is designed to be used with a lubricant. After you've treated the area, wipe off with a cotton towel, and that's it. And it is really useful for the tip of your exhaust pipe as well

Chris@GlimmerGlass

iTrader: (3)

Cman pretty much covered it. Basically, after you wash the vehicle (dawn isnt necessary, you can use any standard auto shampoo), you can begin to clay. Using a clay lube, spray a 1'x1' or 2'x2' area w/ the lube. Working the clay in back/forth motions and using light/moderate pressure, the clay will begin to pull the contaminents off of the surface. repeat this around the entire vehicle. Fwiw, you might consider tearing the bar into smaller pieces so that if you drop a piece, you can grab another piece w/o having to worry if the one you dropped picked up debris when it hit the ground. A light cut bar is all you need. Heres a few in case you need any.....
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com...ubricants.html

And fwiw, on pearl paint, I really like EXP and OptiSeal.
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/optiseal.html
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/exp.html

LHARTWICK

Chris: So after I do all of the steps that Cman mentioned in his first post, I use either the EXP or OptiSeal to "seal" everything? Can I also use this on the clear bra?

C-man jr

I would not recommend using non-Zaino products on top of Zaino products, since they are designed to work together.

Chris@GlimmerGlass

iTrader: (3)

I'm not very familiar w/ zaino having never used it myself, so I cant say how well it would work in conjunction w/ their other products. Those products were just mentioned as ones that I like on your particular paint.
If you wanted an alterantive to zaino, I could certainly give you a routine/product lineup that would accomplish the same thing though