bdar

Hello,

I'd like to get your opinion. Which one is better? Spraying quick detailer thingy like from Mequiar after wash or wax once a year? I heard rumor saying the chemical in quick detailer can wear off the clear coat. Waxing can cause swirling scratch as well as making the clear coat thinner. What do you do to maintain your car's beauty shine?

BurgBoxstr

Huh? Thus why you can't believe everything you read on the interwebz...

Waxing... protects your finish (polished or not)
Polishes.. well, uh... polish your finish
Quick Detailers (aside from use as lubricant when claying your finish) are good for a quick wipe down (instead of having to do a full wash - ONLY USE FOR LIGHT SURFACE CONTAIMINENTS LIKE DUST...) or to help lubricate the surface for final wipe down after a sheeting rinse from hand wash.

Anytime anything touches the surface, it has the propensity to scratch it - be it a microfiber towel, finger, whatever... The question is, how you gonna minimize the chances of that happening and how will you correct the scratches when they do happen???

Not the best source but a good start for a beginner so you can better understand proper auto paint finish care, terminology and how to...
http://www.properautocare.com/problemsolving.html

Good luck and after your done there, google Porter Cable 7424 for a fool proof tool any DIYer needs in their arsenal

*Batman*

Some basic facts:

1) Quick detailer does nothing to protect the finish. It just helps remove dirt from the surface. Best used in conjunction with a clay bar. You can use it to remove light dirt from a waxed finish, but I wouldn't do that since most likely the process will just cause scratches.

2) Waxes fall into 2 types:
- Carnauba waxes (which are solid creamy wax you apply by hand in a traditional way)
- Polymer waxes - typically liquid. Some spray on variants exist like Meguiars quick wax.

Polymer waxes are more durable (i.e. don't melt at high temperatures), but don't give as deep a shine as a Carnauba wax. Polymers are also easier to apply. Both provide protection.

If you don't have time to wax often, then a Polymer wax will typically last 6 months. A Carnauba wax will last 1-3 months depending on the climate and washing frequency. Some Carnauba waxes last longer than others - e.g. Swissvax Shield which is a Carnauba-PTFE blend lasts 6 months or so.

Scratches in clear coat are mostly caused by people pressing too hard against the car while detailing, or using dirty pads, sponges or clothes, and rubbing dirt (i.e. microscopic sand particles) against the surface of the car. It's not waxing that causes the scratches, it's a bad process as described.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

batman covered a lot of info already.

quick detailer wear off clear coat? can't say i agree with it, i don't think chemically they will affect clear coat. but if the cloth you use to wipe is not clean, then yes you can damage the clear coat, but that's the cloth, not the quick detailer

wax does NOT make clear coat thinner, it ADDS a layer of protection to the clear coat. swirl or not, that depends on the techniques, experience, and the material / cleanness of the applicator. if it's done right, it doesn't introduce swirls.

polishing is the process that takes away clear coat, you can think of it that way. but given today's paint thickness, and a good polishing job, it takes away ever so thin layer of clear coat. not like you polish the car 5 times and the clear coat will be gone (otherwise i would be crying by now already). and incorrect polishing will also cause scratches and swirls. but again, if done right, that won't happen

bdar

Thanks for the reply guys! Really appreciate it. BTW, do you prefer waxing by hand manually or using that rotary machines?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

somewhat dependent on the wax. if you apply carnauba wax like batman stated, you apply it by hand

*Batman*

Using the Miyagi technique - wax on, wax off

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

Quick detailer is a great product.

After you wax the car, and say you drive it in the rain, it will contain some water spots on the paint finish.

Quick detailer is there to remove those water spots/contaminants in order to restore the shine that the wax gave you.

Quick detailer, is not a wax replacement, but a wax compliment.

*Batman*

You should NEVER use quick detailer to remove marks from the rain. This is exactly how people cause scratches in their clear coat.

Quick detailer polishes a clean car. If you use it to remove dirt, it will scratch. If you want to remove spots and light dirt without washing and without scratching, you should use Optimum No Rinse.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...0996428313622#