HoustonES300

I have recently purchased a '99 ES300 and want to "freshen" up the entire car, especially the paint. The previous owner appears to have taken very good care of it, but I have no idea if there is any wax on it (I bought it from the dealer). I have just picked up Meguiar's #7 & #26 along with some ScratchX. Several Questions: Can I use the 7 & 26 on the "plastic" lower body of my car? Should I use ScratchX the entire car or use a different type of "paint cleaner" to prepare the finish? Lastly, do you recommend using Microfiber towels for polish and wax clean up only or can they be used for everything? (leather conditioner, rainX, etc.).

Thanks

HoustonES300

Daddy-O

Welcome to ClubLexus.

#7 is a pure polish with no abrasives, and #26 is a pure carnauba wax with no cleaners or abrasives. They are no problem on these panels.


Meguiar's Medallion Premium Paint Cleaner, Meguiar's Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner or Meguiar's Clear Coat Body Scrub Paint Cleaner are all more economical alternatives to the 7 oz. tube of Scratch X. Follow up with #7 & #26 and wow, you'll be looking great.

Other than waxes (foam applicators), I apply most car care chemicals with cotton terry applicators or cotton terrycloth towels. Tire and wheels are the exception.

I don't use Rain-X, but doesn't that spray on?

Microfiber towels are valuable tools and see limited duty from me. Buffing waxes and polishes, cleaning windows, and dusting the interior. They're never used for anything that could soil them beyond cleaning...like wheels or tires. I use brushes there.

Now clean up that ES 300 and post up some pics!


Dad

edit - Buy some PakShak Towels. Great product! Great Service!
Click on this thread and drop Ranney Pak an e-mail. You'll be glad you did.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=59305

HoustonES300

Daddy-O, Thanks for the reply, I will post pics as soon as I am finished. I traded e-mail with Ranney today and have already ordered my towels from him. I can't believe what a great deal he offeres the clublexus members, about 50% off what he charges everyone else.....

by the way, I saw your RX on his web-site. Unbelievable finish...looks better than my bathroom mirror....

Thanks again,

HoustonES300

meZoom!

what color is your ES? from my experience, meguiar's cheaper clear coat body scrub does a better job than meguiars medallion paint cleaner. as for wax, meguiar's gold class liquid (w/ buffer) is one of the easiest waxes to use...the finish is great, nice and shiny but there is no "depth" to the color, the way a carnauba does. make sense?? i dont know about the 99ES, but on my 95ES, the bottom plastic part gets scratched so easily...i have millions of swirl marks. watch out. if you are in a hurry to prep your car, try 3M's cleaner/wax combo.
as for rain-x, i was not so pleased. i have also used fog-x, for the interiors, i was even less pleased (i have tinted windows).

HoustonES300

my ES is "Beige" and is actually two tone. Lexus calls it Beige, but I think it looks more like a soft gold?? I picked up some of the Meguiar's Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner and will give that a try... re: rainX, I have it on my windows now and like it a lot. I had to put a couple of coats of it on each window to get good results through. I followed the rainx directions the first time and it didn't work too well. The second time (about two days later), I applied a pretty thick layer of it on each window and let it "set" for about 20-30 minutes. I then washed it off while washing the entire car. It really works well now. I live in Houston and it rains a LOT here, the water just rolls off of my windows....

What color is your '95?

Thanks for the reply!

HoustonES300

HoustonES300

a couple more quick questions...can the paint cleaners be used on the plastic lower body panels of my car without damage? Also, the wood grain in my car has some normal wear and tear scratches in it, any suggestions for treating them??

Thanks,

HoustonES300

meZoom!

mine is "gold"...not beige, but gold.
Yes, you can use paint cleaner on the 2 tone bottom plastic. on the 99 isnt it clear coated just like the rest? as for the wood grain...that wood has a nice clear coating on there, you can try small amounts of scratch-x, but dont over do it. they may or may not go away...mine dont.