best (and easiest) wax for clear coat
 

hey! many thanks to those who helped me in my last post about tar/bug removal on my front bumper. i just ordered No. 7 Tar & Bug Remover from Autobarn.com.

after removing the bug gunk from my 2003 ES Protegé (shimmering sand), what wax do people recommend that is easy to apply and leaves a great shine on clear coat? does one have to spend big bucks on wax to have fantastic results (with minimum effort / fuss)? i've also heard that some waxes can be abrasive and leave swirls. is there a wax out there that avoids this and protects the paint job?

i look forward to reading your helpful suggestions re: products out there on the market.

Polish
 

NuFinish

Thanks for the suggestion (NuFinish). Is it a paste or a liquid?

Both available & I have tried both - I prefer the liquid myself (in an orange bottle) - about $9 Canadian.

Re: best (and easiest) wax for clear coat
 

Wow - you have just asked the BIG questions in one short little paragraph . . .this could take weeks to answer ;)

I can start with your statement about some products being abrasive . . . YES - many waxes on the store shelf contain chemical or abrasives to clean the paint as they apply wax (I personally have a problem with that) - if its using something to clean as you apply, how can it properly apply itself? Anyways, as an example mentioned above Nufinish . - anything that says cleans and protects is using something to "clean" the surface - either abrasives or chemicals . . cant do it any other way . .many many products do that . . . the trick is to find out which ones and decide if you want to do that . .Nufinish was tested by gurureports and found to be a very strong cleaner (and chemical smell) it even removes the permanent marker on the lines for testing . .

Anyways - if you want not-expensive, easy to apply - great results . . . man you dont ask much.
That is the ultimate product - and I havent fpund anything that you simply buy and apply - to have that.
Any good finish starts with surface prep. The surface must be clean - claying will help, swirl free is also very good - and the prodycts must be applied properly. Nothing does that on its own . . .

There are waxes, there are polymers (my favorite) - and there are combo products - and each does their job differently.
To find the right product for you - take the folloing into consideration:

Condition of car
Time you are willing to spend on day one
Your car care habits (once a week waxer - once a month) etc
Where you park (indoors - outside)
Driving area (country roads mostly, city etc)
Car care materials
Car Color
Your level of concern over the anal part of car care
Budget
Customer service (for the product)

See, its a big question with no one right answer.....

Poilsh
 

You are somewhat correct - NuFinish has cleaners....& it is a polymer not a 'wax' - however I find I only need to polish the car with Nufinish ever 4 to 6 months. At that time due to acid rain, polution, birds, tree sap...I need a product like NF. After 20+ cars & 35+ years experience of trying near every product on the market, $ for $ NuFinish is one of the best, if not the best on the market.

and thats the beauty of the car care world . .

people can get the results they seek from a variety of products . .
there is no "one product to do it all"

Since your car is fairly new, a 2 step system in my mind is not necessary right now. Try Megiuars Cleaner Wax in a paste. Very easy on and off.

The nufinish is easy to apply and remove, however I did'nt like the results. I have a black 2008 3, and used the maguires deep crystal polish followed by the tech wax, and found that to make it look the best/shinest, The liquid is the best.

Thanks for the suggestion
http://www.semservice.org/3.jpghttp://www.semservice.org/4.jpg
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No, try the meguirers system, clay, ultimate polish, nxt depending on your level of ware

taken with camera phone

Prima wax is the best you can buy for a black or dark colored car...Comes off easy and no dust...Yes its expensive compared to (The Buy Anywhere Wax) but its worth it..Also you really nead a orbital buffer to get the best results..

http://primacarcare.com/Prima_Products.html

The only bad thing about this stuff is the Epic wax...Which really needs to be left on for 24hrs to fully cure...But it didnt bother me since I always detail my car on a saturday evening.....

I use Formula 113 products and Rejex and have excellent results with both. You can google them to get their web sites.