How Seldom Can I Wax The 911?

[jyl]

How often must I wax the 911, anyway?

I live in the SF Bay Area, so we have sunny summers and rainy winters. The car sleeps in the garage, is driven to work 1-2 times a week and on errands, fun drives, etc another 1-2 times a week. When parked in the outside lot at work, I use a car cover unless it is raining. The car gets hand washed (and the vinyl, leather, and rubber treated) once a month or so. The paint is a Baltic Blue respray in very nice condition. The car is a "nice driver".

What I'd like to do it, to wax / polish the car as seldom as is reasonable and to use careful washing and/or dusting to extend the time between waxing.

How about waxing twice a year, once in spring and once before the rainy season starts? Is that too seldom?

Since I'd planning this lazy approach to car care, I'd also appreciate a recommendation for the products to use. The PO recommended a 3M paste wax (I've forgotten the name) for protection and durability. Good idea?

[toman]

Twice a year is probably enough on a car that doesn't get daily driven or parked outside. 3M paste wax is a good, simple wax that works just as well as most of the fancy brands. The biggest thing is to be sure the paint is clean and smooth before you wax it, and if you don't wax it very often it's more likely to get microscopic junk stuck to the paint, so it might be a good idea to use some sort of a cleaner or maybe a clay bar first. As far as easy waxing goes, liquid cleaner waxes like meguires take little effort, plus they clean and wax in one step. but they don't last long and don't look as good as a "real" wax.

[chuckr]

I highly recommend 3M Imperial Hand Glaze followed by a good coat of One Grand Blitz Wax.This will give you your best protection for the longest period of time.

[the shine shop]

the 3m hand glaze and blitz wax is a great way to go if you want a 2 step process,or if you want a good long lasting finish that will take the abuse of outside and a cover i would try meguirs medallion paint protection. as long as the finish is good it will clean and protect in one step

[craign]

John,

I also live in the Bay Area with a 69-912 I concours at PCA events. I wax it twice a year once in spring and once in fall.

In between I use Griots speedshine to keep it looking nice. I used to use the Maquires version but noticed a hazy buildup after the 2nd use.

I use carnuba wax myslef and am very pleased with the results.

Craig

[911SC Pilot]

To get great protection for 6 months at a time, use Teflon based polishing wax. Only problem, is you have to use a high powered electric, or air buffer. It can rain for those 6 months, and the finish will STILL be intact.

[toman]

Teflon, eh... thats a new one on me. got a link or anything so I can check this out?

[ricwon]

are all clay bars the same or is there some brands that work better than others, especially on a guards red finish?

[toman]

I think most of the retail available ones are about the same, meguires, mothers, etc... but having worked in a detail shop I can say that the pro quality ones you get from a supplier are better, and they're like ten times the size. (a lot easier to use)

[ricwon]

thanks for the info toman. i bought the mother's product sunday but i havent had the chance to use it yet. i guess the best way is to clay, glaze and then use a carnuba wax. please offer any differing opinions. tia, ric

[911SC Pilot]

I wish I could toman. Seeing that you worked in a detail shop, you never heard about it?? But it was a teflon based product that you applied after you buffed the car down with compound, then polish. I use to get it thru a local supplier when I was Detail Mgr for a Pontiac dealer here in vegas. You cant buy this in a regular store, and can only be applied with a high speed vertical polisher (aka buffer). I guess its up in the Professional serious of products.