Are we still using paste wax ?

[vash]

Nope
Lazy now. I use the spray on stuff applied to a freshly washed and still wet. Then towel dry.

The lucas stuff smells like Bazooka Joes bubble gum!

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Excellent timing. My 07 328i is up to 278K miles and the paint is showing it. Plan on going over the whole car with 5000 and then polishing.

Going to do some research and talk with a friend who had a body shop for 40 years.

[zakthor]

I iterated on waxes 10 years ago and settled on the collinite 915. I inherited an old can of harley wax and I like that better. Different waxes work better on different colors? The 915 goes on really easy and I think it looks good on my darker metallic paint, the harley is warmer but not as durable. Just about time to get another can so if there's something better that is easy and not more expensive I'd love to hear about it. I've heard p100 is worth trying.

I had a neighbor that used some absurdly expensive gel wax on his 993. The product was a glowing blue. His car looked great. I can't remember the price but it was like... hundreds of dollars for a container of it?? I remember he said he melted it in his hands first... Yeah not for me.

But I guess there's waxing and then there's detailing. Ton of work, etc... I'm not into that. I generally wax every few washes and spend about 45 minutes on it.

The ceramic coatings look fakey to me, to shiny and flat. Maybe that is just me?

The thing that really helped the car was a clay bar. Doing that on old paint took days and days.

[onewhippedpuppy]

True professionally applied ceramic coating is amazing, but it takes a ton of prep and is very expensive. The spray bottles you see at Walmart are not a true ceramic coating, it’s just a detailer. I have all of my cars ceramic coated and it’s worth the money.

I used this stuff on my boat this year instead of the sealant that I’ve used in the past, super easy to apply and it looks great. I’m interested to see how well it lasts.

https://www.goldeagle.com/tips-tools/303-graphene-nano-spray-coating-what-you-need-to-know/

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by gregpark

Ceramic is one i haven't tried. Actually lasts for years and water still beads? Applied with a buffer?

Ceramic coating is an entire process. First you want to wash, then decontaminate with an iron remover, then clay (mitt or bar your choice) then paint correction, then apply. I've found that if bird poop gets on and it's not washed off immediately, it will etch the coating. But that's better than etching the paint.

[cabmandone]

BTW for the "easy button" Turtle Wax Ice Seal and Shine. It's a spray on wipe off coating that actually lasts and has very good hydrophobic properties. Stuff repels water like a frogs butt.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by cabmandone

Ceramic coating is an entire process. First you want to wash, then decontaminate with an iron remover, then clay (mitt or bar your choice) then paint correction, then apply. I've found that if bird poop gets on and it's not washed off immediately, it will etch the coating. But that's better than etching the paint.

Exactly, hence the cost. Normally paint correction takes the longest, as you really need your paint to be perfect before ceramic application. Ceramic coatings have no correction qualities, so it will amplify your paint’s flaws if the correct prep isn’t done. Which is why it’s one thing I don’t DIY, despite owning a buffer. I’m not as good as an experienced pro, and have a friend that I trust.

[E Sully]

I like Turtle Shell Super Hard Shell Soft Wax Paste. I've used some of the spray waxes for quick shines, but the paste really holds up over time.
Initial buffing I use a micro fiber, followed by a cotton rag for final shine. The car definitely needs to be cool and shaded to use it.

[ErrorMargin]

Originally Posted by gregpark

Applied with a buffer?

No.

Just to clarify, I am not talking about a ceramic spray or wax that can be applied with a buffer. A ceramic coating is different

A ceramic coating is applied with a tiny applicator cloth. A 50ml bottle (less than 2 ounces) is enough to coat most cars. It was enough to put 2 coats on my 911 and I had enough left over to do the windshields on my parent's cars.

This video covers the application process I used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lq9Q4VdEvM

This video goes over a preparation process similar to what I did: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwguQe7kvIc

The longevity of the coating is directly correlated to your prep-work. I think I spent maybe 4-5 hours doing the initial prep cleaning the car, then probably 15 hours polishing the paint, then another hour doing final prep and maybe 2-3 hours actually applying the coating. I applied two coatings.

I've seen people that just washed their car and then applied the coating and it did not even last a year. Prep-work is key.

The polishing work is not necessary, the issue is that whatever scratches are on the car will be locked in once you apply the ceramic coat. If there are scratches you want out, polish them out before you apply the ceramic coat.... You can get the scratches out after you apply the ceramic coat, but you essentially have to then use your polisher to polish off the ceramic coat to get down to the scratches you want to polish out.

I put in the effort to polish my 911 to get it really nice, but I did not bother on my Nissan Leaf.

I detailed the full process on my 911 in this thread: https://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/1131805-911-ceramic-coat-results.html

Originally Posted by gregpark

Actually lasts for years and water still beads?

Yes.

Here is my wife's car two years after applying a ceramic coat. Since applying the coating I have not done anything to the car other than wash it, and we usually wash at the gas station touch free carwash.

[onewhippedpuppy]

We kept my wife’s old (and missed) E63 for almost 5 years post ceramic coating. It still looked great and beaded water quite nicely.

[gregpark]

Hmm, seems like ceramic coating really works. I had my wrx painted a few months ago so maybe I should consider coating it with ceramic while the paint is still perfect. Out of curiosity what does a paint shop charge for the job?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by gregpark

Hmm, seems like ceramic coating really works. I had my wrx painted a few months ago so maybe I should consider coating it with ceramic while the paint is still perfect. Out of curiosity what does a paint shop charge for the job?

I think it’s often around $1,000 to have a professional detailer paint correct and apply ceramic. With new paint it might be less because I would assume less correction would be required. The ceramic product is maybe $100 of that, it’s mostly labor.

[gregpark]

I'm going to ask my painter if he's done it before. He's also an excellent detailer and has worked magic bringing paint back to life on several cars for me. He has the right tools and compounds to prep so it might be right up his alley.

[rfuerst911sc]

Well today I went to HF and purchased some pads of different textures for my rotary polisher . Also purchased Meguirs polish and liquid yellow carnuba wax . So I have # 2 and # 3 in their suggested series . They were out of # 1 but not sure I need it at the moment . I think my Boxster's paint will clean up well with these two products . We shall see

[Brian 162]

Originally Posted by gregpark

Hmm, seems like ceramic coating really works. I had my wrx painted a few months ago so maybe I should consider coating it with ceramic while the paint is still perfect. Out of curiosity what does a paint shop charge for the job?

My mechanic is having his Audi done by a detailer. He told me he’s paying around $2500. The process takes a couple of days. To expensive for me.

[stealthn]

I’ve been using Zaino polish stuff for years, it’s like ceramic before ceramic was invented. It’s been fantastic and I wouldn’t use anything else.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Brian 162

My mechanic is having his Audi done by a detailer. He told me he’s paying around $2500. The process takes a couple of days. To expensive for me.

That's what google gave me for a professional multi-layer application, up to $3500

[onewhippedpuppy]

It’s going to depend on how much correction is required, that’s where the labor comes in. If you have an old car with old paint then it’s going to be expensive. Also the choice of detailer, I have a friend who does it in his garage on the weekend so he’s pretty cheap. But the fancy shop down the road will be a LOT more money. There are plenty of independent detailers that can save you money.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by stealthn

I’ve been using Zaino polish stuff for years, it’s like ceramic before ceramic was invented. It’s been fantastic and I wouldn’t use anything else.

Zanino is good stuff, that’s what I used before going with ceramic.

[rfuerst911sc]

I am sure there are better products out there . But I am just getting my feet wet with paint correction . In the past a wash and wax by hand was what I did . Being retired now thought I would step up my game .