Polish and Wax. Which ones have the best shine?

[Flip-Side]

I am always looking for a great shine to protect my car, but all the ones I've tried seem the same. I use Nu-Finish polish now...but what do you people think is the best shine product out there?

[d_m_kolb]

The first thing I noticed was you said was your looking for a great shine to protect your car. The shine has nothing to do with this really. Polish is something you would use to get the best shine from the paint that's on your car. It doesn't protect unless it's a 2 in 1 kind product.Polish adds gloss, shine and creates that wet look appearance. Wax provides long lasting durable protection and should be used after you have just polished.There are many 2 in 1 and 3 in 1 waxs/cleaners/polishes you can use if your short on time or just don't much care how your vehicle looks as long as you know there is a coat of something on it. I have used a lot of different products over the years and the one that makes the water bead up the longest and gives me the best shine is Meguiars 3 step Deep Crystal system. Step 1 of the 3-step Meguiar's Deep Crystal System. The modern alternative to a rubbing compound. This surface prep product is even safe for restoring the color of dulled clear coat finishes. You'll appreciate how it effectively removes the bonded environmental contamination that regular washing can't dislodge. Count on Deep Crystal System Step 1 Cleaner for the deep cleaning that erases fine scratches and lets you wipe away blemishes, oxidation and dead paint, in preparation for polishing and wax protection. Step 2 of the 3-step Meguiar's Deep Crystal System. Rich polishing oils feed and nourish just-cleaned finishes. Safe on all paints, whether applied by hand or with an orbital buffer, Deep Crystal System Step 2 Polish acts like a conditioner for your finish. It eliminates minor imperfections while enhancing gloss. Step 3 of the 3-step Meguiar's Deep Crystal System. The best of Brazilian carnauba wax. This unique formulation blends the finest Brazilian carnauba wax-one of the most durable protective barriers known- with silicones, polymers and resins. Deep Crystal System Wax is best applied to a previously cleaned and polished surface. It's a brilliant way to achieve the long-lasting, deep gloss protection we all love.

[F1GT]

I would have to say Eagle One Wet Polish or Meguiars Gold Class for over the counter, DIY kind of application. Another one, though more pricey, is Zaino. Zaino is NOT abrasive at all and uses very little to make it shine. A lot of time is required, so I tend to shy away from it, even though it gives an awesome shine.The Wet Polish is a 2 in 1 deal, the polish helps get rid of fine scratches and swirl marks to help give you that deep and rich shine. As for the above "3-Step System", I've tried that myself and have used it for the pass few years. I don't recommend using it regularly unless your car is "fairly" old with some oxidation. Either that or there is some spots you would like to "clean up." The cleaner is abrasive, as is the polish, though not as strong as the cleaner. As you work it in, the abrasives get smaller and smaller. Nonetheless, it removes paint to get rid of the surface layer. And the cleaner is not the same as rubbing compound, which is stronger.I've tried the 3 steps on half my hood and the other half using just the WET polish and the Eagle One Wet felt so much more smooth and protected than the 3 Step System, which still left swirl marks because there was no polish mixed in. BUT, if I have some scuff marks(shoes) or some very light(not down to primer) scratches, the 3-Step System is very useful.If I have a new car right now, I would wash my car down with Dawn dishwashing liquid. Then I would use a clay bar and clay my whole car down to get rid of surface contaminants. Then I would use either the 3-step process, Zaino(multiple steps as well), or Eagle One's Wet Polish(2 in 1), or you can just use a Cleaner/wax. After this, I just wax it as usual.If you've never clayed your car, I HIGHLY recommend it. It did miracles on the smoothness of my paint, something that rubbing compounds, polishing compounds, cleaners, or polishes can't even take out without taking out a lot of paint.

[d_m_kolb]

I'm surprised you said the 3 step system was pretty harsh on new car finish. I have to disagree. I have a 2001 and this is the only thing I use on it. The cleaner is great for removing the old wax and lifting anything bonded to the finish. My car as all new cars has a clear coat that can very easily get swirl marks in. The cleaner really helps to get ride of these swirl marks. The Meguiars is also clear coat safe which means it wont damage your finish or clear coat.It really boils down to what you like personally. If your happy with how long the water beads up on your car and how it makes your car look than stick with it. Eagle One has some great products out but keep in mind a 2 in 1 is never better than a product which deals with one issue instead of trying to deal with 2 at the sametime.

[Flip-Side]

I always used the 1 step cleaner/wax, or polish before. Now I want a product that shines better nad is better for my paint. I'm looking at this newer stuff called Diamond Luster (Teflon and R.P.F.T resin) cause my buddy uses it, but it is a 2 in 1 wax. Do I really need a 3-step process on my new Vibe? Do I have to use a cleaner, or that clay stuff when the paint is new?

[NSimkins]

No, you don't need the 3-step process, but you should notice a difference. There is alot more work that goes in the 3-step process being you have 3 stages of application and removal compared to the 2-in-1 (one-step) process.It all depends on how long you want to spend with your Vibe and your preference on the results you get from your preferred method. Pretty much everyone here probably uses a different method of doing this. It all boils down to your personal opinion.I use a somewhat 2-step process right now (cleaner wax then a carnuba wax) but will be moving to the 3-step Meguiar's process the next time I wax my Vibe. I used to use the 3-step on my black Cavalier. It was worth the time and effort because in the long run, the vehicle looked clean when dirty and helped keep much of the dirt off the paint, plus kept it looking showroom new.

[NSimkins]

Quoted from Meguiar's site:quote:Are waxes with Teflon any good?Professionals consider "Teflon" formulas to be empty hype. Even the maker of Teflon (DuPont) issued the following statement: "The addition of a Teflon fluoropolymer resin does nothing to enhance the properties of a car wax. We have no data that indicates the use of Teflon is beneficial in car waxes." Meguiar's does not make any products containing Teflon.

[Flip-Side]

Thanks for the input guys. Yeah...I never have that much free time, so I'll just prolly use a cleaner , and then a finishing wax/polish. Really would like to go with the 3-step, but I have to do it by hand, and I'm on 12 hour shifts. I'll steer away from the teflon stuff too.

[F1GT]

quote:I'm surprised you said the 3 step system was pretty harsh on new car finish. I have to disagree. I have a 2001 and this is the only thing I use on it. The cleaner is great for removing the old wax and lifting anything bonded to the finish. My car as all new cars has a clear coat that can very easily get swirl marks in. The cleaner really helps to get ride of these swirl marks. I'm not saying it's THAT harsh, rubbing compound would be harsh. But, nonetheless it REMOVES paint. That's how it "Cleans" the paint, it removes the surface layer to expose the newer looking lower layer. I don't see why you would need to do that on a new car, 'less you got some light scratches or scuff marks you would like to get out.The cleaner helps to rid the swirl marks because it "levels" out the paint by removing some. Therefor, creating a smoother, more leveled reflecting surface. Thats how it got rid of your swirl marks. If you look at the bottle, it is used for oxidaton and surface contaminants. Contaminants like dried bird droppings that has been there long enough to effect the paint to the point where washing has no effect. So, you use this to remove that layer of paint. Any deeper and your paint is hopeless. Therefor, I don't recommend using it on a regular basis. Only when some "cleaning" is called for.quote:The Meguiars is also clear coat safe which means it wont damage your finish or clear coat. Yes, it is clear coat safe. It's safe because it's a light duty abrasive. Kind of like a 600 grit sand paper, as opposed to a 200 grit(this is how I view rubbing compound). That way, a first time user will not make any mistake by taking off too much paint on the first try, especially on the corners and edges. But still, remember it's an abrasive.quote:Eagle One has some great products out but keep in mind a 2 in 1 is never better than a product which deals with one issue instead of trying to deal with 2 at the sametime. Agreed.But the polish in Eagle One's Wet Polish is to help get rid of the swirl marks to give a flatter reflective surface and to help nourish the paint some while you wax to create a Swirl Free shine. You can't do that with using step 2(which is stronger than Wet's polish), then using step 3. If you do, you still end up with swirl marks and a finish that's still incomparable to the smoothness of WET polish. Try it for yourself. Roughly $10 a bottle that will give you a VERY shiny vehicle. Blinding, to say the least. I know from experience of trying out many products to keep my previous used car(88 BerettaGT) as new looking as possible. I've been using these cleaners, compounds, polishes, waxes, and clay bars for 7 years. I have a friend that works in the body shop business as well as a coworker.quote:No, you don't need the 3-step process, but you should notice a difference. There is alot more work that goes in the 3-step process being you have 3 stages of application and removal compared to the 2-in-1 (one-step) process.It all depends on how long you want to spend with your Vibe and your preference on the results you get from your preferred method. Pretty much everyone here probably uses a different method of doing this. It all boils down to your personal opinion.I use a somewhat 2-step process right now (cleaner wax then a carnuba wax) but will be moving to the 3-step Meguiar's process the next time I wax my Vibe. I used to use the 3-step on my black Cavalier. It was worth the time and effort because in the long run, the vehicle looked clean when dirty and helped keep much of the dirt off the paint, plus kept it looking showroom new.I agree that you don't need the 3-step process, it's for older vehicles or paint that needs to be cleaned to remove certain marks or contaminants. If you glide your hand over the paint and you feel it is contaminated, due to the "rough" feeling, then you should clay your car. If you use a Cleaner/Wax, you don't need to use Carnuba wax afterwards, as it already has wax from the first application. It's not like the more wax you add, the "bigger" the protection and shine. But if you feel that adding the Carnuba Wax afterwards give you a better shine or smoothness, then maybe you should just do what you stated above and use the 3-step process. Though I don't suggest doing it on a regular basis, as it is an abrasive and it will remove paint. quote:I always used the 1 step cleaner/wax, or polish before. Now I want a product that shines better nad is better for my paint. I'm looking at this newer stuff called Diamond Luster (Teflon and R.P.F.T resin) cause my buddy uses it, but it is a 2 in 1 wax. Do I really need a 3-step process on my new Vibe? Do I have to use a cleaner, or that clay stuff when the paint is new?Yes, you should use the clay bar, even if your paint is new. Ask any detailer and he will tell you the same. The clay is not abrasive at all and does nothing to harm the paint. It simply glides over the paint and removes contaminants. Yes, it sounds odd. I thought the same way when I first found out about clay bars. The bar will remove the contaminants left from the factory. The clay bar is kind of like a harder version of PlayDoh(sp?). It's knead-able and will conform to the surface being clayed. You have to spray the detailing spray on a clean car to help glide it along. If the surface is dry, it will catch on like an eraser.It truly is an amazing detailing ***et. It's something you have to try in order to understand and believe. My car was in an accident last month. It received a new paint job on the drivers side and certain areas were blended. When I picked up my car, I can feel the back gl*** and trunk was kind of rough. It was due to the overspray from the paint job. A few days later, I clayed my whole car. Now, it's super smooth. Same can be said of tree sap that just won't come off with regular car washing, not paint cleaners. Just one swipe of this bar and the sap came right off!!! It's up to you if you want to try it or not. It depends on how much you care for your car. But, as I said before, I HIGHLY recommend purchasing one. If you do, you will never live without one again.quote:Quoted from Meguiar's site:Are waxes with Teflon any good?Professionals consider "Teflon" formulas to be empty hype. Even the maker of Teflon (DuPont) issued the following statement: "The addition of a Teflon fluoropolymer resin does nothing to enhance the properties of a car wax. We have no data that indicates the use of Teflon is beneficial in car waxes." Meguiar's does not make any products containing Teflon. Meguiar's Gold Cl*** Wax

[yank dini]

If you really want your VIBE to shine I would use a Mother's Gold clay bar and Dura-Gloss (3 in 1 polish, cleaner and wax)I used this stuff over the weekend and my Vibe shines better than anyother VIBE or car for that matter that I have seen. I washed it last night and the shine was so bright, I was amazed!!!!It may be hard to find the DURA-Gloss because it exclusive to certain auto part stores, I would look for it at Car-Quest or Murrays

[Flip-Side]

Well...being in Charleston SC, stores don't carry much selection, and service is terrible. I managed to find Eagle One wet shine, and the wash. But no clay bars. They just looked at me like I was crazy.May take me a while, being on such bad shifts, but I'll post how the car turns out compared to my ol Nu-Finish.Hopefully I will find a clay bar like you all have raved about. Woulda liked to try Maguires, but they were out of the 3rd Step Wax.
[Modified by baddkkarma, 5:12 AM 9/26/2002]

[Keely]

I'm new to all this car detailing stuff, but I want to take the best possible car of my new baby. I bought Meguire's wash, the Car Cleaner (step 1) and the Deep Crystal Wax (no Carnuba available). I had to wash the Vibe already since it rained on me when I drove it home from the dealer and it was already quite dirty. So today I did the wash, and then the car cleaner (with a number of 100% terry towels) and was quite pleased with how everything looked - I couldn't see any swirls whatsoever. I haven't touched it with the wax yet (time ran out), but I've heard that on some cars they recommend you don't touch it with wax for two years. Is this a myth?

[NovaResource]

quote:but I've heard that on some cars they recommend you don't touch it with wax for two years. Is this a myth?Yes and no. Years ago it was true not to wax new paint for a few months however technology has changed all that. Wax away. My Vibe got it's first wax one week after taking it home.

[CaCathy13]

Zaino all the way....although pricey and time consuming, it makes your car look completely awesome. My boyfriend uses it on his black Grand AM and it makes it look soooooo sleek. On the plus side, a little goes a long way for the Zaino so you're not likely to use it all up in 2 or 3 polishes. I can't wait to see what it does on the Neptune color of my Vibe....oh yea

[R2D2]

Just to muddy the waters up a little bit more.... I'm going to recommend the stuff from http://www.griots.com (Griots Garage). I hope I spelled that right. Their car wash and their wax work together really well on my car.Just a for a different brand. Good luck.Later,R2

[rubberman]

I like the eagle 1 wet look used it on my 98 gp gt great stuff

[Mr. Poopypants]

There is no better wax than Mother's Pure Carnuba, not the cleaner wax just the pure stuff. It is a bit more expensive but it is easy to use by hand or by orbital. Plus it smells really good (kinda like apples and cinnamon) Also there is a wax, I think it's called Vitriol(sp?) it is also really good but not as easy to remove as Mother's.

[coratz]

i agree mothers pure curruba wax is the best. do not use it when it is above 75 out for it streaks like mad.

[Flip-Side]

quote:i agree mothers pure curruba wax is the best. do not use it when it is above 75 out for it streaks like mad. That is what I use to use as well. But I never got a great shine with pure Carruba, so I tried Eagle One Wet. I like the Wet shine a lot, but it didn't remove surface imperfections as well...or last as long. May just go back to the ol' Nu Finish. Decent shine, and lasts a long time.

[Mr. Poopypants]

I never had any luck with NU-Finish. It always streaked and left a crappy shine. It was also impossible to wipe off.

[Flip-Side]

quote:I never had any luck with NU-Finish. It always streaked and left a crappy shine. It was also impossible to wipe off.Hmmmm. It has always gone on and come off great for me, but get it on plastic trim, and its hard to get off. It does dry faster, so you will have to buff it off more soon than a wax would need. Everyone has their own preferences. Nu Finish doesn't really take scratches out very well either. I probly will need to use a cleaner/wax for that.

[Cubanpete]

I found Rain Dance, Good....dosent last long, NU Finish Good easy to apply and remove, dosent last long. I also tried a Teflon Polish, that was a breeze to put on and buff out, real nice shine, however it dissapeared in like 40 days, I also had tried the Liquid Lustre gimmick, that was the ****tiest wax I have used...I used Turtlewax Carnuba this was a nightmare and hard to do manually.......but lasted longer then the 4 above, (the entire winter season). Has anyone Tried Turtlewax "Extreme Polish"...the metalic green bottle or Zymol wax/polishes!

[Stang2Vibe]

Zymol car wash is the best wash I've ever used so far. It cleans gently so the coat of wax on the car already is not removed by using it, and it nourishes the paint as well. Second best car wash I've tried was the Eagle One Wet Wash. Again, not deep cleaning, is exellent between wax jobs. For deep cleaning, I use Wesley's concentrated car wash and use a good bit in the water. I always follow this one up with wax or a wax process. Never ever use laundry or dish soap to clean the car. They strip wax and dry out the finish. I would never suggest using them. Even a cheap car wash solution is better than laundry or dish soap.For waxing, I prefer the Mother's 3 step system. Very similar to the Meguiar's 3 step system. I don't know about the Meguiar's system, but the Mother's system I use contains no abrasives and is safe for clear coats. It uses chemicals to deep clean rather than abrasive materials. It is meant to be used not more than twice per year on newer car finishes. I usually do the 3 step system once per year, in the spring once the weather breaks. I have found that as long as I wax the car once or twice per month for most of the rest of the year, the once per year 3 step application works very well. I also will testify to the excellence of Mother's Pure Carnuba Wax. I also like the smell and the quality of the product and has replaced all other waxes in my detailing supplies. It is a bit more expensive than most of the other waxes, but it is a good sized container and is quite worth it in my opinion. My stepdad has used Zymol wax on his show car and daily driver and liked it, but it is expensive as was noted in an earlier post and he has returned to Mother's now as well, I believe. I have tried Turtle Wax with teflon and found it to be no better than any other wax I've used, but it is difficult to remove, as has been typical with turtle wax products for years now. Turtle Wax is hard to remove, but seems to last longer than many of the other waxes. We use Mother's cleaner wax on our fleet of work trucks once per year and generally have good results because the finish on most of them is pretty rough by the end of the work year. I have detailed many cars with my recommended products above and have always been pleased with the results. The Eagle One Wet Wax has produced good results for me also but mostly as the third step of a three step wax system or used as a monthly wax after the 3 step has been done for the year. The medium aqua metallic paint on my '94 Grand Prix always looked so nice when I used my suggested products. The finish looked like you could put your fingers an inch into it because it was so deep. I had many compliments on that car's finish and have yet to have a car with that nice of a finish since. After winter breaks, I will test out the finish on my Vibe. The Neptune paint on it seems that it has a high potential for a nice, deep finsh.About the clay bars--I have heard several car owners tell me that they work wonderfully and they have received many positive comments from automotive TV shows that I have watched. I don't know anyone who has tried them personally, but I think I will try it myself this spring on my Vibe if I can find one in a local parts store.

[robdog]

Zymol is very good polish and lasts a good while and provides good protection and shine. Zaino is the best stuff I have ever used. It brought my last car to levels I have never seen paint shine. I can't wait to try it on my Abyss when the weather is warmer out. It is time consuming but the shine is show quality!!!

[robdog]

here is my other car after Zaino clay bar and Z-2 polish. 1998 TA Ram air. 10k miles

Attached files

[Stang2Vibe]

Good Lord, that's a lotta shine! Very nice! Looks like I'll be buying a clay bar at the first opportunity.

[Cubanpete]

Wow...that looks better then dealer new!

[Stang2Vibe]

My friend who is the Pep Boys manager is bringing me a Mother's clay bar package. I'll try this out as soon as the weather breaks.Where do you guys find the Zaino products. I have never heard of them and don't recall ever seeing them in stores and can't come up with anything online. I'd like to try some of their stuff since so many of you are getting great results with them.

[Cubanpete]

Stang2Vibe....They are available via mail order only.........I read the FAQ's on the site....they also recommend the "Clay Bar"...pretty good!! This stuff looks like an awesome car polish.....But not a Carnuba Wax Protector! They recommend to have the wax stripeed of prior tio application!..... I wonder if they have a Carnuba sealer to lock the shine after the Job is complete!http://www.zainobros.com

[Stang2Vibe]

Pete-If they are recommending removing the wax before using their product, then it is most likely auto polish. Polish will trap in old wax and it can yellow under the polish making the finish dull. I have used both polish and wax. I prefer wax (especially carnuba) because it gives more protection than polish. Professionals who show cars regularly tell me that their decision on whether to polish or wax their show cars depends on the type of lighting the car will be in when it is in the show. They prefer one type for outdoor events because it makes the finish look better in natural sunlight, and the other types based on whether it will be indoors and what type of indoor lighting that will be used (like halogen, flurescent, incandescent, etc.). I know this sounds really nit-picky, but they swear by it. Thanks for the link, too.

[geezer]

I've tried all of those mentioned here except Zymol. My favorite for shine and staying power -- Liquid Glass.

[ragingfish]

quote:here is my other car after Zaino clay bar and Z-2 polish. 1998 TA Ram air. 10k miles (removed), that is the most amazing shine I've ever seen on a car.How much would you charge to do my Vibe that shiny?

[Stang2Vibe]

I have Liquid Glass as well. It provides a superior shine, but does not offer the protection of a carnuba wax. I was using Liquid Glass on my GP for a while and it allowed acid rain to permanently mark the paint on the roof of the car. It went on and rubbed off easily and left the surface very smooth and shiny, but it doesn't protect nearly as well. My stepdad and I have both quit using it because of what happened to my car. Also, to get a great finish with it, it has to be applied at least 2-3 times.

[wildvibe]

Just use Turtle Wax NOT haha

[justb68]

I know this thread is almost a year old, but I was looking for a good was and polish for my Salsa Vibe. Have there been any newer products that you all have used and liked?