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THE NEW WORLD ACCORDING TO MEGUIAR'S
by Thomas B. Nast
Copyright 1994 by Thomas B. Nast
[References to photos deleted]
Five years have passed since I last wrote the definitive
tome on using Meguiar's products to keep your car looking, well,
as nice as mine. In that half-decade, some products and techni-
ques have changed. Add to that certain production problems with
the last publishing on this subject, membership turnover, and the
recycling of old Zundfolges as kindling and parakeet cage liners;
the time for a rewrite is upon us.
Credit for this rewrite must be shared with Dennis Noland
of Exeter Garage of Seattle, one of the few detail shops which
follows the processes outlined below; and with Terry Richards,
the area representative of Meguiar's, who was kind enough to
bring me up to date on new product details. I have personally ob-
served or tried every operation described in this article, and
routinely use the appropriate procedures on my own rolling stock.
So, departing from my usual practice, I will take the blame for
any errors the editors have not installed for me.
How to keeping new paint looking new always baffled me.
Wash it, and I got scratches. Wax it, I got more scratches. It
seems like the cleaner I tried to keep it, the more scratched it
got. I'm not talking about gouges, just light scratching. Take
the car to a detail shop (at least to judge from cars I've seen),
and you can add swirls to the list of horrors. And I know I have
a lot of company.
One solution (to which I used to plead guilty) is only to
wash and wax once a year. Assuming the car is garaged, this does
minimize paint damage, at the expense of appearance and oxida-
tion. It is not really a solution at all, any more than a hat is
a solution to baldness. Fortunately, there is a real remedy to
the dilemma, and it is Meguiar's.
There are more companies making car care products than
there are rust pockets in a Karmann-bodied coupe, and I cannot
say that Meguiar's is the best. I have not tried them all (I have
tried dozens, however). I have found only one line that seems to
consistently work, with emphasis on consistent. In addition,
Meguiar's has done more to see that its products are used proper-
ly (read, "successfully"), than any other manufacturer I know of
(at least through its reps -- its printed literature is a bit
confusing). I am not a Meguiar's salesman, and I feel that if you
already have a system which works for you, stick with it. For ex-
ample, I can suggest no Meguiar's compound which will do a better
job on chrome than Simichrome. But if you have had decades of
frustration, as I have, with $6.00 waxes wasting $3,000.00 paint
jobs, read on.
Mr. Achilles takes a stand. Meguiar's has expanded its pro-
duct numbers since the original publication of this monograph,
continuing its entropic tradition. Unfortunately, there remains
no choice but to learn which numbered product does what. Since
you are not running a detail shop and are (presumably) concerned
with only one or two cars, probably an half-dozen products will
do it for you. Don't let the numbers intimidate you, you only
need to learn a few.
Another bit of lameness is Meguiar's' naming of products --
"Professional" this, "Hi-Tech" that. To its credit, the "No. 11
Professional Hi-Tech Finesse Quick-Step" no longer appears in the
catalog, but what is the difference between "No. 00 Hi-Tech Wash"
and "No. 62 Carwash Shampoo & Conditioner"? Especially if your
car is not endowed with a full bonnet of hair? Such monikers will
not be honored by further repetition in these pages.
Theory. The theory behind Meguiar's products is simple. A
system is needed to care for the car's finish, not just one or
two `universal' products. First, take out scratching and don't
put any in. Second, put oils back into the paint instead of tak-
ing them out. Third, avoid wax buildups or anything which will
dull the natural gloss of the paint.
This theory is expressed in Meguiar's products in a number
of ways. Solvents and detergents are avoided. Abrasives which
will not break down are not used. Nearly every Meguiar's liquid
has feeder oils, which replenish the natural oils in paint. Al-
most no carnauba wax is included, as solvents are needed to make
it flow and it leads to wax buildup. Silicones are avoided in
nearly every material except the waxes, where they are used as
carrying agents. And the foam pads for machine use are about the
best product to come down the pike for polishing without inducing
swirling.
Typical case. The following is a typical treatment by a BMW
owner new to the Meguiar's regime. It is based on about a dozen
real-world applications by the author. This will help establish a
baseline of products you can expect to use. We can then consider
the exceptions to the rules, and the techniques involved.
First, wash with 00 or 62. Next, remove things that can be
removed (e.g. windshield wipers) and mask vents, grills, or any-
thing else that will be hard to clean spatter off of. Clean with
No. 2. Polish with No. 7. Wax with No. 26 (one coat) or Medallion
(two or three coats).
Whew, that's a lot of work! Fortunately, if you keep up
with the car you won't need to do all the steps next time.
Maintenance with No. 7 or No. 9 and wax is usually sufficient; if
the car is kept polished and waxed, the cleaning is an annual
event at most.
Now, on to more theory, technique and special cases.
Hand vs. machine application. We have been taught that the
only way to clean and wax a car is by hand. This teaching, how-
ever, must be relegated to the same dustbin where the teachings
of the Flat Earth Society now repose. Proper use of the right
power tools and products will not only yield better results than
hand application, but is less likely to damage the paint in the
process. I was surprised by this too, but I cannot dispute that
which I have witnessed. Unless you are preparing for a body-
builders' convention, use machines. Virtually all Meguiar's pro-
ducts can now be applied by hand or machine.
Hand application is necessary in certain areas that ma-
chines can't (or in the exercise of prudence should not be called
upon) to reach. Examples would be around wiper blades, radio
aerials and sharp body contours. And some people may not want to
invest in machines. So because of this (and for those who won't
use machines out of penury or atavism), hand application will be
discussed, though it is not generally recommended.
Buffer swirls. Buffer swirls are the result of (1) the
fibers which comprise wool pads, (2) compounds which don't break
down, and (3) dirt being ground into the paint. Swirls are quite
common when wool pads are used (and many detail shops still use
wool pads). (A few years ago I attended a Porsche club event at
the dealer in Tacoma, and saw three brand-new cars have their
paint systematically destroyed while being "prepped" with wool
pads).
Swirls are also induced by rubbing with compounds made of
silicate, sand or aluminum oxide. These materials are not used in
Meguiar's products, which use materials (e.g. diatomaceous clay)
which break down as they are used instead of scratching up the
paint. Improper cleaning of the car before waxing, or failing to
clean the dirt out of the foam pads, will also result in swirl-
ing. Wax conceals buffer swirls, but does not remove them. Swirls
will reappear as the wax wears or is washed off. Go to a car wash
and take a look at the cars as they emerge -- otherwise im-
peccable cars come out with grotesque swirling in the paint, now
visible as a result of the wax being stripped off. (Not to men-
tion that most car washes introduce scratching.) Swirls can be
usually be removed, but it is best not to install them in the
first place.
The impossible. There are two things which no car care pro-
duct can do. Totally oxidized paint, checked paint (thousands of
tiny cracks), and peeling or flaking paint, cannot be restored.
Paint this far gone (regardless of its age) should be stripped
and new paint applied. No compound or wax can save that which has
been destroyed. In addition, deep scratches (i.e. near or into
the primer) cannot be completely removed, as obviously all the
paint will be removed with them. They can be minimized, but not
eliminated. So don't expect miracles, even if you find waxing
cars a religious experience.
Do not be completely discouraged, however. Partially
oxidized paint can be restored, and light-to-moderate scratching
can be removed. If you aren't sure whether or not you are at-
tempting a miracle, give it a shot -- no harm can come from
trying.
Type of paint. The products and techniques you use will
vary somewhat depending on the type of paint your car has. So you
must determine the type of paint you are dealing with. Meguiar's
divides paints into two categories, conventional and "high tech",
which I will call "plastic paints" because I can't stand the
hype. Conventional paints are enamels (acrylics and otherwise)
and lacquers (ditto). Plastic paints include the ever-expanding
family of urethanes.
This matters because the urethanes are very hard, and when
they scratch (or swirl) you have to be more aggressive to get the
flaws out. Conventional paints are softer, scratching and repair-
ing more easily. Conventional paints will tolerate more heat than
will plastic paints, so buffers can be run at faster speeds
(within reason); if plastic paints are overheated, they will
cloud.
Determining which paint you are dealing with can be quite
challenging. Manufacturers have been inconsistent in what type of
paint they use, and aren't very good about telling you. To make
matters worse, a different type of paint may have been used on a
repaired area than on the rest of the car. So if in doubt, ask a
reputable body shop what type of paint you have. And if your car
is repaired or repainted, make a note of the type of paint used.
Generally speaking, solid-color BMW's used to come with
conventional paints, but now come with a single-stage urethane.
Metallic painted BMW's always have a clear coat. The clear coat
was of uncertain parentage (some would say it was a son of a
bachelor) until about the late seventies, when urethane clear
coats appeared. As many of us know, paint failure on metallic
BMW's was a certainty until this change was made. Any clear-
coated BMW may be treated as having plastic paint. Solid-colored
BMW's of other than recent vintage will require some detective
work.
To check if you car has a conventional or plastic paint,
rub a small area with a terry cloth towel and some cleaner (No.
2). If color comes off the car onto the towel, you have conven-
tional paint. If no color appears, you have plastic paint (proba-
bly a clear coat).
Condition of paint. The condition of the paint will
determine how aggressive you need to be in restoring it. New cars
should need very little work (unless butchered when being
"prepped"), but a five-year-old car which has been parked outside
will probably need two or three additional steps. The differences
will be dealt with in the text.
Equipment. In an effort to avoid inducing sticker shock,
let me warn you that a one-time investment of $300 - $400 may be
required to properly care for you car's paint. This could be
lowered considerably by a club group purchase, or if your club
purchases a buffer and DA and rents/loans them out.
What you need is:
- A variable speed rotary buffer for cleaning. I am
satisfied with my Makita 9207SPC, which sells for about
$200 discounted. Also recommended is the Black & Decker
No. 6138 (ca. $280) (DeWalt DW849) Whatever you use, it should work at
well under 2000 rpm (like 1000-1400 rpm). Some people use
a variable speed drill with a $5 adaptor, but this quick-
ly gets tiring; not recommended.
- A dual action (DA), orbital or "hutch" (Hutchins) buffer
for polishing and waxing. Polishing and waxing can be
done with the rotary buffer, but a DA is a better choice
for a number of reasons. It is smaller and lighter than a
buffer, thus a lot easier on your back. Because of its
low speeds, it splatters less material. And the low
speeds and eccentric motions make it much less capable of
harming a car than a rotary buffer. However, a DA is not
good for cleaning. A recommended orbital is the Porter-
Cable 7335; it sells for about $125. Air-driven Hutchins
sanders also work well for buffing. The theory behind
DAs, orbitals and hutches is to simulate hand applica-
tion, but at a higher speed and with less effort.
- Meguiar's foam application pads. About $50.00. Do not use
wool pads. Get two yellow polishing pads (W-1000 in 8"
and W-5500 in 5-1/2") and one or two 8" finishing pads
(W-9000). The finishing pad has velcro backing, so you
will need a backing plate (No. W-65) if you don't have
one. (A new backing plate with an alignment pin for the
pads is imminent). The 5-1/2" finishing pads presently
only come with a backing plate permanently affixed; 8"
finishing pads come with permanent backing plate or with
velcro (W-1000L). If you are using a DA, get a couple of
6" yellow polishing pads for it (W-6000); these are
presently the only foam pads available for DAs. If you
are attaching serious scratches, get a burgundy cutting
pad (W-7000).
- A supply of terry cloth towels (all cotton). Thick looped
toweling is best; the theory is that dirt goes down into
the loops, where it cannot damage the paint. Save your
marriage, and get some nice, soft towels for your car at
a department store sale.
- Folded and stitched terry cloth pads, about 3" square.
Not absolutely necessary, but very nice for hand work.
- A small, stiff nylon brush. Like a toothbrush with a
gland condition. Figure a dollar.
- A small wire brush (Snap-On sells a nice one with stain-
less steel bristles for under three dollars).
- Some dense, closed-cell foam application pads for apply-
ing polish (about 3" square). Cadge these. I use foam
from the thermal barrier you put under your sleeping bag
when camping.
- Meguiar's materials appropriate to the job. Plan on
$80.00.
- Apron or coveralls, free of any scratch-inducing metal on
the front. Some enterprising sort should market terry
cloth aprons!
To help you accept this, consider that the total cost is less
than two trips to a detail shop, and the results should be sub-
stantially better in most cases. If you share, borrow or rent a
buffer from your club, you're probably dollars ahead the first
time around.
The yellow polishing pads for rotary buffers come in large
(8") and small (5-1/2") sizes. The 8" pad covers a lot of area
in less time, but the 5.5" pad is good for getting into smaller
spaces. My counsel is to start with a set of the 8" pads, and
pick up smaller ones when you feel the need.
As to where to get this stuff locally, I bought my Makita
at Tool Town on 15th Ave. West. The Meguiar's products are
carried by Exeter Garage and Autosport Seattle. Look for depart-
ment store or linen store sales for the towels. The orbital can
be bought at Home Depot.
Technique. Technique is, of course, more important than
size (850i owners take note). The following practices should be
observed, as a general rule.
First, never wash, polish or wax the car in the sun. Do it
in the shade, indoors or not at all.
If you are applying materials by hand, squirt the material
onto the terry cloth pad, instead of onto the car as you usually
would do with machine application.
With buffing wheels, use different pads for cleaners,
polishes and waxes, and frequently clean or change the pad, as
any dirt trapped in it will scratch the paint. Frequently refresh
the pad with material, using modest quantities. When rubbing, do
not use a circular motion. Always use straight strokes. This will
avoid swirls and minimize the number of angles at which light is
refracted by any scratches you induce. It is recommended that
your strokes be back and forth, in the direction which the car
travels.
Whether by machine or by hand, use light pressure. If light
pressure does not do the job, try a more aggressive product (ex-
cept on urethanes) and/or a higher machine speed, depending on
the experience of the operator and the type of paint. Keep rotary
buffers well under 2000 rpm; if working on urethane 1200 to 1400
rpm is better). Under no circumstances should you be "grinding"
on the finish.
Sometimes the rotary buffing wheel will start to oscillate,
jittering like an orbital sander. This is usually the result of
the pressure not being on the center of the pad (plus the pads
are not the best-balanced objects to pass through my shop). The
oscillating motion can do your paint no good, and may well harm
it. If you feel an oscillation building, ease up the pressure and
try to center the pressure on the middle of the pad. Otherwise,
lift the buffer off the surface and reapply it after the oscilla-
tion subsides.
With an air-driven hutch or DA, don't turn the tool on be-
fore the wheel is on the car. Without contact, the wheel spins up
to a very high speed, slinging material and tearing up the pad.
The slight friction contact with the car provides should slow the
tool down to a fairly slow speed (adjust the air pressure if it
doesn't).
Resist the temptation to hold the buffer with one hand
while stretching to reach those hard-to-get spots, like the cen-
ter of the roof. This is an invitation to disaster.
When applying liquids with buffing wheels, a number of
practices should be observed. The foam pad must be kept clear of
dirt and dead foam. Before reusing the pad and periodically
thereafter, scrape it (while rotating) with the plastic brush un-
til stuff stops coming off. If there is any suspicion of dirt
caught in the foam, you may also apply terry cloth to the rotat-
ing pad to clean it. The foam wheel may be trimmed using a wire
brush. The wheel should be kept in flat trim, and periodic trim-
ming can greatly extend the life of this fairly expensive pro-
duct. Application of liquids may be in a column on the painted
area being worked on, or to the foam pad directly. Which is ap-
propriate depends on which product you are using (see text below
and read the labels), but generally you will be happier applying
the liquid to the car, as the wheel slings off quite a bit in all
directions as it spins up. If the liquid has been applied direct-
ly to the car, approach the liquid with the pad at a slight
angle, so the liquid is thrown back onto the pad and not onto
everything else. With the Makita, which rotates clockwise (when
observed from above), the edge farthest from you will be the con-
tact edge if you are right-handed. Once the liquid has been dis-
tributed, keep the pad flat on the panel (with the weight on the
pad's center) to avoid swirl marks. Do not apply cleaner to the
car and then leave it sitting.
Guide the machine in long, straight, overlapping strokes,
letting the machine do the work. Every novice moves the machine
in a circular pattern on the panel being worked -- don't do it.
On the other hand, keep the machine moving; if you rest it in one
place, the paint may overheat from friction and be damaged. I
have found that the trunk and hood are more easily approached
from their ends than from the sides, and that the roof is most
easily buffed without the use of a ladder. Avoid using the ma-
chine on high points (the body creases), because it will wear
through the paint. Do these by hand. And avoid objects which may
catch the pad (e.g. the air vents on the hood, antenna, etc.),
because the pad is too expensive to rip up and you may have the
machine power itself onto the hood (or whatever), ruining your
whole day. In the same vein, some system is necessary to avoid
scratching the finish with a power cord or air hose. Encasing the
cord in socks is one suggestion.
Also, avoid the plastic beading set in the rubber around
windshields (2002, 320i). I found that the buffer can permanently
disfigure these.
All Meguiar's materials have an indefinite shelf life (if
not allowed to freeze), but they should be well shaken before use
to evenly distribute the solids, which may settle out.
If applying a liquid directly to the car, squirt it in a
15" - 24" long bead. After it is worked in, lay down another bead
on the feather edge of the area you just worked. Columns will be
about 12" apart except the wax, which works better with more but
thinner columns, so expect columns 8" on center for wax. The
other exception is the No. 1 cleaner, which is best applied
directly to the pad. When applying materials onto the pad instead
onto the car, put it on the center of the pad to minimize splat-
ter.
Although you can continue buffing until the liquid is most-
ly dry, this is not a good idea on dark or clear-coated finishes.
In general, you should stop buffing after the material begins to
break down but before it becomes dry (you can tell when it is dry
because it will leave a glossy finish without further wiping);
stop when a thin film of material remains. At this point you can
(and should) remove the film with terry cloths, rather than with
more buffing.
Discrete foam pads should be used with cleaners, polishers
and waxes. This is because their chemical and abrasive composi-
tions differ, and mixing them up undoes what you are trying to
do. So plan on having three pads, and identify the use of each
with an indelible marker. Use your best pads for polishing and
waxing; when they become tatty, demote them to permanent cleaning
duty.
Be somewhat stingy with liquids. Most people use way more
than is necessary, at least while they are learning.
Use the softest terry cloths you can. They often get softer
with repeated washings, by the way. Remember, cloth is an
abrasive! Any dirt caught in the cloth will undo your work, so
clean the cloth frequently with a brush or another cloth, and
don't be bashful about chucking it into the laundry and grabbing
another, clean cloth. When washing, do not use liquid fabric
softeners. Fabric stores carry terry cloth by the yard, but it
will generate lots of lint before it is washed. Also, when you
cut it the unbound edges will chuck off yet more fabric. So I
prefer towels to terry-by-the-yard.
Finally, it is much easier on you and the car to maintain
the paint (with regular washing and waxing) than it is to restore
it and wax it, say, annually. (This is true of every aspect of
any mechanical object, just in case you hadn't contemplated the
subj. It is also true that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Such
is the yin and yang of automobiles.) The idea of an annual wax
(as with Meguiar's No. 20, a polymer) will not work out if the
car is used outdoors. If you just drive it around your garage,
though, it's probably ok.
Splatter. It is inevitable that, using machines, slop will
get all over the car. Especially until you learn just how much
liquid to use and how to apply it. The car will look like a muddy
dog shook itself off nearby. For this reason, you should plan on
doing each step to the entire car (or as much of it as is ap-
propriate) before moving on to the next step, so you only have to
wipe up once after each step. You could cover areas not being
worked with soft (e.g. terry) cloths, but it's probably easier
just to wipe up slung liquids with terry cloths.
Other suggestions: Wear an apron or coveralls, for some of
the splatter will be tossed onto you, particularly your chest and
gut. And start at the top of the car and work down, because
splatter obeys the law of gravity.
Another characteristic of splatter is that it gets into
cracks, such as between the hood and fenders, the door jambs, and
so forth. You will find a thin line of splatter behind the edge
you just worked. I suggest that after each step, you open the ap-
propriate panel and remove the splatter before it dries out. Use
a terry cloth. It may take a couple of wipes, as a thin residue
will be left after the first pass. Dry or hard-to-remove splatter
can be addressed with No. 34 spray and terry towels.
Wash the car. Never wash in direct sunlight. When washing
the car, do use plenty of water and never, ever use a detergent
(like dish soap). Prepare a five-gallon bucket of suds, so when
you wring out your wash mitt the dirt can settle out. Wet the car
thoroughly before soaping. Do one panel at a time (so the soap
doesn't dry before it is rinsed), starting at the top. As I apply
the soapy water to an area, I flush it with the hose at the same
time.
Synthetic wash mitts work well -- this is the only place
for synthetics (other than the buffing pads). Terry cloth can
also be used. Frequent turning and rinsing of the mitt or terry
is necessary, because dirt trapped in it will scratch the finish.
Car washing is where scratching problems start; after all, that's
when the most grit is present to cause scratching. Don't let it
happen to you.
Meguiar's recommends its No. 00 wash, which I have used for
years. A more recent product is No. 62, which is available in the
large quantities No. 00 used to come in and which is a good deal
less expensive (though about the same as No. 00 was before No. 62
came along). Though I am resistant to change, I can find no fault
with No. 62 and for reasons of economy will adopt it. The
Meguiar's products really enhance the shine of Meguiar's-finished
cars, without silicones and without stripping off the waxes and
oils.
However, most any quality car shampoo will do fine. A qual-
ity product will have no detergents and no silicones.
Meguiar's also makes a waterless spray-on wash, No. 34,
which you wipe off with a terry cloth. This product, now called
"Final Inspection", replaces, is much less expensive and is
entirely reformulated from, the former No. 34 "Trigger Wash." The
notion of wiping off a dirty emulsion scares the hell out of me,
because how can you avoid abrading the surface as you wipe? The
theory is that No. 34 puts a lubricant (not silicone) between the
paint and the dirt, floating the dirt off. It seems to work, but
I remain uncomfortable with it in heavy grime situations.
Dry the washed car with The Absorber or clean terry cloths,
again turning them frequently to avoid scoring the finish with
dirt particles. Leather chamois is not recommended for drying (or
anything else, for that matter, except patching elbows).
Removing scratches. The technique for removing scratches
depends on the severity of the scratch.
Very light scratching and light oxidation can be addressed
with No. 9 ("Swirl Remover").
Light scratching is addressed with the standard cleaning
routine, using No. 2.
Moderate scratching can be more challenging, and may re-
quire a few trips to the arsenal. Try less aggressive products
first, then more aggressive ones if needed. This is true both for
the cleaners and the pads. So depending on how bad the scratching
(or oxidation) is, first try No. 2, No. 1, then No. 4 (in that
order); and start with an unaggressive pad (a finishing pad),
moving to a moderately aggressive pad (the yellow polishing pad,
Nos. W-1000 and W-5500 depending on size), then a cutting pad if
that doesn't work (W-7000). Use your judgment and experience as
you acquire it, though. Paints are different, and you may find it
best to go right to a polishing or cutting pad. You may want to
try a more aggressive pad with a less aggressive cleaner before
going to a more aggressive cleaner. Note that the aggressive
cleaners and pads will induce some light scratching while reduc-
ing the moderate scratch; you will need to progressively rework
the area with decreasingly aggressive products to polish it
mirror-smooth.
Deep scratching is handled with Unigrit sandpaper (de-
scribed below); 2000 grit is a good starting point. Follow this
by No. 1, No. 2 and then either No. 3 or No. 7 in that order.
Severe scratching is present if you can run your fingernail
over the scratch and it gets caught. This generally cannot be
sanded. Likewise, if the flaw has penetrated near or to the
primer or metal, sanding is not the answer. You have no choice
but to use touch-up paint, let it dry thoroughly, then block sand
and polish. Scratching underneath the paint, of course, requires
stripping the paint and refinishing the metal.
Sanding and blocking. Sometimes a scratch will need to be
sanded out, or touch-up paint will need to be blocked down so it
blends with the rest of the paint. (And sometimes whole cars need
to be wet-sanded, but that is beyond the scope of this article).
Sanding is done with Meguiar's Unigrit (formerly Nikken) sand-
paper. This has a very even distribution of grit which is closely
controlled in size. It comes in grades from 80 to 2000 grit --
you will mostly be concerned with the 2000. It should be soaked
overnight before use, and used with dilute No. 00 as a lubricant.
The E-7200 backing pad is an excellent backing. Two sheets of
sandpaper and a new backing pad run about three dollars. In sand-
ing, you will simply feather the scratch out.
Sanding blocks are used to work out defects above the paint
surface. Meguiar's blocks (which are fairly small) come from 400
to 3000 grade, and last almost forever. They should also be kept
soaking before use.
After any sanding, expect to clean with No. 2 or stronger,
followed by polishing.
Clean the car - theory.
"Cleaning" the car is not the same as "washing" the car. A
"clean" car is free of oxidized paint, road tars and salts, acids
found in the rain, and so forth. The car is chemically clean, and
the pores of the paint are free of contaminants. Thus, a wax-
based material is not used for cleaning. Meguiar's cleaners are
No. 1 (medium) and No. 2 (fine) and No. 4 (heavy).
A nearly new finish will need no cleaning at all -- the
step can be skipped, and you can go straight to polishing. No. 2
has feeding oils, cleaning chemicals and a buffered earth
abrasive. I have found it to be gentle and effective. No. 1 is
used for finishes with moderate oxidation or swirling. If you use
No. 1, plan on following up with No. 2 before moving on to
polishing. No. 4 is used only to removed heavy oxidation or rela-
tively deep scratching; in practice, you will rarely employ it.
Experience will teach you that the proper amount of cleaner is
more sparing than you think -- it does not need to be slopped all
over.
The key is to start with the least aggressive treatment,
and only if that proves insufficient do you move on to a more ag-
gressive product. If in doubt, use the less aggressive. And re-
member, it sometimes takes more than one pass to get the job
done. Again, you are better off with two passes of No. 2 than one
pass of No. 1, but I would draw the line there. You will quickly
develop a sense of just what the two different cleaners do. If in
doubt, experiment on test patches, as experimenting on whole
panels is very time consuming, not to mention risky.
Clean the car - by machine.
For conventional paints, try a finishing pad first, using
No. 2, especially if this is maintenance cleaning; if this
doesn't get the car clean (you will know after working on one
panel) move to a polishing pad. Bear in mind that not all panels
are the same; frequently, the roof, hood and trunk will need more
aggressive treatment than the sides, due to more exposure to the
elements.
For plastic paints, follow the same procedure, bearing this
in mind: plastic paints are harder than conventional paints. Much
harder. That means that you treat them less aggressively. Why?
The harder the paint, the milder you treat it, as harsh treatment
will induce scratching you can't easily polish out (induced
scratching is relatively easy to polish out of the softer conven-
tional paints). Thus, you will want to avoid No. 1 (use only No.
2 cleaner or No.9 cleaner/polish) and you will run your rotary
buffer at its lower speeds. Also, you will probably use a finish-
ing pad instead of a cleaning pad.
Clean the car - by hand. In the Meguiar's world, use No. 2
for most cleaning by hand, applying the liquid directly to the
pad. Expect a moderately needy finish to require thirty to forty
strokes to be clean.
Polish the paint - theory. By polishing the paint, we mean
nourishing it and hiding hairline scratches. Meguiar's polishes
also restore the oils which washing, age, sun, rain and air
(smog) have leached out of the paint. (This is not to be confused
with the "seal jobs" done by car dealerships, which involves put-
ting a polymer over the paint, rather than oils into it, together
with an adjustment to the customer's bank balance.) The immediate
difference this step makes, especially for dark-colored cars, is
so impressive that you would use polish even if it didn't
renourish the paint. Meguiar's claims the benefits of its polish
accrete with each application; and indeed, if maintained, very
little polish is needed to replenish the paint.
The Meguiar's family of polishes includes Nos. 3, 7, and 9
(No. 5 has been removed from the line-up since last publication).
Unlike cleaners, pure polishes are not abrasive. Meguiar's No. 7
is pure polish. No. 3 is a little more aggressive; it can pull a
little haze off the paint, or a very light oxidation. No. 9 is a
polish with a cleaner, and thus has some light abrasives in it;
it is the most aggressive of the polishes. No. 9 is good for
removing light swirling, or if you really don't need a cleaning
step. Use it with a rotary buffer and a finishing pad, if avail-
able.
Polishing by machine - in general. Polishing is not an
abrasive process (except with No. 9, see above), and in fact the
polish acts as a lubricant between the pad and the paint. For ma-
chine application, the polish may be squirted directly onto the
panels, doing one panel at a time. The polish may be buffed until
the material breaks down, stop buffing before the polish dries
into a powder. If one application and buffing is insufficient,
try another. Be sure to observe precautions (under "Polishing by
hand", below) about not letting the polish dry. Especially with
No. 7, the polish will get gummy, making it unnecessarily dif-
ficult to remove the excess. By the way, I have had a problem
with blockages in the dispenser nozzles of No. 3; a bent paper-
clip or coat hanger clears it nicely.
Polishing with buffers. If using a buffer (a rotary ma-
chine) for polishing, use a finishing pad (W-9000). For polishing
conventional paints, use No. 3; No. 9 is recommended for plastic
paints. In addition to including mild cleaners, No. 9 is designed
for the tighter molecular structure which plastic paints present.
It is also the easiest of the polishes to use, if you need fur-
ther incentive.
Polishing with DA. For polishing with a DA, orbital or
hutch, yellow polishing pads are all that is available (and will
work fine). Whether polishing conventional or plastic paints, use
No. 7. Use No. 7 sparingly, and clean the foam pad often, to pre-
vent the pad from gumming up.
Polishing by hand. For hand application on conventional
paint, use No. 7. This polish can be applied with a rigid foam
pad, a soft sponge or a terry cloth. Apply the polish directly to
the car, and spread it out evenly with the pad. The pad will
literally glide over the polish. The idea is to coat the panel
(start by doing one panel at a time, until you gain experience
with curing times) with as thin a coat as will completely cover
it. The polish can be further worked into the paint using a terry
cloth. The more which is infused into the paint, the better; how-
ever, it should be used sparingly to avoid gumming and excessive
wiping. The paint can only absorb so much; beyond that, the
polish is wasted and just creates extra work.
The polish will not fully dry (nor would you want it to);
hence, it can and should be wiped off with terry toweling. This
can be done one panel at a time. If the weather is not too warm,
removing the excess polish can be done after the whole car has
been coated; however, warm weather will cause the polish to dry,
and you will regret not having wiped it off earlier, so keep an
eye on it.
Using the terry cloth towel, wipe gently using straight
strokes. A residue will be left, which can be wiped up with a
fresh terry cloth. Continue until all the polish is removed.
For hand application on plastic paints, use No. 7 or No.
9. If No. 9 is used by hand, apply it as you would a cleaner and
not as you would apply the No. 7 polish.
Wax the paint - in general. Whether by hand or by machine,
and whether the paint is conventional or plastic, use either No.
26 liquid wax or Medallion. It is hard to describe the dif-
ferences; the No. 26 is one of the few Meguiar's materials with
silicone, and it has some (not a lot) of carnauba (you don't need
or want much carnauba, by the way). Meguiar's does not disclose
the contents of Medallion (it probably has some silicone in it
too), but Meguiar's claims that it ionically bonds to the car's
finish, resulting is freedom from dust-attracting static. This is
a difficult claim to verify, but it does seem to yield superior
results, last longer and be even less effort to apply than No.
26. Considering how little is needed to coat the car and its
greater durability, Medallion's additional cost is more than off-
set. Plus, it smells a lot better than No. 26. My unconditional
endorsement goes to Medallion.
Apply the wax - by machine. I have found machine applica-
tion consistently yields results superior to hand application
here, especially with Medallion. Use thin coats, two if No. 26,
two or three if Medallion), instead of one thick one. Both of
these materials are so slippery that very little is needed.
If waxing with a rotary buffer, use a finishing pad; if
waxing with a DA, you must use the yellow polishing pad (the only
pad available for DAs), which will carry more of the wax in its
larger cells than will a finishing pad.
For machine application, apply the wax directly to the car
and buff in 8" columns. Buff using light pressure and overlapping
strokes, leaving a film to dry; do not buff until the material
begins to break down! Use the slowest buffer speed possible; this
is the great advantage of the DA.
Apply the wax - by hand. If waxing by hand, use the same
procedure as with No. 7 polish. By hand, rub the wax thoroughly
into the paint so that it fully penetrates. Wipe with clean terry
cloths, which will take several passes a few minutes apart.
Meguiar's does make paste waxes (No. 16 and No. 26), and
someday I hope to meet the fellow who buys them (five gets you
eight he owns a Porsche). Paste waxes may not be used with a
rotary buffer, but can be used with an orbital. If applied by
hand, they are maybe six times more work to apply than No. 26
liquid or Medallion, with an inferior result. If you wax cars for
exercise, though, hand application of paste wax might be for you.
Finishing waxing. How long you let the wax dry (cure) is
critical. It should dry to a hazy white. If you drag your finger
across it, it should ball up and not smear. This will take five
or more minutes (remember, you are not in direct sunlight). If
wiped off as a liquid it does no good, and it is difficult to
remove and you risk damaging the finish if it is left to dry to a
powder. Of course, the warmer the day the faster the dry time.
Keep an eye on it, and experience will quickly teach the optimum.
After the excess is wiped off with terry clothes, there may
be oils from the No. 7 or No. 9 left on top of the wax, which
looks like streaking. This is best ignored for a day, after which
the oil may have been absorbed by the paint and a quick pass with
a clean terry cloth will solve the problem. Otherwise, wash the
car down with No. 00 or No. 62. Many have found that after the
full Meguiar's treatment, a No. 00 or No. 62 wash further im-
proves the car's appearance!
Maintenance. They best way to maintain the finish on your
car is to keep it garaged when not in use. It is almost im-
possible to keep a car looking nice if it's parked outside, espe-
cially if you have a life.
To maintain the Meguiar's finish, wash with 00 or 62,
polish with No. 7 or No. 9, then wax with No. 26 or Medallion. If
this is done as needed, the car will seldom need the cleaning
step. Since cleaning is the most time consuming, laborious and
wearing on the paint, routine maintenance is a sensible (if self-
disciplined) alternative to an annual or semi-annual detailing.
Clean the glass. The glass may be cleaned, again preferably
by machine, using No. 1 or No. 4 (which may also be used by hand)
(and don't try to do the inside of the glass by machine). I am
amazed how already-"clean" glass can be made to just sparkle with
this treatment; it also removes water spots. And you should do it
before polishing and waxing, as there will be cleaner splattered
all over the glass from when you cleaned the paint, and cleaner
will be splattered over the paint when you clean the glass.
Glass can be finished with Rain X if you wish (outside
only). For those who haven't tried it (and it has been around for
quite a while), Rain X seals the pores in the glass, which causes
rain to bead and fly off, and also gives your windshield wipers a
smoother ride. The down side is complaints about hazing, espe-
cially in difficult lighting conditions (dusk and dawn). I have
used the stuff intermittently for about a dozen years, and I
think it's a good product if used correctly (the residue must be
wiped completely off, and you can't tell if it's completely off
in certain lighting conditions). Give it a try; it's around $5
per bottle, which will last years.
Clean the rubber. While the wax is curing is a good time to
get started on the rubber and vinyl. Cleaning is done with No. 39
and a nylon-bristled brush. On the exterior, hose off the
cleaner. For protection and appearance, No. 42 works well with
rubber bumpers, tires, plastic and semi-gloss painted areas. It
soaks in, and may take multiple coats. It does not leave a shiny
coat like Armorall, and seems to have less of a tendency to wash
off in the rain (the streaks Armorall leaves as it washes off are
one of many reasons to avoid the stuff).
Clean the plastic. Interior plastic parts may be cleaned
with No. 40, which can be wiped on or (if the filth requires it)
brushed with a brush of stiff plastic bristles. (For real grunge,
No. 39 is a more aggressive cleaner.) It is an Armorall sub-
stitute, except that it leaves matte finishes matte. (I dislike
Armorall's making everything shiny. I also dislike the way it
evaporates and deposits itself on the windshield as a haze, some-
thing No. 40 also does not seem to do.)
High-impact plastics, such as turn signal lenses, can have
scratches removed by machine with No. 1 and No. 3 cleaners; No.
10 can be used for cleaning thereafter. I have restored lenses I
was ready to scrap with these materials. No. 10 is the industry
standard for cleaning plastic airplane windshields, by the way
(they are restored with a product called Micro Mesh).
Protection/maintenance of clear high-impact plastic pieces
can be accomplished with No. 18, which is a cleaner/polish. It
can also be used on window tints and compact disks.
Clean the wheels. Everybody has a favorite wheel cleaner,
from Mothers to Eagle One. Meguiar's sells No. 36, which is used
with a household paint brush and elbow grease. The No. 36 is non-
acidic and is not corrosive -- it will not damage wheels.
Meguiar's makes a big deal out of No. 36 being the only cleaner
blessed by BBS. But because No. 36 is not aggressive, you have to
put in a lot of your own effort. So try them all, and use what
you like best, but don't wait until after you have damaged your
wheels with another product to try the Meguiar's.
Summary of applications. By machine: Conventional paints:
Wash with 00 or No. 62. Clean with a buffer, using No. 2 unless
severely oxidized or deeply scratched, in which case use No. 1.
Polish with No. 3 if using a buffer, or with No. 7 if using a DA
or hutch. Wax with No. 26 or Medallion, preferably using a DA or
hutch. Plastic paints: same as above, only polish using a DA or
hutch with No. 7 or with No. 9 with a rotary buffer and a finish-
ing pad.
By hand: Conventional and plastic paints: Wash with 00 or
No. 62. Clean with No. 4 or 2, polish with No. 7 wax with No. 26
paste or liquid, or Medallion.
Summary of products. A summary of relevant Meguiar's pro-
ducts and their uses:
00 - wash. One capful per gallon of water.
1 - very aggressive cleaner for use by machine only.
Can also be used as a glass cleaner.
2 - mild cleaner for use by hand or machine. Less ag-
gressive than No. 1 or 4.
3 - machine polish, for conventional paints.
4 - most aggressive cleaner, for use by hand or ma-
chine. Fairly abrasive, and without chemicals.
Use only if milder cleaners don't do the job.
6 - cleaner/wax for the one-step crowd and for remov-
ing road tars. Not for you.
7 - glaze. Apply by hand. Full of feeder oils and
other good stuff, and hides hairline scratches.
9 - swirl remover for polishing out swirling or very
light scratching by hand or machine.
10 - high-impact plastic cleaner.
16 - paste wax. Apply by hand or DA/orbital.
18 - high-impact plastic cleaner/polish for clear
plastics.
20 - polymer sealant. For the annual detailer type. Not
recommended for fine German cars.
26 - modern paste and liquid wax. Can be applied by
hand or machine.
36 - wheel cleaner. Use with paint brush and elbow
grease. BBS approved.
34 - squirt bottle wash. Good for clean-up, prepping
panels about to be worked and concours. Enhances
gloss.
39 - rubber and vinyl cleaner.
40 - vinyl and plastic cleaner/conditioner. Goodbye
Armorall!
42 - rubber cleaner/treatment.
62 - car wash concentrate destined to replace 00.
Medallion for All Paint - the most wonderful wax.
Medallion for All Leather - Meguiar's leather treat-
ment. I prefer Mercedes-Benz Lederpflegemittel
(p/n 0009860571), Connolly Hide food or saddle
soap.
S-2005 - Meguiar's Unigrit sandpaper (2000 grit). Most
commonly used grades are 1000, 1200, 1500 and
2000.
K-2000 - Meguiar's sanding block (2000 grit). Available
in grades from 400 to 3000.
W-65 - backing plate for W-9000
W-1000 - 8" yellow polishing pad.
W-5500 - 5.5" yellow polishing pad.
W-7000 - cutting pads.
W-9000 - 8" tan finishing pad.
by Thomas B. Nast
Copyright 1994 by Thomas B. Nast
[References to photos deleted]
Five years have passed since I last wrote the definitive
tome on using Meguiar's products to keep your car looking, well,
as nice as mine. In that half-decade, some products and techni-
ques have changed. Add to that certain production problems with
the last publishing on this subject, membership turnover, and the
recycling of old Zundfolges as kindling and parakeet cage liners;
the time for a rewrite is upon us.
Credit for this rewrite must be shared with Dennis Noland
of Exeter Garage of Seattle, one of the few detail shops which
follows the processes outlined below; and with Terry Richards,
the area representative of Meguiar's, who was kind enough to
bring me up to date on new product details. I have personally ob-
served or tried every operation described in this article, and
routinely use the appropriate procedures on my own rolling stock.
So, departing from my usual practice, I will take the blame for
any errors the editors have not installed for me.
How to keeping new paint looking new always baffled me.
Wash it, and I got scratches. Wax it, I got more scratches. It
seems like the cleaner I tried to keep it, the more scratched it
got. I'm not talking about gouges, just light scratching. Take
the car to a detail shop (at least to judge from cars I've seen),
and you can add swirls to the list of horrors. And I know I have
a lot of company.
One solution (to which I used to plead guilty) is only to
wash and wax once a year. Assuming the car is garaged, this does
minimize paint damage, at the expense of appearance and oxida-
tion. It is not really a solution at all, any more than a hat is
a solution to baldness. Fortunately, there is a real remedy to
the dilemma, and it is Meguiar's.
There are more companies making car care products than
there are rust pockets in a Karmann-bodied coupe, and I cannot
say that Meguiar's is the best. I have not tried them all (I have
tried dozens, however). I have found only one line that seems to
consistently work, with emphasis on consistent. In addition,
Meguiar's has done more to see that its products are used proper-
ly (read, "successfully"), than any other manufacturer I know of
(at least through its reps -- its printed literature is a bit
confusing). I am not a Meguiar's salesman, and I feel that if you
already have a system which works for you, stick with it. For ex-
ample, I can suggest no Meguiar's compound which will do a better
job on chrome than Simichrome. But if you have had decades of
frustration, as I have, with $6.00 waxes wasting $3,000.00 paint
jobs, read on.
Mr. Achilles takes a stand. Meguiar's has expanded its pro-
duct numbers since the original publication of this monograph,
continuing its entropic tradition. Unfortunately, there remains
no choice but to learn which numbered product does what. Since
you are not running a detail shop and are (presumably) concerned
with only one or two cars, probably an half-dozen products will
do it for you. Don't let the numbers intimidate you, you only
need to learn a few.
Another bit of lameness is Meguiar's' naming of products --
"Professional" this, "Hi-Tech" that. To its credit, the "No. 11
Professional Hi-Tech Finesse Quick-Step" no longer appears in the
catalog, but what is the difference between "No. 00 Hi-Tech Wash"
and "No. 62 Carwash Shampoo & Conditioner"? Especially if your
car is not endowed with a full bonnet of hair? Such monikers will
not be honored by further repetition in these pages.
Theory. The theory behind Meguiar's products is simple. A
system is needed to care for the car's finish, not just one or
two `universal' products. First, take out scratching and don't
put any in. Second, put oils back into the paint instead of tak-
ing them out. Third, avoid wax buildups or anything which will
dull the natural gloss of the paint.
This theory is expressed in Meguiar's products in a number
of ways. Solvents and detergents are avoided. Abrasives which
will not break down are not used. Nearly every Meguiar's liquid
has feeder oils, which replenish the natural oils in paint. Al-
most no carnauba wax is included, as solvents are needed to make
it flow and it leads to wax buildup. Silicones are avoided in
nearly every material except the waxes, where they are used as
carrying agents. And the foam pads for machine use are about the
best product to come down the pike for polishing without inducing
swirling.
Typical case. The following is a typical treatment by a BMW
owner new to the Meguiar's regime. It is based on about a dozen
real-world applications by the author. This will help establish a
baseline of products you can expect to use. We can then consider
the exceptions to the rules, and the techniques involved.
First, wash with 00 or 62. Next, remove things that can be
removed (e.g. windshield wipers) and mask vents, grills, or any-
thing else that will be hard to clean spatter off of. Clean with
No. 2. Polish with No. 7. Wax with No. 26 (one coat) or Medallion
(two or three coats).
Whew, that's a lot of work! Fortunately, if you keep up
with the car you won't need to do all the steps next time.
Maintenance with No. 7 or No. 9 and wax is usually sufficient; if
the car is kept polished and waxed, the cleaning is an annual
event at most.
Now, on to more theory, technique and special cases.
Hand vs. machine application. We have been taught that the
only way to clean and wax a car is by hand. This teaching, how-
ever, must be relegated to the same dustbin where the teachings
of the Flat Earth Society now repose. Proper use of the right
power tools and products will not only yield better results than
hand application, but is less likely to damage the paint in the
process. I was surprised by this too, but I cannot dispute that
which I have witnessed. Unless you are preparing for a body-
builders' convention, use machines. Virtually all Meguiar's pro-
ducts can now be applied by hand or machine.
Hand application is necessary in certain areas that ma-
chines can't (or in the exercise of prudence should not be called
upon) to reach. Examples would be around wiper blades, radio
aerials and sharp body contours. And some people may not want to
invest in machines. So because of this (and for those who won't
use machines out of penury or atavism), hand application will be
discussed, though it is not generally recommended.
Buffer swirls. Buffer swirls are the result of (1) the
fibers which comprise wool pads, (2) compounds which don't break
down, and (3) dirt being ground into the paint. Swirls are quite
common when wool pads are used (and many detail shops still use
wool pads). (A few years ago I attended a Porsche club event at
the dealer in Tacoma, and saw three brand-new cars have their
paint systematically destroyed while being "prepped" with wool
pads).
Swirls are also induced by rubbing with compounds made of
silicate, sand or aluminum oxide. These materials are not used in
Meguiar's products, which use materials (e.g. diatomaceous clay)
which break down as they are used instead of scratching up the
paint. Improper cleaning of the car before waxing, or failing to
clean the dirt out of the foam pads, will also result in swirl-
ing. Wax conceals buffer swirls, but does not remove them. Swirls
will reappear as the wax wears or is washed off. Go to a car wash
and take a look at the cars as they emerge -- otherwise im-
peccable cars come out with grotesque swirling in the paint, now
visible as a result of the wax being stripped off. (Not to men-
tion that most car washes introduce scratching.) Swirls can be
usually be removed, but it is best not to install them in the
first place.
The impossible. There are two things which no car care pro-
duct can do. Totally oxidized paint, checked paint (thousands of
tiny cracks), and peeling or flaking paint, cannot be restored.
Paint this far gone (regardless of its age) should be stripped
and new paint applied. No compound or wax can save that which has
been destroyed. In addition, deep scratches (i.e. near or into
the primer) cannot be completely removed, as obviously all the
paint will be removed with them. They can be minimized, but not
eliminated. So don't expect miracles, even if you find waxing
cars a religious experience.
Do not be completely discouraged, however. Partially
oxidized paint can be restored, and light-to-moderate scratching
can be removed. If you aren't sure whether or not you are at-
tempting a miracle, give it a shot -- no harm can come from
trying.
Type of paint. The products and techniques you use will
vary somewhat depending on the type of paint your car has. So you
must determine the type of paint you are dealing with. Meguiar's
divides paints into two categories, conventional and "high tech",
which I will call "plastic paints" because I can't stand the
hype. Conventional paints are enamels (acrylics and otherwise)
and lacquers (ditto). Plastic paints include the ever-expanding
family of urethanes.
This matters because the urethanes are very hard, and when
they scratch (or swirl) you have to be more aggressive to get the
flaws out. Conventional paints are softer, scratching and repair-
ing more easily. Conventional paints will tolerate more heat than
will plastic paints, so buffers can be run at faster speeds
(within reason); if plastic paints are overheated, they will
cloud.
Determining which paint you are dealing with can be quite
challenging. Manufacturers have been inconsistent in what type of
paint they use, and aren't very good about telling you. To make
matters worse, a different type of paint may have been used on a
repaired area than on the rest of the car. So if in doubt, ask a
reputable body shop what type of paint you have. And if your car
is repaired or repainted, make a note of the type of paint used.
Generally speaking, solid-color BMW's used to come with
conventional paints, but now come with a single-stage urethane.
Metallic painted BMW's always have a clear coat. The clear coat
was of uncertain parentage (some would say it was a son of a
bachelor) until about the late seventies, when urethane clear
coats appeared. As many of us know, paint failure on metallic
BMW's was a certainty until this change was made. Any clear-
coated BMW may be treated as having plastic paint. Solid-colored
BMW's of other than recent vintage will require some detective
work.
To check if you car has a conventional or plastic paint,
rub a small area with a terry cloth towel and some cleaner (No.
2). If color comes off the car onto the towel, you have conven-
tional paint. If no color appears, you have plastic paint (proba-
bly a clear coat).
Condition of paint. The condition of the paint will
determine how aggressive you need to be in restoring it. New cars
should need very little work (unless butchered when being
"prepped"), but a five-year-old car which has been parked outside
will probably need two or three additional steps. The differences
will be dealt with in the text.
Equipment. In an effort to avoid inducing sticker shock,
let me warn you that a one-time investment of $300 - $400 may be
required to properly care for you car's paint. This could be
lowered considerably by a club group purchase, or if your club
purchases a buffer and DA and rents/loans them out.
What you need is:
- A variable speed rotary buffer for cleaning. I am
satisfied with my Makita 9207SPC, which sells for about
$200 discounted. Also recommended is the Black & Decker
No. 6138 (ca. $280) (DeWalt DW849) Whatever you use, it should work at
well under 2000 rpm (like 1000-1400 rpm). Some people use
a variable speed drill with a $5 adaptor, but this quick-
ly gets tiring; not recommended.
- A dual action (DA), orbital or "hutch" (Hutchins) buffer
for polishing and waxing. Polishing and waxing can be
done with the rotary buffer, but a DA is a better choice
for a number of reasons. It is smaller and lighter than a
buffer, thus a lot easier on your back. Because of its
low speeds, it splatters less material. And the low
speeds and eccentric motions make it much less capable of
harming a car than a rotary buffer. However, a DA is not
good for cleaning. A recommended orbital is the Porter-
Cable 7335; it sells for about $125. Air-driven Hutchins
sanders also work well for buffing. The theory behind
DAs, orbitals and hutches is to simulate hand applica-
tion, but at a higher speed and with less effort.
- Meguiar's foam application pads. About $50.00. Do not use
wool pads. Get two yellow polishing pads (W-1000 in 8"
and W-5500 in 5-1/2") and one or two 8" finishing pads
(W-9000). The finishing pad has velcro backing, so you
will need a backing plate (No. W-65) if you don't have
one. (A new backing plate with an alignment pin for the
pads is imminent). The 5-1/2" finishing pads presently
only come with a backing plate permanently affixed; 8"
finishing pads come with permanent backing plate or with
velcro (W-1000L). If you are using a DA, get a couple of
6" yellow polishing pads for it (W-6000); these are
presently the only foam pads available for DAs. If you
are attaching serious scratches, get a burgundy cutting
pad (W-7000).
- A supply of terry cloth towels (all cotton). Thick looped
toweling is best; the theory is that dirt goes down into
the loops, where it cannot damage the paint. Save your
marriage, and get some nice, soft towels for your car at
a department store sale.
- Folded and stitched terry cloth pads, about 3" square.
Not absolutely necessary, but very nice for hand work.
- A small, stiff nylon brush. Like a toothbrush with a
gland condition. Figure a dollar.
- A small wire brush (Snap-On sells a nice one with stain-
less steel bristles for under three dollars).
- Some dense, closed-cell foam application pads for apply-
ing polish (about 3" square). Cadge these. I use foam
from the thermal barrier you put under your sleeping bag
when camping.
- Meguiar's materials appropriate to the job. Plan on
$80.00.
- Apron or coveralls, free of any scratch-inducing metal on
the front. Some enterprising sort should market terry
cloth aprons!
To help you accept this, consider that the total cost is less
than two trips to a detail shop, and the results should be sub-
stantially better in most cases. If you share, borrow or rent a
buffer from your club, you're probably dollars ahead the first
time around.
The yellow polishing pads for rotary buffers come in large
(8") and small (5-1/2") sizes. The 8" pad covers a lot of area
in less time, but the 5.5" pad is good for getting into smaller
spaces. My counsel is to start with a set of the 8" pads, and
pick up smaller ones when you feel the need.
As to where to get this stuff locally, I bought my Makita
at Tool Town on 15th Ave. West. The Meguiar's products are
carried by Exeter Garage and Autosport Seattle. Look for depart-
ment store or linen store sales for the towels. The orbital can
be bought at Home Depot.
Technique. Technique is, of course, more important than
size (850i owners take note). The following practices should be
observed, as a general rule.
First, never wash, polish or wax the car in the sun. Do it
in the shade, indoors or not at all.
If you are applying materials by hand, squirt the material
onto the terry cloth pad, instead of onto the car as you usually
would do with machine application.
With buffing wheels, use different pads for cleaners,
polishes and waxes, and frequently clean or change the pad, as
any dirt trapped in it will scratch the paint. Frequently refresh
the pad with material, using modest quantities. When rubbing, do
not use a circular motion. Always use straight strokes. This will
avoid swirls and minimize the number of angles at which light is
refracted by any scratches you induce. It is recommended that
your strokes be back and forth, in the direction which the car
travels.
Whether by machine or by hand, use light pressure. If light
pressure does not do the job, try a more aggressive product (ex-
cept on urethanes) and/or a higher machine speed, depending on
the experience of the operator and the type of paint. Keep rotary
buffers well under 2000 rpm; if working on urethane 1200 to 1400
rpm is better). Under no circumstances should you be "grinding"
on the finish.
Sometimes the rotary buffing wheel will start to oscillate,
jittering like an orbital sander. This is usually the result of
the pressure not being on the center of the pad (plus the pads
are not the best-balanced objects to pass through my shop). The
oscillating motion can do your paint no good, and may well harm
it. If you feel an oscillation building, ease up the pressure and
try to center the pressure on the middle of the pad. Otherwise,
lift the buffer off the surface and reapply it after the oscilla-
tion subsides.
With an air-driven hutch or DA, don't turn the tool on be-
fore the wheel is on the car. Without contact, the wheel spins up
to a very high speed, slinging material and tearing up the pad.
The slight friction contact with the car provides should slow the
tool down to a fairly slow speed (adjust the air pressure if it
doesn't).
Resist the temptation to hold the buffer with one hand
while stretching to reach those hard-to-get spots, like the cen-
ter of the roof. This is an invitation to disaster.
When applying liquids with buffing wheels, a number of
practices should be observed. The foam pad must be kept clear of
dirt and dead foam. Before reusing the pad and periodically
thereafter, scrape it (while rotating) with the plastic brush un-
til stuff stops coming off. If there is any suspicion of dirt
caught in the foam, you may also apply terry cloth to the rotat-
ing pad to clean it. The foam wheel may be trimmed using a wire
brush. The wheel should be kept in flat trim, and periodic trim-
ming can greatly extend the life of this fairly expensive pro-
duct. Application of liquids may be in a column on the painted
area being worked on, or to the foam pad directly. Which is ap-
propriate depends on which product you are using (see text below
and read the labels), but generally you will be happier applying
the liquid to the car, as the wheel slings off quite a bit in all
directions as it spins up. If the liquid has been applied direct-
ly to the car, approach the liquid with the pad at a slight
angle, so the liquid is thrown back onto the pad and not onto
everything else. With the Makita, which rotates clockwise (when
observed from above), the edge farthest from you will be the con-
tact edge if you are right-handed. Once the liquid has been dis-
tributed, keep the pad flat on the panel (with the weight on the
pad's center) to avoid swirl marks. Do not apply cleaner to the
car and then leave it sitting.
Guide the machine in long, straight, overlapping strokes,
letting the machine do the work. Every novice moves the machine
in a circular pattern on the panel being worked -- don't do it.
On the other hand, keep the machine moving; if you rest it in one
place, the paint may overheat from friction and be damaged. I
have found that the trunk and hood are more easily approached
from their ends than from the sides, and that the roof is most
easily buffed without the use of a ladder. Avoid using the ma-
chine on high points (the body creases), because it will wear
through the paint. Do these by hand. And avoid objects which may
catch the pad (e.g. the air vents on the hood, antenna, etc.),
because the pad is too expensive to rip up and you may have the
machine power itself onto the hood (or whatever), ruining your
whole day. In the same vein, some system is necessary to avoid
scratching the finish with a power cord or air hose. Encasing the
cord in socks is one suggestion.
Also, avoid the plastic beading set in the rubber around
windshields (2002, 320i). I found that the buffer can permanently
disfigure these.
All Meguiar's materials have an indefinite shelf life (if
not allowed to freeze), but they should be well shaken before use
to evenly distribute the solids, which may settle out.
If applying a liquid directly to the car, squirt it in a
15" - 24" long bead. After it is worked in, lay down another bead
on the feather edge of the area you just worked. Columns will be
about 12" apart except the wax, which works better with more but
thinner columns, so expect columns 8" on center for wax. The
other exception is the No. 1 cleaner, which is best applied
directly to the pad. When applying materials onto the pad instead
onto the car, put it on the center of the pad to minimize splat-
ter.
Although you can continue buffing until the liquid is most-
ly dry, this is not a good idea on dark or clear-coated finishes.
In general, you should stop buffing after the material begins to
break down but before it becomes dry (you can tell when it is dry
because it will leave a glossy finish without further wiping);
stop when a thin film of material remains. At this point you can
(and should) remove the film with terry cloths, rather than with
more buffing.
Discrete foam pads should be used with cleaners, polishers
and waxes. This is because their chemical and abrasive composi-
tions differ, and mixing them up undoes what you are trying to
do. So plan on having three pads, and identify the use of each
with an indelible marker. Use your best pads for polishing and
waxing; when they become tatty, demote them to permanent cleaning
duty.
Be somewhat stingy with liquids. Most people use way more
than is necessary, at least while they are learning.
Use the softest terry cloths you can. They often get softer
with repeated washings, by the way. Remember, cloth is an
abrasive! Any dirt caught in the cloth will undo your work, so
clean the cloth frequently with a brush or another cloth, and
don't be bashful about chucking it into the laundry and grabbing
another, clean cloth. When washing, do not use liquid fabric
softeners. Fabric stores carry terry cloth by the yard, but it
will generate lots of lint before it is washed. Also, when you
cut it the unbound edges will chuck off yet more fabric. So I
prefer towels to terry-by-the-yard.
Finally, it is much easier on you and the car to maintain
the paint (with regular washing and waxing) than it is to restore
it and wax it, say, annually. (This is true of every aspect of
any mechanical object, just in case you hadn't contemplated the
subj. It is also true that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Such
is the yin and yang of automobiles.) The idea of an annual wax
(as with Meguiar's No. 20, a polymer) will not work out if the
car is used outdoors. If you just drive it around your garage,
though, it's probably ok.
Splatter. It is inevitable that, using machines, slop will
get all over the car. Especially until you learn just how much
liquid to use and how to apply it. The car will look like a muddy
dog shook itself off nearby. For this reason, you should plan on
doing each step to the entire car (or as much of it as is ap-
propriate) before moving on to the next step, so you only have to
wipe up once after each step. You could cover areas not being
worked with soft (e.g. terry) cloths, but it's probably easier
just to wipe up slung liquids with terry cloths.
Other suggestions: Wear an apron or coveralls, for some of
the splatter will be tossed onto you, particularly your chest and
gut. And start at the top of the car and work down, because
splatter obeys the law of gravity.
Another characteristic of splatter is that it gets into
cracks, such as between the hood and fenders, the door jambs, and
so forth. You will find a thin line of splatter behind the edge
you just worked. I suggest that after each step, you open the ap-
propriate panel and remove the splatter before it dries out. Use
a terry cloth. It may take a couple of wipes, as a thin residue
will be left after the first pass. Dry or hard-to-remove splatter
can be addressed with No. 34 spray and terry towels.
Wash the car. Never wash in direct sunlight. When washing
the car, do use plenty of water and never, ever use a detergent
(like dish soap). Prepare a five-gallon bucket of suds, so when
you wring out your wash mitt the dirt can settle out. Wet the car
thoroughly before soaping. Do one panel at a time (so the soap
doesn't dry before it is rinsed), starting at the top. As I apply
the soapy water to an area, I flush it with the hose at the same
time.
Synthetic wash mitts work well -- this is the only place
for synthetics (other than the buffing pads). Terry cloth can
also be used. Frequent turning and rinsing of the mitt or terry
is necessary, because dirt trapped in it will scratch the finish.
Car washing is where scratching problems start; after all, that's
when the most grit is present to cause scratching. Don't let it
happen to you.
Meguiar's recommends its No. 00 wash, which I have used for
years. A more recent product is No. 62, which is available in the
large quantities No. 00 used to come in and which is a good deal
less expensive (though about the same as No. 00 was before No. 62
came along). Though I am resistant to change, I can find no fault
with No. 62 and for reasons of economy will adopt it. The
Meguiar's products really enhance the shine of Meguiar's-finished
cars, without silicones and without stripping off the waxes and
oils.
However, most any quality car shampoo will do fine. A qual-
ity product will have no detergents and no silicones.
Meguiar's also makes a waterless spray-on wash, No. 34,
which you wipe off with a terry cloth. This product, now called
"Final Inspection", replaces, is much less expensive and is
entirely reformulated from, the former No. 34 "Trigger Wash." The
notion of wiping off a dirty emulsion scares the hell out of me,
because how can you avoid abrading the surface as you wipe? The
theory is that No. 34 puts a lubricant (not silicone) between the
paint and the dirt, floating the dirt off. It seems to work, but
I remain uncomfortable with it in heavy grime situations.
Dry the washed car with The Absorber or clean terry cloths,
again turning them frequently to avoid scoring the finish with
dirt particles. Leather chamois is not recommended for drying (or
anything else, for that matter, except patching elbows).
Removing scratches. The technique for removing scratches
depends on the severity of the scratch.
Very light scratching and light oxidation can be addressed
with No. 9 ("Swirl Remover").
Light scratching is addressed with the standard cleaning
routine, using No. 2.
Moderate scratching can be more challenging, and may re-
quire a few trips to the arsenal. Try less aggressive products
first, then more aggressive ones if needed. This is true both for
the cleaners and the pads. So depending on how bad the scratching
(or oxidation) is, first try No. 2, No. 1, then No. 4 (in that
order); and start with an unaggressive pad (a finishing pad),
moving to a moderately aggressive pad (the yellow polishing pad,
Nos. W-1000 and W-5500 depending on size), then a cutting pad if
that doesn't work (W-7000). Use your judgment and experience as
you acquire it, though. Paints are different, and you may find it
best to go right to a polishing or cutting pad. You may want to
try a more aggressive pad with a less aggressive cleaner before
going to a more aggressive cleaner. Note that the aggressive
cleaners and pads will induce some light scratching while reduc-
ing the moderate scratch; you will need to progressively rework
the area with decreasingly aggressive products to polish it
mirror-smooth.
Deep scratching is handled with Unigrit sandpaper (de-
scribed below); 2000 grit is a good starting point. Follow this
by No. 1, No. 2 and then either No. 3 or No. 7 in that order.
Severe scratching is present if you can run your fingernail
over the scratch and it gets caught. This generally cannot be
sanded. Likewise, if the flaw has penetrated near or to the
primer or metal, sanding is not the answer. You have no choice
but to use touch-up paint, let it dry thoroughly, then block sand
and polish. Scratching underneath the paint, of course, requires
stripping the paint and refinishing the metal.
Sanding and blocking. Sometimes a scratch will need to be
sanded out, or touch-up paint will need to be blocked down so it
blends with the rest of the paint. (And sometimes whole cars need
to be wet-sanded, but that is beyond the scope of this article).
Sanding is done with Meguiar's Unigrit (formerly Nikken) sand-
paper. This has a very even distribution of grit which is closely
controlled in size. It comes in grades from 80 to 2000 grit --
you will mostly be concerned with the 2000. It should be soaked
overnight before use, and used with dilute No. 00 as a lubricant.
The E-7200 backing pad is an excellent backing. Two sheets of
sandpaper and a new backing pad run about three dollars. In sand-
ing, you will simply feather the scratch out.
Sanding blocks are used to work out defects above the paint
surface. Meguiar's blocks (which are fairly small) come from 400
to 3000 grade, and last almost forever. They should also be kept
soaking before use.
After any sanding, expect to clean with No. 2 or stronger,
followed by polishing.
Clean the car - theory.
"Cleaning" the car is not the same as "washing" the car. A
"clean" car is free of oxidized paint, road tars and salts, acids
found in the rain, and so forth. The car is chemically clean, and
the pores of the paint are free of contaminants. Thus, a wax-
based material is not used for cleaning. Meguiar's cleaners are
No. 1 (medium) and No. 2 (fine) and No. 4 (heavy).
A nearly new finish will need no cleaning at all -- the
step can be skipped, and you can go straight to polishing. No. 2
has feeding oils, cleaning chemicals and a buffered earth
abrasive. I have found it to be gentle and effective. No. 1 is
used for finishes with moderate oxidation or swirling. If you use
No. 1, plan on following up with No. 2 before moving on to
polishing. No. 4 is used only to removed heavy oxidation or rela-
tively deep scratching; in practice, you will rarely employ it.
Experience will teach you that the proper amount of cleaner is
more sparing than you think -- it does not need to be slopped all
over.
The key is to start with the least aggressive treatment,
and only if that proves insufficient do you move on to a more ag-
gressive product. If in doubt, use the less aggressive. And re-
member, it sometimes takes more than one pass to get the job
done. Again, you are better off with two passes of No. 2 than one
pass of No. 1, but I would draw the line there. You will quickly
develop a sense of just what the two different cleaners do. If in
doubt, experiment on test patches, as experimenting on whole
panels is very time consuming, not to mention risky.
Clean the car - by machine.
For conventional paints, try a finishing pad first, using
No. 2, especially if this is maintenance cleaning; if this
doesn't get the car clean (you will know after working on one
panel) move to a polishing pad. Bear in mind that not all panels
are the same; frequently, the roof, hood and trunk will need more
aggressive treatment than the sides, due to more exposure to the
elements.
For plastic paints, follow the same procedure, bearing this
in mind: plastic paints are harder than conventional paints. Much
harder. That means that you treat them less aggressively. Why?
The harder the paint, the milder you treat it, as harsh treatment
will induce scratching you can't easily polish out (induced
scratching is relatively easy to polish out of the softer conven-
tional paints). Thus, you will want to avoid No. 1 (use only No.
2 cleaner or No.9 cleaner/polish) and you will run your rotary
buffer at its lower speeds. Also, you will probably use a finish-
ing pad instead of a cleaning pad.
Clean the car - by hand. In the Meguiar's world, use No. 2
for most cleaning by hand, applying the liquid directly to the
pad. Expect a moderately needy finish to require thirty to forty
strokes to be clean.
Polish the paint - theory. By polishing the paint, we mean
nourishing it and hiding hairline scratches. Meguiar's polishes
also restore the oils which washing, age, sun, rain and air
(smog) have leached out of the paint. (This is not to be confused
with the "seal jobs" done by car dealerships, which involves put-
ting a polymer over the paint, rather than oils into it, together
with an adjustment to the customer's bank balance.) The immediate
difference this step makes, especially for dark-colored cars, is
so impressive that you would use polish even if it didn't
renourish the paint. Meguiar's claims the benefits of its polish
accrete with each application; and indeed, if maintained, very
little polish is needed to replenish the paint.
The Meguiar's family of polishes includes Nos. 3, 7, and 9
(No. 5 has been removed from the line-up since last publication).
Unlike cleaners, pure polishes are not abrasive. Meguiar's No. 7
is pure polish. No. 3 is a little more aggressive; it can pull a
little haze off the paint, or a very light oxidation. No. 9 is a
polish with a cleaner, and thus has some light abrasives in it;
it is the most aggressive of the polishes. No. 9 is good for
removing light swirling, or if you really don't need a cleaning
step. Use it with a rotary buffer and a finishing pad, if avail-
able.
Polishing by machine - in general. Polishing is not an
abrasive process (except with No. 9, see above), and in fact the
polish acts as a lubricant between the pad and the paint. For ma-
chine application, the polish may be squirted directly onto the
panels, doing one panel at a time. The polish may be buffed until
the material breaks down, stop buffing before the polish dries
into a powder. If one application and buffing is insufficient,
try another. Be sure to observe precautions (under "Polishing by
hand", below) about not letting the polish dry. Especially with
No. 7, the polish will get gummy, making it unnecessarily dif-
ficult to remove the excess. By the way, I have had a problem
with blockages in the dispenser nozzles of No. 3; a bent paper-
clip or coat hanger clears it nicely.
Polishing with buffers. If using a buffer (a rotary ma-
chine) for polishing, use a finishing pad (W-9000). For polishing
conventional paints, use No. 3; No. 9 is recommended for plastic
paints. In addition to including mild cleaners, No. 9 is designed
for the tighter molecular structure which plastic paints present.
It is also the easiest of the polishes to use, if you need fur-
ther incentive.
Polishing with DA. For polishing with a DA, orbital or
hutch, yellow polishing pads are all that is available (and will
work fine). Whether polishing conventional or plastic paints, use
No. 7. Use No. 7 sparingly, and clean the foam pad often, to pre-
vent the pad from gumming up.
Polishing by hand. For hand application on conventional
paint, use No. 7. This polish can be applied with a rigid foam
pad, a soft sponge or a terry cloth. Apply the polish directly to
the car, and spread it out evenly with the pad. The pad will
literally glide over the polish. The idea is to coat the panel
(start by doing one panel at a time, until you gain experience
with curing times) with as thin a coat as will completely cover
it. The polish can be further worked into the paint using a terry
cloth. The more which is infused into the paint, the better; how-
ever, it should be used sparingly to avoid gumming and excessive
wiping. The paint can only absorb so much; beyond that, the
polish is wasted and just creates extra work.
The polish will not fully dry (nor would you want it to);
hence, it can and should be wiped off with terry toweling. This
can be done one panel at a time. If the weather is not too warm,
removing the excess polish can be done after the whole car has
been coated; however, warm weather will cause the polish to dry,
and you will regret not having wiped it off earlier, so keep an
eye on it.
Using the terry cloth towel, wipe gently using straight
strokes. A residue will be left, which can be wiped up with a
fresh terry cloth. Continue until all the polish is removed.
For hand application on plastic paints, use No. 7 or No.
9. If No. 9 is used by hand, apply it as you would a cleaner and
not as you would apply the No. 7 polish.
Wax the paint - in general. Whether by hand or by machine,
and whether the paint is conventional or plastic, use either No.
26 liquid wax or Medallion. It is hard to describe the dif-
ferences; the No. 26 is one of the few Meguiar's materials with
silicone, and it has some (not a lot) of carnauba (you don't need
or want much carnauba, by the way). Meguiar's does not disclose
the contents of Medallion (it probably has some silicone in it
too), but Meguiar's claims that it ionically bonds to the car's
finish, resulting is freedom from dust-attracting static. This is
a difficult claim to verify, but it does seem to yield superior
results, last longer and be even less effort to apply than No.
26. Considering how little is needed to coat the car and its
greater durability, Medallion's additional cost is more than off-
set. Plus, it smells a lot better than No. 26. My unconditional
endorsement goes to Medallion.
Apply the wax - by machine. I have found machine applica-
tion consistently yields results superior to hand application
here, especially with Medallion. Use thin coats, two if No. 26,
two or three if Medallion), instead of one thick one. Both of
these materials are so slippery that very little is needed.
If waxing with a rotary buffer, use a finishing pad; if
waxing with a DA, you must use the yellow polishing pad (the only
pad available for DAs), which will carry more of the wax in its
larger cells than will a finishing pad.
For machine application, apply the wax directly to the car
and buff in 8" columns. Buff using light pressure and overlapping
strokes, leaving a film to dry; do not buff until the material
begins to break down! Use the slowest buffer speed possible; this
is the great advantage of the DA.
Apply the wax - by hand. If waxing by hand, use the same
procedure as with No. 7 polish. By hand, rub the wax thoroughly
into the paint so that it fully penetrates. Wipe with clean terry
cloths, which will take several passes a few minutes apart.
Meguiar's does make paste waxes (No. 16 and No. 26), and
someday I hope to meet the fellow who buys them (five gets you
eight he owns a Porsche). Paste waxes may not be used with a
rotary buffer, but can be used with an orbital. If applied by
hand, they are maybe six times more work to apply than No. 26
liquid or Medallion, with an inferior result. If you wax cars for
exercise, though, hand application of paste wax might be for you.
Finishing waxing. How long you let the wax dry (cure) is
critical. It should dry to a hazy white. If you drag your finger
across it, it should ball up and not smear. This will take five
or more minutes (remember, you are not in direct sunlight). If
wiped off as a liquid it does no good, and it is difficult to
remove and you risk damaging the finish if it is left to dry to a
powder. Of course, the warmer the day the faster the dry time.
Keep an eye on it, and experience will quickly teach the optimum.
After the excess is wiped off with terry clothes, there may
be oils from the No. 7 or No. 9 left on top of the wax, which
looks like streaking. This is best ignored for a day, after which
the oil may have been absorbed by the paint and a quick pass with
a clean terry cloth will solve the problem. Otherwise, wash the
car down with No. 00 or No. 62. Many have found that after the
full Meguiar's treatment, a No. 00 or No. 62 wash further im-
proves the car's appearance!
Maintenance. They best way to maintain the finish on your
car is to keep it garaged when not in use. It is almost im-
possible to keep a car looking nice if it's parked outside, espe-
cially if you have a life.
To maintain the Meguiar's finish, wash with 00 or 62,
polish with No. 7 or No. 9, then wax with No. 26 or Medallion. If
this is done as needed, the car will seldom need the cleaning
step. Since cleaning is the most time consuming, laborious and
wearing on the paint, routine maintenance is a sensible (if self-
disciplined) alternative to an annual or semi-annual detailing.
Clean the glass. The glass may be cleaned, again preferably
by machine, using No. 1 or No. 4 (which may also be used by hand)
(and don't try to do the inside of the glass by machine). I am
amazed how already-"clean" glass can be made to just sparkle with
this treatment; it also removes water spots. And you should do it
before polishing and waxing, as there will be cleaner splattered
all over the glass from when you cleaned the paint, and cleaner
will be splattered over the paint when you clean the glass.
Glass can be finished with Rain X if you wish (outside
only). For those who haven't tried it (and it has been around for
quite a while), Rain X seals the pores in the glass, which causes
rain to bead and fly off, and also gives your windshield wipers a
smoother ride. The down side is complaints about hazing, espe-
cially in difficult lighting conditions (dusk and dawn). I have
used the stuff intermittently for about a dozen years, and I
think it's a good product if used correctly (the residue must be
wiped completely off, and you can't tell if it's completely off
in certain lighting conditions). Give it a try; it's around $5
per bottle, which will last years.
Clean the rubber. While the wax is curing is a good time to
get started on the rubber and vinyl. Cleaning is done with No. 39
and a nylon-bristled brush. On the exterior, hose off the
cleaner. For protection and appearance, No. 42 works well with
rubber bumpers, tires, plastic and semi-gloss painted areas. It
soaks in, and may take multiple coats. It does not leave a shiny
coat like Armorall, and seems to have less of a tendency to wash
off in the rain (the streaks Armorall leaves as it washes off are
one of many reasons to avoid the stuff).
Clean the plastic. Interior plastic parts may be cleaned
with No. 40, which can be wiped on or (if the filth requires it)
brushed with a brush of stiff plastic bristles. (For real grunge,
No. 39 is a more aggressive cleaner.) It is an Armorall sub-
stitute, except that it leaves matte finishes matte. (I dislike
Armorall's making everything shiny. I also dislike the way it
evaporates and deposits itself on the windshield as a haze, some-
thing No. 40 also does not seem to do.)
High-impact plastics, such as turn signal lenses, can have
scratches removed by machine with No. 1 and No. 3 cleaners; No.
10 can be used for cleaning thereafter. I have restored lenses I
was ready to scrap with these materials. No. 10 is the industry
standard for cleaning plastic airplane windshields, by the way
(they are restored with a product called Micro Mesh).
Protection/maintenance of clear high-impact plastic pieces
can be accomplished with No. 18, which is a cleaner/polish. It
can also be used on window tints and compact disks.
Clean the wheels. Everybody has a favorite wheel cleaner,
from Mothers to Eagle One. Meguiar's sells No. 36, which is used
with a household paint brush and elbow grease. The No. 36 is non-
acidic and is not corrosive -- it will not damage wheels.
Meguiar's makes a big deal out of No. 36 being the only cleaner
blessed by BBS. But because No. 36 is not aggressive, you have to
put in a lot of your own effort. So try them all, and use what
you like best, but don't wait until after you have damaged your
wheels with another product to try the Meguiar's.
Summary of applications. By machine: Conventional paints:
Wash with 00 or No. 62. Clean with a buffer, using No. 2 unless
severely oxidized or deeply scratched, in which case use No. 1.
Polish with No. 3 if using a buffer, or with No. 7 if using a DA
or hutch. Wax with No. 26 or Medallion, preferably using a DA or
hutch. Plastic paints: same as above, only polish using a DA or
hutch with No. 7 or with No. 9 with a rotary buffer and a finish-
ing pad.
By hand: Conventional and plastic paints: Wash with 00 or
No. 62. Clean with No. 4 or 2, polish with No. 7 wax with No. 26
paste or liquid, or Medallion.
Summary of products. A summary of relevant Meguiar's pro-
ducts and their uses:
00 - wash. One capful per gallon of water.
1 - very aggressive cleaner for use by machine only.
Can also be used as a glass cleaner.
2 - mild cleaner for use by hand or machine. Less ag-
gressive than No. 1 or 4.
3 - machine polish, for conventional paints.
4 - most aggressive cleaner, for use by hand or ma-
chine. Fairly abrasive, and without chemicals.
Use only if milder cleaners don't do the job.
6 - cleaner/wax for the one-step crowd and for remov-
ing road tars. Not for you.
7 - glaze. Apply by hand. Full of feeder oils and
other good stuff, and hides hairline scratches.
9 - swirl remover for polishing out swirling or very
light scratching by hand or machine.
10 - high-impact plastic cleaner.
16 - paste wax. Apply by hand or DA/orbital.
18 - high-impact plastic cleaner/polish for clear
plastics.
20 - polymer sealant. For the annual detailer type. Not
recommended for fine German cars.
26 - modern paste and liquid wax. Can be applied by
hand or machine.
36 - wheel cleaner. Use with paint brush and elbow
grease. BBS approved.
34 - squirt bottle wash. Good for clean-up, prepping
panels about to be worked and concours. Enhances
gloss.
39 - rubber and vinyl cleaner.
40 - vinyl and plastic cleaner/conditioner. Goodbye
Armorall!
42 - rubber cleaner/treatment.
62 - car wash concentrate destined to replace 00.
Medallion for All Paint - the most wonderful wax.
Medallion for All Leather - Meguiar's leather treat-
ment. I prefer Mercedes-Benz Lederpflegemittel
(p/n 0009860571), Connolly Hide food or saddle
soap.
S-2005 - Meguiar's Unigrit sandpaper (2000 grit). Most
commonly used grades are 1000, 1200, 1500 and
2000.
K-2000 - Meguiar's sanding block (2000 grit). Available
in grades from 400 to 3000.
W-65 - backing plate for W-9000
W-1000 - 8" yellow polishing pad.
W-5500 - 5.5" yellow polishing pad.
W-7000 - cutting pads.
W-9000 - 8" tan finishing pad.
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