NXT wax users, do you prep everytime you wax?

[ktlimq]

Is there anyone who often uses NXT wax as a one step product?
If so, how often do you wax? Is your car always outside?


Meguiars Rx Plus suggests possibility of using NXT as one step product:
======================
. . . . .
Although your vehicle is outside often in an environment containing caustic environmental contaminants, you may only need to renew your paint once or twice a year with proper wax protection.
. . . . .
we recommend NXT Generation® Tech Wax or Gold Class Clear Coat Car Wax
. . . . .
we recommend applying paint protection on a monthly basis
======================

If I use NXT as a one step product, but wax every 2.5 months instead of every month, will it be so bad for maintaining protection?

[rusty bumper]

If you wax every 2 1/2 months and the car is parked outside, then I would suggest applying some sort of paint cleaner before using NXT.

[BJClarke001]

Originally posted by Rusty Bumper
If you wax every 2 1/2 months and the car is parked outside, then I would suggest applying some sort of paint cleaner before using NXT.

Just as RB stated and to take it slightly further though, perhaps use ColorX or Cleaner Wax. And then top it off with the NXT. You will find once you start doing all this stuff, you will start experimenting with various approaches. Thus, you will find what works for you. BTW, I am concidering using ColorX topped with NXT myself. But I have so many waxes of Megs, I can't decide which one is my favorite. Time and experimenting will determin that.

[Murr1525]

I love ColorX topped with Nxt on my daily driver.

More to the point, I would not recomend using Nxt as a stand alone product. It can be done, but will not give you the best endurance or looks. That comes from having a well prepped surface.

Even if you dont like to clay the car, the 2 steps of ColorX to prep the surface + Nxt will make your car look very good.

[05PhillyStang]

Interesting comments by all. My car is a daily driver and is always parked outside. I wash, clay, clean, polish, wax 3 times a year. In between, I wash almost weekly (probably every 1 and 1/2 weeks) and use spray wax about every 3 washes. Also, I use Speed Detailer (soon to be Last Touch, once my order arrives) on a regular basis.

Am I not doing enough to protect my car from the elements? I was thinking of adding cleaner/wax in between my steps to maintain protection and looks. Basically I'd add a coat of cleaner/wax in between each detail. Would that be enough?

As far as using NXT as a stand alone product, you won't get the desired results since the cleaning capabilities of NXT wax are very light

[TKDDAD]

Originally posted by Murr1525
I love ColorX topped with Nxt on my daily driver.

More to the point, I would not recomend using Nxt as a stand alone product. It can be done, but will not give you the best endurance or looks. That comes from having a well prepped surface.

Even if you dont like to clay the car, the 2 steps of ColorX to prep the surface + Nxt will make your car look very good.

I've been using #80 after claying and then NXT Liquid....getting some #16 to see what that looks like but more interested in winter protection that's why I bought the #16....is using #80 before waxing as good as using ColorX ??

[Murr1525]

Any Cleaner Wax is going to remove everything underneath it, so it is almost best to consider cleaner/wax as a detail, even if you dont clay.

You may find that cleaner wax, or cleaner wax topped with a pure wax in between full details is beneficial, or you may not notice a difference. Depends on your environment. A 'full detail' might look like this:

1. Wash
2. Clay as needed
3. Clean
4. Polish
5. Thin coat of wax
6. Second thin coat of wax

With a cleaner wax, you might do this:
1. Wash
2. Clay as needed
3. Cleaner Wax
4. Wax if wanted.

So it cuts out 2 steps, and as you say, may keep a little more protection on the surface, and more good looks. People who have used just the consumer cleaner/wax on their car 3 or 4 times a year for 10 years have better looking cars than most, so it is a very good product to mix in, espeacialy if in a time crunch.

#80 and ColorX are going to be very different products. #80 is only a cleaner/polish, so you will want to follow it with 2 coats of wax. ColorX is a cleaner/polish/wax, so it only would need topped with one coat of wax. However, #80 is most likely going to be a better cleaner, and richer in polishing oils.

If looking for a cleaner wax in the professional line for use with a DA specificaly, you might also try #6 and #66.

Remember, separate steps always give better results than all-in-one products... but for a daily driver and a busy person, an all-in-one product, even topped with a wax, might suit your needs. All depends on what you want your outcome to be.

[ktlimq]

I used NXT paste on my car for the first time. Because I applied it under direct sunlight, I cannot say whether it is easy to remove.

I only did the roof and trunk lid, and got some feeling about NXT’s cleaning ability and cobweb hiding.

On the roof, there was a bird dropping (1~3 days old, I guess). NXT did not remove it, but ScratchX removed it very easily.

The trunk lid was treated with TurtleWax F21 paste one week ago. Because I worked under direct sunlight, I could easily see cobweb ‘before’ and ‘after’. Cobweb reduced after treating with NXT. I regret that I did not bring TurtleWax Platinum paste to compare the cobweb hiding effect.



Question about “shortcut” prepping before NXT (in case of 2.5 month interval waxing):

Would one of them be an alternative to a paint cleaner?

1. Meguiars Bug & Tar Remover

http://meguiars.com/?car-maintenance/Gold-Class-Bug---Tar-Remover

2. Clay (clay only, not followed by a paint cleaner, and then NXT)

3. Meguiars All Purpose Wipe

http://meguiars.com/?vinyl-rubber-plastic-protectants/Gold-Class-All-Purpose-Cleaning-Wipes

[05PhillyStang]

Originally posted by Murr1525
Any Cleaner Wax is going to remove everything underneath it,

Murr, that's where I'm concerned. Using my example above, if i detail 3-4 times a year, using decicated products for each step w/spray wax every third wash, then add cleaner/wax roughly half way in between each full detail, would I be removing the work done during the full detail?

Obviously, the dedicated steps of a full detail are going to give me much more desireable results than just a cleaner/wax. I'm afraid that by using a cleaner/wax, say 1 1/2 months, after a full detail. I'd be reducing the looks and protection.

[ktlimq]

Why cleaner wax and then NXT, instead of a cleaner and then NXT?

NXT is the best protecting Meguiars wax. Shouldn't it contact the paint directly?

[ktlimq]

05PhillyStang,

There are some systems that preserve previous coat of wax - at least, the manufacturer says it is possible -.

1. Mothers 3 step system. Step one is used only once or twice a year. [step 2 & 3] is used more often, and this process does not competely remove the previous coat of wax.

2. TurtleWax Platinum wax. For weathered finish, used some stronger cleaner wax. Then use Platinum wax. Platinum wax has balanced formula so that it has cleaning ability, but it does not completely remove previous layer of Platinum wax.

3. Meguiars NXT (as I understand from RX plus - I might have misunderstood). Renew paint (clay, DC 1, ScratchX) one or twice a year. Wax with NXT monthtly. According to what I read on Meguiars online forum, NXT wax does not completely remove previous layer of NXT wax.

[Superior Shine]

This is where diagnosis comes into play. Determine the condition of the finish before throwing anything at it.

When you’re ready to apply another coat of product on the finish ask your self, is it smooth, shines nice, is it scratched, etc...

The answers to those types of questions will help determine what your next step is.

Answer a few more questions to really zero on the type and way you are goong to detail the finish-

What is my skill/experiance level?
What equipment do I have to work with,all by hand, BUFFER, have a PC...?
How much time do I want to put into this?
What are my goals, more protection than shine, more shine than protection, etc..?

[Murr1525]

To try and answer both posts a little...

1. Bug and tar remover will remove all protection, and bugs and tar, but wont really prep the surface.

2. The thing about clay is that it removes things on the surface, so you dont scratch your paint as you work in products afterwards. The paint cleaner is what gets down into the pores of the paint, to get out the dirt that will affect the waxes adhesion. Sort of two different products, so clay isnt going to really do what you want.

4. Never used them, but I thought they were for the interior? maybe not...

As for using a cleaner wax, you may be removing protection that was there. The question is, how much was left there. You would have to judge by your environment, feeling the paint, the squeak test, etc if there is enough protection to worry about removing.

As I mentioned, I do enjoy using ColorX, or any cleaner wax, topped with NXt, and I get about 2 months or so until I feel like redoing it. (with Spray wax every wash or so) Actualy, the paint never squeaks from the squeak test at that point, but I can kind of feel some **** from all the trees, etc i have to deal with.

It does save some time from all the steps. If I were to do all the steps that often, plus interior, and other household stuff, I may keel over. For instance:

1. Wash
2. CLay as needed
3. Clean
4. Polish
5. Wax
6. Wax 2nd coat

or:

1. Wash
2. Clay as needed
3. ColorX
4. Wax

The 2nd way definatley saves some time. You may also find yourself cutting back to 2 or 3 big details a year, with more 'mini' ones, so to speak. And believe me, Clay, ColorX, an Nxt will get many many compliments.

[Murr1525]

Well, the reason for a cleaner wax + wax is to cover the clean/polish/wax steps, plus a second coat of wax for best looks and coverage. Also, since whatever wax you top with will give most of the looks, Nxt, Gold Class, #26 etc look better in my opinion than ColorX. A pure wax will usualy look better than an all-in-one product.

Using only a cleaner would not get any polishing oils into the paint to help nourish it and keep it healthy. (unless you used Gold Class Wax).

As far as touching the paint, polishing oils help waxes adhere, and Meguiars waxes can be layers, to a certain extent. 2 is the recomened number of layers.

[05PhillyStang]

Originally posted by Murr1525


It does save some time from all the steps. If I were to do all the steps that often, plus interior, and other household stuff, I may keel over. For instance:

1. Wash
2. CLay as needed
3. Clean
4. Polish
5. Wax
6. Wax 2nd coat

or:

1. Wash
2. Clay as needed
3. ColorX
4. Wax

Thanks Murr - The first, longer list is what I do about 3 times a year, maybe 4. I was just looking for something in between those 3-4 times a year to maintain looks and protection. You've definitely answered my question...Thanks. I do have one more question. Using the same example of the full detail (1st list) 3x a year and occasional spray wax, would it be harmful to cut-out the claying in the second list?

I'm going to try and answer my own question, please correct me if I'm wrong: By not claying, I am working on a surface that is not totally clean. However, the car is 6 months old and is kept up regularly. If I am willing to sacrafice a bit of shine and a bit of protection in the interest of time, then it should be okay not to clay.

Would you consider this to be a correct assumption or am I being naive to the fact that cutting out the clay step will be detrimental to my paint's finish? Obviously, I would examine the finish to make sure that the finish is clean enough to accept just cleaner/wax topped with a coat of wax.