Is #7 a wasted effort?

[genee]

New to the world of DA buffering, I have perused this site and found many - at least several - posters say they are using #7 Show Car Glaze before a final application of sealer/wax. Mike told me that #7 is just what it says, a show glaze that will wash off in the next rain if on a vehicle on the streets. If the rain will wash it off, wouldn't the application of ANY other product remove it? It seems to be worth only the bragging rights of the "I put on this many products" for the non-show segment.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey,

I have used #7 for many, many years as the last step before my wax or sealant. Yes, some of the #7 may be removed by the wax or sealant but not enough to diminish the benefit of using it. Just IMHO!

Tim

[gb387]

IMO I think the application of a pure polish will really help the end result. In my case I can see the difference when I apply #81 prior to NXT Wax, the combo seems to give me a deeper shine vs wax alone.

So.... You apply your polish, in your case #7... introducing polishing oils to your paint and bring the "look" out of the paint, then the application of a wax/sealant will seal the look #7 gave you and add its own look on top of the #7. Its not scientific and I am sure others will chime in but its what I have found with the application of #81(pure polish).

[Mike Phillips]

I also told you it was a beauty type product and the point and purpose of the product is to make paint look good.

I find a lot of people now days stumble over this as they have what I've labeled the Car Wax Mentality, that is everything you pour out of a bottle or scoop out of a can is supposed to be a wax, as in a product that protects. Meguiar's history however is making product for use in the re-finishing industry where the goal was to make paint look great! #7 Show Car Glaze came out sometime in the 1930's and Meguiar's didn't make their first automotive wax until 1951

Meguiar's pure polishes, #3, #5, #7 and Deep Crystal Polish and even some of their mild cleaner/polishes like M80, M82 and M09 make paint look good by adding gloss, clarity, richness of color and depth.

But they are not protection products, and they are water soluble and they will wash if exposed to repeated rain or repeated washing.

You have to try to step outside the box and understand, this isn't a negative feature, it's a characteristic of these types of products.

For the average daily driver like I think you e-mailed me about, i.e. your daughters car, you'll be much happier with a wax.

p.s.

Thanks for posting your comments and questions to the forum...

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7270

[genee]

Thanks, Mike

Thanks, Mike for the feedback. I didn't mean to belittle the product(s) just tried to clarify. My mentality says that if rain will wash it off ... it must be gone by the time you have applied another moist product over it. It appears that several think otherwise. I will do a pure polish and then seal on one of my own rigs before I make a final decision about what works (as in your tag ...)

from the world of hand rubber lacquer and Simonize ... genee

[Mike Phillips]

The visual difference after applying a pure polish is most noticeable on medium to dark colored single-stage paints and older, worn clear coat paints. It's harder to see a visual difference on a new clear coat finish because in most cases a new clear coat finish already looks really good to start with.

Modern clear coats are also more impermeable, or less porous when new and this makes most products you apply more topical and less likely to penetrate into the paint. As any paint gets older and is subject to wear and tear, it becomes more permeable, or more porous and thus the visual appearance from applying a pure polish is more noticeable.

Pure polishes are more for the very serious enthusiast, who will do everything they can to get even the slightest measurable increase in appearance quality and less for the average consumer who simply wants to wash and wax their car and then get back to the big game on TV.

[joaks]

I was planning on using #20 x2 followed by #26 x2. Can I use number 7 under or on top of these for extra appearance? I don't want to remove the other products. Its a clear coat, older, but in good shape.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by joaks
I was planning on using #20 x2 followed by #26 x2. Can I use number 7 under or on top of these for extra appearance? I don't want to remove the other products. Its a clear coat, older, but in good shape.

Hi joaks,

Typically, a pure polish like #7 is applied to paint before any wax is applied.

Good Shape is such a relative term, what's good to you might qualify as Neglected to me, but then your goals might be different than mine.


Meguiar's always teaches to Evaluate the condition of the finish first and let your evaluation be your guide as to what products you need. The only cleaning action you have going out of the products you listed is the cleaning action suppled by the small amount of cleaners in #20 Polymer Sealant. This is okay if your car's finish truly is in good condition.

Since surface prep is more important than the wax you apply as it relates to total over all results, you might get better end results if you use a dedicated paint cleaner over all your cars paint and then apply one coat of #20 and top this with #26.

For example, rub the entire car down with one of the below,

ScratchX or Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner or #9 Swirl Remover

and then move on to the #20 Polymer Sealant and skip the #7 Show Car Glaze.

Has the car been clayed recently? Have you inspected the finish with clean palm of your hand after washing?

What color is the paint and what is it you're working on?

[showtime]

I think that other products "removing" others is mostly a myth. Unless you're applying a heavy solvent or something abrasive, I don't see anything removing anything. I always use #80/#21 for my dealership details and the #21 doesn't "remove" the #80.

[Tim Lingor]

Hi joaks

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

Yes, you can do it either way. I prefer to use it before the #20 in order to lock in the #7. The combo you mentioned: #7 + #20 + #26 was the combo I used for many many years and just love the look of!

Tim

[joaks]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

As for the condition of the paint-it should be like-new. I say "should" as I have not picked it up yet (it was an out-of state purchase). It was restored about 10 years ago, been garaged ever since, and never seen winter. It is a dark blue color.

As a teenager I had my own detailing business on the side. Having said that I have never clayed a car in my life. It seems like a good way to pickup a small particle and scratch the entire car with it-so I may not use this method ever. I've used a variety of cleaners, from mild to the heavy-cut, on other cars however I am trying to minimize the use of these. I will certainly use them if needed though.

As for my goals-I would like the car to look the BEST that it can-spare no expense or effort. I don't plan on showing it, but for personal satisfaction.

[Mike Phillips]

Sounds like you're going to have fun with this one.


Here's what you should do, wait till you take delivery of the car, after you've taken deliver of the car and get it home, wash the car using a quality car wash and a soft, gentle wash mitt and then after drying it, pull it out into the sun around noon, (if possible, I live in SoCal so that's pretty easy to do, but I understand not everyone has sunny weather year around). and inspect the finish.

If you want the best looking finish, then you don't want any swirls and just because it was repainted doesn't mean there are not any swirls and in fact could mean there a plenty of swirls, you won't know until after you've washed the car and visually inspected the finish.

After this, it will be easier to make recommendations based upon the condition of the paint.

When will you be taking possession of the car and what kind of car is it?


Also, we've all kind of hijacked genes thread, perhaps you can start your own thread in the Detailing 101 forum?