Waxing a new car

[Rasch]

Greetings to all -
I have some questions about waxing my new car. I have had it about a week, and I want to make sure that it stays looking good.

It is a 2006 Dark Silver/Grey White Topped Mini Cooper S.

I have been nosing around a bit and I am thinking I need to go ahead and do three things after washing.

1. Clay Bar the entire car
2. Polish it. (I was thinking of using Deep Crystal System Polish)
3. Wax it. (Should I go with NXT or Gold Class)

I am looking for a durable wet look if that makes any sense.

I appreciate your time and wait anxiously for your responses.

RASCH

[kpagel]

For a new car that process looks just fine. Deep Crystal Polish is supposed to be good. Whatever wax you choose will look great as well. Good luck!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Waxing a new car

Originally posted by Rasch
Greetings to all -

3. Wax it. (Should I go with NXT or Gold Class)

I am looking for a durable wet look if that makes any sense.

I appreciate your time and wait anxiously for your responses.

RASCH

Out of those two waxes, I'd go with NXT Tech Wax as it really give your paint a great shine with a wet look.

A lot of people feel the NXT Tech Wax is not very durable because it doesn't bead water very long, yet some people will post they're getting great durability out of it and then post a picture of water beads on their paint.

The best thing to do for any car with any paint protection product is to re-apply the product periodically as a part of a maintenance program. Much in the same way you change your car's oil for good mechanical maintenance, washing and waxing your car's paint will periodically will keep your car's paint looking show room new.

If you're looking for a wax that will last for 6 months, a year or longer then even if the water continues to bead to show the product is still on the finish, if the car is a daily driver chances are good without doing something to the paint to keep it smooth and shiny, then the finish is going to go down hill.

Serious car enthusiasts tend to wax more often because they like to and because they always like their car to look like it was just detailed. Joe Consumer waxes once or maybe twice a year because they feel they have to in order to protect their transportation device just enough to prevent utter failure and thus a lower trade-in value.

Two mindsets, two markets.

I don't know if this helps but I've worked a lot with Mini Cooper owners and almost all of the ones I've worked with would fall into the serious enthusiasts camp and they tend to wash and wax their car's more than once or twice a year.

[miked2]

Definitely don't skip out on the DC2 step, either -- I think it'll do more to make the paint good than the wax!!!

[Rasch]

Ok, second question. The more I have been reading it seems like a lot of people are also using DC1 to clean the paint as well. Should I go ahead and do this after the Clay Bar or is this over kill?

Thanks,
RASCH

[Rasch]

Re: Re: Waxing a new car

Originally posted by Mike Phillips

I don't know if this helps but I've worked a lot with Mini Cooper owners and almost all of the ones I've worked with would fall into the serious enthusiasts camp and they tend to wash and wax their car's more than once or twice a year.

I would fall into the enthusiast camp. Although I haven't had a car to be really enthusiastic about until now

RASCH

[TrufflePig]

Originally posted by Rasch
Ok, second question. The more I have been reading it seems like a lot of people are also using DC1 to clean the paint as well. Should I go ahead and do this after the Clay Bar or is this over kill?

Thanks,
RASCH

wash
clay
dc1
dc2
wax x 2 coats

DC1 is one step of 2 step process or 3 step process if you use the final step. most will use DC1 and then DC2 and then they're wax of choice.

any pics of the MINI?

[gb387]

Adding the DC paint cleaner will better prep the surface for a pure wax... The Deep Crystal products are inexpensive, easy to find and best of all they work!

For the wax.... My vote is also for NXT Tech Wax. Meguiars has some great pure waxes in the consumer line and all will work very well but I prefer NXT.

[Rasch]

Originally posted by TrufflePig
any pics of the MINI?

I will do some before and after pics this weekend.

RASCH

[LS1MONSTER]

If my car was the size of a Mini Cooper I'd prolly detail every weekend.

[Monk]

Have you examined your paint's surface closely for water marks, mild scratching/swirls? Being new does not equate to being perfect.

[Rasch]

Originally posted by Monk
Have you examined your paint's surface closely for water marks, mild scratching/swirls? Being new does not equate to being perfect.

I agree and no I haven't that comes this weekend.

RASCH