Detailed my car for the first time

[oholdeno]

I drive a used 98 accord coupe and decided that the car needs a good clean up.

A couple of days ago I bought some nxt paste wax and simply drove my car through a car wash, then applied the wax and then wiped it off 30 min later. My friend said my car looked and felt like ****. That made me sad.

Then after reading these forums I drove my car through a car wash, clayed the car, applied and wiped off colorx, applied and wiped off the nxt wax, and it looks and feels much better.

My question though is: should the colorx and nxt be buffed off hard or should it just be wiped off like the instructions say. Also, would it be dumb to apply a second coat of colorx and nxt?

[Mike Phillips]

Hi oholdeno,

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

Best results are always had when the correct product is applied and applied correctly. For a cleaner/wax this would be for neglected paint and the product needs to be worked into and against the paint thoroughly as part of the cleaning action is --> you <-- working the product.

A polish/wax like NXT Tech Wax should only be applied to paint in good to excellent condition, or to paint that has been previously cleaned with a paint cleaner or in your example, a cleaner/wax.

In this case the wax doesn't have to be worked into or against the paint as much as a cleaner/wax because in this situation you're not trying to clean the paint but merely do a good job of coating over the paint to leave behind a uniform layer of wax/protection.

In both cases, you don't want to overuse or under use the product. Cleaner/waxes tend to require you to use an ample amount because you want a wet film of product on surface so you can utilize the cleaning agents as well as the diminishing abrasives to do some of the work for you.

With a polish/wax or a pure wax your goal is to apply a thin coating.

Properly used, both of these products, properly applied and allowed to fully dry, should wipe off easy. It's usually only thick coats of product that wipe off hard.

What you use to remove the dried wax is also a factor, wiping cloths with a nap work better than wiping cloths with a flat sheen, for example a great polishing cloth for removing a polish or a wax is either our Supreme Shine Microfiber polishing cloths or our Ultra Plush Super Terry cloth towels.

Examples of wiping cloths with flat sheens that can make it difficult to remove polish or wax, (or at least more difficult that cloths with naps), are t-shirts and diapers.

Remember, thin coats, but use an appropriate amount to do an effective job of what you're trying to accomplish.

[Mike Phillips]

List 'O Links

Many of the things we cover in our Saturday Classes are discussed and talked about in the threads found in the sub-forums of the Information Station


First read this,

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle


Then read these...

How To Remove Swirls By Hand
How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX
Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line
Circles or Straight Lines?
Which LSP is Best for Light Colors
How to locate Meguiar’s Professional & Detailer products in your hometown
How to tell when a Meguiar's wax is ready to remove - The Swipe Test
The Dual Action Counterweight "Controversy"
What are the Differences Between Meguiar's Waxes
What's the Deal with "Layering"?
Measuring Clear Coat Thickness
Rotary vs. PC vs. Regular Orbital Buffer
Glass Polishing...Deep Cleaning
NXT Tech Wax Cure Time
Suggested Products for Taking Care of a New Car
Colored Waxes - Do they really work?
PC + #83 not "Cutting" it! - The Limits of the Dual Action Polisher
What it Means to Remove a Scratch
Why Meguiar’s Recommends Polishing Paint
A Lesson From White Paint
Each one, teach one... Ferrari Fiorano 355 F1 Spider

[oholdeno]

would it be okay to apply a second coat of colorx and nxt wax? or should i just go for a second coat of nxt?

[Murr1525]

If just going for looks, a 2nd coat of Nxt is fine.

Using ColorX again would remove the previous wax, so that would best be left for a couple weeks when you feel like doing it again.

Next time your car is feeling a little rough, you can put on another well worked in coat of ColorX and Nxt.

BTW, is there any chance of not using car washes? That soap they use is really rough on waxes, and you wont get as much durability or good looks.

[evo77]

Word of advice, if you want to maintain that fresh waxed look and feel don't run your car through an automated car wash anymore. The soaps used in those places are very harsh and will 1. never get the car "fully" clean and 2. strip the wax off in a few washes.

Although they are quite convenient (i know first hand as I used to use them quite often) a hand wash with a great car shampoo like NXT or Gold Glass is far superior and will help extend the wax life and keep your car shining.

[oholdeno]

i'm pretty lazy is there an easier way haha. i saw some no-bucket car wash spray by eagle one? does meguiar's make something like that?