New car protection...

[Zack S]

I just purchased my first brand new vehicle, a 2016 GMC Sierra. No, I didn't go for the overpriced paint sealer they tried to sell me...

Instead I am looking for recommendations on a good wax/polish/sealer type product to protect the vehicle through it's first winter. Obviously since its new, there's no defects or swirls in the paint and I want to keep it that way with something non-abrasive/ aggressive. I am loyal to Meg's products and looking at the assortment of options, I don't know where to start. Ideally I'd like it to last through the fall and winter of touch-less washes at the gas station. Any ideas?

[Zack S]

Re: New car protection...

I should add that the vehicle was delivered to the dealer back in March so the paint should be pretty well cured by now. I know you're supposed to wait 90 days.

[The Guz]

Re: New car protection...

Congrats on the new car.

The 90 day rule doesn't apply to new cars. That applies to repaints. So one can seal the paint right away.

Sounds like you are looking for a paint sealant. Meguiar's offers NXT, M21, Ultimate Wax and Paint Protect 365. Top either with with Ultimate Quik Wax or D156 and it should be good to go. Paint Protect is touted to last 365 washes. Ultimate Wax would be next followed by M21 and NXT.

I would at minimum clay the paint and then just seal it if there are no defects. Even though Ultimate Polish is abrasive, it won't remove that much clear. It will impart gloss on the paint.

[Nick Winn]

Re: New car protection...

Welcome to MOL and congrats on the new truck! Our Ultimate Wax in either liquid or paste form is currently our most premium & most advanced full synthetic protectant, which offers excellent gloss & protection.

One note I did want to mention is that our waxes & sealants are best maintained with a pH balanced car wash. Unfortunately it is common for automatic car washes, especially touch-less,to not use pH balanced car wash products, which can strip your wax protection. We understand it can be tough to not use these wash options in the winter time in the mid west, but it is a reality. Many users have opted for our Water-less options which can be used in a heated garage like our Ultimate Wash & Wax Anywhere. More information on this product can be referenced in the below link. These techniques can seem daunting at first, but with the combination of the design of the product, high quality microfiber towels, and good technique, it can be performed safely.

Meguiar's Quik Tips Series - Ultimate Wash & Wax Anywhere

We would also agree with The Guz that it may be a good idea to clay the paint to ensure no contaminants are present. Even though the car is new, new vehicles go on quite an adventure from where they are manufactured to the dealership, and they also can sit on the lot for months at a time, and during these times can accumulate bonded contaminants.

We would also agree that the use of a polish like Ultimate Polish Pre-Waxing Glaze, even on a brand new car, can make the paint look better than new, especially if the truck is a darker color. Ultimate Polish is considered a cleaner/polish, so it does contain mild abrasives to assist in removing light swirls & scratches, but these mild abrasives can also help to further refine the paint finish on an extremely microscopic level, to enable benefits to reflections & gloss. To give you an idea, even when using one of Meguiar's aggressive compounds, on a cutting pad, applied on a dual action polisher machine, most often times the amount of paint removed is not even measurable. You are not even close to this combination by using Ultimate Polish on a new truck to add some additional gloss. Some food for thought, depending on your goals.

Hope this helps!

- Nick

[Zack S]

Re: New car protection...

Thank you both for the detailed replies. I have purchased both the Ultimate Polish and the Ultimate Liquid Wax this morning at the local auto store. I couldn't find the Paint Protect 365 locally so I will do without for now, although I will order it online and do at least the wheels with that product.


I do own the Meguiars MT300 that I used with great results on my boat but I think I will be doing the truck by hand as I have limited experience with the MT300 on auto paint and it's probably not necessary anyway.


The truck is a dark blue so I think it will benefit from the added polish step and I will post pictures when I do all this later in the week. Thanks, again.

[Nick Winn]

Re: New car protection...

Thank you both for the detailed replies. I have purchased both the Ultimate Polish and the Ultimate Liquid Wax this morning at the local auto store. I couldn't find the Paint Protect 365 locally so I will do without for now, although I will order it online and do at least the wheels with that product.


I do own the Meguiars MT300 that I used with great results on my boat but I think I will be doing the truck by hand as I have limited experience with the MT300 on auto paint and it's probably not necessary anyway.


The truck is a dark blue so I think it will benefit from the added polish step and I will post pictures when I do all this later in the week. Thanks, again.

Sounds good! Definitely follow up & let us know. Also, we wouldn't be afraid to use your MT300 on your truck, it makes polishing & waxing much easier! If you would like the following below article may give you more confidence in the safety of the machine:

Beginners guide to the different types of paint polishing tools

[Zack S]

Re: New car protection...

Finally got it all done (for now). Ended up having to go and get the clay kit, there was all kinds of junk stuck on the roof. I guess they never bothered to clean it since you have to be a giant to see up there. Otherwise everything went as planned. Two bucket wash, clay, and then did the Ultimate Polish followed by two consecutive coats of Ultimate Liquid Wax, all by hand this time. It was nice to get acquainted with the vehicle and didn't take all that much time once I trained myself to not put too much product on! I did the plastics with 303, everything else was Meg's products and the results speak for themselves. It's amazing how much better even a brand new vehicle looks when detailed correctly. Thanks for all the advice.

[Selectchoice]

Re: New car protection...

Looks great! Nice colour too!

[The Guz]

Re: New car protection...

Looks great.

[Nick Winn]

Re: New car protection...

Looks great!! Happy to hear everything went well. Feel free to post further questions. Happy to help!

- Nick