Mercedes Madness

[paulywood]

I have a 2003 C230 Coupe, silver. The paint job is great quality and doesn't really show swirl marks. After clay baring it, it feels like a baby's butt. In general if I take it to the car wash and purchase the level of wash which includes the Foam wax then it really seems to be all the paint needs.

Am I missing something? Do I need to be doing more? I see everyone waxing their cars all the time and can't help but thinking that I am!

[ffboy]

Re: Mercedes Madness

Well, the paint can always be just a bit better. Ultimately, the decision as to detail it even further is up to you. If the paint does look OK in your eyes and shows no swirl marks, then maybe you won't be needing paint correction cleaners and polishes for now but in the future as the car gets more used and different wash cycles which can ruin paint if done wrong. What you can do is a simpler and more convenient cleaner wax route and maintain with a good car wash (even wash and wax) and a quick detailer. Options you can take are:

1. A good cleaner wax (like the original megs cleaner wax or colorX o white wax)

2. Instant Detailer (again it could be the orginal QD or Ultimate or Last Touch)

3. Ultimate Quik wax

4. Gold Class Car Wash

Your silver car will look better than "OK".. Try it out, maybe you'll be a convert after seeing the results.

[ffboy]

Re: Mercedes Madness

And regarding those car washes with foam wax? Nothing will take the place of a good quality car wax. You wax (the real kind, paste or liquid) for protection, now you boost or keep that protection up by car wash followed by using a spray wax. This will keep your paint shiny and just waxed feel again. If only light dust is on the car, the instant detailer will safely remove it including contaminants before it bonds to the paint.
.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Mercedes Madness

Am I missing something? Do I need to be doing more? I see everyone waxing their cars all the time and can't help but thinking that I am!

Nobody "needs" to do anything more than they personally want to do for their cars. For some it's an obsession, while others are just happy with a clean car that has a nice shine to it. That said, we have had quite a few folks attend our detailing classes or Thursday Night Open Garage sessions and have their priorities reset, so to speak. When they suddenly see that with not much more effort their car can look a whole lot better still, they get excited. With you being in RSM (practically a neighbor of mine!) and Meguiar's being in Irvine, you're close enough that a Saturday Class or Thursday night session is easy to get to. We'd be happy to evaluate your car and see if we can help you take it up a notch, if you so desire.

Being that your car is silver it can be very difficult to see swirls in the finish; look at the reflection of the sun in silver paint for a few seconds and you're temporarily blinded, swirled paint or not! But you're claying the paint, which is way more than the average guy on the street does - most have never even heard of clay. You're already ahead of the curve.

So ask yourself this: What do I really want out of my car's finish, and how much time/effort am I willing to devote to it? There is no right or wrong answer here, just the answer that works best for you.