NXT'd the AURORA =O

[Aurora40]

Well, those of you who know me know that I found NXT to be a nice enough product when I'd used it a few times. But you also know I never had any intention of putting it on the Aurora...

So, today I felt like doing something. I'd just washed the car yesterday, and the Souveran on it was still beading nicely. I was considering trying out the Pinnacle Paint Cleansing Lotion I'd gotten, as I've yet to use it. But then I didn't really have the time nor inclination to do two whole things to the car today. So what to do...

Then I thought, well, NXT should add some gloss back, plus it is a protectant so I don't necessarily have to wax it. And if I want, I can still toss some Souveran over it later if I have the time. So that's what I did.

I first wiped the car down with Last Touch to ensure there was no dust or anything on it. Then I went around applying the NXT liquid with a MF applicator. It goes on very easy, though a bit thick at first, and by the time I went around the car, it was ready to buff off (I'm slow at applying stuff). It buffed off very easily too, even the areas where it applied a bit thick and hazy.

The resulting surface was improved in slickness/smoothness for sure. And it is quite glossy looking. But it was quite glossy looking before. I look forward to seeing it outside to see if it's an improvement on red over the look Souveran provides (I suspect it will mainly be a different look, more gloss and reflection, not quite as much depth). Of course, I didn't do any prep, but then the paint isn't exactly in need of it. I will probably polish it out before summer just to fix up any spiderwebbing and such.

The smell of NXT has grown on me a bit, I wasn't so fond of it originally. The odd shape of the bottle has sort of grown on me as well. It's very easy to grip, but not so easy to pour.

In spite of vigorous shaking, there were some solid bits of NXT coming out of the bottle, which isn't the best. It was easy enough to pick them off the applicator, though. And my bottle is about 15 months old. All in all a pleasant experience.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey Aurora40

You had to know this was coming.....





As for the clumps in the bottle, that is not usual. I still have the original Lab Sample E in the test bottle, and is the same as the day I received it. Perhaps the dried residue from the spout somehow ended up inside the bottle?

Anyway, I look forward in seeing the pics!!

Tim

[RamAirV1]

When you're finished waxing for the day, it is best to wipe away all remaining wax residue from the area around the spout. Whatever residue that's left is going to dry and it has to go some-where. You should also take a small flat blade screwdriver and clean out the interior of the spout also.

Most likely, the clumps of wax are coming from residue left over in the spout. If you forget to clean the spout you can always to it before you wax the next time. Unscrew the lid and push the dried residue out from the inside with a small screwdriver or toothpick.

Of course if you are using a paste wax you don't have to worry about this as much.

Hope this helps

RamAirV1

[Aurora40]

I don't think it's from the spout. I'm always careful to have the bottle do a big inhale before I close it which tends to pull the liquid back into the bottle. It's always worked pretty well for me.

When I unscrew the cap, there is a ring of dryish product around the opening of the bottle, and it doesn't seem to get shaken up when shaking it. The product coming out was not totally dry, but rather sort of slimey chunks. Anyway, no harm done.

Tim, I'll try to take some picts when the car is outside. It's been raining for days here, so all I'd be able to get are garage picts.

[Aurora40]

I took a few picts today, though the car will look pretty much as it always does (but the wheelwells need cleaning).

The car is glossier than Souveran, but not as deep looking. When I look down the hood, it's less red and more gloss. With Souveran it always looked very red like you could stick your finger in it and it would be covered in red. The glossy look tends to look more like there is wet stuff on the paint rather than that the paint is wet.

All in all it looks good, though, and is pretty much what I expected. NXT is highly glossy, which looks great, but depends on what you prefer from a product. On my car I like that deep look better, even though it's a bit more subtle in casual observation than lots of gloss is.

Inside the garage and at night, though, gloss is the best look. A glossy look always looks pretty good, whereas the deeper look has to be in the right lighting to really appreciate it.

I'll put up the picts this evening.

[Aurora40]

Some mediocre pictures:

[Aurora40]

and:

[RamAirV1]

Originally posted by Aurora40
I don't think it's from the spout. I'm always careful to have the bottle do a big inhale before I close it which tends to pull the liquid back into the bottle. It's always worked pretty well for me.

When I unscrew the cap, there is a ring of dryish product around the opening of the bottle, and it doesn't seem to get shaken up when shaking it. The product coming out was not totally dry, but rather sort of slimey chunks. Anyway, no harm done.

Tim, I'll try to take some picts when the car is outside. It's been raining for days here, so all I'd be able to get are garage picts.

If the chunks were inside the bottle, I would be a little bit worried. Maybe the NXT froze during shipment or something.

BTW, the Aurora looks great! The pictures do show the high gloss, even thought the sun wasn't out when you took them.

RamAirV1

[Aurora40]

Well, I thought I'd post a little update. I took the Aurora on a drive up to Cleveland to visit family, and then to Columbus to visit a ZR-1 (sold before I got there! ).

The car had been out maybe two or three times since I NXT'd it, so it was certainly not beat up on. I'd also Final Detailed the car before the trip, which tends to help dirt and such in rinsing off.

Anyway, the car got very very buggy on the way up, and then it rained a bit, though not real hard, on the way back. Unfortunately it was one of those rains where it would probably be better if it rained more. The car got very dirty from the wet roads.

When I washed it yesterday, the dirt did not rinse off very easily, and the bugs definitely didn't come off easily. I was rather unimpressed by how the car cleaned up. There are still bug guts all over the car now that I'll hit with some GC bug & tar remover when I get home tonight (car's still in the garage).

All in all, I like that NXT is easy to use, it looks great (though I prefer the deeper look of carnauba on my car), but I'm always ultimately disappointed by it. I think I've hit the "this is the last time I'll use it" stage with it. But then that's why there are a million and one LSP's out there since everyone prefers something different.

[RamAirV1]

How would you rate NXT compared to MPPP?

My very subjective observation is that the NXT Paste leaves a slicker surface than the liquid. Water seems to roll and sheet of the surface better with the paste.

RamAirV1

[tguil]

I think that NXT is a whole lot easier to apply and remove that MPPP. I find that for me NXT seems to attract less dust than MPPP.

Every time I get ready to try some other LSP, I apply another coat of NXT because it's so easy. I used NXT paste wax on my black Hemi last weekend. It took only a little over an hour start to finish.

I've not had a problem removing dirt and bugs from my NXT'd vehicles. Maybe western bugs aren't as juicy as eastern bugs.

Tom

[RamAirV1]

Originally posted by tguil
I think that NXT is a whole lot easier to apply and remove that MPPP. I find that for me NXT seems to attract less dust than MPPP.

Every time I get ready to try some other LSP, I apply another coat of NXT because it's so easy. I used NXT paste wax on my black Hemi last weekend. It took only a little over an hour start to finish.

I've not had a problem removing dirt and bugs from my NXT'd vehicles. Maybe western bugs aren't as juicy as eastern bugs.

Tom

I agree about NXT, including the paste, being easier to apply than MPPP. NXT provides a little more depth and gloss than MPPP and similar durability. I did find MPPP to attract less dust than NXT. One you apply a QD over either NXT or MPPP, the difference in dust attraction disappears.

RamAirV1

[Aurora40]

Did you all have problems with MPPP? Or you just find NXT even easier? I always thought MPPP was a pretty easy product to use.

[Scottwax]

I've used NXT a few times on my Accord when I had that and also on my 626. I've been pretty happy with it, really looked great on my Accord, applied via PC and a polishing pad in this shot:



On my 626 though, since it is black, I normally apply 2 layers 24 hours apart and top with #16 so I keep the crisp reflections of NXT and get a bit more depth. Souveran is also an option but I really only use it once I get a good base of #16 down.



In fact, I went over my car to day with #80 and a Meguiars polishing pad, Clearkote's Red Machine Glaze with a blue Propel Pad and topped with NXT Paste using a blue Propel Pad (which seems right in between Meguiars polishing and finishing pad in aggressiveness). I removed NXT with the ultimate bonnets and my PC on 3. First time I've used them and I really like how well they remove NXT. I'll probably add another layer over the weekend then after the forecast storms on Monday, I'll top with #16,