Best LSP for silver?

[milabfocker]

I'm detailing a silver nissan frontier in a few days and was wondering if any one LSP is ideal for this color. Any input from persons who have had a good experience with a certain LSP on silver would be greatly appreciated.

[Nappers]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

I've read a few threads that M21 has been a good wax for silver, and the new and improved M21 2.0 should be better. It is a synthetic wax and thus NXT 2.0 may be a great wax for it too as it's synthetic.

Aaron

[Hemin8r]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

I used NXT 2.0 on my Silver SRT-4 because believe it or not I just picked up a bottle & was anxious to use it. I was impressed with the shine. I still need to polish out the paint and re-apply NXT 2.0 which I'm sure will make it shine even more. I say give that a try to see how you like it.

[TH0001]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

If you are staying in the Meguiars' line, then I would recommend something bright like M16. Also #21 will look very reflective on ligher colors. If you are looking outside Megs' line (you didn't state in the question) then it is going to be hard to beat Jeff Werkstatt or Zaino, IMO, as both products are very "glossy" which compliments silver perfect.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

No one's ever successfully argued against the points made in this thread,

Which LSP is better for light colors?

[TH0001]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

No one's ever successfully argued against the points made in this thread,

Which LSP is better for light colors?

I'd like a shot at the title

While the article’s claim is correct in the assumption that for the most part, we are polishing, cleaning, and protecting clear paint, I feel that it is important to remember still working over a colored base.

That is the light is reflected heavily in the color or base coat, back through the clear coat, and through the LSP. Even on clear coated cars, different colors have dramatically different color and reflective ranges. A black car, with a clear coat, will reflect much more color and light then a white car with the same clear coat. Based on the fact that the clear coat (by way of being clear) adopts the “personality” or the traits of the color of the paint underneath it, it is my experience that different types of LSP’s can alter paint’s colors differently.

As an example, a dark colored car (such as black) will naturally be more reflective then a lighter colored car (such as silver) regardless if the paint has clear paint on top of it or not. LSP selection can be tweaked to better compliment various colors and their natural reflectivity. On the dark colored car, I would prefer an oil heavy carnauba wax designed more for enhancing the depth and “darkening” the paint rather then something that will increase the gloss and reflectivity. On the silver car (since silver is reflectively challenged to begin with) I would chose something that is sharper and more reflective in appearance, and sacrifice some of the depth assosicated with high oil based products.

Since the reflective properties of a clear coat are directly related to the color of the base coat underneath, in my experience it makes since to match the natural color range of the base paint to the LSP you are using, to get the desired results you are looking for. I wouldn’t want to use a glossy LSP on black (for fear of looking sterile or plasticky) the same as I wouldn’t want to use a deep and warm LSP over a silver base, since the goal would be to obtain maximum reflectivity.

[3Fitty]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

^ I don't see how one thing you wrote changes the fact that if it can make black look, deep, dark and wet, it will OBVIOUSLY do the same for any other color (it's just that your eye might not be able to discern the difference).

If brand "X" makes black look "deeper, darker and wetter" than any other brand, it is assumed that it is enhancing its shine and if it also true that black is the most difficult color to have the effect upon, isn't it then logical that brand "x" will also have the same effect by silver and white?

[TH0001]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

^ I don't see how one thing you wrote changes the fact that if it can make black look, deep, dark and wet, it will OBVIOUSLY do the same for any other color (it's just that your eye might not be able to discern the difference).

If brand "X" makes black look "deeper, darker and wetter" than any other brand, it is assumed that it is enhancing its shine and if it also true that black is the most difficult color to have the effect upon, isn't it then logical that brand "x" will also have the same effect by silver and white?

You can rate the appearance of waxs or lsps by several factors. Wetness, brightness, depth, and these are not necessary related.

Example- #16 is glossy and bright, but doesn't have the extreme depth of say #26. They have different optic properities. #26 isn't as glossy or bright as #16, but has the liquid pool depth.

On silver you are more to see an increase of gloss vs. an increase of depth. So while #26 will have the same effect on each color (black or silver) your eyes are more likely to pick up on the difference on black. However on lighter colors you are more likely to notice an increase in gloss.

On a black car (which is glossy by default) the improvement that something like #16 makes is going to be limited since the paint color is so naturally refective. However something like #26 will make a noticable improvement on the depth and jetting side of the things, which will be a more noticable improvment on black cars.

Silver is not very reflective (unless viewed at extreme angles) so improving the reflectivity should be the number concern (IMO). Black is extremely glossy and most tend to prefer a deeper, darker shine.

To me saying that all colors can benefit from the same wax is like saying women of all difference complexions should wear the same color make up.

[TH0001]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

So to answer your question, less if brand X make a color darker, it will make all colors darker.... You just might not notice it as much (in which case you would use a different wax)

[3Fitty]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

You can rate the appearance of waxs or lsps by several factors. Wetness, brightness, depth, and these are not necessary related.

Well, this speaks to the subjectivity of what looks better. There is certainly no device which is called the "appearance checker", this is why I think lay people are so valuable to evaluating wax appearance. They have no stake in saying "this looks better or that looks better or they looks the same".

Having said that, I still don't see your point.

If I have 10 people look at two waxes on black, side by side and all 10 think brand "x" looks better than brand "y", are you telling me that you believe that those same people might find brand "y" looks better on silver or white? I just don't buy it.

Example- #16 is glossy and bright, but doesn't have the extreme depth of say #26. They have different optic properities. #26 isn't as glossy or bright as #16, but has the liquid pool depth.

This might or might not be true (I'd defer to the Meg's experts) but I would argue that if 26 looks "better to me" on black (or vice versa), it will look better to me on silver and white.

On silver you are more to see an increase of gloss vs. an increase of depth. So while #26 will have the same effect on each color (black or silver) your eyes are more likely to pick up on the difference on black. However on lighter colors you are more likely to notice an increase in gloss.

This sounds like the typical Zaino line of reasoning I've heard in the past, but my experience tells me otherwise. I've owned silver or white cars for the past 10 years (a brittany blue-green Honda Prelude before that), and I was told by one friend about this exact line of reasoning with regards to a silver IS350 I used to own. Problem was, when we concocted the Zaino formula and applied it to my ride, it didn't look as good as it did with NXT 1.0 (which I was using at the time).

To me saying that all colors can benefit from the same wax is like saying women of all difference complexions should wear the same color make up.

And to me, it's like telling me that I need a $90 bottle of moisturizing/tenderizing/beautifying/glowifying/stabilizing hair shampoo. No thanks, my $2.00 bottle of Suave does the trick just fine!

[TH0001]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

I'm not going argue or debate your opinion as it sounds like your pretty set in what you believe and that is fine. When people are set, logic no longer applies, and arguements become worthless... Use what you like and be happy

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

And we don't want to take away anyone's posting privileges for arguing in this thread.

We'll stick by our original premise and everyone can come to their own conclusion.

[3Fitty]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

I'm not going argue or debate your opinion as it sounds like your pretty set in what you believe and that is fine. When people are set, logic no longer applies, and arguements become worthless... Use what you like and be happy

Well, I'm not arguing or debating I'm just looking at two points of view and evaluating which is more LOGICAL. Contrary to your quote above, I think logic does apply as I have evaluated your claims and I have evaluated those set forth by the pros on this board.

My LOGICAL conclusion, which you have yet to controvert is that "if we accept that black is the hardest to make look good, and brand "x" makes black look good, doesn't logic dictate that brand "x" will make all else look good".

I frequent many detailing forums and I try my best to EVALUATE information given to me (as a non-pro that is the best way to learn). I need to make an evaluation all the time with opinions (usually made by pros). For example... one thing I read on other forums all the time is...

"Car company "X" has hard paint" (which never made sense to me). Then, I learn at this forum that paint hardness is "car specific" not "brand specific". The former statement NEVER made sense to me, but at some other forums, that notion is passed off as gospel.

I drive a 2008 Lexus IS350. If someone says "Lexus has hard paint", does that mean I am to assume that a 1994 ES300 has the same paint as a car made 14 years later, in a different plant which is a different model?

Logic dictates that the claim "company "X" has hard paint" is false. Similarly, I use the same logic with regards to how wax looks on a particularl paint.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

Nice explanation of how you compare "information" presented on different forums and then evaluate how you determine who has the best information.

All to often you'll find ideas or theories posted to forums and no one challenges them and because no on challenges them they become accepted as truth or fact when in some cases the idea or theory is wrong.

Back to the OP's question... looks like you can get different opinions to your question about which wax is going to look best on silver paint but we're going to stick to our original premise that if a wax make a clear coated black car look good it's going to also make a clear coated silver car look good, if a wax doesn't make a clear coated black car look it's best then this same wax isn't going to make a silver or light colored car look it's best buy you're eyes won't be able to see the lack of performance on the silver or light colored car.

You can decide for yourself if the above makes sense and then factor that in when you decide upon which wax to use. Meguiar's tests the performance of all our waxes on black paint so we know they'll look good on any color of paint.

As to your question... any of our waxes are going to make your silver car look great, more important that the choice of wax is the surface prep to prepare your car's paint for wax to insure the defects are removed prior to waxing to whatever level you deem important.

Gold Class, NXT, M26 and M21 would all be great choices.

[3Fitty]

Re: Best LSP for silver?

As to your question... any of our waxes are going to make your silver car look great, more important that the choice of wax is the surface prep to prepare your car's paint for wax to insure the defects are removed prior to waxing to whatever level you deem important.

Gold Class, NXT, M26 and M21 would all be great choices.

To the OP... Mike gave me the same advice when I first started here... I created a thread (based upon information I obtained elsewhere) and I asked "which wax will look best on white paint".

I've worked HARD to improve my prep work and I am a loyal NXT 2.0 user (although I'm sure any of the other Meg's waxes would cut the mustard) on your silver car.

As an aside... my wife has a silver Honda CR-V and I've really noticed that #7 Show Car Glaze makes a BIG difference on her car (as opposed to just using NXT 2.0). It look fantastic with just the NXT... but it looks show car fantastic with the #7. The second time I used #7 on her car I put it on a few panels and asked her to come outside and tell me if she could see a difference.

She guessed which panels had #7 EVERYTIME because it just had a bit more of that deep wet look. Give it a try!