Success!!FINALLY!!!

[Blue Apollo IV]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

The solution was to switch over to the paste vesion and what a difference it made! Called Meguiars and after speaking with Tim he recommended a switch to the paste and explained why. Paste wax arrived and results were just what I anticipated,TERRIFIC!! Went on incredibly easy. Removal was near effortless and left a slick hard finish with NO SMEARING!!

I have to echo your comments on the Paste version.

I have used nothing but liquid waxes for as long as I can remember. But I tried a bit of the paste on my hood yesterday and wow...much better experience than the liquid version of Ultimate wax.

For me - it went on easier, did not smear, came off easier and seemed to have a quicker drying time. The only thing I'll miss is that the liquid had a nice fragrance and it was safe for all the black plastic trim I have. But I think I'm going to stick with the Paste version.

Thanks for the tip again, Mongoose.

[Mongoose]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

Well, back to the drawing board. The smearing continues, and I have no idea as to why. The car was driven briefly a week ago Thursday to get it's annual inspection and then put away. I put it back in the building,went over it with a California duster,put the cover back on and there it has sat for just over a week. I went to get something out of the car last Saturday and you could see where the cover had made contact with the car. I went to wipe it away and there it was...smearing on the surface, but not as severe as before. I commenced to wipe down the entire car with QD and a fresh microfiber but even then there's still smearing. At this point I'm ready to go back to GC+ and pawn off this UW to anyone willing to take it. All I want to know at this point is why does this product seem to resist working with "paint in great or well maintained"condition? What exactly is in this product that is causing this in both liquid and paste versions? Could it be the polymers or something else?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

Well, back to the drawing board. The smearing continues, and I have no idea as to why. The car was driven briefly a week ago Thursday to get it's annual inspection and then put away. I put it back in the building,went over it with a California duster,put the cover back on and there it has sat for just over a week. I went to get something out of the car last Saturday and you could see where the cover had made contact with the car. I went to wipe it away and there it was...smearing on the surface, but not as severe as before. I commenced to wipe down the entire car with QD and a fresh microfiber but even then there's still smearing. At this point I'm ready to go back to GC+ and pawn off this UW to anyone willing to take it. All I want to know at this point is why does this product seem to resist working with "paint in great or well maintained"condition? What exactly is in this product that is causing this in both liquid and paste versions? Could it be the polymers or something else?

What we said was that paint in great condition and regularly/well maintained will be more prone to experience the issues you are having. - that does not mean that this product is resistant to working on such a surface. To elaborate - the newer paint is, or the more highly prepared it is, the "tighter" the surface is and therefore it has less a smoother surface that the polymer load can essentially slide around on a bit more, for lack of a more "technical" term. For the "average Joe" who doesn't bother to use a clay bar or paint cleaner, UW (or any other wax, for that matter) gets down into the fissures and texture of the paint and can initially hang on tighter, so to speak. This reduces the amount of pushing around of the polymers that can occur.

On very well prepped paint, brand new paint, or good paint with a relatively fresh application of sealant on it, it's easier for the polymers to be pushed around and they can take a bit longer to fully bond to the surface.

What's really interesting here is that it seems you had no streaking issues with the paste version to start with but it showed up a week later? That is very, very odd. And it has us wondering if it's not the wax at all but the QD you're using. Stay with us a minute here, because this is pretty rare but we have seen it before. Mikejl, a member here on MOL and regular at our TNOGs, had a strange streaking/filming issue on his non metallic black Camry Hybrid and we had a heck of a time diagnosing the issue. He would roll in with this strange film on the paint that you could run your fingers along and see your finger streaks in it, but those finger marks would go away after about 10 minutes. The visible film was still there, but it's like it migrated on its own to cover back over the finger marks. He was using Ultimate Quik Detailer, but the same thing happened with M135 (basically the same stuff) but it also happened with regular QD and Last Touch. It was crazy, and it seemed nothing he or we did would resolve this - but it obviously doesn't happen to everyone, and it very rarely happens at all. As it turns out, by switching to M34 Final Inspection, all his issues were resolved. Crazy, but that was his experience.

And it's this weird issue of the streaking not being there after you applied the wax, but having it show up a week later - after the car had sat under the cover and then you wiped it down with a detailing spray.

[Mongoose]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

Understood, sorry for my misquote. I would be inclined to accept that possibility except for the fact that this was the first time I've used a QD on the car since I began using my d/a and the new Ultimate products back in January. I had similar issues last year when I was using NXT2.0 but they disappeared when I switched over to GC+ and the paint was not as well prepared as it is now. From what Mike Stoops said about a past experience this sounds very similar to what I'm dealing with. The smearing was immediately apparent when using the liquid but seems to have popped up later with the paste. Let me state this for anyone who is reading here, I'm NOT bashing this product. So far as I can see I'm the only one on this site that is having this issue and as I've tried both versions now I'm working under the premise that the problem is on my end and not with UW or Meguiars. I'm just looking for a solution that will allow me to use this product on a regular basis as the initial results are indeed amazing.

[Merlin]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

...I've tried both versions now I'm working under the premise that the problem is on my end and not with UW or Meguiars. I'm just looking for a solution that will allow me to use this product on a regular basis as the initial results are indeed amazing.

Have you tried a very fine water mist on a MF towel and wipe the streaks you find?
That little tip solved any small problems that I had...It's quick, easy and it worked like a champ!

[rst08tierney]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

Looks great, Love the TT2's on Kit

[hemi]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

Understood, sorry for my misquote. I would be inclined to accept that possibility except for the fact that this was the first time I've used a QD on the car since I began using my d/a and the new Ultimate products back in January. I had similar issues last year when I was using NXT2.0 but they disappeared when I switched over to GC+ and the paint was not as well prepared as it is now. From what Mike Stoops said about a past experience this sounds very similar to what I'm dealing with. The smearing was immediately apparent when using the liquid but seems to have popped up later with the paste. Let me state this for anyone who is reading here, I'm NOT bashing this product. So far as I can see I'm the only one on this site that is having this issue and as I've tried both versions now I'm working under the premise that the problem is on my end and not with UW or Meguiars. I'm just looking for a solution that will allow me to use this product on a regular basis as the initial results are indeed amazing.

Mongoose, Do you heat your garage with a Kerosene Heater?
What was on your car most recently prior to trying Liquid wax?
Basicly could there have been a fine film on your car prior to waxing that might of caused the wax not to take properly? Some heaters can leave a fine oily film almost undetected on surfaces.
Just throwing some ideas out there.
Something on your pads or microfiber that might have caused some cross contamination?
I did notice some darker blotches on my vehicle a couple days later but after going over it with UQD and UQW ,it looked good and has stayed that way.
My truck had been washed,clayed,polished ,paint cleaner then waxed with NXT 6 months earlier,rewaxed 2 months prior to Liquid Wax.
I have black paint, no metalflake in the paint so its easy to see any little defect.
Have you tried washing it a few days later and maybe that would resolve the problem.
Reaching for straws but who knows!

[Selectchoice]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

On very well prepped paint, brand new paint, or good paint with a relatively fresh application of sealant on it, it's easier for the polymers to be pushed around and they can take a bit longer to fully bond to the surface.

What's really interesting here is that it seems you had no streaking issues with the paste version to start with but it showed up a week later? That is very, very odd. And it has us wondering if it's not the wax at all but the QD you're using. Stay with us a minute here, because this is pretty rare but we have seen it before. Mikejl, a member here on MOL and regular at our TNOGs, had a strange streaking/filming issue on his non metallic black Camry Hybrid and we had a heck of a time diagnosing the issue. He would roll in with this strange film on the paint that you could run your fingers along and see your finger streaks in it, but those finger marks would go away after about 10 minutes. The visible film was still there, but it's like it migrated on its own to cover back over the finger marks. He was using Ultimate Quik Detailer, but the same thing happened with M135 (basically the same stuff) but it also happened with regular QD and Last Touch. It was crazy, and it seemed nothing he or we did would resolve this - but it obviously doesn't happen to everyone, and it very rarely happens at all. As it turns out, by switching to M34 Final Inspection, all his issues were resolved. Crazy, but that was his experience.

And it's this weird issue of the streaking not being there after you applied the wax, but having it show up a week later - after the car had sat under the cover and then you wiped it down with a detailing spray.

On my Holden Calais (Pontiac G8 equivalent), I have a similar occurrance with Ultimate Quik Detailer. If sprayed directly onto a panel, it appears to wipe clean, only to "smear up" before your eyes over the next few minutes. My solution was to directly spray the detailer onto a microfibre cloth and spread it over the panel, then wipe it clean with a new cloth. Works like a charm, and completely solved the problem. The same thing happens to this car with Last Touch. On other cars either of these products work fine, with no tricky application protocol.

On a side note, M21 and Nxt 2.0 are a little different on this car too. Applying a thin coat with a finishing pad and DA, either product spreads fine, and wipes off effortlessly. Wait 24 hours and apply coat number two. Same application technique, same easy wipe off. However, after the first coat the panels are crisp and clear. After the second coat, there is visible smearing which requires UQD (using the method mentioned earlier), a wash, or a few days left alone to clear. If you place a microfibre towel on the wiped clean panel (before UQDing) and leave it on a panel for say, half an hour or so, upon lifting the towel there is a clearly visible "coating" exactly under the area where the towel was placed. It wipes off easily enough, but there is still a consistently erractic smear over the panel. Visually it appears "deeper" into the paint, although I know it isn't.

Possibly it's more evident on this car being metallic black and may not be as noticable or even an issue on lighter cars. On other cars, either M21 or Nxt 2.0 have worked perfectly. It is just an unusual occurrance on my car and I have found a few creative ways to deal with it.

Having said this, I have recently applied and removed two coats of M21 and it is shining like glass! All smears gone now....

[Mongoose]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

Have you tried a very fine water mist on a MF towel and wipe the streaks you find?
That little tip solved any small problems that I had...It's quick, easy and it worked like a champ!

Tried this method initially but no success. My problem doesn't involve streaking but smearing.

Mongoose, Do you heat your garage with a Kerosene Heater?
What was on your car most recently prior to trying Liquid wax?
Basicly could there have been a fine film on your car prior to waxing that might of caused the wax not to take properly? Some heaters can leave a fine oily film almost undetected on surfaces.
Just throwing some ideas out there.
Something on your pads or microfiber that might have caused some cross contamination?
I did notice some darker blotches on my vehicle a couple days later but after going over it with UQD and UQW ,it looked good and has stayed that way.
My truck had been washed,clayed,polished ,paint cleaner then waxed with NXT 6 months earlier,rewaxed 2 months prior to Liquid Wax.
I have black paint, no metalflake in the paint so its easy to see any little defect.
Have you tried washing it a few days later and maybe that would resolve the problem.
Reaching for straws but who knows!

Shop is heated by natural gas. Pads and towels used were straight from the dryer. Prior to UW I had a coat of 2.0 topped by GC+ and the car was prepped in this manner:
Wash with Dawn
Claying was deemed unnecessary
2 sessions with UC followed by 2 sessions of SwirlX. This was followed by 1 session with UP and then the UW scenario began. UC,SwirlX and UP were done with a d/a and yellow polishing pads. First application of UW was with d/a and black finishing pad. Subsequent UW was by hand.

On my Holden Calais (Pontiac G8 equivalent), I have a similar occurrance with Ultimate Quik Detailer. If sprayed directly onto a panel, it appears to wipe clean, only to "smear up" before your eyes over the next few minutes. My solution was to directly spray the detailer onto a microfibre cloth and spread it over the panel, then wipe it clean with a new cloth. Works like a charm, and completely solved the problem. The same thing happens to this car with Last Touch. On other cars either of these products work fine, with no tricky application protocol.

On a side note, M21 and Nxt 2.0 are a little different on this car too. Applying a thin coat with a finishing pad and DA, either product spreads fine, and wipes off effortlessly. Wait 24 hours and apply coat number two. Same application technique, same easy wipe off. However, after the first coat the panels are crisp and clear. After the second coat, there is visible smearing which requires UQD (using the method mentioned earlier), a wash, or a few days left alone to clear. If you place a microfibre towel on the wiped clean panel (before UQDing) and leave it on a panel for say, half an hour or so, upon lifting the towel there is a clearly visible "coating" exactly under the area where the towel was placed. It wipes off easily enough, but there is still a consistently erractic smear over the panel. Visually it appears "deeper" into the paint, although I know it isn't.

Possibly it's more evident on this car being metallic black and may not be as noticable or even an issue on lighter cars. On other cars, either M21 or Nxt 2.0 have worked perfectly. It is just an unusual occurrance on my car and I have found a few creative ways to deal with it.

Having said this, I have recently applied and removed two coats of M21 and it is shining like glass! All smears gone now....

This sounds exactly like my situation! Did you use the UQD method you mentioned earlier or another process?

[Selectchoice]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

This sounds exactly like my situation! Did you use the UQD method you mentioned earlier or another process?

I used the UQD method I mentioned. The same works with Last Touch as well. You will need to experiment and adjust how much you spray onto the microfibre cloth to work best. In my case it is just a light mist of UQD, not a heavily damp towel, but play around a bit to get it right for your car, and remember to use a second dry towel for immediate wipe off.

If there are any really, really persistant streaks, a car wash after the above method seems to do the trick. A few gentle passes over the streaks with a wash mitt and car wash solution is the key. Just keep your eye on the panel so you can see the streaks you're trying to remove and guage your progress.

[Mongoose]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

Have you tried M34 on this problem? In Mike Stoops last reply that was the solution for one particular car that was experiencing similar issues and I was looking to give that a try.

[Selectchoice]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

Have you tried M34 on this problem? In Mike Stoops last reply that was the solution for one particular car that was experiencing similar issues and I was looking to give that a try.

No I haven't tried M34 on this car. Main reason is because I like the properties of UQD and Last Touch and they work fine on 99.9%+ of cars I have seen so I have stocked up on them. It's just this one car which is a pain...

M34 is a good product though. I used to use it all the time, although before this car's tenure. I haven't any left to try out so I can't give you an answer. Let me know how you go if you do try it.

[Mongoose]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

Will do and thanks for the help. I may also take the car back to the Polish stage and try GC+ on a test spot just to see if it gives me the same problems as UW.
You mentioned the microfiber causing the film to appear when left on the car...before I initially put the cover on the car the surface was perfect but afterwards the trouble began,do you cover your car or not? Just trying to determine if covering the car may be a contributing factor.

[Selectchoice]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

Will do and thanks for the help. I may also take the car back to the Polish stage and try GC+ on a test spot just to see if it gives me the same problems as UW.
You mentioned the microfiber causing the film to appear when left on the car...before I initially put the cover on the car the surface was perfect but afterwards the trouble began,do you cover your car or not? Just trying to determine if covering the car may be a contributing factor.

I haven't tried GC+ so that would be a good test too. And always good to do that all important test spot!

I don't cover my car at all, it's garaged. The spot with the microfibre was concentrated to just the area directly under where the cloth was lying. To give you an idea, it looked like an area that hadn't had the sealant wiped off after applying, like it had drawn sealant up from the panel. The panel had been thoroughly wiped clean. Very weird. The rest of that panel had general streaking all over.

[Mongoose]

Re: Success!!FINALLY!!!

Mine is garaged as well, the cover is just that extra level of protection but I'm beginning to think it may be contributing to the problem.