There’s been a lot of messages on car waxing on this newsgroup lately. I was
wondering if any of you professional car waxers out there can post a step by
step list of what should be done to make a car shine… what products you use,
etc.
Also I still don’t get what the difference between clearcoat and normal coat
(couldn’t think of the right word for it) is. I have a ’92 Nissan 240SX white,
anyone can tell me if I’ve got clearcoat?? Or How can I tell?
Andrea
ro…@corte-madera.geoquest.slb.com
In article <328vol$…@k2.San-Jose.ate.slb.com> ro…@lark.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Andrea Rosso) writes:
>From: ro…@lark.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Andrea Rosso)
>Subject: Waxing Proceedure
>Date: 9 Aug 1994 22:25:25 GMT
>There’s been a lot of messages on car waxing on this newsgroup lately. I was
>wondering if any of you professional car waxers out there can post a step by
>step list of what should be done to make a car shine… what products you use,
>etc.
>Also I still don’t get what the difference between clearcoat and normal coat
A clear coat is a coat of clear paint (urethane-based) which serves to protect
the underlying color coat from fading and scratches. It’s what is generally
known as a two-stage paint process. The layer(s) of color are first applied
over the primer coats. After the color coat is applied and dried, the clear
coat is sprayed over the color coat.
Caring for a clear coat finish require’s different products than do single
stage paints like lacquer. For example, Meguiar’s makes products that are
specifically made for clear coat finishes. Two things you NEVER want to do to
a clear coat are: 1) polish with a lambs wool pad, and 2) use rubbing compound
made for single stage paints. Wool pads will scratch the clear coat so always
use a foam pad. Rubbing compound will absolutely ruin the finish so use a
clear coat cleaner/cutter to remove scratches. If your car needs shining and
removal of light swirl marks, follow these steps (using Meguiar’s examples):
1. Wash with Meguiar’s car wash solution (or another gentle brand)
2. Remove light scratches and swirls with Meguiar’s #9 cleaner/polish
(using a rotary buffer with a foam pad works best for scratches)
If scratches are too deep for #9, use #2 cleaner/cutter first, then finish
with #9 to remove remaining swirls and add polish oils.
If you don’t have these blemishes to fix, use #7 – a pure polish
3. Apply Meguiar’s #26 wax in either paste or or liquid form.
4. Repeat step 1 every week or two.
5. Repeat step 2 as needed, like once each season.
6. Repeat step 3 once or twice per year, like October and April.
After a rain, at least rinse your car with clean water to remove acids. Also,
remove bird droppings ASAP with a little water and a non-abrasive cloth.
>(couldn’t think of the right word for it) is. I have a ’92 Nissan 240SX
white anyone can tell me if I’ve got clearcoat?? Or How can I tell?
You do have a clear coat finish. Starting in the eighties, all US, German,
and Japanese autos switched to base coat/ clear coat paint. Anyone know of
any current autos which don’t have two-stage base coat / clear coat paint jobs?
Regards,
Eric Webb
In article <EWZ.284.000CA…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV>, E…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV (Eric M. Webb) writes:
|>
|> 1. Wash with Meguiar’s car wash solution (or another gentle brand)
|> 2. Remove light scratches and swirls with Meguiar’s #9 cleaner/polish
|> (using a rotary buffer with a foam pad works best for scratches)
|> If scratches are too deep for #9, use #2 cleaner/cutter first, then finish
|> with #9 to remove remaining swirls and add polish oils.
|> If you don’t have these blemishes to fix, use #7 – a pure polish
|> 3. Apply Meguiar’s #26 wax in either paste or or liquid form.
|> 4. Repeat step 1 every week or two.
|> 5. Repeat step 2 as needed, like once each season.
|> 6. Repeat step 3 once or twice per year, like October and April.
|>
|> After a rain, at least rinse your car with clean water to remove acids. Also,
|> remove bird droppings ASAP with a little water and a non-abrasive cloth.
|>
Thanks for the info…. a few more questions though. When I wash the car,
is it a good idea to dry it, or should I just let it sit in the sun to dry?
Or maybe should I got to the polish right away?
Also, this is probably a dumb question but what is a foam pad? You mean like
a sponge type material or what? Is this a specialized thing or is it an
everyday thing you can find in the supermarket?
One more thing. Unfortunately I don’t have a garage so my car sits outside.
In the morning some parts of it are covered with dew, and the dew collects
dirt and then dries and make my car look dirty…. Is there any sort of
"dew-repelent" or will a good wax (#26 above) fix this problem.
There should be a FAQ about this…..
Andrea
ro…@corte-madera.geoquest.slb.com
In article <32dma5$…@mojo.eng.umd.edu> russo…@eng.umd.edu (Matthew T. Russotto) writes:
>From: russo…@eng.umd.edu (Matthew T. Russotto)
>Subject: Re: Waxing Proceedure
>Date: 11 Aug 1994 17:14:45 GMT
>In article <EWZ.284.000CA…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV> E…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV (Eric M. Webb) writes:
>}You do have a clear coat finish. Starting in the eighties, all US, German,
>}and Japanese autos switched to base coat/ clear coat paint. Anyone know of
>}any current autos which don’t have two-stage base coat / clear coat paint jobs?
>Mazda Miata.
Are you serious? I just can’t imagine why Mazda would not use a color/clear
coat paint process on this car. My 86 626 even has this type of paint. Any
ideas?
Regards,
Eric Webb
In article <EWZ.284.000CA…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV> E…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV (Eric M. Webb) writes:
}You do have a clear coat finish. Starting in the eighties, all US, German,
}and Japanese autos switched to base coat/ clear coat paint. Anyone know of
}any current autos which don’t have two-stage base coat / clear coat paint jobs?
Mazda Miata.
–
Matthew T. Russotto russo…@eng.umd.edu
Some news readers expect "Disclaimer:" here.
Just say NO to police searches and seizures. Make them use force.
(not responsible for bodily harm resulting from following above advice)
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
In article <32bjum$…@k2.San-Jose.ate.slb.com> ro…@lark.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Andrea Rosso) writes:
>From: ro…@lark.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Andrea Rosso)
>Subject: Re: Waxing Proceedure
>Date: 10 Aug 1994 22:22:14 GMT
>In article <EWZ.284.000CA…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV>, E…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV (Eric M. Webb) writes:
>|>
>|> 1. Wash with Meguiar’s car wash solution (or another gentle brand)
>|> 2. Remove light scratches and swirls with Meguiar’s #9 cleaner/polish
>|> (using a rotary buffer with a foam pad works best for scratches)
>|> If scratches are too deep for #9, use #2 cleaner/cutter first, then finish
>|> with #9 to remove remaining swirls and add polish oils.
>|> If you don’t have these blemishes to fix, use #7 – a pure polish
>|> 3. Apply Meguiar’s #26 wax in either paste or or liquid form.
>|> 4. Repeat step 1 every week or two.
>|> 5. Repeat step 2 as needed, like once each season.
>|> 6. Repeat step 3 once or twice per year, like October and April.
>|>
>|> After a rain, at least rinse your car with clean water to remove acids. Also,
>|> remove bird droppings ASAP with a little water and a non-abrasive cloth.
>|>
>Thanks for the info…. a few more questions though. When I wash the car,
>is it a good idea to dry it, or should I just let it sit in the sun to dry?
>Or maybe should I got to the polish right away?
You should first dry the car with clean terry cloth towels (maybe old bath
towels) or a chamois cloth (real or synthetic). Otherwise the water drops
will form spots from whatever is in your water (e.g. calcium). If you can do
this in the shade, or partial sun, the car is less likely to sun dry before
you’re through. Note that you can use Meguiar’s Final Inspection Spray (#34 I
believe) to clean this stuff if the car dries too fast.
Once the car is dry, then polish – not in direct sunlight if possible. If the
polish seems difficult to remove, you can use the Final Inspection spray to
ease removal.
>Also, this is probably a dumb question but what is a foam pad? You mean like
>a sponge type material or what? Is this a specialized thing or is it an
>everyday thing you can find in the supermarket?
It’s not a dumb question. The foam pads have very small webs compared to
kitchen sponges. They resemble the yellow foam found in the furniture foam
you might find in your couch seat cushions. Auto parts stores sell them
either for hand or rotary buffer use. The rotary buffer kind come in
different densities for use on badly to mildly scratched finishes.
>One more thing. Unfortunately I don’t have a garage so my car sits outside.
>In the morning some parts of it are covered with dew, and the dew collects
>dirt and then dries and make my car look dirty…. Is there any sort of
>"dew-repelent" or will a good wax (#26 above) fix this problem.
Dew often contains pollen, dust, and acidic pollutants. A good wax will
protect the underlying finish. I’m unaware of a dew-repellent. But you can
use the Final Inspection spray directly on the waxed finish and wipe the dew
stuff from the hood or top for a quick clean.
>There should be a FAQ about this…..
I agree.
Regards,
Eric Webb
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
In article <32bjum$…@k2.San-Jose.ate.slb.com> ro…@lark.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Andrea Rosso) writes:
>From: ro…@lark.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Andrea Rosso)
>Subject: Re: Waxing Proceedure
>Date: 10 Aug 1994 22:22:14 GMT
>In article <EWZ.284.000CA…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV>, E…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV
>(Eric M. Webb) writes:
>|>
>|> 1. Wash with Meguiar’s car wash solution (or another gentle brand)
>|> 2. Remove light scratches and swirls with Meguiar’s #9 cleaner/polish
>|> (using a rotary buffer with a foam pad works best for scratches)
>|> If scratches are too deep for #9, use #2 cleaner/cutter first, then
>finish
>|> with #9 to remove remaining swirls and add polish oils.
>|> If you don’t have these blemishes to fix, use #7 – a pure polish
>|> 3. Apply Meguiar’s #26 wax in either paste or or liquid form.
>|> 4. Repeat step 1 every week or two.
>|> 5. Repeat step 2 as needed, like once each season.
>|> 6. Repeat step 3 once or twice per year, like October and April.
>|>
>|> After a rain, at least rinse your car with clean water to remove acids.
>Also,
>|> remove bird droppings ASAP with a little water and a non-abrasive cloth.
>|>
>Thanks for the info…. a few more questions though. When I wash the car,
>is it a good idea to dry it, or should I just let it sit in the sun to dry?
>Or maybe should I got to the polish right away?
>Also, this is probably a dumb question but what is a foam pad? You mean like
>a sponge type material or what? Is this a specialized thing or is it an
>everyday thing you can find in the supermarket?
>One more thing. Unfortunately I don’t have a garage so my car sits outside.
>In the morning some parts of it are covered with dew, and the dew collects
>dirt and then dries and make my car look dirty…. Is there any sort of
>"dew-repelent" or will a good wax (#26 above) fix this problem.
>There should be a FAQ about this…..
>Andrea
>ro…@corte-madera.geoquest.slb.com
Pick up a gallon of #34, Final Inspection. This allows you to dry wash
the car. Use a terry cloth towel, spray on, wipe off, whenever you want
clean off the dirt/dust of day to day life. My black car has never been
scratched if a clean cloth is always used (it takes three fresh ones to do
a rain-dirtied Miata). I mention a gallon, becuase it is around $20 vs.
$6.95 for the smaller (8oz?) spray bottle.
-Kurt ko…@esca.com
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
In article <kokko.5.00126…@esca.com> ko…@esca.com (Kurt Kokko) writes:
>In article <32bjum$…@k2.San-Jose.ate.slb.com> ro…@lark.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Andrea Rosso) writes:
>>From: ro…@lark.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Andrea Rosso)
>>Subject: Re: Waxing Proceedure
>>Date: 10 Aug 1994 22:22:14 GMT
>>In article <EWZ.284.000CA…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV>, E…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV
>>(Eric M. Webb) writes:
>>|>
>>|> 1. Wash with Meguiar’s car wash solution (or another gentle brand)
>>|> 2. Remove light scratches and swirls with Meguiar’s #9 cleaner/polish
>>|> (using a rotary buffer with a foam pad works best for scratches)
>>|> If scratches are too deep for #9, use #2 cleaner/cutter first, then
>>finish
>>|> with #9 to remove remaining swirls and add polish oils.
>>|> If you don’t have these blemishes to fix, use #7 – a pure polish
>>|> 3. Apply Meguiar’s #26 wax in either paste or or liquid form.
>>|> 4. Repeat step 1 every week or two.
>>|> 5. Repeat step 2 as needed, like once each season.
>>|> 6. Repeat step 3 once or twice per year, like October and April.
>>|>
>>|> After a rain, at least rinse your car with clean water to remove acids.
>>Also,
>>|> remove bird droppings ASAP with a little water and a non-abrasive cloth.
>>|>
>>Thanks for the info…. a few more questions though. When I wash the car,
>>is it a good idea to dry it, or should I just let it sit in the sun to dry?
>>Or maybe should I got to the polish right away?
>>Also, this is probably a dumb question but what is a foam pad? You mean like
>>a sponge type material or what? Is this a specialized thing or is it an
>>everyday thing you can find in the supermarket?
>>One more thing. Unfortunately I don’t have a garage so my car sits outside.
>>In the morning some parts of it are covered with dew, and the dew collects
>>dirt and then dries and make my car look dirty…. Is there any sort of
>>"dew-repelent" or will a good wax (#26 above) fix this problem.
>>There should be a FAQ about this…..
>>Andrea
>>ro…@corte-madera.geoquest.slb.com
>Pick up a gallon of #34, Final Inspection. This allows you to dry wash
>the car. Use a terry cloth towel, spray on, wipe off, whenever you want
>clean off the dirt/dust of day to day life. My black car has never been
>scratched if a clean cloth is always used (it takes three fresh ones to do
>a rain-dirtied Miata). I mention a gallon, becuase it is around $20 vs.
>$6.95 for the smaller (8oz?) spray bottle.
>-Kurt ko…@esca.com
I just use two spray bottles, one filled with diluted car wash soap, the
other with water. A whole lot cheaper and just as effective.
E…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV (Eric M. Webb) writes:
>In article <32dma5$…@mojo.eng.umd.edu> russo…@eng.umd.edu (Matthew T. Russotto) writes:
>>From: russo…@eng.umd.edu (Matthew T. Russotto)
>>Subject: Re: Waxing Proceedure
>>In article <EWZ.284.000CA…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV> E…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV (Eric M. Webb) writes:
>>}You do have a clear coat finish. Starting in the eighties, all US, German,
>>}and Japanese autos switched to base coat/ clear coat paint. Anyone know of
>>}any current autos which don’t have two-stage base coat / clear coat paint jobs?
>>Mazda Miata.
>Are you serious? I just can’t imagine why Mazda would not use a color/clear
>coat paint process on this car. My 86 626 even has this type of paint. Any
>ideas?
yes, we’re serious, but no, i dunno why.
you wouldn’t think it’d be enough to make
a significant cost difference…
In article <EWZ.284.000CA…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV> E…@NCCIBM1.RTPNC.EPA.GOV (Eric M. Webb) writes:
Eric}You do have a clear coat finish. Starting in the eighties, all US, German,
Eric}and Japanese autos switched to base coat/ clear coat paint. Anyone know of
Eric}any current autos which don’t have two-stage base coat / clear coat paint jobs?
Matt}Mazda Miata.
There are many cars which do not have clear coat paint. 93 Volkswagen
Cabrio is one.
Stated more definitively, clear coat paint is usually an option, some
percentage of the available exterior colors is clear coat.
Jim
–
+——————————————————+
|Jim Dibb | My car doesn’t care if your |
|Software Engineer | car climbed MT. WASHINGTON |
|Data General Corp. | |
|d…@jac.webo.dg.com | |
|(508) 898-5715 | |
+——————————————————+