Purpose: To protect the finish and enhance shine.

Frequency: Wax: 0-3 months Polymer: 4-8 months

Pro: Protects finish, helps deepen shine
Con: Some can stain plastic trim.

Products needed:
1-Tin of wax
or
1-bottle of polymer sealant
1-foam aplicator pad
1-microfiber towel

Procedure:
So, you just spent alot of time getting your car to look fabulous, now you need to protect it from the elements. By this time, your probably a little tired, but the wax is the icing on the cake. Plus, you need to have some sort of protection on your bare naked finish.

Wax: Car wax is basicaly a mixture based on #1 yellow carnauba wax. This is a very hard wax, and unlike most others, its mostly clear, not hazy and white (think beeswax). In fact, carnauba is so hard, that in its pure form, its well, brick hard. So if you see any wax advertized as anything more than 33% carnauba, they are flat out lying. Modern car wax, like Darth Vader, is not as pure as it once was. Now, its a mixture of carnauba, various waxes, oils, and loose polymers. Theese modern waxes are easier to apply an remove and last longer (0-3 months) Quality wax has a very deep and warm look, anhancing certain colors (especially red), and making black cars look deep and wet. My favorites are Blitz Wax, S100, Mothers "pure carnauba", and Pinnacle Souveran (awesome but to expensive). I recomend you stay away from Zymol and Turtle Wax. Also, don't buy liquid waxes, always buy the paste form, they last longer and are just as easy to apply.

Polymer Sealants: Anyting advertized as a polymer, resin, or acrylic sealant are all essenially the same thing. What are they. They are much more purposefull and to the point. Their motto could very well be "If your putting something on your car to protect the finish then it better damn well protect it". Polymer is chemistry talk for plastic, so the name is pretty self explanitory. Plymer sealants are made up of polymers suspendid in a liquid, that when applied, "cross-link" to each other and to the car. In other words, instead of relying on wax and a few loose polymers to pretect the car, your are using a pure polymer that monds to the finish*, which will last much longer, along the lines of 4-8 months. Polymers are also more durable, standing up to heat much better than waxes, and various polutions that will come in contact with your car (remember IFO). Wax for instance can often melt right off your car on a hot day when it's surface temp will exceed 170º (carnauba's melting point) Polymers do have shortfalls. Some are tempermental to apply and remove. And their shine is not as "mature" as a good waxes. (Technically speaking, wax has a higher "jetting" quality) They may offer a very bright shine, but will often give black cars a "silver lining", whers as a good wax's shine will apear to come from within the cars paint. Favorites are: Blackfire, Klasse, Zaino. Klasse and Zaino are the most durable, but Blackfire looks the best IMO.

Aplications: Simple guidelines to folow. Always use foam aplicators. No need to apply in the "wax on, wax off" circles, its better to rub the wax/poly on instraight up and downlines. Most shouldn't be aplied in the sun. If the wax is suposed to haze over before buffing, what I do is rub it onto the whole car first, then come back and buff it off. For buffing off, I highly recomend a microfiber towel, but cotton terry will sufice. Layering wax/poly can inhance its shine and its durability (expept in a wax where it just increases shine). For a wax and fast cure polymers (Blackfire, Zaino w/ ZFX), you can layer right away, but less sophisticated polymers require 12-24 hr cure time. Always use a proper car wash mixed properly to maintain the wax. Also, the use of quick detailing sprays in between or after washing will enhance its longevity.

Next: Engine

*The one clinker. Polymers, unless they have cleaning abilities (Zaino Z1, Klasse AIO), cany be applied over a wax or an oily, filler type polish (3M Swirl Mark Remover). The polymer cant bond to the finish with these oils in the way.

 

Brad,

Based on Session 4 and now Session 5, if our Z's have no swirl marks or light scratches, I can skip the polishing section, right?

Also, my Z is going to be chrome silver. Are there any polymer's that do better on lighter colored cars?

Thanks,
Greg

 

Yeah, Klasse is good but it darkens the paint a little, which is great on some colors, not on others. Zaino or Blackfire would be a better chouce. Yes, is your car is mark free and theres no brake dust buildup, Just need to do Sessions: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8.