NXT and it's cleaning abilities...few topics are more confusing.

David is 100% correct; NXT is a one-step wax. But Wired isn't wrong either; NXT is definitely not a cleaner wax. So how could that be? It's just that the same question can mean different things to different people.

A cleaner wax is one that does that and only that; it removes simple contaminants such as hard water stains, bird droppings, built-up wax, etc. but does not contain any protective wax or sealant; nor does it remove overspray or other fine contaminants; that is a clay bar's job. One cleaner wax that readily comes to mind is the P21S Gentle Paintwork Cleanser. I use it as needed and it is a phenomenal product indeed. Upon my Z’s arrival, a single coat completely removed sea salt deposits and some serious hard water stains, revealing a glossy, smooth, clean surface that was ready and prepped for sealant application. I then used two different synthetic sealants to protect the paint.

A one-step wax tries to give you a little bit of both; wax or polymer sealant combined with mild cleaners. So again to Wired's point, yes, NXT is NOT a cleaner wax because it does protect the surface as well. It is a one-step wax. Due to their "mixed" nature, most one-step waxes don’t last very long. In my experience with NXT, 2-3 rainfalls, and the water almost stops beading entirely. Environmental conditions, of course, play a large role in that.

In summation, NXT is not meant to replace a pure cleaner like the P21S GPC or Mother’s Cleaner Wax. So it will work even better if a cleaner is used first, since waxing a thoroughly cleaned surface makes sense, doesn’t it?

Maguiars openly admits the cleaning additives in NXT and why shouldn’t they? Those are good things to have. According to Mike Phillips, their online expert, yes, a coat of NXT will remove older wax, but it will still leave behind more than it takes away. So he recommends two thin coats and no more:

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...ight=NXT+layer

If you ask me, the slight cleaning action of NXT is a big reason behind its brilliant results since a little cleaning is better than no cleaning at all; wouldn’t you say?

 

That's not necessarily true. Look at meguiar's colorX wax. Or their standard
cleaner wax. These are both "1 step" cleaner waxes that contain cleaners AND they protect the surface just like any other wax.

There is a difference between a paint cleaner and a cleaner wax. Paint cleaners, such as the one used in meguiar's deep crystal 3-step system (step 1), is JUST a paint cleaner with no wax and no protectants.

http://www.meguiars.com/estore/product_list.cfm?sectionname=Consumer%20(Meguiar's%20Brand)> Auto%20Paint%20Care>Auto%20Paint%20Cleaners&sectionID=11301

Step 2 of their "3 step system" is a pure polish, which is an oily substance that is used to enhance shine and gloss, but also does not offer protection like a wax.
http://www.meguiars.com/estore/product_list.cfm?sectionname=Consumer%20(Meguiar's%20Brand)> Auto%20Paint%20Care>Car%20Polishes&sectionID=11401

That is why step 3 of their 3 step system is a pure wax, such as their deep crystal carnauba wax. A pure wax is typically a wax that is meant to protect the paint, and in the deep crystal system, meant to seal in the shiny polish layer.

http://www.meguiars.com/estore/product_list.cfm?sectionname=Consumer%20(Meguiar's%20Brand)> Auto%20Paint%20Care>Car%20Waxes>Liquid%20Car%20Waxes&section ID=11501

NXT May contain very mild cleaners or cleaning additives to a certain extent, but it is not considered a cleaner wax. I know this because I attended a detailing class at meguiar's headquarters, and I asked this specific question. Mike Phillips himself told me that the 2 waxes in their consumer line they sell as "cleaner waxes" are either their Meguiars Cleaner Wax, or ColorX.

When Mike Phillips did a demo session on a black Z (owned by tripmachine), he used a variety of techniques to demonstrate abrasive polishing the paint with products such as #83 dual action cleaner/polish, then he topped this with a pure polish, then topped the pure polish with NXT.

Believe me... if you do NOT want to take the trouble to prep the paint fully, a REAL cleaner wax such as colorX is your best bet. It's one step, it is a REAL cleaner wax (not a pure wax with ADDED cleaners like NXT), and it produces stunning results. If your paint is already in really good shape, and you don't need any prep other than claybarring, then NXT or Zaino would be a good way to go.


They never mentioned this during the detailing class, but after viewing some threads on meguiarsonline I see what you're saying. But if you asked Mike Phillips whether NXT is a cleaner wax the answer would be no. It's still a good wax but I would prefer using it only on a more perfect finish. On a less than perfect finish colorX would be the wax of choice for me.

 

Kinda funny! Wired, I mentioned several times that NXT is NOT a cleaner wax. Of course Mike Philips would say that. I do too! It contains mild cleaning agents just like any other true one-step wax. I was proving your own point from earlier in this thread! You proved it right again while trying to prove me wrong...

Believe you me, Mag's ColorX is NOT a pure cleaner wax (my definition above). Mike Philips will not deny that if you ask him in private. If it really was perfect as a cleaner, they wouldn't need a separate cleaner wax (from their "step 1") in their line-up and save some production and marketing $s. That cleaner, as you say as well, does not protect the surface, only cleans and preps it.

The ColorX is a one-step wax (incl. cleaners, fillers, and sealers) just like the NXT and falls under the definition of a one-step wax I mentioned above. The difference is in the composition which is why both yield slightly different results. NXT too, gives amazing results on old, ill-cared-for paint; that has always been their main claim to fame. My neglected, swirled, 14-year-old black Maxima looked like a mirror with just one coat of NXT. The reason Mags markets ColorX as a cleaner wax is to dumb down the concept (it's name alone describes its function very well) and just give people one product to use if they find multiple steps confusing. Same is the case with NXT, but they put more marketing $s into it since people seem to relate to it better than ColorX. It is their "buzz" product, so to speak.

The "oily substance" in Mag's step 2 is not a polish. It is a glaze, which as we know, has an important place in a detailer's arsenal. Polish, by it's very definition, is abrasive (to varying degrees of course) and is meant to revive dull finishes by removing a teeny bit of clearcoat. Manufacturers these days use the word everywhere they can because we the people associate it with bright, restored finishes, so in this case it is only a marketing term. After all, if we ask a lay person what they associate with glaze, I'll bet it won't be anything automotive! And yes, you are right, glazes do not contain any cleaners or sealers; they simply rejuvenate the paint while filling-in minor swirls and marring. Everything from Mag's famous Show Car Glaze to CK's Red Moose Machine Glaze (my perennial favorite!) follows the same principle with slightly different results. It needs a topper and that's where a carnauba/synthetic sealant comes in, as you listed above in step 3 as well.

So if you think about it, what it comes down to is the way manufacturers brand, package, and market their products, using terms they should not be using; all in an effort to please occasional detailers and die-hard detailing purists alike, while of course, making as much money as possible.

 

Different people have different definitions for "polish." Their step 2 is a pure polish according to their own definition. I am not making this stuff up, this is straight from the mouth of the beast Mike Phillips. It does not have any abrasives, but they call it a polish.


Again different people/different definitions.


Correct, but yours is not the only definition.

polish, n.
n.
1. Smoothness or shininess of surface or finish.
2. A substance containing chemical agents or abrasive particles and applied to smooth or shine a surface: shoe polish.
3. The act or process of polishing.
4. Elegance of style or manners; refinement.

Polish does not HAVE to contain abrasives by definition. It may, or may not.

Correct, I agree 100%.


The only reason I was arguing with anything you said is that you said this:

That's not correct. A paint cleaner is not the same as a cleaner wax. Cleaner wax protects the surface by creating a protective/hydrophobic layer on the paint just like any wax. This is evident by the water beading up on the surface of a car that has been waxed with a cleaner wax. A paint cleaner which you called a "cleaner wax" will not leave a layer of protection.

This is degenerating into a purely semantic debate and I agree we are probably agreeing on most issues in theory, just not using the same lexicon.

I also disagree that colorX should be lumped into the same category as NXT which (other than being my own opinion) should be somewhat clear from reading product descriptions.

 

dug this up on meguiars forums
colorX is really fantastic stuff, it just doesn't get much publicity mostly due to people thinking NXT is a cure-all, end-all, 1-step-wonder miracle wax with, OMG, cleaners. Maybe it is all of that and more, but I guarantee it does not come close to the cleaning power of colorX or any of the meguiars dual action cleaner/polishes. So basically IMO (back to the same argument I've been making all along ) if your paint is in really good shape, and does not need any abrasive action or cleaner action, then just claybar and go with NXT.

If your paint is somewhat neglected, go with some colorX to make your life easy (yes, I've used it, yes, it's fantastic) and if you are a real nut, you can top it with NXT. A lot of people on meguiars forums actually do this themselves (colorX followed by NXT).

 

for the nxt spray wax, i let it dry just like the normal liquid wax. however, i always use the liquid wax unless i am in a rush, in which case i will use spray wax.

 

True. Your paint cleaner = my cleaner wax, and your cleaner wax = my one-step wax.

Which means I'm right, you're wrong!

 

pfft whatever I'm using meguiar's terminology...

meguiar's > you

-Mike (still wonders why the wax is missing from your "cleaner wax")

 

IMHO, bottom line is it doesn't really matter. NXT's intended purpose is as a sealant; a final step in whatever process you use.

If you must use something with no abrasives I believe you use this instead of NXT:
http://www.meguiars.com/?pro-liquid-...olymer-Sealant

 

That stuff is just like Zaino I bet... what do you think Mike?

 

I don't know. I kinda remember Mike Phillips saying that they just put this out (and #21 synthetic sealant) for pro detailers but it's basically the same formula as NXT.

 

Yes, their #20 is a synthetic sealant, much like Poorboys' EX-P. It is used as a base for layering waxes on top. People often use carnauba toppers for such LSPs to get that nice warm glow, but they don't last long since carnauba doesn't bond well with synthetics and vice versa.

Wired, yeah, cleaner wax is somewhat of an oxymoron since boutique brands like P21S (and even Mag's non-OTC cleaner products) do not contain any wax in them per se. One of those things...