I have a 2003 Silver G35 Coupe and I'm trying to find the best wax that will give me the nice shiny, deep, wet look that i'm going for. I've seen lots of posts for darker color cars but not too much for us lighter guys...whatcha think? This will be my first wash/wax with the new car and I wanna do it right, I know Zaino stuff is the best, but I can't spend 8hrs on a wash/wax so I need something thats quick (sub 3 hrs) and looks great.

So...whatcha thinking?


PS: I have no experience with a claybar, nor do I know where to pick one up, seems like its def. worth doing once. Would Autozone/Advance Auto have one?

 

https://g35driver.com/forums/repairing-detailing-diy/105461-detailing-caring-your-ride.html

That (from the DIY section) has a lot of details about procedures and choices of products.

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you, just a couple steps ahead - did some research and bought some products, but haven't used them yet. For my DG coupe, I bought:

Clay Magic claybar+lubricant from a local store (was about 10 bucks)
Four Star Ultimate Paint Protection (sealant)
Four Star Ultimate Prewax Cleaner

To wash, I don't have a hose/hookup, so I'm using ProtectAll Quick & Easy Wash. I'm also going to pick up some Duragloss Aquawax to maintain the finish.

Good luck!

 

If you want to detail your car properly (the way most professionals recommend), then be prepared to spend a good 5-8 hours on your first detail, REGARDLESS of whether you use Zaino or any other product.

Zaino doesn't take any longer than most other products. This is a common misperception. It's the prep work, such as stripping off old wax and claybarring, on top of applying the product that takes a long time. This process isn't specific to Zaino - you should prep the car even if you're applying some cheap wax from your local auto parts store.

Keep in mind that Zaino is more durable than most products out there. It will last you months, whereas others will only last one month tops. This is not to say that Zaino is hands down the best out there - I guess it depends on what type of look you're going for. I just wanted to dispell the notion that Zaino is more of a hassle to apply than other products.

 

Some AutoZone stores carry Clay Magic (claybar and clay lubricant; you can also use a QD for the lubricant or even possibly your car soap).

Here are some How-To's on Detailing. Note how each process takes quite some time initially. There is no quick fix for a perfect shine:
http://www.autopia-carcare.com/how-to.html

How to use Clay:
http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-clay.html

 

I'm not sure where the notion that Zaino takes more time to apply came from. I think it's that they send out instructions that include proper prep with their product. Thing is, to make any product look good you should do the same steps. Zaino is just a sealant like any other; the reason it seems to "take so long" is that people do all the prep that they instruct first; that's also why the results are often so good.

Almost any product applied over properly prepped surfaces will look good. On BS/DG Zaino Z2pro, 4*UPP, Jeffs Werkstatt Acrylic Jett, and P21S seem to be crowd favorites.

 

For lighter colored vehicles I really like the way Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket looks when you top it with the P21S Carnauba Wax. The FMJ looks great on any color and gives you great protection. The P21S Carnauba Wax seems to really make lighter colors stand out though, which few other products seems to do on the same level. The best part about this product combination is that they both need very little to do an entire coat and both apply/remove unbelievably easy.

 

Ended up doing a full wash with 2 sheepskin mitts and Meguiars Gold Wax and couldnt be happier. Wheels were hand washed and then hit them with some Eagle1 Tire Shine and they STILL look wet after 3-4 days. I took some pictures if anyones interested.

I may try some ZYMOIL later, my dad has is laying around the garage and swears its the best wax he's ever used....opinions?

 

Do you mean "Zymol", is it baby-blue in color? If so, I use that and I'm happy with the results (for what it's worth).

 

1 thin coat of meguiars dc#1 polish and then 2 thin coats of meguiars liquid nxt...

follow every wash with speed detailer... then i follow every three washes with booster wax...

very wet shiny look...

 

For those that don't have much time, i recommend a thorough cleaning
using a claybar and then just use NXT Techwax. spend a little extra on
your mist and wipe and get the SpeedShine from Griot's. The NXT and
Speedshine works well with each other complimenting not only the deep
lustor, but also maintains the slickness of the NXT. You can get a small
hairspray bottle at your local container store and use that instead of
Griot's 'fine mist sprayer.' that sprayer lays down too much for quick
detailing jobs. I also recommend the california duster before you do
the mist and wipe.

I highly not recommend NXT detailer with the NXT techwax...i tried it and
it only speeds up the NXT techwax removal than anything else. if you
bought their detailer spray, use it as lubricant when you clay or when
you have to remove bird crap when the panel is hot to the touch. NXT
detailer spray doesn't seem to break down like the natural wax based
mist and wipe so you can use it at hot temps. Just make sure you wipe
off the mist completely.

For those that do have time, i do the full Griot's stuff from wash, paintprep,
clay, wash again, polish, and finish off with Best of Show wax. i use an
orbital from them and it's a great fun tool. i usually take my time and
dedicate a full day.