I know this might be a dumb question but what is the real difference between car wax and polish? I read something like car polish strips old oxidized paint to show the true color while wax just imitiates the paint and causes it to shine. Yet both are supposed to be protective for the car. Whats the truth here? I wanted to do something to make my DG shine a little bit more. I used to drive a green camry and would put Nufinish on it because my brother in law told me it was great. It was a polish that you only "needed" to put on once a year. It actually didn't seem that bad, but no matter what its not gonna look as nice as this car.

So I guess my main question is whats the difference? Should I just stick to the Nufinish or try a wax? I'm not really interested in spending a hundred on the whole Zaino process so what else is there?

 

I use NuFinish myself. It's both a polish and a wax just like Mother's Synwax or Meguiar's NXT. A polish will remove old wax and oxidation; it's abrasive but not enough to damage the clearcoat. A wax is purely protective. You really need both.

I've used NuFinish for years with outstanding results. It doesn't shine like Zaino (what does?), but it shines well and has great durability. I'll be trying Synwax and NXT soon to compare.

 

Rock on - I agree, NuFinish is the way to go, I just want something to protect, protect, protect (not to mention easy application).

 

Is it ok to use polish and wax on a car? Like Using the NuFinish and then adding the wax afterwards, or vise versa?

 

If you want the extra protection, yes. NuFinish is a synthetic sealant, I believe. Some people like to add a layer of carnuba wax over synthetic sealants for warmth.

 

Awesome thanks for the help. I saw the carnuba wax at the store. I was thinking about putting a coat of NuFinish on then using the the Meguiars NXT afterwards just to finish it off. Do you think that would be overkill, if there is such a thing? I didn't really want to do much more work than that anyways.

 

NXT and NuFinish are the same functional-wise. Look for something that's 100% carnuba wax like Mother's step 3. Just applying the NXT or NuFinish will do you well in terms of cleaning and protection; applying the carnuba wax on top of that will give you a little better shine, warmth, and protection...while the wax lasts. Carnuba only lasts about 30 days.

 

So I can polish my complete car then wait an hour and let it sit and then I can wax with say P21S Carnauba Wax over top of the Polish?

 

That would not be a constructive use of your time. While the NXT is oil-rich and also provides some, albeit limited, protection it is also a polish and will work to remove the NuFinish. Because of this charcteristic, NXT also does not layer well. Layer 2 just removes portion of Layer 1 and so on.

I am not a fan of NuFinish but do agree that topping a sealant with a carnuba can do wonders for the appearance. You would want to allow your sealant to completely set (24 hours with Zaino with no ZFX, 24 hours with EX and EX-P).

Post some pictures when you get done!

-GT

 

When you use the word "Layer" are you saying you are removing a layer of what? Clear coat?

 

He means the previous layer of wax or polish. Applying a layer of NXT over a layer of NuFinish or NXT would work to remove that first layer, although some have said the second layer helps fill in irregularities, adding depth.

 

Thanks for clearing that one before I saw it.

Unless you have a love for defects, I REALLY advise correcting the scratches, swirls, and marring prior to sealing anything. Your final results will only be as good as your surface prep. Instead of filling them over and over again, take some time or find someone who knows what they are doing and get the problem corrected. After that, adopt a proper wash technique and try to avoid getting them back!

-GT

 

Not to hijack the thread, but what's a good way to take care of those scratches, swirls, and marring without buying a Porter-Cable?

 

Repaint the car. Honestly, depending on the scratch, you might be able to remove very very fine light scratches with ScratchX from meguiars. But the PC is the best option in removing swirls and scratches.

-twantrd

 

If you really want to know how to keep your paint in top condition go over to www.autopia.org and research it. You will learn more than you thought you could and will become an addict at keeping a clean car.

Have fun with it!