[aka_iitd]

Originally Posted by amarprusty

I have been using the following Amway products with great results:
Car wash shampoo for water washes
Silicon Glaze polish for exterior gloss and shine
Leather vinyl cleaner for interiors
See Spray for windshield and window glass
12V input vaccum cleaner to take care of under mat carpet dust

My red palio mjd is still out of showroom after a year

I agree I regularly use car shampoo(eco friendly) and silicon glaze both are pretty good. I also put one cap of See spray for the water tank that sprays on wind shield. It gives good result.
Leather vinyl is good if used regularly mainly on dash board. I mostly use it for my sofa sometime car seats.

[leadf00t]

Has anyone in used a car detailing clay bar in India.
Where can we buy this bar in Mumbai.

From what i have read about this clay bar thingy appears to be really good.
Might be of great use to clean out the paint surfaces of our cars considering the amount of dirt and grime that exists in our city cars.

[ImmortalZ]

I have used Meguiar's Clay Kit and it is amazing. I don't know where one can purchase it in India since I imported it from Singapore. However, one application and it really did make the surface like glass. One thing I learned while doing it is that one should never get it stuck. When you are gliding it along, it is all fine and dandy. But if it gets stuck for lack of lubrication, it leaves an ultra thin layer of clay at that point and this is hard to remove if you let it dry.

A coat of NXT 2.0 afterwards and it let my car feel like new. It also filled in quite a few of the visible scratches as well. Wunderbar!

[anekho]

guys, if i have got it right, this is how should clean the exterior:

1. Wash thoroughly with car shampoo and dry
2. Apply polish to even out small nicks in the paint
3. Apply wax to protect all the cleaning done and give the *gloss

I also have some questions:

1. Should I wait for some time between the steps? (ex after polish do I have to wait for a while before applying wax?)
2. I've heard when applying wax, not to apply in circular movement, but to instead apply vertically or horizontally.

Someone please answer fast - this weekend is the change to summer tyre weekend and I want clean the car thoroughly!

cheers

EDIT: My sudden source of inspiration for this wax-job was seeing Rudraji's impeccable optra pics today!

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by anekho

1. Should I wait for some time between the steps? (ex after polish do I have to wait for a while before applying wax?)

No need unless you're totally out of breath.

2. I've heard when applying wax, not to apply in circular movement, but to instead apply vertically or horizontally.

Nothing like that but do that in parts. Do not apply wax on your full car in one go.

[ImmortalZ]

Step 1 is correct.
Step 2 depends on what type of polish you use.

Obviously, you have to work it in and then wipe it off. Non abrasive polishes require less muscle work than abrasive ones - but they are also worse off removing light scratches. Abrasive polishes are a bit more complicated. Do only small areas at once and make sure you don't end up removing your paint in the process.

Once you polish your car, wipe it clean and then apply wax. It does not matter what direction you apply wax in. Your car will get swirl marks in whatever direction you apply wax in if your applicator has grit in it. So direction doesn't really matter as long as you are careful. Direction does matter when you polish though - polish across the scratch and not along it.

Wax one or two panels together. However, if your wax has a long drying time, then you can apply it to the entire car and then start wiping it off. Remember to apply only a thin coat of wax. Anything above that razor thin layer in contact with the paint is wasted and wiped off. So there is no point in doing a full rich coat of wax. It will only make the drying time longer and make you work even harder wiping it off.

[ariendj]

i know it might sound weird but doubts are what makes people closer to perfection!!
anyways..we all talk about shampoos, microfiber linen,polishes and what not!!
but what if we have scarcity of water,would keeping the cars once a while under occasional heavy downpours harm it or make it a nice way of keeping the cars clean in a natural way!!

[Eddy]

U oh... I was told that its Wax first and then Polish.

Thats how WAX POL got its name
(Info courtesy anupmathur)

[akbaree]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

My choice:

1) Wax polish, which can remove minor scratches = Turtle/Waxpol/3M if you get.
2) Tyre cleaners = Hard bristle brush with soap. Waxpol tyre shine. Wipe it after applying to get that matt black look.
3) Dashboard cleaner = 3M. Will work for your point 7 also.
4) Glass claner for windshields and door glass = 3M. Simply fantastic.
5) Car shampoo for washing = SONAX
6) Blue cloth for cleaning = Have a proper hot water wash before using it.
7) Someting which can clean and shine the Black Bumpers = As in point 3

Adding one more = Pure wax for polish. Do not mix up please. Polish with cleaning properties remove a coat of paint. Pure wax (only) puts a protective coat and gloss.

Hi Rudra,

I decided to read this whole thread after getting motivated by your Optra ownership thread. I am still not clear about a few things. Assuming we get a 3M detailing done. I have following questions...

1. It is advised to wax once a month. Is this advice to do pure wax or the wax suggested in point number 1 here?
2. 3M kind of exterior treatment is suggested once in 6 months or if we do the regular cleaning, washing, and waxing routine then 3M kind of exterior treatment is not required?
3. Do you suggest any brands for pure wax?

[ImmortalZ]

Waxes and polishes are different things. Polishes do just that - polish your surface to remove impurities, small scratches and such. This will bring out quite a bit of shine on your paint. You then wax it to keep that shine in and add gloss/depth/darkness. Wax adds a sacrificial protective layer on your polished paint.

There are two types of polishes - abrasive and non abrasive. Abrasives remove a layer of paint/clear coat. These are the best to remove scratches. Non abrasives just clean the paint surface.

1. I'm of the opinion that if you keep your wax layer properly maintained, you do not need to polish very often. Maybe once a year? If your car is kept outdoors all the time, exposed to the elements, then you might need to do a proper polish every six months or similar.

2. 3M Exterior Treatment is just wax/polish with 3M products. Unless your dealer is a real expert, this is just a waste of time as they don't clean the paint or wax properly and the shine will disappear in a wash or two. However, if it is a reputed place, it is worth the money. You can do this once and maintain the look by yourself if you have all the right products with you

3. I've found Amway Silicon Glaze is good wax. It says it is a polish, but it isn't. It doesn't clean the paint. On a brand new car, a coat of it will give you that silky smooth deep gloss. But once the paint gets dirty, applying just wax is a waste of time and effort. I've graduated to Meguiar's since and got the whole shebang and found them to be very good. Very expensive in India though. I hear WAXPOL and 3M are good.

Once again, do not confuse wax and polish. Polish to make your paint shine and wax to lock it in.

[akbaree]

Thanks @ImmortalZ for clear explanation

1. I'm of the opinion that if you keep your wax layer properly maintained, you do not need to polish very often.

Maintaining wax layer by waxing once a week. The process - wash/clean, dry, and wax. Correct?

2. You can do this once and maintain the look by yourself if you have all the right products with you

You mean, wax once a week and if you feel that paint has really become dirty, polish (may be required every 4-6 months or more).

3. I hear WAXPOL and 3M are good.

I have gone thru WAXPOL website and they have three products - Ultra Glo Polish, Carnauba Car Polish, Auto Polish. I believe the last one should be used for the waxing exercise, and any of the first two can be used for the polishing exercise. Correct?

Sorry, if I am sounding child like. But I want to begin this with a correct understanding.

[ImmortalZ]

From what I can decipher, Ultra Glo is a polymer based wax+polish, Carnauba is a carnauba based wax+polish and Auto Polish seems to be pure carnauba wax.

Different people prefer different types of waxes. They say polymers last longer, but aren't as whizbang as carnauba on dark shades.

You don't need to wax every week. But this is completely up to you. I used to wax every month when I was using Amway. You can run your palm across the paint surface after a wash. When it starts feeling rough, you need polish before waxing it.

Water beading is a good indicator of wax presence. But it isn't the sole indicator. You can visibly see that the look has dulled and you need wax it again.

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by akbaree

I have gone thru WAXPOL website and they have three products - Ultra Glo Polish, Carnauba Car Polish, Auto Polish.

I've used their Carnauba wax and must say it's good.

Also I like the fact that a home grown company is really pushing hard in this area.

[rohan_fonseca]

Could i have some reccomendations on a good polish(not wax) one could use safely.

[akbaree]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Also I like the fact that a home grown company is really pushing hard in this area.

I completely agree with you on this. And I have only heard good reviews about some of the WAXPOL products.

If someone knows where I can buy WAXPOL products in Bangalore, please share the details.