ok, i now this might sound stupid... i just want to know whether there is a way to know whether there is some kind of protection on my car paint? aside from just looking at beading water... will claying remove the old wax? or is there other way to remove old wax layer/residue?

last week i use 3M cleaner wax to polish off all those pesky swirl, spider webs, haze, etc... but i notice that there are no water beading afterwards.. i want to try again, this time giving complete set of claying, polishing, and then waxing... but i need to remove the old layer first, right?

 

Clay bar should remove any debris (excess wax, tree sap, bird crap, bug guts, road tar etc) on top layer of clear coat without being to abrasive. You could also use a body solvent/ cleaner degreaser ex. Acrysol works well. If your wanting to cut into the clear coat to smooth everything out you need some rubbing compound or cutting polish. Orbital waxer or polishing wheel will come in handy during these steps but be carful because you can cause damage if you not careful. Use some classic Carnauba wax instead of the cleaner wax to get nice beading water effect.

Hope this helps, just my 2 cents... Been detailing cars for about 12 years.

 

woah, i'm not cutting into my clear coat... i'm not an expert in this, and i'd screw up big time... claybar can remove excess wax? that's good to know...

is claying, then polish with 3M cleaner wax, then coating with meguiars deep crystal carnauba wax, sounds like a good idea? that's the stuff i got on hand right now... i'd be using the dual action as well... (again i'm no expert in detailing...)

 

Yeah those three steps should show an improvement and be a good start. Be sure to clean your car really well before you use the clay bar that way your clay wont get clogged up with dirt and debris which could result in small scatches. You also need a lubricant to use with the clay bar so it slides easier arcoss the paint.

Heres a link that might help, meguiars.com: FAQ - What's the difference between polish and wax? (Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle)

 

to remove old wax i recommend you use griot's PaintPrep. follow the instructions. it's good stuff.

 

I use Dawn ultra concentrate. Fallen Rock also uses it.


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thanks guys, i'm going to try it out and see the results..

also, i'm thinking of having 2 layers of wax (or more). after the 1st layer of wax, i'm supposed to wait for around 12 hours for it to cure right? afterwards, i'm sure i will find the car slightly dusty again, and i'm planning to clean it with quick detailer before putting on the 2nd layer of wax... can i do that? i think that the QD will leave some kind of lubricant on top, if i put wax on top of it, will that be ok?

 

The instructions that come with all my Zaino orders also specify just using Dawn dish soap.

Just be sure to get some wax or polish on the paint right after washing it with Dawn.

 

I'll never use Dawn to remove old wax, "takes grease out of your way", probably weakens the clearcoat too. Griots has a product that removes wax and isn't going to hurt the paint at all. Usually the winter takes care of removing the wax here in Chicago, so in the spring, you start with a good hand wash and then clay and then polish and then wax/sealant and then Zaino Clear Seal.....my new addiction