Waxing and polishing over dealer protection

[fnx]

Hi,

I would first like to say how wonderful this forum is and how it totally transformed me into wanting to take care of my car. I just got a 2006 Civic Sedan it's about 2-3 weeks old and i've searched all of the posts regarding "new cars" and i think i'm set. Basically i bought a PC 7424 (it will be delivered tomorrow) and a slew of meguiars products.

Initially i plan on doing the following:
1) Washing using NXT wash
2) Quick Clay using NXT speed detailer as lubricant
3) Paint cleaner DC#1 using PC
4) Pure Polish #7 using PC
5) 2 coats of NXT tech wax using PC

Now my question is, I admittedly was suckered into getting the dealership paint / interior protection (it was late and i didn't feel like arguing) let alone I had not had the wonderful resource of this forum to check on it. Will the DC#1 strip the dealer protection right off? I was looking at Polymer sealant #20 and was wondering if i should be including this in my detail process. Although i'd rather not pay for something twice, and would i even need it as i DO plan on waxing this car every 4-5 months -- and quick detailing / waxing MUCH more frequently than that.

Hopefully i've explained my predicament well and you guys can offer some insight.

Thanks

[Jeff Smith]

Re: Waxing and polishing over dealer protection

Originally posted by fnx
Hi,

I would first like to say how wonderful this forum is and how it totally transformed me into wanting to take care of my car. I just got a 2006 Civic Sedan it's about 2-3 weeks old and i've searched all of the posts regarding "new cars" and i think i'm set. Basically i bought a PC 7424 (it will be delivered tomorrow) and a slew of meguiars products.

Initially i plan on doing the following:
1) Washing using NXT wash
2) Quick Clay using NXT speed detailer as lubricant
3) Paint cleaner DC#1 using PC
4) Pure Polish #7
5) 2 coats of NXT tech wax

Now my question is, I admittedly was suckered into getting the dealership paint / interior protection (it was late and i didn't feel like arguing) let alone I had not had the wonderful resource of this forum to check on it. Will the DC#1 strip the dealer protection right off? I was looking at Polymer sealant #20 and was wondering if i should be including this in my detail process. Although i'd rather not pay for something twice, and would i even need it as i DO plan on waxing this car every 4-5 months.

Hopefully i've explained my predicament well and you guys can offer some insight.

Thanks

First and foremost:


Sitting here at work with time to kill so thougt I would offer my thoughts here.

I have not tried it but I think most folks who have tend to shy away from using NXT Speed Detailer as a lube for claying. I am not sure but I think I have seen others posting about it not being 'slick" enough.

Regarding the striping of the dealer installed stuff. From what I have seen, I am suspecting that you will strip this using the products listed. But to be honest. I would go for it. I have a new Honda Ridgeline and I did the same thing with no regrets. I am sure by the time you are done, your finished product will be better protected and look better than theirs anyway. My results far exceeded what they had done.

Concerning your thoughts on #20. I have not been using it long enough give your an experienced opinion. I have been playing with that as well as #21 and NXT. I love them all. Personally, I use the approach of using 2 coats of either #20 or #21 then topping with NXT. But everybody has a different eye. My paint is white so I stick to the Polymers. I have not been using any of the products that long but from what I have seen so far, for me anyway, I plan to do my waxing once a month. I could go longer but like the assurance of the renewed protection. Plus I like the look of a freshly waxed vehicle. But to go 4-5 months between waxes, I'd have to say that would be a bit long. I think most would say it is possible but would probably not go longer than 2-3 months. Just my uneducated opinion there. You are looking at New York Winters with lots of salt I assume.

BTW, Once you get the PC and put it to use, I "suspect" you might rethink the waxing every 4-5 month thing anyway. It actually makes the job so much easier that you really don't mind doing it at all. At least that was my intial feeling. I have only had mine for about a month and a half and find I can now WAX, wait till cured and remove in all of about 50 minutes with the PC. So I don't mind it at all. Good luck with everything. I am sure others will chime in with more specific comments on your wax concerns.

BTW, If you have not used #7 before. Be sure to read through some posts specific to that. Don;t try to treat it like a wax. It's a totally different animal and a little time spent reading about it will likely be helpful

[fnx]

I'd love to wax monthly, but I'm in New York City and the car is garaged most of the time. The only chance that I get to wax it is when I go up state to see my grandfather.

As long as the meguiar's products can offer better results than the "******" coating that the dealer sold me, i'm more than willing to go through with it. I didn't order the #20 and it is questionable as to whether or not i'd get it in time for this weekend. Would you consider it absolutely essential to my first detail? Also i am very concerned about the underbody and wheel wells being in the north east and all with winter right around the corner. I plan on washing underneath routinely but is it wise to apply some type of sealant (similar to #20) to the undercarriage?

BTW, i picked the car up from VA, and the salesman picked me up in a ridgeline i was real impressed, nice truck there

Thanks for the quick reply

[Jeff Smith]

Originally posted by fnx
I'd love to wax monthly, but I'm in New York City and the car is garaged most of the time. The only chance that I get to wax it is when I go up state to see my grandfather.

Undestand that. You'll likely get a bit longer out of the wax then.

As long as the meguiar's products can offer better results than the "******" coating that the dealer sold me, i'm more than willing to go through with it. I didn't order the #20 and it is questionable as to whether or not i'd get it in time for this weekend. Would you consider it absolutely essential to my first detail? Also i am very concerned about the underbody and wheel wells being in the north east and all with winter right around the corner. I plan on washing underneath routinely but is it wise to apply some type of sealant (similar to #20) to the undercarriage?.

No, Personnaly I would not consider #20 to be essential. This is just what I do. I think many people use NXT all alone and are extrememly happy with the results. I like experimenting and am always trying new things. My vehicle is now officially OVERWAXED and I need to go ahead and clay again before waxing next time. If you want to be Exact, 3 weeks ago I applied 2 coats of #20. 2 weeks ago I applied 2 coats of #21 and this week I applied 1 coat of NXT and am applying annother tomorrow. After this coat of NXT I am thinking about trying #26 but I think it will be time to clay it beforehand though.

As far as any Undercarriage adivce I will stop there. I have not undertaken any undercarriage work yet so I can't off input based on experience.

BTW, i picked the car up from VA, and the salesman picked me up in a ridgeline i was real impressed, nice truck there

Thanks for the quick reply

Yep, I really like this thing. I have never really been one for keeping a car spotless, installing chrome wheels and such (In other words a car crazy nut) but this thing did it to me.

[fnx]

I think the civic is doing that to me already . The 06 is replacing a 94 so finally I have that new car that needs "special" attention hehe.

Speaking of the chromes, one grief that i've been having was that i settled for an LX model. as i got a really good deal on it (they got their money back with the ****** coating) but it comes with steel wheels. I wanted alloys so bad, this was a major dissapointment for me. I'm willing to spend 4-600 on a set of alloys if they are not too hard to install and i dont end up doing more damage than good. I'm thinking of putting the current all season tires on the alloys that i purchase next spring and saving the steel wheels for the winter when i'll buy a set of snow tires. I've heard bad things about running alloys through salt as any other part of the car it seems. This way i can swap them out for winter and comes ready with snow tires. May ultimately be more trouble than its worth but just something that i have been pondering heh... it helps me sleep at night.

[Jeff Smith]

Actaully the above lineup on my paint isn't exact either.

I took vacation a few weeks back to play with my new PC.
Over a little over a weeks time I did the following:
Clayed>#80>#9>#82 >DC#1>#3>#5>#7>#20>#7>#20



then the week after I did:
#7>#21>#7>#21

Then this past Sundat I did #7>NXT

And tomorrow I plan on:
#7>NXT

And yes, I am screwy. But I like to play.

[Jeff Smith]

Originally posted by fnx
I think the civic is doing that to me already . The 06 is replacing a 94 so finally I have that new car that needs "special" attention hehe.

Speaking of the chromes, one grief that i've been having was that i settled for an LX model. as i got a really good deal on it (they got their money back with the ****** coating) but it comes with steel wheels. I wanted alloys so bad, this was a major dissapointment for me. I'm willing to spend 4-600 on a set of alloys if they are not too hard to install and i dont end up doing more damage than good. I'm thinking of putting the current all season tires on the alloys that i purchase next spring and saving the steel wheels for the winter when i'll buy a set of snow tires. I've heard bad things about running alloys through salt as any other part of the car it seems. This way i can swap them out for winter and comes ready with snow tires. May ultimately be more trouble than its worth but just something that i have been pondering heh... it helps me sleep at night.

Understand. I still have my OEM wheels with good mud & snow tires in the shed. I'll put them on after the first freeze down here.

[Jeff Smith]

BTW, Was sitting here thinking about your frequency of waxing. I recently bought one of these car adapters to convert my DC to AC power for a TV and Playstation. I am unsure if it has enough UMPH to power the DA or not. I am going to look into that for my own purposes.

I picked it up at Radio Shack for, I want to say about $50 or so. That might be something you could look into as well. I think I even saw a thread or 2 about that a few months ago. Maybe with a proper plan it might be possible for you to wash the car by hand at the local car wash, return to the garage and give it a good QD then use one of these things to power the DA. Just thinking out loud here.

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

It looks like Jeff has already covered most everything, but I'll offer this:

Basically, all the dealership applied is a polymer sealant much like you'd be able to purchase and apply yourself. So, you're most certainly not hurting anything by removing it -- you'll be re-protecting it with NXT or your wax/sealant product of choice. As far as the interior protection, my bet is it's nothing more than 3M Scotchguard or a similar product; which again is available to you as a consumer to purchase and apply.

Here's a letter I use for marketing, it explains this somewhat... just disregard the "must be applied by a professional," because it's intended to appeal to folks who aren't interested in doing this work themselves:

ATTENTION VEHICLE OWNER:

Your vehicle is in serious danger at this very moment. Every day, your vehicle is bombarded by hundreds of contaminants ranging from road salt to acid rain. These contaminants are a poison, choking the life out of your investment in the form of rust and corrosion.

Don’t worry – there is something you can do to help prevent this constant abuse from the environment. Make an appointment to meet with me – C. Charles Hahn, your Automotive Appearance Specialist. I can show you how, with proper care, your vehicle can last for years to come.

Many automotive dealerships misinform their customers regarding today’s clear coat paints and corrosion resistant components. While these parts inherently last longer than they did on the cars and trucks of 10 years ago, they still need extra attention to maintain that like-new appearance for a long lifetime of service. The “miracle paint sealant” packages sold by these dealers do not last the lifetime of the vehicle, and are often overpriced. It is important to have such sealants applied and periodically re-applied by an experienced detailer. This is where I come in.

I have several packages available to suit you and your vehicle’s specific needs. With everything from scratch and scuff repairs, to interior detailing, to exterior paint protection, together we can help to keep your investment as-new for years to come. I treat each and every vehicle I detail as though it were my own; high quality service and reasonable prices are guaranteed. So pamper yourself, pamper your vehicle, and contact me today.

I look forward to hearing from you! Please see my price list for a guideline of the services I offer.

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

Originally posted by Jeff Smith
BTW, Was sitting here thinking about your frequency of waxing. I recently bought one of these car adapters to convert my DC to AC power for a TV and Playstation. I am unsure if it has enough UMPH to power the DA or not. I am going to look into that for my own purposes.

I picked it up at Radio Shack for, I want to say about $50 or so. That might be something you could look into as well. I think I even saw a thread or 2 about that a few months ago. Maybe with a proper plan it might be possible for you to wash the car by hand at the local car wash, return to the garage and give it a good QD then use one of these things to power the DA. Just thinking out loud here.

I doubt that the $50 unit you have would do the job for the G100; but there are "stronger" units available that would probably have enough grunt to handle it. I've seen some of the more powerful ones go for $200+ though, so it's kind of a major investment.

[Mosca]

1) Don't worry about the fact that you WILL remove the dealer applied stuff. What you really paid for was the warranty. If the car ever gets acid rain damage etc, they won't know if the stuff's still there or not.

2)#20 is not essential. I have 2 bottles of it and I haven't reached for it since NXT came out. And now, with #21, it's even further from the front of the shelf. PM me your address and I'll send you a bottle if you want it. It's still good stuff, and if someone has it they should use it, but if you already have the NXT there's no point in getting the #20.


Tom

[fnx]

Perfect, i'm ready to do this then, thanks for all of your help. I have a few more questions, which may be able to be answered upon receiving the products that i ordered. I'm wondering what is the best way to apply them... I know you go clay, paint cleaner, polish, wax... but what are the timing intervals and what has to be wiped off what has to dry and how long.

If someone could help me out id appreciate it.

Thanks

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

Originally posted by fnx
Perfect, i'm ready to do this then, thanks for all of your help. I have a few more questions, which may be able to be answered upon receiving the products that i ordered. I'm wondering what is the best way to apply them... I know you go clay, paint cleaner, polish, wax... but what are the timing intervals and what has to be wiped off what has to dry and how long.

If someone could help me out id appreciate it.

Thanks

There really aren't any specific timing intervals for anything aside from the wax/sealant. Apply and WORK IN the paint cleaner, buff the residue. Apply and WORK IN the polish, buff the residue. Apply the sealant/wax, let it cure for roughly 15 minutes, buff off.

Usually if you start and apply a coat of wax/sealant to your entire vehicle, it will be ready for buffing by the time you get the entire vehicle covered.

[Jeff Smith]

Originally posted by Shiny Lil Detlr
I doubt that the $50 unit you have would do the job for the G100; but there are "stronger" units available that would probably have enough grunt to handle it. I've seen some of the more powerful ones go for $200+ though, so it's kind of a major investment.

Your likely correct. I like to do my waxing at night. Sometimes after washing at home I like to head over to the local car wash and camp out in one one of their wash bays to avoid the night dew. I have been thinking about ways to power the DA over there. I am a bit uncomfortable packing the 5,000 watt Generator over there. Figure someone will gripe about the noise as its a couple hundred yards away from an apartment complex. Might be worth a shot though.

[Five Star]

Actually the paint protection plan isn't always a total loss.

A couple years ago i bought a new saturn, the dealer applied it on every car as it came off the truck.

I had to go overseas for 5 months and unfortunately my car had to be left outside.

The bird droppings etched the paint so bad the dealer ended up repainting the car for free because i had a 5 yr guarantee.

I'm sure you'll maintain your car and you may never fall into the situation I had, but if you ever are, your covered.