First Light Colored Car

[BMW750Li]

Hi All!

I've recently purchased a new car (pre-owned)!
Yay for me!!!!

The paint is metallic silver. (see my AV) This is the first car that is not a dark color that I have ever owned. My previous cars were black, burgandy or dark blue.

There was a certain formula of Meguiar's products that I used for my dark cars. And those cars GLEAMED!

When I use the Rx wizard here, the only products it tells me to use are a clay kit and a carnuba wax. (aside from any washes)
Can this be right? For my dark cars, I used a cleaner, a polish, a wax and a protectant.
Have the products changed to whereas I don't need all these? Or does it have to do with the color of the car?

Any help is appreciated!

[Murr1525]

Re: First Light Colored Car

The RX is a little simplistic at times....

Are there any defects, swirls, etc you see that need fixed, or pretty good shape?

For general care, I would look at one of these processes:

1. Wash
2. Clay as needed
3. SwirlX
4. Wax
5. Wax - 2 thin coats are best

1. Wash
2. Clay as needed
3. ColorX
4. Wax

On a light colored car, a pure polish isnt going to help a whole lot. When it gets older, maybe more useful once in a while.

[Sean Conrad]

Re: First Light Colored Car

Part of it is the color of the car. Pure polishes don't make as noticeable effect on lighter colors. Of course their waxes all contain polishing oils in them except for DC3. I will say that I use polish on all cars regardless of color (except for white). I feel like I can see a difference even if just slight. The advice I can give you is to try polish and see if you see a difference.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: First Light Colored Car

A couple of things to consider here:

1. Light colors like silver, gold, white, etc just can't show the same deep, wet look that black, red and other very dark colors can.
2. You don't need to put in any more time and effort than you want, based on your overall goals for the finish.

That said, if you want to make your silver car gleam like no other silver car in your neighborhood, you most certainly can. Remember that we always consider the use of a pure polish to be an optional step, and that becomes even more optional with lighter colors because of #1 above. Still, we know several people who still use a pure polish (M07, Deep Crystal Polish) on light cars and love it.

Now, based on what you described as your regimen with your previous cars, you don't mind putting in that extra time to make yoiur car really stand out. Are you working with a D/A or are you doing all of this by hand? While a D/A will certainly make things go faster (let's face it, the 7 Series BMW is a big car!!) it can also help you bring the finish to a new level. A product like our M205 Ultra Finishing Polish can do wonders for increasing the clarity and gloss of the finish, even on light colors. In fact, with just that and NXT Tech Wax 2.0, especially when used with a D/A, you'll be amazed at how you can make that silver really pop.

M205 is a very fine finishing polish, but if your car has very light swirls it can easily act as your cleaner and polish in a single step. This concept is the same as M80 or M83, which have been around for years, but the technology in M205 is very different, which is the reason for the increase in clarity it can bring.

Top everything off with a great synthetic wax like NXT 2.0 and you'll get a very crisp, bright shine with plenty of gloss and clarity. You do have a really good pair of sunglasses, right?

[SVT Lightning]

Re: First Light Colored Car

Here's my wifes 2010 Subaru Forrester.....silver. Process was clay, NXTv2 applied with PC7336sp and a megs finishing pad. Many here say that NXTv2 will give you the most reflection out of light colored paint.

[Sean Conrad]

Re: First Light Colored Car

NXT 2.0 does look great on light colored cars. I put it on a white truck and it had great reflections and is still shining like crazy. When the sun hits hit, look out. lol

[smack]

Re: First Light Colored Car

Congrats on the bimmer purchase and welcome to MOL.

[davey g-force]

Re: First Light Colored Car

Enjoy your new light coloured car!

If anything, at least it will be less work than all those dark cars you've owned

Sometimes I wish my car was silver. Although it's not as deep or reflective as black, it always looks "good".

Then again, when I had a silver car, I longed for the deep reflections and shine which you can only get from a black car.

I guess it's true - the grass is always greener on the other side.

[ColonelCash]

Re: First Light Colored Car

M16 (paste) works very well on light colors. You can usually find a tin for $15 or so, but only on MOL or eBay. Megs hasn't sold it to the US in years. That will give you a very metallic look and it will last longer than just about anything on the shelves today. And remember, a dab will do ya when it comes to paste waxes.

Congrats on the new ride!

[wifpd4]

Re: First Light Colored Car

....

1. Wash
2. Clay as needed
3. ColorX
4. Wax

On a light colored car, a pure polish isnt going to help a whole lot. When it gets older, maybe more useful once in a while.

Murr, when you recommend ColorX, do you allow it to haze over and then buff off or do you remove it as soon as you buffed an area?

What do you base your decision to allow it to haze or not on? Paint color or paint hardness or what?

Thanks,

[Murr1525]

Re: First Light Colored Car

If you are going to use a cleaner/wax (ColorX or any other) for just cleaning, then you can remove it right away.

If you want to use it to clean, and leave a coat of wax, then you let it dry.

My goal when using ColorX is to cover all the recommended steps more quickly. Since two coats of wax is recommended, I will let it dry so it acts as my first coat of wax.