Which sealant/ poly wax?

[NorthantsPete]

So, the daily driver gets a kicking from the elements.

Only yesterday did I superbly clean the paint and apply wax and armorall sealant then hours later its covered in environmentla dust and pollen - im yet to drive out but when i do it will be covered in dirt. When this seal runs out, what Megs product is the best at keeping the paint free from water and elements.

I basically need the hardest product and sheeting may be a good idea as the dust collects in the beading and then comes the watermark.

So, the cleaner wax lasted three weeks, i need something more durable and the volvo is massive - so its not a quick job.

I may go for a new approach of cleaner/glaze then a hard wax/sealant.

I also have plastics, ideally i can go over those without masking.

Current thoughts are
Meguiars #21 Synthetic Sealant v2.0
Meguiars Ultimate Paste Wax
Meguiar`s Nxt Generation Tech Car Wax 2.0
Megs gold clas plus (is this better or worse than nxt - im guessing worse and terrible on plastics)

[briarpatch]

Re: Which sealant/ poly wax?

Meguiars Ultimate Liquid Wax......available OTC.....reasonably priced....easy on/easy off....does not stain plastics.....outstanding gloss and reflectivity......just out of curiosity, is there a clay step in your process?

[NorthantsPete]

Re: Which sealant/ poly wax?

There has been, about a month ago it was clayed, ultimate compounded, and ultimate polished. The paint is therefor nice and clean. Since then ive used cleaner wax to keep on top of the dirt after washing, with some protection (its owrked into the paint opposed to just on off)

I will need to use a cleaner going forward, and then a decent wax - currently im cleaner waxing then using a wax/seal.

I will clay every 6 months or as needed, however the waxes so far have kept it feeling smooth as ice

[Top Gear]

Re: Which sealant/ poly wax?

So, the question you're asking has no direct answer. There is no liquid or paste wax which will somehow magically shed the elements. Instead, the elements shed wax and polishing oils.

We may have discussed it in another thread, but it sounds like you need a "California Duster", some Quik Wax (say GC or NXT versions), and some Ultimate Wash & Wax Anywhere (UWWA), with some quality MF towels like the Supreme Shine from Meg's, and keep it in the car. No wax or so-called "sealant" is going to last any longer than you've experienced, no matter what you may read in forums, because weather trumps marketing. Using the above merch and approach, it no longer matters, you see, because every few days, you're "boosting" the wax job in minutes with a spray wax nearly as durable on its own, leaving a freshly waxed car, and QWs are great for glass, plastics and other trim. Before that, though, when there's dust, you lightly dust the surface, clean it with UWWA, which is also a wax product with a bit of carnauba. A waxy wash like UWW is also great for when you do need to do a full wash.

You can go many months like this very easily, constantly adding sacrificial layers of wax that can be weathered off without destroying the hard work underneath.

[The Guz]

Re: Which sealant/ poly wax?

So, the daily driver gets a kicking from the elements.

Only yesterday did I superbly clean the paint and apply wax and armorall sealant then hours later its covered in environmentla dust and pollen - im yet to drive out but when i do it will be covered in dirt. When this seal runs out, what Megs product is the best at keeping the paint free from water and elements.

I basically need the hardest product and sheeting may be a good idea as the dust collects in the beading and then comes the watermark.

So, the cleaner wax lasted three weeks, i need something more durable and the volvo is massive - so its not a quick job.

I may go for a new approach of cleaner/glaze then a hard wax/sealant.

I also have plastics, ideally i can go over those without masking.

Current thoughts are
Meguiars #21 Synthetic Sealant v2.0
Meguiars Ultimate Paste Wax
Meguiar`s Nxt Generation Tech Car Wax 2.0
Megs gold clas plus (is this better or worse than nxt - im guessing worse and terrible on plastics)

Carnauba tends to attract more dust. This is my personal experience. If it's pollen season, you are fighting a losing battle. The only way to keep it clean is to wash it. Pollen is very abrasive.

Unfortunately the car is going to get dirty as soon as you drive it. It will get dust on it immediately after you wash it. It's just nature.

None of these Meguiar's sealants are going to solve your issue with dust or pollen. They are not miracle products where dusts falls off the surface. Their job is to provide longer and more durable protection.

If you want the "hardest" product you are better off looking into a coating. Even a coating is not a miracle product. It will still get dust and pollen on it. They are designed to be more durable and offer much longer protection that a sealant. They are also meant to clean easier when washing.

The only product that comes to mind that behaves like a coating is Sonax Polymer Net Shield and their BNS detail spray.

Here is the breakdown on those Meguiar's products

M21 = NXT. These are the same product. It sheets more than it beads. It will last a few months. This will stain trim if left on the surface.

Ultimate Paste Wax - contains different polymers than NXT. It will last longer than NXT. It has better beading behavior than NXT/M21. It still sheets. The paste wax version will stain trim if left on the surface. The liquid version will not stain trim.

Gold Class - this is a carnauba wax. It will not last as long as UW or NXT. It will stain trim if left on the surface.

[drumdan]

Re: Which sealant/ poly wax?

Your issue is more about maintenance than anything else. I use M135 to remove light debris from the paint on my gf's truck. There is a base layer of M21 on it.

I don't really classify M21, and NXT 2.0 to be the exact same thing. Dried product around the cap spout indicate more of a "chalky" consistency in the residue of NXT 2.0, where the M21 behaves more like Ultimate Liquid Wax - it's like dried cheese from a McDonald's cheeseburger. That tells me that there is basic differences in the formulations.

Any of their sealants will work best properly maintained.

[NorthantsPete]

Re: Which sealant/ poly wax?

great thanks for the info sounds like i need a bit of liquid ultimate. i cant see myself topping up much as its a daily driver volvo, not a ferrari. i just need something that will last washing.

i may look into some cleaner glaze prior, believe it needs to be oil free in order to stick to the paint

[Top Gear]

Re: Which sealant/ poly wax?

None of Meguar's wax products will last months. That is impossible, except maybe for a 100% garaged and trailered show car in the Southwest that's never driven except to and from the show trailer or across podiums. In that case, a pure brazillian carnauba will also last months, or certainly, a carnauba-blended wax from Meguiar's. Obviously, there are lots of claims on forums and elsewhere. Anything you spread on as thin as a wax product and then immediately wipe almost completely off, leaving only its residue behind, cannot possibly last more than a few weeks at the very best of times - think about it. A few dots of an oil-based creme spread over a whole panel is simply not going to last very long in the real world of rain, road grime, and washing. Often, we're removing our own wax through cleaning. What CAN last a long time is a good "correction" (with spot fixes here and there), including the polish step, as long as the work underneath the wax step isn't subjected to the elements. That's why regular maintenance with a spray wax, a waterless wash, and a wax-enriched wash, is everything for the daily driver, because these vastly extend the "freshly waxed" state of the finish you worked so hard to achieve. This is the one and only way you can go months and months without re-waxing with a traditional wax, because you're re-waxing with an alternative wax every few days or so.