Best Wax for Alpine White?

[Mickb]

Folks

Just wondered if anyone has done any experimenting with different waxes, to see what gives the best result with Alpine White.

This is my first non-metallic car in 10 years, and practically everything in my detailing cupboard is geared towards giving a deep wet gloss look to dark metallic cars. I am sure that some of them will look good on AW as well, but has anyone tried any polishes/sealants/waxes that are tailored specifically for light colours and non-metallic finishes?

Mick

[Patricius]

I just picked up a tub of Wolfgang Fuzion from autogeek.net. It's $175 for a tub, but it comes with a free refill - putting it at about the same price as Souveran. It's a carnauba polymer blend, and so far I really like it. Applies easily and leaves a great shine on white. You might also check out Liquid Souveran w/ polycharger. The Liquid Souveran supposedly does better than the paste Souveran on light cars.

[Leg]

I use Victoria Wax...

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/images/uploads/victoria_collectors_new.jpg

[Mr.AK]

I also have an Alphine White M3. My sales associate told me to stay away from dyed or darker colored waxes and soap b/c they can taint the quality of the white. I have also heard that this is a bullsh*t myth from the famous Sal Zaino himself. Any thoughts?

[.RanT.]

Here is what I used:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152922

[96OCTNE]

I was thinking about purchasing some Zymöl Hand-Crafted™ Waxes - Creame anyone have experience with this product? I keep hearing Zymol is a good product.

http://www.bimmerzone.com/car_care_products_zymol.htm

Thanks in advance :thumbsup:

[GregW / Oregon]

Alpine is not super critical for wax like darker colors. However, using a good wax is still advised.

I've used Malm's Extreme Carnaubu for years with good results. It seems expensive at $125 but will do at least 10 wax jobs. Very easy to use. More carnauba than the big names.

http://malms.com/extreme_paste_wax.html

http://malms.com/images/paste2.jpg

[darkalley]

please, please, please just use p21s. it is the best wax.

http://www.autogeek.net/p2concarwax.html

[Mr.AK]

Anybody have a preference on a particular POLISH before the waxing for an alpine white M3. Also, does the polish have any detrimental effect on the clear coat? I am new to this clay bar, polish, wax procedure. My objective is to avoid ANYTHING that damages the car.

[L~R~G nor cal]

Anybody have a preference on a particular POLISH before the waxing for an alpine white M3. Also, does the polish have any detrimental effect on the clear coat? I am new to this clay bar, polish, wax procedure. My objective is to avoid ANYTHING that damages the car.


We since you are soo new to the detailing game, I would recommend a "cleaner wax" or a "glaze" You want to get something that is non-abrasive or something that has very, very light abrasives. All a glaze/cleaner wax will do is give your paint that extra "pop" and prep the surface for a sealant and or wax. It will also clean off oils, contamination, and fill in some minor swirls with "fillers". This is not a permanent fix though, because "fillers" are just oils that fill in the scratches and will later be washed or melt away. Polishes are really for pros that are using machines to take out scratches, swirls, and to polish therefore polishes are abrasive. Keep in mind this is a very short explanation and it is truly more integrate then I made it sound like. I am just giving you the information you need at this point.

Some of my favorite cleaner waxes and glazes are listed below and you really cant go wrong with any of them:

Swissvax Cleaner Fluid (can be found as detailersdomain.com)
^it can be a bit hard to work with, but it is a great product. also a bit pricey. I would recommend Swissvax CF if you plan on buying more Swissvax products in the future. Swissvax makes some of the best products in the world. This has minor fillers that will fill in some swirls.

Zymol HD Cleanse (can be found at autoanything.com)
^same as above. Zymol and Swissvax are the high-end detailing products companies. This has quite a bit of fillers.

Chemical Guys Wet Mirror Glaze (can be found at chemicalguys.com)
Chemical Guys Revive Glaze (can be found at chemicalguys.com)
Chemical Guys Vutra Bond 408 (you have to call in and order this one)
^i highly recommend all CG products. They make high quality products at a reasonable price. CG VB408 is my favorite product out of all the CG stuff listed above for "pre-wax" treatment aka cleaner waxes/glazes. VB 408 is the only product that does not have fillers, so if you are looking to hide some swirls/scratches then you do not want to go with VB 408.

I would also recommend using a sealant. You see a sealant is synthetic based not natural based like most all waxes therefore it lasts much longer. Your average wax will last 2-6weeks depending on many factors, but a sealant will give you protection for 2-6 months. Not only will it protect longer, but it will also protect better.

My favorite sealant is Chemical Guys Jetseal 109. It does not last the longest as far a sealants are concerned, but IMO it looks the best by far. You can also find Jetseal at the chemicalguys website.

If you have any other questions feel free to shoot me a PM, or just reply on this thread. I am sorry but I am heading to class and do not have the time for a proper truly informative response. So shoot away if you need more explanation or have questions.

Thanks,
Jared

So the correct steps with all the products listed would be:

Wash
Clay
Glaze/Cleaner Wax
Seal
Wax

[darkalley]

p21s

[Mr.AK]

Thank you, that was nicely written. If polishes are for pros and abrasive in ANY WAY then I don't wanna mess with it. Unnecessary at this point since the car is virtually scratchless. One question: if you could use ONE produce before a first waxing/sealing, what would it be? I'll be honest, at this point I am considering just simply washing the car and then waxing it, just like the average guy. Any thoughts?

[L~R~G nor cal]

Thank you, that was nicely written. If polishes are for pros and abrasive in ANY WAY then I don't wanna mess with it. Unnecessary at this point since the car is virtually scratchless. One question: if you could use ONE produce before a first waxing/sealing, what would it be? I'll be honest, at this point I am considering just simply washing the car and then waxing it, just like the average guy. Any thoughts?

I would use a paint cleaner/glaze/bond agent. The best for the buck in my option is ChemicalGuys VurtraBond408. You have to call in, for it is not on the website. Call and ask for Paul and make sure you told him I (Jared) sent you and he will take care of you.

Thanks,
Jared

[ChaneRZ]

can't go wrong with pinnacle xmt 360! correct/clean/protect

[darkalley]

p21s. doesn't stain the black trim and looks as good as anything out thereand the cost is reasonable. http://www.carcareonline.com/detail.asp?product_id=10425

this guy has stuff in large containers....

[Griz]

please, please, please just use p21s. it is the best wax.

Or just go to your local motorcylce shop and pick up some S100 (exact same stuff, but half the price).

I've tried plenty of waxes... S100 has gotten me 99% of the look of all more expensive carnauba waxes I've tried (including Souveran), and lasts much longer.

But when it comes to a white vehicle, you're probably better off with just using a synthetic. :confused2

[drvai]

ZAINO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Will keep your car shinny and protected for a long time.

There are other good waxes, but a sealer is a better option for AW.

[knifegun]

ZAINO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Will keep your car shinny and protected for a long time.

There are other good waxes, but a sealer is a better option for AW.

Would it make sense to use Jet Seal over Zaino all in one?

[drvai]

Would it make sense to use Jet Seal over Zaino all in one?
Not really.

One or even 2 layers of zaino is all you need. In a dark-color paint you can top with a good caranuba wax.

[knifegun]

Not really.

One or even 2 layers of zaino is all you need. In a dark-color paint you can top with a good caranuba wax.

Got it. Because they are both sealants. I was told that Zaino does last longer than Jet Seat but Jet Seal provides better shine. I have a SSII sedan Premier Auto in Fremont put on a file on my bumper, full hood, bumpers and rockers. I think they may have used Jet Seal on my car because it was shiny as anything and it had not been as shiny before with Zaino (not saying Zaino is not great because I have been using it for years).

[Mx3]

Not so sure about white specifically but this is what I do:

I use a 3-4 step process depending on the amount of time I have.

Wash - once a week
Showcar Glaze ( Mirror Glaze ) - once every two months
Jet Seal (Chemical guys) -once every 1.5 months
HI-Tec Yellow Wax M26 (Mirror Glaze)Great shine, doesnt dry white, easy on/off - once every two weeks

Tips on washing:
To minimize fine scratches I was in one direction with a wash mitt. Use one mitt for the top half of the car and another one for the bottom half. When I dry the car I lay the towel on top of the car and let it absorb the water, no rubbing involved. I'll usually rub my hands over the towel while the towel stays stationary. All these things really help to minimize the fine scratches in the clear coat.

I have been using this technique for years. My last M3 everyone would comment that it looked brand new even after fours years. I'll continue the same process with my new M3.

M

[choopy]

JETSEAL109

[spectrumphoto]

A good prep is the key to a good wax job...

Wash, Clay, Wash, then Jetseal x2, then wax... you will be golden.

For get all that $100+ stuff... Try CG 5050 handmade wax (if you can get it) about $50-60. If not available then try the Pete's 53 wax $35-40 best bang for the buck by far. But good prep will take your wax job a long way!