Best wax or polish, for ultimate shine?

[Bad70supreme]

Originally Posted by SVThis

The shine is in the polish, not the wax or sealant. I like Menzerna polish with C Quartz LSP.

Ya looks very good!

[axis]

Originally Posted by Bad70supreme

This is how good it looked under lights about 2 months ago. Still looks great but it just don't seem to be as intense anymore. I hate to loose that and need him to work on the car again.

The point to all the posts is, it's in the prep. It's not the wax your friend used, it was the fact that he cleaned and polished the clearcoat, giving it that bright, shiny, swirl free finish. He waxed it to protect it from the elements. Any wax you add to it will make it shiny and protect it to a point. Some give a different appearance and some protect better, which is where the price comes in. No matter how often you wax, you can't keep the swirls from coming back. Many here polish their car a couple times a year, some even more often. Personally, I like to clay, polish, sealant, and wax before winter and before summer. I will seal and wax as needed between those times. A good wax should last you a couple months so figure waxing about 3-4 times a year. That's just me though. Some are more anal and some less.

[Bad70supreme]

I am crazy about my car being perfect. People think I am sick, I wash it at lest twice a week and use some kind of detail spray before it ever comes out in the road. I will probably clay, hand polish, and wax it now. It looked so freaking good after he buffed it, I want it to stay that way all summer.

[Mr Monte]

My detail routine has been wax/seal every 6 months, buff/polish every 18 months. Here's my 1999 Suburban that I bought new that has always been parked outside in Texas, Arizona, Colorado & Oregon with 260K+ miles and the original paint still shines like new.

Key is to do the time & keep speeds down when using a buffer/polisher. So many products to choose from. The best way to pick is to find a car that has the shine you want then ask the owner what they use.











Here's my 2007 Escalade that I bought used. Paint looked pretty sad before I detailed it.

[axis]

Originally Posted by Bad70supreme

I am crazy about my car being perfect. People think I am sick, I wash it at lest twice a week and use some kind of detail spray before it ever comes out in the road. I will probably clay, hand polish, and wax it now. It looked so freaking good after he buffed it, I want it to stay that way all summer.

How do you wash?

Poor washing technique is the NUMERO UNO reason clear coats get swirls. No matter how careful you are, you can't prevent it. All you can do is, take steps to lessen the amount of damage you cause. That's why people invest in the two bucket method, foam guns, and GOOD microfiber towels.

You clay and wax by hand but you'll be out there FOREVER trying to polish by hand, and you still won't get far. You need a machine to get anywhere with it.

[jshaf]

Originally Posted by Dylan@SCG

Ask this question 100 times and you'll get 100 different answers, the reason being is that 'best' carries a different meaning for each person. This is almost like asking an online community where you can get the best pizza... everyone is going to have their favorites based on preference. Price, ease of use, durability, results, etc all play different roles for each person.

Best advice I can give you is to read, read, and read some more - read here, read on other forums, read on dedicated detailing forums. You'll quickly realize (especially once you venture away from this board a little) that there are many quality options out there.

Pick one or two things to try. The good news is that if you stick to reputable, well reviewed brands, you're never going to get something totally useless. So even if its not what you end up thinking is the be all end all of products, its still going to be good enough to get you thru (or you can sell it on a forum and move onto the next product)

Part of the fun of the detailing hobby is trying new products, experimenting with new techniques, and exploring the options. I, along with many others here, have been doing this as a hobby and/or professionally for some time now and I'm constantly testing and evaluating not only my own products, but others. Its an ever evolving, ever changing marketplace.

To your actual question - thru research you'll gain a better understanding of what really contributes to clarity, shine, gloss - and its not so much your choice of wax as it is the steps leading up to it. The best finish will be acheived thru proper preparation including decontamination and correction - wax or sealant only serves to protect and enhance whats already there. If you don't invest in proper prep you might as well stick to basic over the counter cheap waxes as you'll never see the full potential of a higher end product.

Spot on Dylan

[Sheriff Justice]

Originally Posted by Bad70supreme

What is your guys opinions on what wax has the wettest, most reflective shine to it?

I use WolfGang products (Flex XC3401 D/A polisher - WolfGang ultimate polishing kit).

WolfGang Deep Gloss paint sealant (fantastic by itself). After it cures for 8 hours with no water contact, I top the sealant same day / that evening with WolfGang Fuzion paste. The wet gloss look is amazing and the sun / lights just bounce of every curve of the car! FYI: Both products go on sale often with % off and free shipping.