I washed my car today and made a quick video just now. do you guys keep your paint nice and waxed? the wax i use is apparently extremely (like on the extreme end of durability) so I like it. thanks to my friend B for recommending it. anyway cool video of beading action.
Nice thing about Fern Green...no one looks at it, so I don't have to be fussy about wax. It's so ugly...I don't want to call attention to it...just protect the paint.
I use spray wax after every wash. Doesn't take me longer than 15-20 minutes. I use a paste wax every 3-6 months which takes significantly longer. I clay and polish every 6 months. Claying takes hours.
As others said, your paint needs to be as smooth as glass otherwise all the wax in the world won't help you. start with a clean slate. this means clay and polish first before wax. you might want to pay a professional to do this especially since your car is red (it looks faded in the pic you have as your sig as red paint tends to turn pink if not looked after).you can spend hundreds on equipment alone.
You can't put a layer of wax or sealant on your car(well you definitely shouldn't) unless you clay because you will trap all of those bonded contaminants under that layer of protection and it will just dig into your paint, claying is annoying but to the guy that said it takes hours??? It should take about 45 mins for any e46 and your car will love you for it.
Also, mango it's good to see your paint looks as good as your cooling system :thumbsup:
In order to figure out if you need to clay before waxing, feel the paint. Wash the car then touch it. If it's bumpy, gritty and doesn't feel like smooth glass it needs to be clayed. You can also put your hand in a sandwich baggie and feel the paint it amplifies your sense of touch.
Claying shouldn't take hours...I personally love the surface speedy prep towels, takes 15-20 minutes to clay a car. Just remember to break the towel in on glass before using. It's advertised to last I believe 50+ times.
Nice job. Collonizzle is great stuff. Ever since I started using that a few years ago, I apply it to all 3 of our cars (my 2 and the little lady's WRX). It's so easy to work with, and the longevity is insane. I do 2 coats of 845 three times a year. I layer carnuba over it. Poorboys Nattys paste wax. They make a good glaze too that i've been using for a while.
Man, I can't wait for it to be warm enough to give my E46 a good detail. It's been a rough winter.
Anyways...looking good Mango. You run a tight ship. :thumbup:
I use Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax (much better than advertised, Meguiar's/Mirror Glaze's longest lasting wax) every 2-3 months along with Griot Garage's Paint Sealant.. I prep the paint by claying, followed up with a light polish. I apply everything with Griot Garage's 6" Random Orbital (fantastic). Then I top it all with Chemical Guy's V7 Spray Sealant..
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