How many people on here regularly wax their vehicles. I'd like to keep the paint in good condition (after hearing of bad reports with Dodges paint selection) and am wondering if waxing would help protect my paint. I waxed a Ford Range I used to have and while it looked great for a week, after that it started getting a milky coat on it and I never could get the wax back off. I belive I used Turtle Wax back then.

Am looking to see how everyone is caring for the outside of their vehicles.

 

Turtle wax is horrid stuff. I use meguire's cleaner/wax 2 times a year.

 

There's lots of thin paint complaints on this forum of people like me who waxed thru to the primer. Once a year is all I do it now. I've had one side and the tailgate repainted and the paint shop manager said new vehicles all have really thin paint these days. Probably use the same paint processes maybe even the same vendor/manufacturer I'm guessing. Do a search on "thin paint".
Are you asking the brand of wax we prefer? No cleaner waxes for sure.
Nat

 

Don't want to hi-jack the thread, kinda along the same subject though, what do you guys use to get excess wax off things like the door handles and mirriors ( the black parts ). It looked fine for the first few days then I see the wax showing more. Not alot just too much to leave it...LCH

 

I use Mcguire's #3 (non-cleaner, non-abrasive) wax applied with a foam type pad on a random orbit machine, and buff off with cheese cloth...

 

i am on my fourth (new body style) rams now and have never waxed one. i use the drive thru touchless car washes and get the full pkg. underbody flush clear coat protectant da da da da and they have all looked as good as new when i got rid of the first two and the two i still have look great. no pait problems two reds and two whites
i use vasoline on the black plastic parts and think it works better and lasts longer than any of the armoral type products. try the vasoline on your mirror backs once and see how easy the bugs that get splattered on them come off

 

Count me in as another fan of Meguire's. Mothers Back to Black is good for black plastic to bring back the shine. A couple coats of the Mothers will make it last.

 

I've been using turtle wax since I was 10 years old and it's been great. I've tried mothers and meguiars and I keep coming back to turtle wax. Mine gets done 2-3 times a year. I'd like to do it more often but it takes so bloody long cause I go into such detail.

 

I use Nu-finish. It's a polymer based car polish. Protects better than anywax I've ever used and last the longest. They recommend twice a year. I haven't done that though. My truck has a lot of square footage and takes a long time to do. Best thing you can do is keep it out of the sun. Mine is not a daily driver so that is easy for me.

 

I also use nu-finish and I love it. I used to use meguires but switched to nu-finish because it lasts longer and costs less. Final result in look is the same between the 2.

 

How in the world do you "wax" through the clearcoat and paint to the primer??? I not only wax my black Ram I also polish it with Menzerna Intensive polish and Final Polish II and then top it with Meg's NXT wax. I use a Porter Cable 7424 and good quality foam pads. I use NXT quick detailer spray and a microfiber cloth to wipe it down a few times a week between washes. I've done the polish/wax sequence several times and haven't come close to going through the clear, nor will I ever. Commercial car washes are your worst choice for washing. The darker the color the more swirls you will be able to see. And the commercial car washes are very efficient at installing swirls. Go to this site and let the pro's and those truely **** about keeping their cars better than showroom new answer all your questions, you'll be amazed. http://autopia.org/forum/index.php?

 

Autopia How to choose and apply waxes

 

Believe me it was easy. My color is Garnet Red and the primer is white not gray. When the truck was barely three months old I brushed new snow off of it with a broom and saw I was scratching the clearcoat so I stopped sweeping and switched to a waterhose. I pulled the truck into the basement and went to work polishing out the scratches. The flourescent lites in the basement and the combination of the wax/polishes I was using, the primer became visible in no time. Probably more than you wanted to know.
Nat

 

You are correct with everything you have done, only i use Klasse aio, and Klasse sg, every one interested in keeping your truck's finish like new should go to autotopia.com. the porter cable orbital 7336 can be had at lowe's for 89.99 best investment you will ever make and no you will not burn the paint.

 

I use the Nu-Finish as well, but on my NEW vehicles, I use Zaino's - this is from their website (which includes links to the testing sites):

"Zaino Show Car Polishâ„¢ is the easiest polish you will ever use. There is nothing on the market that compares to Show Car Polish products. Guaranteed! Our Show Car Polish products have been written up in publications such as Popular Mechanics, Hot Rod, Street Rodder, Truckin, Vette, Popular Hot Rodding, Super Chevy, Corvette Fever and Custom Rodder, and many more. We were rated #1 in Corvette World magazine, #1 in Corvette Fever Magazine's product test of leading car polishes and waxes for highest gloss, easy to use and longest protection. Most recently, we were also named #1 by The Wax Test and Guru Reports who tested 46 waxes, so you don't have to!"


For your newer trucks, you might consider trying the stuff....

NOTE: The Nu-Finish is WAY faster / easier to apply, given the sheer size of these rigs....