Limited Flares Fading and Clay Bar Question

[Clemsonfan15]

This is all you need. I know Walmart is discounting the NXT in a paste to $9 in some stores.
If you don't want to use NXT, then use the Gold Class Wax that comes in the kit (will not last as long as NXT).

Walmart.com: Meguiar's Brilliant Solutions Paint Restoration Kit: Automotive

$9? Really. I wish it was that cheap around me.

I used Gold Class last time. Seemed to be good, but I just wanted to try something else this time.

Walmart did not have NXT 2.0 in a paste so I went over to Advance Auto and found it. Almost $20 with tax. I hope it's a lot better than Gold Class.

I also picked up a Mothers Clay Bar kit. Although I just wanted the bars, I could not find anything less than a kit. $20 for that also. It was a tough decision between Meguiar's and Mothers, but I read more positive things about Mothers online.

I also picked up Meguiar's Ultimate Polish. It says it's a glaze that eliminates fine swirl marks.

I was a little worried about using the Turtle Wax Polishing Compound, but I decided to bite the bullet and tried it on our dark blue Suburban tonight. I wanted to see if it was going to leave behind swirls. To my amazement it didn't. I then went over the paint with the Ultimate Polish and couldn't tell much difference than with the Polishing Compound, except that it was very smooth and glassy feeling.

So I have a new question. Is it ok to do the entire vehicle with the Polishing Compound or should I just use the Ultimate Polish? or neither?






After trying the products out on the Suburban I couldn't resist trying it out on my flares. No luck though. I don't think it's going to do much for the oxidation or whatever is on the top of the flares.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Your steps will be:

Wash.
Clay bar - (read directions if this is your first time)
Meguiars Ultimate Polish - Use it all over. I even take my rack off. It may stain trim.
Meguiars NXT - put on in shade, cool, low humidity. It does stain trim.

Some oxidation can be removed with a rotary and the right compounds, but if it too far gone, then time to go to a paint shop.

No Ultimate Compound correct? If so, put on before the polish.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Your steps will be:

Wash.
Clay bar - (read directions if this is your first time)
Meguiars Ultimate Polish - Use it all over. I even take my rack off. It may stain trim.
Meguiars NXT - put on in shade, cool, low humidity. It does stain trim.

Some oxidation can be removed with a rotary and the right compounds, but if it too far gone, then time to go to a paint shop.

No Ultimate Compound correct? If so, put on before the polish.

Do you like to wash after the clay?

I don't have Meguiars UC, but Turtle Wax Professional Polishing Compound instead. I didn't see the Meguairs UC until I already had the Turtle Wax.

I just don't want to spend the time applying the polishing compound and the Ultimate Polish if they are going to do the same thing.

It might be one of those situations where I just have to try it out and get a feel for it.

Will the NXT adhere fine to the polish?

 

[LittleCaesar]

Me, no wash after claying. Your paint should be as smooth as a baby's backside and ready for the polish.

Yep, put the NXT over the polish. It will do well. Just follow the directions.

And you do have to get a feel for it. Just post some pics when finished.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

I finally got everything done Friday. I took care of the interior Thursday afternoon. Took probably an hour or two hours. Just the usual stuff. Door seals, cleaning the inside of the windows, vacuum, etc...

Then I started the exterior Friday morning. I probably worked on it for at least 6 hours.

Started with a Dawn wash, then moved inside to clay bar, compound, polish, and wax.

The clay bar didn't produce amazing results like I thought it would. I think my paint was probably in pretty good shape to start with so it didn't have much to pick up. It was very effective at picking up Plasti Dip overspray that was on the windows though. I didn't even realize there was overspray on them. The clay didn't remove all of overspray off the paint.

After the clay I moved on to the compound. I mainly used it to remove the rest of the overspray and fix a few scratches. I also used it on the fenders, which seemed to help.

The Ultimate Polish seemed to work really well. I think there are a lot of fillers in it. The UP made the paint really smooth.

Finished the process up with NXT 2.0 wax.

I think the results are pretty good. Very smooth surface all over. There might be a little added depth too, not sure though. (Hard to tell on Silver/Tan vehicle)

Before:

After:

 

[ALBPM]

Look Great!!!!!!!:thumb3:

 

[LittleCaesar]

Looks great +1. The clay bar not only removes surface dirt but also aids in laying down the polish. Meguiars's Ultimate Series is hard to beat for price and performance.

Next time it rains, see how well the NXT holds up against the rain. With two coats on mine since April, it still beads up well.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Look Great!!!!!!!:thumb3:

Appreciate it.

Looks great +1. The clay bar not only removes surface dirt but also aids in laying down the polish. Meguiars's Ultimate Series is hard to beat for price and performance.

Next time it rains, see how well the NXT holds up against the rain. With two coats on mine since April, it still beads up well.

Thanks.

I wanted to put two coats on, but didn't have time. I was wiping the first coat off at 11:00 PM.

I don't know if it was because I was working in a closed garage or high humidity or what, but it seemed to take a lot of wax to cover the 4Runner. It was also pretty liquidy. I don't think I remember that about Gold Glass. Overall though it seemed to be a good wax.

 

[96743runner]

Great job! Haha, I'm always amazed about how well the NXT beads up water when it rains.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Great job! Haha, I'm always amazed about how well the NXT beads up water when it rains.

I'm still waiting for it to rain here. I'm looking forward to seeing what it does. All I've seen are the Youtube videos.

 

[LittleCaesar]

I took a pic of mine last week with the Iphone for my brother (he used to briefly work at Autoutopia) with the two coats of NXT that have been on there since Tax Day.

Enjoy the semester.

 

[BrianSD_42]

I love this thread. I am glad that I am not the only one who waxes 3-4 times a year. I have had my black 97 4Runner since 2002 and I have always tried to hand wax it at least 3 times a year.

I have only had it professionally buffered two times because they usually remove a small % of the clear coat along with any scratches.

I have managed to keep the paint a dark black by waxing and the swirl marks NIL because no-one ever washes it but me. Not a neighbor or kid, not the car wash guys making $8/hr, not a machine drive through, ONLY ME with a sponge that has never been dropped.

I haven't clayed it in awhile. Maybe at the beginning of Winter I will try that.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

I took a pic of mine last week with the Iphone for my brother (he used to briefly work at Autoutopia) with the two coats of NXT that have been on there since Tax Day.

Enjoy the semester.

That's pretty darn good. The Gold Class I had on before definitely didn't last that long.

I love this thread. I am glad that I am not the only one who waxes 3-4 times a year. I have had my black 97 4Runner since 2002 and I have always tried to hand wax it at least 3 times a year.

I have only had it professionally buffered two times because they usually remove a small % of the clear coat along with any scratches.

I have managed to keep the paint a dark black by waxing and the swirl marks NIL because no-one ever washes it but me. Not a neighbor or kid, not the car wash guys making $8/hr, not a machine drive through, ONLY ME with a sponge that has never been dropped.

I haven't clayed it in awhile. Maybe at the beginning of Winter I will try that.

You should try out that clay bar. Can't hurt anything.