Check this link. This guy has written many articles over the years published in the ROUNDEL. I had great results following his guidelines.

http://www.carcareonline.com/viewarticle.aspx?art=9

Bob Napier

I find if you squirt a bit of dish soap in the water
after you throw in the old undies that you use as a rag
it cleans quite a bit better.
But then you have to rinse it when you're done...

heh.

t
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I have a car disease. There is no cure.
I'm not even managing the symptoms very well...

TobyB wrote:

...after you throw in the old undies that you use as a rag...

I thought I was the only one doing that...LOL
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1973 2002 (still) Sahara "Inga"
1982 e21 Saphirblau "Max"
1987 e30 Zinnoberrot and still nameless...

"Why would I pay that much money for a 1981 BMW that looks...like a 1981 BMW?" -Charles William Jones, Jr.

Yellow carnauba has a darkening effect on paint. 2 friends of mine have VWs with the same midnight blue metallic paint. Both like to hit the VW car shows. One uses a wax with carnauba in it - his car is definitely a shade or two darker. The other uses P21S. (Yellow carnauba is more plentiful than white, thus cheaper.)

Polishes are different than waxes - they're meant to cut the paint surface (though some contain wax to try to provide a 'one-step' solution).

I recently attended a half-day car care tech session on exteriors, and came away wowed by a new wax - Prima Banana Gloss premium liquid wax. Super easy to apply, wipes on/off - in the sun or shade, with no staining trim, no residue, no cure or dry time. It's a resin/carnauba formulation - with nice leveling, depth and a high-gloss to it. It lasts only 2-3 months (more if the car is garaged), but the finish is awesome. Direct comparo's to several other products were done - only a very pricey, very difficult to apply/use concours wax was better.

Once you care for your paint (clay, orbital polish), then a good wax is all you want or need for protection/shine. BTW, not trying to sound like a commercial for the Prima - just was really impressed ;-)

My $.02
Tom
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I'll drive... ;-)

v i s i o n a u t i k s

02Elton wrote:

I happen to have a bottle of the blue coloured stuff described as "polish". The label says it contains caranuaba wax, beeswax, vitamin E, banana-coconut extracts almond meal and shining extracts. Granted, there is no indication of quantity let alone quality of these ingredients, but the label says "for maximum protection apply a minimum of 3 to 4 times annually." It sounds to me that this product acts as a pseudo wax or a wax replacement. After all, it does contain wax. Maybe it will protect my finish against powerful green lasers! But your post and your experience begets some other questions. Harly Wax and a few others claim to be "pure" caranuba. 100% Pure Number #1 premium yellow Brazilian carnauba. What is the real difference, if any? How does food grade caranuba differ? (Could I just spray my apples on the hood of my car and save a step?) What about those relatively expensive German "plastic" polymer-laden waxes (klasse P21S etc.) and the "Dupont" wax with teflon that comes in a sure grip bottle? http://www.autobarn.net/cwx1030.html?site=google_base TIA

OK i'll try to answer these the best i can. Paint cleaning clay usually contains no abrasives and will remove contaminants from the surface of your paint without removing wax. this is usually the first step whenever you are going to wax or polish your car as you dont want the contaminants to build up in the pad and create swirl marks. The next step if you desire, is to polish. "polish to perfect" polishes contain abrasives that remove small amounts of clear coat or paint to remove scratches and swirl marks. After you polish your paint is completely bare, this is a good time to inspect your paint because this is its true color. next step is waxing, "wax to protect" the differences in the carnaubas is the color effect it has on your paint and the price. Yellow carnauba can give your paint a yellow hue and is cheaper than white. Any natural carnauba wax will only last about 3-4 months so if you do it by the book you need to wax about 3-4 times a year. I dont know exactly what p21s is made of but a lot of the newer technology waxes contain a synthetic polymer( the mothers guy tried to sell me on his new wax at the last good guys show i was at saying it gives the best shine but be weary). Synthetic polymers are great because the last about 6-8 months before needing to be reapplied but you do loose some of the deep shine the a carnauba will give you. i know nothing about the dupont teflon so im not even going to try. I've actually being polishing my car all morning and came inside while the wax was setting up and saw your post. I've used griots products for about 8 years and now i work for them so i use their products. A orbital machine will get you the best results while being completely safe to use with no risk of damaging your paint. if you have any more questions i'll try to answer them tonight.

this is the system i bought 8 years ago http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+care/car+waxing/car+waxes+and+sealants/machine+polish+%26+wax+kit.do?search=basic&keyword=11119&sortby=newArrivals&page=1
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drive it like you stole it

so be sure to clarify your comments that you mean an RO machine and not a true orbital, which requires skill to use properly and can easily damage your paint if misused. Even an RO machine can damage paint if one is not careful with pad cleaning and the like, so use your head and do research on proper RO technique too.

There is endless detailing/paint-care info on the web so do your research and read, read and read some more. It's best to learn and practice on your parent's car as their paint takes the risk (and usually is worse than the paint on your '02) and you look like an angel to them when you're done, unless your dad is GWB.

f1reverb wrote:

so be sure to clarify your comments that you mean an RO machine and not a true orbital, which requires skill to use properly and can easily damage your paint if misused. Even an RO machine can damage paint if one is not careful with pad cleaning and the like, so use your head and do research on proper RO technique too. There is endless detailing/paint-care info on the web so do your research and read, read and read some more. It's best to learn and practice on your parent's car as their paint takes the risk (and usually is worse than the paint on your '02) and you look like an angel to them when you're done, unless your dad is GWB.

hahaha, yes a random orbital not a direct drive machine. pad cleaning is essential but the system we sell makes it impossible to burn through your paint. yes you can scratch your paint if you get something in your pad so wash them thoroughly. Last year in pleasanton i was using the machine on a black mustang(rental car) in the 90 degree heat with the sun beating down on it and would put all my weight on the machine to demonstrate how you can't hurt your paint but for best results you want to polish when your paint is cool and out of direct sunlight.
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drive it like you stole it

Good responses.

My old abode was filled with old car parts (mostly Packard but a few Mercedes) and I found several tins of Classic Car Wax. Ever heard of this stuff? I distinctly remember it and the smell - as a kid.

I opened one up and tried it on my original 1974 paint. Worked pretty good - even on the areas where the primer is now showing! According to the attached ad, circa 1963, the wax had diatoms (same stuff as in tooth paste).http://www.dadsvintageads.com/viewitem.php/dadsvintageads/pd956345/Vintage_Ad_1963_Classic_Car_Wax_For_go_or_for_Show

But let me ask a more serious question. 3M has a tan product to remove swirl marks. My neighbor (retired pilot) uses it exclusively on his garaged 356P and MGTC. Nothing more. Cars always looks great. He claims he is merely feeding the paint and removing the slough. I suspect both paint jobs are nothing more than many coats of lacquer. After reading the other posts here, I would think the neighbor is doing things wrong. Yet he has had these cars for as long as I have known him and all he does is a quick wipe job. Why wouldn't this work on out cars?

Thanx

EarlT wrote:

Good responses. My old abode was filled with old car parts (mostly Packard but a few Mercedes) and I found several tins of Classic Car Wax. Ever heard of this stuff? I distinctly remember it and the smell - as a kid. I opened one up and tried it on my original 1974 paint. Worked pretty good - even on the areas where the primer is now showing! According to the attached ad, circa 1963, the wax had diatoms (same stuff as in tooth paste).http://www.dadsvintageads.com/viewitem.php/dadsvintageads/pd956345/Vintage_Ad_1963_Classic_Car_Wax_For_go_or_for_Show But let me ask a more serious question. 3M has a tan product to remove swirl marks. My neighbor (retired pilot) uses it exclusively on his garaged 356P and MGTC. Nothing more. Cars always looks great. He claims he is merely feeding the paint and removing the slough. I suspect both paint jobs are nothing more than many coats of lacquer. After reading the other posts here, I would think the neighbor is doing things wrong. Yet he has had these cars for as long as I have known him and all he does is a quick wipe job. Why wouldn't this work on out cars? Thanx

not knowing the exact product he's using it sounds more like a glaze that uses fillers such as silicone to fill all the swirl marks but after a couple weeks wears off and the swirl marks are back. wi could be totally wrong, but my understanding is that polishing is the only way to remove swirl marks from the paint.
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drive it like you stole it

Car wax endorsed by three experts who you can TRUST: http://www.veoh.com/videos/v202266A5qFTd3g

For some reason link to "classic car wax" ad doesn't work. But it is easily findable with search engine.

Iirc, the old stuff was just a variation of the famous Dupont #7 polish that was used on the old lacquer and enamel paints of the 40's, 50's and 60's. It worked well if you used it once a week (hence the name "#7" - use it every 7 days)

and it did not attract dust nearly as badly as did kerosene (according to my uncle, who used it almost religiously).

the newer color coat/clear coat paints are very different and the newer polishes and waxes have been formulated for that use.
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'73 2002 "Gretta"
'70/75 2002 "Wilhelm" aka "Slick Willie"
'74 widebody with schnitzer flares "Brigette"
'75 parts car

BMW CCA #19280

The difference between Genius and stupidity is that there is a limit to genius - Albert Einstein

I have some unopened Dupont No. 7 and now I am eager to find something to use it on now that my 55 is gone. Assuming, for the moment, that Glassomax was the original standard for 02's (I do not know this for a fact), what would the wax-of-the-day 1970-1974 have been? I remember Excaliber, Classic, Simonize and a few others. Anyone still using the same stuff after all these years?

FWIW, My father in law's white 1969 Z28 still sports "most of" its original paint. He uses some sort of wood ash and water product - although I have never seen him use it! The car has been garaged for most of its life.

I bring to you the 9 wax showdown. The link is from another BMW forum so its not stealing :)
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=908178&highlight=zymol

I have been using Maguire's NXT with good results. The real hardcore way of course is to use a porter cable and go to town (with a better brand of course)

Hamada
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E36M3 535im 70Bristol02