Seeing as though my bottle of Turtle Wax Platinum Series Wax is almost empty, I thought I'd ask. The results I have been getting with it have been excellent and if I had to name a downside, the only one would be that it's rather dusty when buffing.

I have also been reading up on the difference between Polish and Wax and in layman's terms it seems to be that wax stays on (coats) the surface and polish is absorbed into the surface and seals the paintwork somewhat. Then there are polymers which are also absorbed into the surface to some degree. The wax that I have been using has polymers in so I guess I am getting the best of both worlds.

My question for you guys (and gals) is what polish / wax do you use and what have your results been like? :)

My question for you guys (and gals) is what polish / wax do you use and what have your results been like? :)

I found out about Zaino products from some car detailing forums, and there are many enthusiasts that believe that they are the best around. So I have their "All in One" (ZAIO) which is a cleaner/polish. I also have their "Clear Seal" product.

Another line that gets pretty good comments is Duragloss. Duragloss is less expensive than Zaino and yields similar results. With both products, you use very little at a time and therefore the bottles last a while. I have used DG111, Aqua Wash, and DG101.

Synthetics will last longer than an organic such as carnuba. Also, the "experts" say they can see a difference in the finish produced by a synthetic vs. organic but it boils down to what YOU like.

Overall, I like the synthetics because they last longer and I prefer the "wet" look that they produce. They typically also generate less dust.

All of the above is just my 2 cents. Hope it helps, Gavin.

The results I have been getting with it have been excellent and if I had to name a downside, the only one would be that it's rather dusty when buffing.

:)

I have been using Mer for several years now as its easy to apply, comes off relatively easily and it does give a good finish either in direct sunlight or not. However It does suffer the same problem of dust when buffing up. I'm still open to conversion though!

Cheers

I feel a poll coming on!

Gavin,

Only trouble with that is that products have trade names that don't necessarily translate into the same products on both sides of the pond.

Cheers

I use MER (I have once anyway just the other day) and the car came out amazing... I mainly did it to seal the paint on the back after debadging, but then did the rest of the car... It is dusty, especially if you put too much on (which I learnt the hard way!)

Just wipe the dust off with another clean cloth afterwards!

I have heard a lot of good reports over the years about Zaino, so had a look on there site. Not bad prices if you can get from the US, the UK distributor wanted DOUBLE.

I won’t pay that sort of make up on principle alone.

Don

Which would have silicone? Remember to not use silicone on the roof seals.

John

I have just polished my 4 month old EOS for the first time and I used Mer polish, I was delighted with the result and the free finishing off duster you get with it, if you buy it from Boyes is excellent, no dust and the shine is brilliant. I bought some tyre polish by amorol which brought the chicago tyre walls up nicely without that OTT look ! The chicago wheels, which finish the car off perfectly just get washed and driedeach time. I have also removed the wheels recently to paint that collar between the disc and wheel as it seems to attract surface rust. Not anymore ,one coat of hamerite silver smooth does the job nicely and while the wheels were off I also cleaned all the hard to reach bits up ! She looks fantastic and I could swear she winks at me every time I walk towards her now :)

I have heard a lot of good reports over the years about Zaino, so had a look on there site. Not bad prices if you can get from the US, the UK distributor wanted DOUBLE.

I won’t pay that sort of make up on principle alone.

Don

I use Zaino and have bought in the UK.

As I run a company that imports from the USA amongst other countries, I am not suprised at the double the price.

A lot of US companies will sell to overseas companies/distributors at higher prices than US companies. I have often seen a 25% mark up.

It is often the case that you will see $ price converted directly to £.

An example

You can buy 4 off $10.00 bottles of waxs in the US. For these bottles sent UPS etc it will cost you $30 maybe more. Plus 5% duty. Therefore the cost to your door is approx £9.25 or $17.5. Not far off double. ex VAT. So including VAT over $20 or double.

The importer - assuming they are bringing in volumes, which lookin at Zaino I dont think they do. Their figures might look something like this

Cost $8.50 a bottle
Freight and Duty 30%
Exchange Rate 1.9 bit higher at the moment, but you need a buffer!!

Their landed cost is £5.82

Profit = 40% (which if this is all they import is going to be tough to live on)

Sale Price £9.69 +VAT (£11.38 or $21.63)

If the guy importing Zaino makes £4.00 a bottle and needs £40k a year to live, then that sheds loads of the stuff to sell - ok 10,000 bottles:eek:

Hope after 5 pints my maths are good:D

Jonathan

meguiars for me, converted from Autoglym

Hi guys

I treated my Eos to a machine polish late June by a very impressive guy who I got hold of through the Detailing World forum (which is a great site for all your cleaning/polish/wax queries incidentally) - he used Chemical Guys/Menzerna polishes to lift out the fine scratches/swirls in the paint and added 3 coats of Collinite 476 wax. It looks fabulous and still beads nicely after rain.

The Chicagos were treated to some Poorboys Wheel Sealant and then a coat of the Collinite wax - brake dust now washes off with normal car shampoo and wash mitt - note no sponges ever go near the paint or wheels!!

I can recommend all these products - I also use Meguiars Quick detail spray and a microfibre cloth to wipe off any small marks.

Get yorselves on to DW forums for some very sound tips from guys who have lots of knowledge/experience to pass on and are happy to help with questions even from novices like me.

Cheers

Peter

Eos T-FSI, metallic black, beige leather, Dynaudio with 6 CD changer, Chicagos, MF wheel, lux pack, i-pod

Just wanted to chime in with my 2 cents. Actually you should not be choosing between polish or wax, as the two are designed to be used in conjunction with one and other. Its also important that you purchase a good quality, I would recommend a product from http://www.meguiars.com/ , they have been among the most highly recommended paint specialists and have extremely good products.


Polish:
The role of polish is to nourish the oils in the paint; and thus it is designed to penetrate through into the paint. This is where you will get your rich luster, and this adds a large degree of the silky smoothness that you will experience after you polish. I cannot emphasize this enough, this step is crucial in maintaining the appearance of your cars finish throughout the course of the cars lifetime. Most people don't realize that their paint needs to me maintained, and thus you see many old cars with dried out flaked or peeling paint.

Wax
Although the popular perception is that you wax a car to keep its paint healthy, and smooth, the role of wax is to protect the nourishing oils that came with your car and/or you have applied while using polish. While its true that the wax will make your car very smooth, without applying a good quality polish first you are only delaying the inevitable degradation of your paint.

I would highly recommend using these items in conjunction with one and other. Realizably in normal conditions you should only polish your car twice a year, and you should wax your car every few months. Also if when you apply a polish to your car, it is useful to first remove any built up layers of wax that might be on the car prior to application, this will allow for the polish to work most effectively. One of the most effective ways of doing this is to apply a small about of laundry detergent to the car, thus stripping any residual wax. Then apply the polish to the car, and finally the wax layer to protect it.

I highly recommend when washing your car not selecting a car wash that uses the liquid wax. These chemicals that may be great for your paint finish, can wreak havoc with any plastic or acrylic parts of your car, including causing fogging of the headlight lenses ect.

Lastly if you have a finish that seems to have dulled significantly, I would recommend using a fine level cutting cleaner from the same companies that manufacture wax/polish ect. This first step will remove a small amount of surface material, to expose the healthy underside and regain it original lustre and intensity.

~Tres

Everyone is staring at my work of art. I used Mothers Clay Bar and Polish and Wax set...wow is all I can say. The clay bar removes all flaws such as water spots and such and the wax is the finishing touch. Took about two hours in all but the result is beyond showroom condition. Some people even came to touch my beauty...with my consent of course.

The clay bar is easy to use and does an amazing job...try it and you will love the results. :D