Car waxing for beginners

[Carl_45]

In the past I’ve always polished my cars, typically with Autoglym Super Resin Polish.

After seeing Foxy367’s lovely looking Atlantic Blue GTI on the “what have you bought post”, I’ve been trying to research car wax as I’m thinking of switching to this for my CS 45, if it ever arrives

A few questions:

-I’ve been looking at the Bilt Hamber website, what’s the procedure? Wash with auto-wash, apply Cleanser-Fluid, then wax?
-Is it advisable to wax the painted wheels? With what?
-How long do you have to leave a new car before the first wax?
-How often is waxing required?
-Do you need any other shampoo for washing off the old wax when redoing or is the auto-wash the correct stuff?

Looking forward to your advice.

[Pete-r36]

Been into this stuff for 20+ years, there is no perfect solution but for me:

I prefer sealants to waxes. I use chemical guys Jetseal109 which lasts longer, is easy to use and to my eyes gives a better finish. Apply thinly with a foam pad, leave 30+ mins and lightly buff off. It lasts 4-6 months while most waxes won’t last 2 weeks (most not all I must say).

You can use it on wheels, glass, body, plastic, lights and mirrors so nice and easy and no issues if you get it on other surfaces.

I would clean, potentially correct and seal the paint ASAP when you get the car. Any wait just gives dirt more time to settle.

Washing the car use something ph neutral. I use chemical guys honeydew foam or mr pink in a foam gun and it’s a good blend of gentle cleaning.

I also use Iron X occasionally on callipers, and exhaust tips etc but it’s pretty potent stuff.

Have fun with it!

[willni]

Make your life easy, a few sprays of Gyeon WetCoat every couple of washes and rinse it off, and some Polish Angel RapidWaxx for when you want to be a bit more hands on, this is what I tell my clients.

Below is my Mk7 after a bit of Koch Chemie Qf (Quick Detailer I use).

[JoeGTI]

As above, spray sealants seem to be the go-to these days. Much easier and much quicker to use and longer lasting. Also as said, don’t need to worry so much about getting it on rubber / plastics which is a real pain with traditional waxes.

I would also say preparation is key. What I mean is, make sure the paint is totally clean first. Tar, iron deposits, etc. Remove all that first with tar remover, iron X, etc and you’ve a good base to work from.

I’ve read a lot of good things about GTechniq stuff, so I’ve stocked up a bit in advance of getting my new CS. Their C2v3 spray sealant gets very good reviews. Easy to apply and long lasting.

[Jason27]

Hi Carl

There is a vast amount of detailing products these days but a good wax is the one to to spend your money on its the main protection for your paint unless you pay out for a ceramic coat .... you can go the easy route and use sealant sprays but I’m a bit weird and enjoy waxing my car gives you time to see any problems that may need sorting early doors before they get bigger issues ..... you mentioned you use autoglym super resin polish great product but it’s not a wax just for deep shine and small swirls . The bilt hamber is a great wax and well priced , of all the wax I’ve used personally found the Japanese Soft 99 Fusso Coat to be the best and longest lasting great protection and beading. So polish then wax to protect
It’s worth even on a brand new car to use Iron out Spray to lift any metal imbedded in the top coat something like auto finesse iron out to autoglym magma.
There are lots of YouTube this hours of fun 😁

[SRGTD]

Currently, Collinite 845 Insulator Wax is my go-to wax. I’ve tried others but keep coming back to Collinite 845 and have been using it for probably 8-10 years. It’s the liquid form of Collinite 476S and as it’s a liquid, it’s easy on, easy off and has very good durability too; applied to ‘clean’ / decontaminated car to ensure good bonding to the paintwork, I find it gives a good 6 month’s protection before it needs to be reapplied. It can safely be used on alloys, piano black plastic trim (not black plastic with a grained finish though!) and headlamps / tail lamps too. At around £16 - £19 a bottle which lasts ages, it is very good value too.

After washing using a safe wash technique (snow foam, three bucket method and ph neutral shampoo, lambs wool wash mitt, blow dry with warm air dryer), I apply a thin coat of Collinite with a foam applicator pad, and leave 15 - 20 minutes in warm weather (but not in full sunshine) to cure and then buff off with clean microfibre cloths, turning them frequently. I then apply a second thin coat to ensure full coverage in case any areas were missed with the first application.

Edit; @Carl_45; when you’ve got your car and you’ve spent time and effort making it gleaming and super shiny, never ever let the VW dealer wash it when it goes back for servicing / warranty work, unless you like the ‘scratch n swirl’ look for your car’s paintwork! .

[Woeisme]

Is ceramic coating worth the price to have done?

[Pete-r36]

Is ceramic coating worth the price to have done?

If your paint is in excellent condition definitely in terms out outright looking it’s best, but it’s really not cheap so consider how long you’ll keep the car and how you’ll use it.

Also if the paint is poor then you are simply locking in the imperfections.

I had my car inc calipers and wheels coated in a 3-5 year ceramic in early summer and been really happy so far.

[JoeGTI]

I've had ceramic coatings done twice before. I won't be getting it done again. Maybe its just not for me, but I didn't think it was worth it. It wasn't crazy expensive then but it seems to be crazy money now, like everything else. I just didn't think it lived up to the hype. The car still suffered the same issues as any car with no protection. Bird crap marks, swirls, etc. In the end I bought a DA polisher and rectified a few annoying issues myself.

Dealers also tend to get a bad rep when it comes to new car prep, washing, it, etc, and as a rule I'd generally agree but sometimes its not very fair. My dealer has always been good and my new CS (collecting it tomorrow) was absolutely gleaming when I went to see it under the showroom lights this evening. I posted a photo in the CS-orders thread. The guy who did the prep / PDI did an impeccable job imo.

[king monkey]

In the past, I’d use Bilt Hamber and sonax waxes. Now I just throw a coat of Autoglym Polar Seal after every other wash. It’s amazing stuff.