Well, tips are welcome, but i really had a question about waxing. Is there a big difference between the $7 waxes and $20 waxes.... and do spray and wipe waxes really work?
There are actually differences between the less and more expensive waxes, mainly in how well they apply and how long they last. For darker colored vehicles, one of the best is Poorboy's Natty's Blue Paste wax. You'll be able to tell a difference, it'll make your car look wet. Its about $20, but it lasts a good few weeks so a container lasts almost a year if you use it every few weeks. Other top brands are Pinnacle and P21S, but they cost even more. Pinnacle is probably the best overall, but you are paying for it. Its mostly used by professionals and people that show cars, but it looks amazing. As far as washing your car, here is the process for a complete detail wash that was recommended by a professional: 1. Wash with a detergent. Use Dawn or something. This strips off everything down to the paint. It gets all the old product and soap residue off. 2. Clay Bar. This takes all the particles off the paint. Read instuctions carefully, you'll probably go through a couple bars if you've never done it before. 3. Polish. A light polish will help take the swirls and blemishes off the paint. 4. Sealant. This will help seal and protact your paint. 5. Wax. See the first couple suggestions. This process will make your car look like its on a showroom floor. Its also expensive as heck and takes all day, especially if you don't have an automatic buffer. Make sure to ONLY use the recommended pads that come with each product OR to use ONLY microfiber or terry cloth towels. Using bath towels or everyday rags will cause swirls in the paint. Also, invest in a nice sheepskin or microfiber wash mit. Make sure to rinse often and so you make sure it doesn't have dirt/particles on it to swirl the paint. The week to week method I use involves a sheepsking mit with a nice Maguire's car shampoo, then a coat or two of Maguire's tech wax every month or so. I save the overall detail for once or twice a year.
Use a polymer wax like Zaino. Waxes made out of carnauba wax are just going to wear/melt out in 100 degree heat.
I could be wrong, but for the work that Supermac34 spelled out, I think it's gonna be a lot more than $50.
I pay my guy in dallas anywhere from 80-100 depending on how much clay bar is needed. check out www.scottwax.com
One trick to use before you dry your car is to sheet the water from the hose. After you have completely rinsed all the soap from your car, and you are ready to dry it, let the water run over the car from the hose without any spray. This will let the water sheet up and off the car. This method will basically dry the car about 80%, especially if you have wax on your car. Then its a matter of just drying up the spots with the towels.
