Carnauba

[sebasteeno]

Having generally used Autoglym stuff for the last twenty years and always been happy with the results im now wondering about Carnauba. Im wanting to give the car a nice protective wax covering over the polish and everything seems to lead to this so called magic stuff Carnauba.

So is it really that good? I know theres loads of different waxes available all claiming to be better than each other and to offer the best shine in the world ever but will Carnauba give me the super shiny wet look they all claim it will?

Opinions please?

[scooter]

alot of waxes out there use that mixed in with something else and i think it is good I use proshine spray and shine from the shopping channel and it is the dogs

[jimka]

collinite 915... 'nough said.

[wegal]

915 is good stuff :-)

[volvokid]

I use zymol, your always supposed to wax after polishing, polish gives no protection it strips everything.

[volvokid]

Oh and wax adds minimal results to the look of your paint, anyone who tells you diffrent and says it transforms the car hasnt a clue. Its the polishing that will make the car shine and remove swirls etc....

[Wobbly Dave]

Wax is a final step product and reflects only that what has gone before.

I use collonite in the autumn - so when it is not possible to wax regularly due to the cold I still retain the protection. The shine is not so good, so I redo it with better wax in the spring.

AG SRP is good for filling fine scratches coupled with the high gloss finish - is a good detailing method.

Wax choices are varied - can depend on car colour, endurance, ease of use, smell and shine.

Without decent prep though - this will not matter a toss. The more preparation you put in - the better and more permanent the result.

I have a guide below - which mirrors that you find on the likes of www.detailingworld.co.uk

http://www.bigredvolvos.co.uk/galler...y_2006_CYC.htm

Spring is the best time to start a full detail. Get rid of the swirls is a necessary but time consuming step. You really can only do this with machine polishing. I have all the gear and would be happy to demostrate (I did it with Wegal a couple of years ago).

[bailes1992]

I work for a company called Glossmax if you don't already know (5% Discount with the Redemtioncode VPCUKMEM ) Anywho, A wax is a wax, it will not change the finish, what it looks like etc, it's simply a protective layer.
What changes the finish is the prep work underneath. I'm doing an ongoing test at the moment between Raceglaze 55 and Meguiars #16. Raceglaze 55 costs 6 times more than Meguiars #16. I prepped the surface well (using Autoglym SRP on a DA polisher) and you think I can tell the difference between the waxes by looks alone? No and I doubt anyone else could either.
Meguiars #16 is just as durable, if not even more durable than Raceglaze 55 and has no difference in looks what so ever. If the surface of the paint is prepped well then theres no need for expensive waxes, the only difference of course is durability.

Now Wax isn't the only 'protective' layer you can have. You can also have a sealent. Now a wax is natural and contains carnuba wax. A Sealent is completly man made and contains polymers.
Now you can layer Waxes on sealents but you can't layer sealents on waxes.
Not only this you can't layer a sealent on a Glaze unless its a Polymer based glaze such as Danase Wet Glaze. This is becausea a Glaze is too oily for a sealent to bond to. Glazes are such things as Meguiars Step 2 and Meguiars #7 speed glaze etc.
Going back to sealents I will say sealents can add a little somthing to the finish, they can enhance the glassy Nuance and made the reflection deeper and cripser. Not only this you can layer and layer and layer a selant providing the selant dosen't contain any paint cleansers (although some do say you can layer them but you have to leave each coat 24rs after buffing for it to fully cure) but you cannot layer waxes, each layer of wax wills imply strip the layer of wax underneath it.
Now I love using a wax and the tight endless beading due to it. Thats why my main wax is Meguiars #16 and somtimes raceglaze 55 which is over a layer or two of sealent.

Now to back up my argument with the waxes I'm going to post up two pics of my bonnet after beign prepped wellwith Meg's 16 on one half and Raceglaze 55 on the other...

Meguiars #16



Raceglaze 55...


Sorry if it's abit much to take in at once, I must get my little guide up on here I stuck on Pug306.net.

If I was you get a good set of products and do it in this order...

Wash
De-Tar (petrol works for this to be honest)
Clay
Polish (Now Autoglyms Super resin polish is an awesome little polish, it will make the paint of the car super smooth and ready to take any layer of anything ontop of it 2-3 coats of this, pea sized amounts worked in well will look pretty good on any colour)
Glaze (Optional, a glaze uses oils to make the finish far wetter)
Sealent (If you havent already used a conventional glaze, if you've used a polymer based glaze like Danase Wet Glaze then no issues with using a glaze here)
and Wax (optional if you;ve used a sealent but it will make it slightly more durable and have nice tight beading....

Hope this helps albeit abit long?

[Wobbly Dave]

I use a lot of chemical guys products. I like the factory sealant - but sometimes I can be a little lazy and use the extreme sealant with the built in carnuba. I also like the Wet Mirror Finish stuff.

As a wax I like the black pearl signature wax.

I would be interested in your opinion on the Porter cable - I have been using it for a few years and find the results on Volvo top coat long winded. Is the DA an orbital or a rotary?

[bailes1992]

I use a lot of chemical guys products. I like the factory sealant - but sometimes I can be a little lazy and use the extreme sealant with the built in carnuba. I also like the Wet Mirror Finish stuff.

As a wax I like the black pearl signature wax.

I would be interested in your opinion on the Porter cable - I have been using it for a few years and find the results on Volvo top coat long winded. Is the DA an orbital or a rotary?

Can you tell me if the factory sealant smells minty?

I have a porter cable which I use quite allot and never put a foot wrong. If you can't get a good finish on the volvo clear coat them it might be the wrong pad/polish combination or even your technique. A DA (Dual Action) is another name for an Orbital polisher. A rotary will break down and cut paint far easier as a DA just mimics hand movement. Although with a Rotary you run the risk of burning the paint.

[volvokid]

I use a lot of chemical guys products. I like the factory sealant - but sometimes I can be a little lazy and use the extreme sealant with the built in carnuba. I also like the Wet Mirror Finish stuff.

As a wax I like the black pearl signature wax.

I would be interested in your opinion on the Porter cable - I have been using it for a few years and find the results on Volvo top coat long winded. Is the DA an orbital or a rotary?

As bailes has said the DA is a lot safer than an rotary, but to get close to the same level of finish takes more time and sometimes isn’t achievable with the DA, I'm to scared to use a rotary for now but will experiment on some scrap panels when I’m ready, my advice before adventuring out with a rotary buy a paint thickness meter.

[bailes1992]

I'l be honest and say rotaries aint really that bad. No more than 1800rpm's, make sure the polisher is constantly moving and keep feeling the heat of the paintwork, if it gets to the stage where you cant keep your hand on it then it's too hot etc.

[volvokid]

I'l be honest and say rotaries aint really that bad. No more than 1800rpm's, make sure the polisher is constantly moving and keep feeling the heat of the paintwork, if it gets to the stage where you cant keep your hand on it then it's too hot etc.

Yeah I know but I’ll still take some training before I try it on a car' I've seen bad results from it not burning but ghosting and so on and guess who are the main culprits body shops!!!! My first V40 got painted and was a proper mess I didn’t know what it was at the time it happened before I started detailing. Even when my current V40 came back from another shop it WAS the same.

[bailes1992]

I was using a Festool 150e for a month or two and on it you can switch between DA and Rotary so I got some rotary practice with it, and they are a totally different beast as you have to put pressure on it to stop it moving around the paintwork on its own accord, with the DA, especially for finishing with paint cleansers etc you can just hold it at the back of the polisher and drag it across the paint sort of thing.

[smithy]

i have a maceeta rotary 9in pro polisher with adjustable speed just got to get used to using it. when the summer comes or atleast some dry weather then i will give the car the detailing it deserves

[leet5r]

i am a bit lost in this 1 lads , i wash the car then dry it , polish it with auto gleem, and then what do i do after this , do i use a wax to give it that wet look and what would i use after that , and whats the best products . cheers

[volvokid]

i am a bit lost in this 1 lads , i wash the car then dry it , polish it with auto gleem, and then what do i do after this , do i use a wax to give it that wet look and what would i use after that , and whats the best products . cheers

See here it saves everyone typing the stages for you, http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acata...ek-advice.html

[Wobbly Dave]

Can you tell me if the factory sealant smells minty?

I have a porter cable which I use quite allot and never put a foot wrong. If you can't get a good finish on the volvo clear coat them it might be the wrong pad/polish combination or even your technique. A DA (Dual Action) is another name for an Orbital polisher. A rotary will break down and cut paint far easier as a DA just mimics hand movement. Although with a Rotary you run the risk of burning the paint.

As I remember the CG Factory Sealant does smell a bit minty.

I remember now about DA meaning dual action. I have been using the same Porter Cable as you!

[Wobbly Dave]

See here it saves everyone typing the stages for you, http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acata...ek-advice.html

That is a very good guide - started me off down my detailing route.

I am happy to continue using the PC for now - I just wondered if anyone had used the UK equivalent and found it better.

I always find that those last micro scratches are the most troublesome to get rid of.

In the spring it would be good to get together to compare products and techniques!??

[leet5r]

rite i think i have it sorted,
wash the car
dry the car
use some sort of tar remover
polish the car (auto gleam)
wax the car or use a sealent, which is best to use give the wet look as my t5r is olive green