Black paint. Which brand wax and pad/cloth to apply/remove it?

[DOUBLE07GT]

2011 gt500 - black. Low mile car with perfect paint. It has yet to be washed or waxed.

Which brand wax should i use? Paste/liquid?

What brand/type pad/cloth material should i use to apply the wax and remove the wax?

I will be doing this by hand, not a buffer.

What steps do you guys do when waxing your cars from start to finish?

Thanks!

 

[FiveOhJoe]

I use yellow foam applictors you can get anywhere. I usually buy in bulk on Amazon.

Pinnacle Souveran should suit you well for a carnuba.

 

[mcate]

For just "waxing" a black car I like Blackfire Midnight Sun, or Poorboy's World Natty's Blue paste wax. I apply with a foam pad, & remove with microfiber towels. As far as steps, that's a very loaded question. There's "waxing", & then there's "detailing". It all depends on how perfect you want to keep your paint, & how in-depth you want to go into detailing. My basic routine is:
1. Wash & dry
2. Clay
3. Correction (swirl removal)
4. Polish
5. Sealant
6. Wax

 

[Norton]

2011 gt500 - black. Low mile car with perfect paint. It has yet to be washed or waxed.

Which brand wax should i use? Paste/liquid?

What brand/type pad/cloth material should i use to apply the wax and remove the wax?

I will be doing this by hand, not a buffer.

What steps do you guys do when waxing your cars from start to finish?

Thanks!

Choice of wax really has very little to do with the color of your vehicle but, having said that, most of my detailing products are from Adam's. I'm a fan of paste waxes, which I believe generally offer a little more durability/longevity than liquids. The two on which I rely are Pinnacle Souverän and Americana. (IMO, Amrericana is a little more durable attracts less dust, while Souverän offers a little deeper/wetter shine and attracts lots of dust.)

I use Adam's pads and applicators to apply the wax, and microfiber to remove it and buff the finish. Applying wax by hand generally produces results comparable to machine application, but takes a bit longer and requires more "elbow grease". Machines are, however, required to effectively correct paint, which you said you don't need to do.

I summarized the steps I follow to completely detail my car in this post.

 

[DOUBLE07GT]

That is GREAT info! Thank you all very much!

Another question though. If I were to purchase a buffer, which brand(s)/model(s) do you recommend to get the job done right that won't break the bank? Thanks.

 

[blkGT500nCA]

Port-a-cable is always nice, but I know Adam's has a new, 2-pad polisher that they're pushing too. There's a guy selling a port-a-cable on here somewhere, I saw it this morning.

Edit: Here it is http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?1025783-Porter-Cable-For-Sale

The member is a good guy too.

 

[BLOWN PONY]

Is "Blackfire Wet Diamond All finish Paint Protection" considered a polish or a sealant?

I just ordered a few things and according to your list I am short on something. I have...

1.) NanoSkin 6" pad
2.) M105
3.) Blackfire Wet Diamond All finish Paint Protection
4.) NanoSkin SHOCK

I guess I over looked the actual wax as well...? I was under the impression that the BlackFire I bought was the last thing I would apply and it would be complete?

 

[UncleDan]

No offense, but I'm getting a little sick people who take it upon themselves to market a "particular" brand of product... They read more like a big advertisement rather than the advice the OP is looking for. I won't name the brand, but come on now.

OP, the best advice I can give you is to do some homework before you even attempt to do paint correction for the first time. The second best piece of advice I can give you is to steer away from "boutique" brands. They produce average results for above average prices.

Go to Junkman2000's YouTube channel and watch his machine polishing for novices videos... You will learn a lot, and you will be doing a 100% true paint correction in no time.

 

[hoamskilet]

2011 gt500 - black. Low mile car with perfect paint. It has yet to be washed or waxed.

Which brand wax should i use? Paste/liquid?

What brand/type pad/cloth material should i use to apply the wax and remove the wax?

I will be doing this by hand, not a buffer.

What steps do you guys do when waxing your cars from start to finish?

Thanks!

In 3 years it's never been washed?

 

[Norton]

That is GREAT info! Thank you all very much!

Another question though. If I were to purchase a buffer, which brand(s)/model(s) do you recommend to get the job done right that won't break the bank? Thanks.

You're welcome! I use a Porter Cable 7424XP, with which I'm very pleased. It's one of the more cost-effective models available (and it's not marketed by a "boutique" car care company which should make certain others happy.)

No offense, but I'm getting a little sick people who take it upon themselves to market a "particular" brand of product... They read more like a big advertisement rather than the advice the OP is looking for. I won't name the brand, but come on now.

OP, the best advice I can give you is to do some homework before you even attempt to do paint correction for the first time. The second best piece of advice I can give you is to steer away from "boutique" brands. They produce average results for above average prices.

Go to Junkman2000's YouTube channel and watch his machine polishing for novices videos... You will learn a lot, and you will be doing a 100% true paint correction in no time.

While I second your push for the Junkman, whose videos are both informative and funny, your post did little to answer the OP's questions (e.g., Which BRAND wax should i use? What BRAND/TYPE pad/cloth material should i use...?")

If you have favorites, recommend them. If you're just butt-hurt by brand recommendations that were REQUESTED BY THE OP, go back to detailing your Pontiac with whatever "above average" products you buy for "below average" prices.

 

[hoamskilet]

I'm a bit on board with Norton. I've never used an Adam's product before, so we don't have a connection there, but one of the more common questions in this section is "what product to use?". I feel like there's a handful of guys that are most active in this section of the forum, so it probably seems like it's the same products being pimped over and over again.

Having said that, it does kinda drive me crazy seeing the same question over and over again. It's innevitable there's going to be a plethora of answers to that question. My best suggestion is to do some research before hand on existing threads to see what's commonly used. There's some good advice here and the "click and brag" threads on www.autopia.org and www.autogeek.net are good places to see what kind of results guys are getting with various products.


I'll second the Porter Cable suggestion as well. I'm mainly using a Rupes now, but my PC has served me well for many many years and I still use it today with a fabric brush. Great bang for the buck tool

 

[Norton]

I'm a bit on board with Norton. I've never used an Adam's product before, so we don't have a connection there, but one of the more common questions in this section is "what product to use?". I feel like there's a handful of guys that are most active in this section of the forum, so it probably seems like it's the same products being pimped over and over again.

Having said that, it does kinda drive me crazy seeing the same question over and over again. It's innevitable there's going to be a plethora of answers to that question. My best suggestion is to do some research before hand on existing threads to see what's commonly used. There's some good advice here and the "click and brag" threads on www.autopia.org and www.autogeek.net are good places to see what kind of results guys are getting with various products.

+1 to ALL of this ^^, including recommendations for Autopia and AutoGeek, both of which are also great sources of information/products. Thanks, hoamskilet!

 

[UncleDan]

If you have favorites, recommend them. If you're just butt-hurt by brand recommendations that were REQUESTED BY THE OP, go back to detailing your Pontiac with whatever "above average" products you buy for "below average" prices.

It appears you're the butt-hurt one because someone spoke against your beloved Adam's Polishes products which you love to freely market for on here... Do not take shots at me for pointing this out. My comment wasn't even aimed directly at you but more at the "fanboy-ism" that flows with this company. Not saying you aren't trying to give genuine advice, but from an outsider looking in, it appears much of your posts are aimed at making Adam's sales and bringing in more customers.

I have tried plenty of their stuff. The products from them I liked were not enough for me to jump up and down with joy and buy them again. This isn't directed at you personally. It's the fanboys who high five eachother and target inexperienced detailers with all the hype.

 

[coolcobramatt]

It's PORTER Cable not Port-a-Cable lol.

OP...get a quality non -otc (over the counter) wax with ZERO cleaners. Forget hand rubbing, invest in a 7424 if you are a hobbyist, go bigger with a Flex or Rupes if you use it frequently. On a black car, a buffer is a must have as is a good swirl remover such as Pinnacle Ultimate, Wolfgang Uber Compound, etc. I like CarPro Reflect as a micro finiishing glaze but others are good too. An orange pad for deeper swirls, a white/grey for finishing, and a red or blue for waxing.

I am not an Adam's fan as I feel they are like Griot's in that they rebrand other manufacturer's products. Chemical Guy's is another one that rebrands. Nothing wrong with it but why pay more for a middle man markup?

Here is the video I learned immensely from and it gives the basic techniques needed for success:

http://www.autogeek.net/video-porter.html

Once you see the depth a PC and quality product can give your black, you won't ever hand polish again.

Oh yes, if it truly hasn't been washed in 3 years, I want to see pics. You will also most likely want to clay bar it before anything else if that's true. I have to see that to believe it though!

 

[Norton]

I am not an Adam's fan as I feel they are like Griot's in that they rebrand other manufacturer's products.

You may "feel" this way, but the claim has yet to be proven. Since I'm pleased with the products, however, I'd appreciate learning how to get them without the "middle man". Please post details...

 

[DOUBLE07GT]

Damnn it! Missed the deal on that Porter Cable. Too slow I guess.

Thanks to everyone who posted. Didn't mean to start a fight (LOL). And yes, water/soap has never hit the paint on this car.

 

[Norton]

Thanks to everyone who posted. Didn't mean to start a fight (LOL).

You're welcome, OP! Your questions were entirely valid. Unfortunately, choice of detailing supplies has become like choice of motor oil, religion, and political party. Some folks don't know how to recommend what they like without unnecessarily casting aspersions on others' choices.

In the end, the one best-qualified to decide which products meet your needs and fit your budget is you. Visit the sites listed, watch the videos recommended, make your decision, and have fun detailing your car your way.

 

[Sinned83]

I Really like the way Chemical guys Pete's 53 pops on black. And it's a good deal

 

[Bullitt 3309]

As a black car owner and long time "hobby" detailer I want to give you some of my lessons learned.
1. Learn the two-bucket wash or how to do a rinseless wash like the "Garry Dean" method. You want to not reswirl marr the finish after correcting.
2. Invest in a PC and a decent supply of good pads (compound/polish/wax). Autogeek offers very well priced combo's with pads/buffer.
3. As far as polishing compounds, stick to well known and supported brands like Meguirs 105/205, Menzurna, Wolfgang. I say this as you can find alot of info on there uses and proper breakdown at Autogeek/Autopia. I am a fan of Menzurna, been using it since 2002.
4. For the final finish, well that can be a wax or a sealant. Depends on how much work you want to put in vs durability. Some of the newest sealants offer up to 6 months protection. I stick with waxes and glazes because I love to wax my car, very therapeutic for me. Some of the newest sealants are so easy to use, CarPro has a product called Hydr02 that you spray on a wet clean surface then rinse off. The water pressure "shocks" the sealant into place and you are done for at least 90 days... I use it on my wheels. Got to love technology...

Good luck and get on Autogeekonline and Autopia lots to learn!

 

[Mach1USMC]

As far as buffers go I know those of us who have them and or use them all have our favorites. I have 3: Flex 3401, the Rupes 15, and the PC 7424XP. I rate them in that order as well. Some food for thought. I've seen Larry Kosilla talk about Griots Garage DA's and Garry Dean talk about the Harbor Freight DA. I have used neither but both achieve extremely good results. Personally my go to buffer is the Flex - incredible and fast correcting power. I'm a bit disappointed in the Rupes, I thought it was going to replace the Flex, especially for the price. Not so much- it doesn't have the power to do heavy correcting, even the Harbor Freight out powers the Rupes as demonstrated below.

Compounds - my "go to" are M101 and M105 by Meguiars and V32/V34 by CG - but we all have our favorites, no big deal. At the end of the day did you achieve the result you were looking for? If so you used the correct product!! Personally I'm going to look into HD Cut for my next compound (in the second video) because the M101 and M105 dust more than I like. The V series dusts less but still can be a PITA.

As the great Mike Phillips said- Find what you like and use it often!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y040rbJO5UI&list=UU2cb55SCsEhTNXXZcK_dM_A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W8ujyCPT0g&list=PLJJ9fawAde_y10Pl7LRoUM15KI9d-yxxa