# Sealer, polish, Glaze, or wax???



## titan7 (Jun 23, 2008)

New to the world of BMW, just purchased a 535i and 328i. What should I use for the first time to protect the car?? I have some Meguires Gold liquid Wax, can I use that or something better?:dunno:

thanks!


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## skylolow (Mar 20, 2008)

Prep of the car is more important then the end product you put on to protect it. I'm sure your reading around on the forum here so your learning about alot of products and everyone has his or hers favorite. 

If you don't have any swirls on the car and overall the paint looks very good. I'd recommend something along these lines for a quick job (many more steps could be added)............
1.) Good wash from top to bottom
2.) Clay bar the car with Mequires smooth car clay bar or Clay Magic ($15) if the paint feels rough. Chances are it will. Claying only needs to be done about twice a year. If not claying then use one of the many different wax cleaners. Hard to judge them cause most of them do what there suppose to do. 
3.) Follow up with Klase AIO (around $20)
4.) Followed up with a good wax or Klasse High Gloss Sealant ($20). Wax gives a much more warm, deep, wet look then what a Sealant style will do. Though Sealants will last longer. Lots of waxs out there in alot of price ranges. At your local store the new Meguires NXT 2.0 has been getting pretty good reviews for an over the counter type product. Speciality waxes the list is super long and a wide price range. If you post roughly what your comfortable on spending I'm sure many members can give you some suggestions. One Grand Blitz is very good wax for about $20 and long lasting. Along with P21S Concours Wax ($30 to $35).


If you car does have swirls and defects that you'd like out. Your going to have to use a polish on it. Some people feel comfortable doing and many don't. Its your call. Alot of people just pay the money to get the car detailed correctly the first time and then just maintain it properly afterwards.


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## titan7 (Jun 23, 2008)

Thanks, the cars are only a week old so the paint is new. Can I pick up this Klasse AIO at a local auto parts store?


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## skylolow (Mar 20, 2008)

You'll need to order Klasse of the internet. Just do a search on Yahoo. They sell it in a couple different sizes, the 10 oz. one will do about 6 to 7 applications on cars of your size. 

Being there brand new. You may still need to clay. Wash them this weekend and after there 100% dry rub your hand over the surface. If it feels bumpy (similar to sandpaper) they need to be clayed or at the very least a good wax cleaner. The sticky residue from shipping, sitting on the lot, etc. etc. can all have an affect on the new paint. 

Read up on proper washing and drying the car and stay away from commercial car washes. You don't want to get swirls in the paint as its not a fun process to get rid of them. But over time(year or two) no matter how careful you are your paint will eventually need a good polish. I recommend taking it to a proffessional for this or have one come to you(many mobile companys).


Congrats on two new cars. Post some pics when your done.


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## HPIA4v2 (Mar 30, 2006)

titan7 said:


> New to the world of BMW, just purchased a 535i and 328i. What should I use for the first time to protect the car?? I have some Meguires Gold liquid Wax, can I use that or something better?:dunno:
> 
> thanks!


my 2 cents (others already touched very good points):

If the cars are brand new, I'd claybar only on area with contaminations (run fingers/hand on surface to check). Clean the whole car with Zymol HD cleanse or Meguiar's Showcar Glaze then use Meg liquid wax that you have.
So you only need to buy the claybar + lube + pre-wax cleaner (and half dozens micro-fiber towels are nice). It's a very good start, you'll be happy with the results.


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## titan7 (Jun 23, 2008)

Thanks guys!

I have some Meguiars showcar glaze and Meguires Gold Class liquid wax. Can I put this on until the Kasse AIO and Sealer come in? I just wanted to get some protection on them for now. Would this make my work harder down the road? I always thought the Meg GC was pretty good stuff? Also, is the meguires car wash bad stuff?

Check out the pictures here
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=293826


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## skylolow (Mar 20, 2008)

titan7 said:


> Thanks guys!
> 
> I have some Meguiars showcar glaze and Meguires Gold Class liquid wax. Can I put this on until the Kasse AIO and Sealer come in? I just wanted to get some protection on them for now. Would this make my work harder down the road? I always thought the Meg GC was pretty good stuff? Also, is the meguires car wash bad stuff?
> 
> ...


No problem putting on the Meguires Gold Class. Actually I use to use it alot and always found it to be one of the better in store products. Megs. car wash is excellent. Personally I've never really seen much of any difference in car wash soap department. I'd just stick with the Megs.. Before using the Klasse AIO though I'd wash with Dawn(or any dishsoap with degreaser in it). The degreasers in it will get any trouble spots clean and also strip the wax off so its ready for the Klasse AIO. Only use dishsoap when your doing the whole process never at any other time.

Then put the Sealer on and after it cures you can even put on another coat. Many like to follow it up with carnuba wax to bring out even more depth with a warm/soft wet look (sealants have a very high gloss/mirror finish). Some love the just the sealant look and most professional detailers like to add the carnuba wax look on top of it.

Excellent looking cars. I'm sure the salesman was happy about that deal. 

P.S.: Midwest Detailing Supply has some products called Black Ice that alot of people lately have been going bonkers over. Many have really like the quality it did on white cars. Might be worth checking into. I've never used it but been getting just great review from everyone and price is reasonable.


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## titan7 (Jun 23, 2008)

Thanks guys!


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## Gig103 (Sep 10, 2007)

Hey guys, I'm going to piggyback on this thread a question if nobody minds...

While on my EuroDelivery there was some bird poop and I didn't have enough lubricant when cleaning it (i was in a hotel, no car soap around!!) and so there's a small etch on the trunk.
So, does a whole car need to be polished at once, or could I just polish the trunk and leave the rest of the unmarred paint alone?


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## skylolow (Mar 20, 2008)

Gig103 said:


> Hey guys, I'm going to piggyback on this thread a question if nobody minds...
> 
> While on my EuroDelivery there was some bird poop and I didn't have enough lubricant when cleaning it (i was in a hotel, no car soap around!!) and so there's a small etch on the trunk.
> So, does a whole car need to be polished at once, or could I just polish the trunk and leave the rest of the unmarred paint alone?


You can do just that spot.

For a bird spot like that just go buy Meg. Scratch X ($8) and do it by hand. It should take care of it.


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## abmwc (Feb 2, 2008)

skylolow said:


> If you car does have swirls and defects that you'd like out. Your going to have to use a polish on it. Some people feel comfortable doing and many don't. Its your call. Alot of people just pay the money to get the car detailed correctly the first time and then just maintain it properly afterwards.


Can anyone recommend a high quality detailer in the Chicagoland area?

Similar situation to the OP, but I did a ED and there seems to be an area in the clear coat that looks dull (reminds me of a clear coat area on another car of mine that had bird poop sitting on it for a day's worth of summer sun). Should this get polish? I am not all that comfortable doing this myself, and would gladly pay (within reason) for someone to do this, but here is the catch: I would really like the job to be done right. I don't mind paying more for a high quality service/result, but if it is going to be substandard, I would rather do it myself, even if it takes forever (and it usually does, since I am so OC).

By the way, I am really disappointed in the so-called detail job the dealer did. Is this poor quality washing/prepping the norm for BMW dealers (double-sided tape debris left behind, water spots all over, clear coat imperfections [as mentioned above], soiled rear floor mat, etc.). I would like to think that this was just an aberration, and not typical of my dealer or BMW in general (or maybe its another indication of my OC issues). I am really happy with the ED process overall, and will definitely do it again, but this put a bit of a damper on the climax.

Thanks,
abmwc


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## skylolow (Mar 20, 2008)

abmwc said:


> Can anyone recommend a high quality detailer in the Chicagoland area?
> 
> Similar situation to the OP, but I did a ED and there seems to be an area in the clear coat that looks dull (reminds me of a clear coat area on another car of mine that had bird poop sitting on it for a day's worth of summer sun). Should this get polish? I am not all that comfortable doing this myself, and would gladly pay (within reason) for someone to do this, but here is the catch: I would really like the job to be done right. I don't mind paying more for a high quality service/result, but if it is going to be substandard, I would rather do it myself, even if it takes forever (and it usually does, since I am so OC).
> 
> ...


Over at bimmerforums.com there are few guys that post in Detail forum there that are out of Chicago area who do excellent work. I'm not sure if they post here under different names or not. But go there and start new topic asking and I'm sure they'll chime in.

Most dealers have nothing but out of work young adults washing/detailing the cars. Which is funny when you consider the clientle their dealing with. I'd say 80% plus of the dealers are like this. But you must also understand a proper detail job can take anywhere from a min. of 3 hours up to 16 hours or so depending on how severe the paint is. Good full detail usually takes a solid 5 to 8 hours which dealers don't have the time to do it. So they basically just do a quick wash, spray on wax and dry, and then followed by an quick interior cleaning.

After you get your car detailed hand wash the car yourself each time. Don't let the dealer get a hold of it or any auto/car wash service(swirls will be back quickly). Then just wax it every 6 to 8 weeks or so and about twice a year put a coat of Klasse AIO on it followed by wax.


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## abmwc (Feb 2, 2008)

Let me try one more time with a slightly different tack: Has anyone had their car detailed in the Chicago area (by someone other than yourself) and been very pleased with the results?

Skylolow, thanks for the Bimmerforums tip, but the response there so far has been thin.

Thanks,
abmwc


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## Dunbar42 (May 11, 2008)

No personal experience, but you might try the midwest board over at autopia. Anyone who posts there is going to do good work. Try searching for Chicago.

http://www.autopia.org/forum/midwest-usa/


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## Totoland (Nov 30, 2006)

If Autopia doesn't have a good listing, you can also try Autogeek's forum (www.autogeekonline.net) and do a search there. I've talked to a few detailers from the Windy City area.

*skylolow* I must be in that other 20% of detailers: I'm older than most of the clients that visit the dealer I work for LOL.....64 years young.

Toto


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## skylolow (Mar 20, 2008)

Totoland said:


> If Autopia doesn't have a good listing, you can also try Autogeek's forum (www.autogeekonline.net) and do a search there. I've talked to a few detailers from the Windy City area.
> 
> *skylolow* I must be in that other 20% of detailers: I'm older than most of the clients that visit the dealer I work for LOL.....64 years young.
> 
> Toto


20% guess was the dealers that actually do a good detail job (in other words care). Nothing to do with age for the most part. Though every detailer at the dealerships I've seen has been anywhere from 16 to maybe low 30's. BMW dealership in my area isn't to bad overall. The detail guys seem to actually care. Use to work at a Toyota dealership when I was younger and oh god, I don't think I'd let them detail my kids bikes.


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## jerrykdc (May 6, 2003)

*I went to a Porsche dealer*

Just to look around and he had 4 911 cabs on the floor - beautiful car - every one of them had water spots. Sales Manager comes over and asks what I think - I tell him that he needs a new detailer if he wants to sell $100K cars. He gives me some song and dance about washing them and he obviously has no idea. It really is a shame how some people, even in the industry, have no appreciation of how good a well detailed car can look.


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