Car Paint Care

Car Wash - (Zaino) Rating *** Cost $$$ Source Zaino Brothers Yuppie Rating 3 Comments I'd go with just about any wash product as long as its not dish washing liquid. Zaino or Griots are my choices with no preference for either one. Car Wash (Griot's) Rating *** Cost $$$$ Source Griot's Garage Yuppie Rating 3 Comments This is a solid product. No streaking with either this or the Zaino. Carnauba Wax (Griot's) Rating ? Cost $$$ Source Griot's Garage Yuppie Rating 4 Comments No review at this time. Best of Show Wax (Griot's) Rating *** Cost $$$$ Source Griot's Garage Yuppie Rating 3 Comments This is a good wax product. Its easy to apply/remove (unlike some Zymols), creates a good shine and is not too expensive. Make sure the car is dry before you use this product as it is difficult to remove if the wax is applied with a wet applicator or over a wet surface. Duplicolor Wax (Blue Coral) Rating ***** Cost $ Source Any Auto Supply Store Yuppie Rating 1 This was the best cheapo wax product I could find for dark cars. After this wax was wiped off it left a powder which was dark grey and it blended w/my Superblack paint. There was no streaking with this product. Unfortunately it is no longer manufactured by Blue Coral. Turtle wax makes something similar (Color Magic) but it sucks ass. Color Magic Wax (Turtle Wax) Rating * Cost $ Source Any Auto Supply Store Yuppie Rating 1 Comments Streak city. Use a hot Hershey bar for better results. Liquid Glass Rating ** Cost $$$$ Source Any Auto Supply Store Yuppie Rating 1 Comments This product gets high marks in the domestic car camp and it works pretty well. The problem is that it leaves TONS of white powder behind and this is unacceptable to me. If you have a white car this may be the product for you. Car Polish - (Zaino) Rating ***** Cost $$$ Source Zaino Brothers Yuppie Rating 3 Comments This is the best product in the wax/polish category. Its easy to apply, creates a deep wet look and lasts a very long time. If you touch the paint surface, you can actually feel the polish on the car more so than any other product. The Zaino car polish system is comprised of anywhere from 1 to 5 stages. The number of stages required depends on the condition of the car's paint and the goals of the user. For the deepest shine 2-5 stages are required. Each stage is easy to apply/remove (unlike some of the Zymols) and leaves no problematic residue after it is removed. I have used the expensive Zymols in the past and found that when using a car cover and then removing it, the windshield can become speckled with waxy blobs that are reminiscent of my summer of 63' drive through a Georgia dragonfly farm. This never happens with the Zaino products. Wax - Japon (Zymol) Rating **** Cost $$$$$ Source Autosport Yuppie Rating 5 Comments Supposedly this is one of the "real-deal Zymols". You might have heard that there are a number of "grades" of Zymol. One grade is sold at the typical auto supply store and is made by Turtle Wax while the others are only found at detailers and a few exclusive outlets for a lot more $$$. I believe all of the Zymols have some percentage of carnauba wax. The Japon wax was formulated for the thinner Japanese paints. The word is that the cheap stuff that you get at the local store will not give you the same results as the higher grades. I am very happy with the Japon wax and think the cheap Zymol does a pretty good job. I have found that the upper grades give you a deeper shine but to your eye this may be a marginal boost not worth the added, and not insignificant, expense. Wax - Carbon (Zymol) Rating **** Cost $$$$$ Source Autosport Yuppie Rating 5 Comments I tried this wax on my wife's black Integra and I have to say that it is superior to the Japon wax in that it leaves no streaks. I prefer the Carbon for this reason alone. This wax gives just as deep a shine as Japon and it lasts just as long. Wax Natural Cr¸me (Zymol) Rating *** Cost $$ Source Any Auto Supply Store Yuppie Rating 5 Comments This is the cheap Zymol that you can get just about anywhere. It is not specially formulated for either dark or japanese paints. This is a good solid wax product. It is a bit streaky on dark colored paint. You won't get the depth of shine that the other more expensive Zymols provide, but the cheap Zymol is more user friendly. It rubs off much easier than the expensive Zymols. The product is apply named as its texture is that of whipped cream but despite this you'll have a lot left in the can afterwards, even if you like to gob it on. The Creme has the smell of carnauba but there is nothing on the label confirming that this ingredient is part of the Natural Creme composition. This is a great product for the budget-minded. Hand Glaze (3M) Rating ** Cost $$ Source Any Auto Supply Store Yuppie Rating 1 Comments This is a very good product and works well as a final coat. This is not a wax, but it does give a just waxed look. The only problem is that it leaves powder behind that looks like crap on a black car. If I didn't have alternatives or was on a tight budget, I'd go with this as my wax, or in this case wax substitute, of choice. Swirl Mark Remover (3M) Rating ***** Cost $$ Source Any Auto Supply Store Yuppie Rating 1 Comments I love this product from 3M. I have two black cars and am very picky about how one of them looks. This product will help you remove minor scratches without damaging the clearcoat. This is my product of choice. Liquid Wax (3M) Rating ** Cost $$ Source Any Auto Supply Store Yuppie Rating 1 Comments This product gives the same results as the 3M hand Glaze but it is a wax based product. Cleaner Wax (3M) Rating *** Cost $$ Source Any Auto Supply Store Yuppie Rating 1 Comments This is the only product I have tried that was developed specifically for restoring a finish after neglect. It does its job very well but hopefully you'll never need it or need it only once. California Car Duster (Large and Small) Rating ***** Cost $$$ Source Summit Racing Yuppie Rating 3 Comments This is another black-car must. Not only does it remove dust but also helps smooth those wax swirls you see in direct sunlight on a dark car. This is because the duster is impregnated with paraffin wax. The car wax and paraffin mix together and you get a much smoother shine. The duster won't remove the after-wax swirls completely from your dark colored car, but it will cut their intensity. This is my product of choice. California Water Blade Rating ***** Cost $$$ Source Summit Racing Yuppie Rating 4 Comments I really like this product. I know what yer thinkin' - It's a glorified squeegee. Well...yeah it is. This thing contours to the curves, dries the surface, doesn't scratch and leaves chamois and sponges in the dust (no more wringing). This is my product of choice. A must if you own a black car. Speed Shine - (Griot's) Rating ***** Cost $$$ Source Griot's Garage Yuppie Rating 4 Comments This stuff (or Zaino's Gloss enhancer) is essential. It gets rid of dust and dirt between washes. Its possible to use this stuff and never wash a car again (if the car is mostly garaged). It doesn't smudge, even on black, and wipes off easily with a cotton cloth. This stuff or Zaino's makes it quick and easy to refresh a waxed shine. Gloss Enhancer - (Zaino) Rating ***** Cost $$$ Source Zaino Brothers Yuppie Rating 3 Comments I like this stuff better than Griot's only because of the smell. Pick one. Glass Polish - (Zaino) Rating *** Cost $$$ Source Zaino Brothers Yuppie Rating 3 Comments This is a great glass polish for removing gunk and minor scratches. You will need to use a glass cleaner after the polish is removed (as the directions state) since there will probably be polish residue left behind. Clay Bar - (Zaino) Rating ? Cost $$$ Source Zaino Brothers Yuppie Rating 3 Comments No review at this time. Paint Cleaning Clay (Griot's) Rating *** Cost $$$ Source Griot's Garage Yuppie Rating 3 Comments I used this clay in combination with Griot's Speed Shine to remove the gobs of bugs that were on the ass of my car when it came back from the west coast. It must have been loaded on the truck backwards. This clay takes some elbow grease to get results but it works well.