I spent about five and a half hours on this...

After washing the car, I used Zymol Cleaner Wax (which I applied with firm pressure), buffed it off, and followed up with Meguiar's Deep Crystal Carnauba Wax. I couldn't move my sore arm until the next morning.

Before you say anything, I don't like to clean the exhaust... Its supposed to be dirty, dammit.

I think it turned out well; but next time (after my arm heals up) I want to try a product aimed at even more of a glossy wet look. Any suggestions?

- Will

 

Looks great! When can you come by and do mine?

 

LOOKS GOOD except those DC emblems got to GO! email Danielcroot@aol.com

 

clean that exhaust. its all about the final touches. that's like detailing your entire car and not dressing the tires or cleaning the glass.

this is coming from a guy who had owned a detailing business for over 10 years.

 

Get that beauty off the common street...

Car looks great...did you clay bar it also?

 

Thanks for your support. Dan, I actually like the stock emblems (a lot/don't know why.) Maybe, I'll clean the very edge of the exhaust later, but I do not like the way it looks when the inside is all clean. Sorry andrew, that's just me. Rabidraider, Its all about driving it around. Can't keep her cooped up in the garage like she's my wife (oops, did I say that).

 

understand. some others have painted the inside of the tips black. just a thought.

hope that arm heals.

 

I know what you mean about the sore arm. I have one every weekend, 2-3 cars to wash and I usually use detailing spray on mine. Have you tried Zaino? Its one of the easiest polish products I've ever used. It leaves no dust and gives you that nice wet look. Used it on both of my black PT's.
I'm one of those who has painted the inside of the exhaust tips black. Took about 10 minutes and it really looks nice. Black Barbeque paint form Krylon is what I used.
BTW your car looks real nice so it was worth the sore arm I'd say!

Pat

 

Dude, come on!

 

For a glossy wet look there's several things you can try that will not give you a sore arm. One is Mequiars NXT, I prefer the liquid and it can be found at your local auto parts stores. Its 100% synthetic, goes on easy and comes off easier. Its so easy that you'll find yourself waxing it more often. Another route to go is Griots 'Best of Show". Its a 23% carnauba that will make that black look even deeper than it is already. Griots also has a 100% synthetic called "Paint Sealant" that's just as easy to work with as the NXT. Another wax that I found to work great on black to make it shine better, but didn't last quite as long, was Mequiars Gold Class, again, I used the liquid version. One thing about the Zymol that you used is that it dusts up alot (if its the cleaner/wax version) but I used to use that as well and actually found it to be a good product. Must be nice to be able to detail your car year round in your driveway or garage w/o needing to use your propane heater!

 

I have the Zymol cleaner wax. It did a great job, and I definitely want to use it one more time before I put the Crossfire in the garage until Spring.


One question though . . . Is there any harm in mixing brands/products? I would like to try the NXT for a quicker wax not requiring the water and rinse between coats.

 

I have never hear of a problem using different wax brands...

 

Car look great!!!

So where did you take that picture? Looks like Ocean Ave in Santa Monica?

 

I use NXT on my roadster all the time now. I did it over Meguires Gold, which I used over Crystal Guard. Never had a problem putting different things over something else, but I didn't do it the next day. Just when I thought the car needed something again.
We drag race cars over the summer and I try to keep the cars clean at the races and in between. I used to always use Mothers Gold Class because it was so easy, but at the last race we went to in Dallas, I had some extra time and decided to try the NXT on the white vette because it does such a good job at keeping the bugs off the front bumper. They practically just wipe off the XF now, after a few coats of it. I used it on the whole car, but put 2 coats on the rear quarter panel where all the burn-out rubber collects after each run. I would have to use gas or some other harsh chemical to get all the rubber off, but after I used the NXT, I only had to use a dry rag and rub the rubber right off. Hard to believe that such an easy product works so well.
I'd try the NXT next time if I were you. Save that arm. They look a little weird when the muscles of one are bigger than the other, hehe!

Car Looks Great! You're lucky you're in CA where you can drive it year round and have it look so good.

 

Try Pinnacle savouran wax or Poorboys Natty blue wax.

 

Hi,
Which wax did you like the best of the ones you just mentioned...?

 

I too have a black Crossfire. I wax it often using Meguiar's cleaner wax and Turtle Wax Ultimate Gloss (or is it Ultimate Shine?). In between waxing, I use The Glosser (soft disposable cloth impregnated with wax). I am careful when I wash and wax the car, but one thing I HATE is that minor scratches and imperfections really show up on an all-black car. I even noticed a few of the minor swirls, etc the day I bought it brand new. Take it out for a couple of hours, and a fine layer of dust finds its way on to the body. After washing, it has to be dried to perfection as well, since just the tiniest of water droplets becomes a water spot visible from ten feet away. I love the way the car looks when it is clean, but owning a black car is a constant uphill battle!

 

Have you ever tried using Vaseline on the bottom of the rear quarter panels? I know its a bit messy, but all you gotta do is hit the quarter car wash and rinse all that crap away. Apply it very thin and when all the rubber goes up, it goes up into that Vaseline. I must say that there's nothing wrong with mixing wax, but I'd stay away from actually mixing the contents of the bottles together, that's what I though was meant when I first read this, silly me!