Like a thousand other guys I've determined to keep my paint looking new... forever!

I have crate loads of detailing crap from previous cars, I've never dealt with new paint before though.

I put two layers of plain ole carnuba wax over so far to great results. The paint is pretty good, don't need to polish or anything so any advice on getting a deeper gloss out of the paint? On the hood I have layer of Klasse AIO under the carnuba, didn't make a difference compared to the rest of the paint.

Also how long should I expect each coat of Carnuba to last? The car is garaged and driven about 500mi a month. TIA

 

Try Zaino you will never look back.

 

I would claybar the car every 6 months to remove any contaminants that get on the paint. The Klasse that you are using will work fine. Since you don't drive the car very much I would apply your carnuba maybe once a month.

 

I would clay just like Justin mentioned but I would go a step further. You want more depth or gloss brought out. I would use a polish then a glaze. Since, you have a new care Meguiar's has a new care glaze. This will get you depth and gloss. Last, top with your carnuba or whatever wax.

 

The best glaze I've ever used is ClearKote Red Moose. It leaves the paint looking dripping wet and adds a lot of gloss. It is probably one of the most popular glazes on the detailing forums.

 

As mentioned, were it me I would:[*]Wash.[*]Clay.[*]Re-wash.[*]Polish (with a machine) with a paint cleaner like Poorboys SSR1 or an OTC product. *[*]Zaino Z2 Pro sealant. *[*]Zaino Clear Seal topper. *


* = Substitue as you like but with a good clean base and a quality sealant and the way you use your car you should get several months of durability.

 

On average, I understand that carnauba wax dosen`t last more than 30 days or so.

 

That is far from the truth. Durability is often afunction of the environment the wax is exposed to along with the actual composition of the wax. Most good carnauba waxes last longer than a month, especially on a garaged car. Clearkote Carnauba Moose Wax will last at least three months and can last up to six months under certain conditions. Natty's Paste Wax goes three months or so. The only wax that doesn't have the best reputation for durability would be Pinnacle Souveran. That stuff lasts about a month on a daily driver.

 

OK...answer me a question that has been flying around inside my simple mind for a day or three...

Is factory clear coat able to let the waxes / polishes, etc, penetrate down into the paint to really do any good for the paint? Or, are we just polishing up the clear coat when we apply all these goodies to the surface?

I understand the need to remove surface contaminents, etc, as they can dull the finish. I also understand the importance of removing those scratches and swirls. But are we doing ANYTHING to the underlying paint, or just working on the clear coat up top?

 

Clear coat is paint. You are polishing the clear layer of paint on the car. When you apply waxes and sealants, you are protecting that paint from the elements. You are not touching the base coat, and you have reason to do so. The top layer of paint, the clear coat, is what needs to be cleaned, polished and protected.