Taken from Meguiars brilliant solutions.........

Washing

In automotive paint care, washing and cleaning are not the same. While they sound similar, they are vastly different procedures. WASHING removes loose contaminants from your finish like dust, road grime and fresh bird droppings.

A common misconception is that dishwashing detergent is safe to use as car wash. ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Detergents are formulated to stip everything off of the surface, leaving it squeaky clean. Asqueaky paint finish tells you that it has not protection. With repeated use, dishwashing detergents remove everything from your paint finish including waxes, silicones and polymers. Once this is accomplished, they then proceed to remove the life giving oils in your paint finish, actually accelerating the oxidation process.

All of Meguiars car wash products are pH balanced and specifically formulated to enhance the appearance and protection of automotive paint finishes.


CLEANING or Surface preparation

Removes stubborn, bonded above surface contaminants, as well as below surface defects, like stains, blemishes and oxidation.

After your car is washed, pass your fingertips over the surface. Do you fell roughness on your paint? If so, these are above-surface, bonded contaminants.

Generally, you'll notice this contamination on your car's horizontal surfaces, but you may also see small, dark spots/specks on the rear and lower surfaces of a light coloured car. Over time, these contaminants will dull your paint and rob your car of its shine.

Fortunately, Meguiars Smooth surface Kit includes everything that you need to saftly, and easily, remove bonded contaminants. And NO! clay bars are NOT only for professional use.

Simply form 1/2 of the Clay bar into a pancake-looking wafer. Placing the clay bar at your fingertips (working on a WASHED and DRIED car.) lightly move the clay bar back and forth over the surfaces after using Meguiars Quick Detailer for lubrication. The bar will grab and gently remove all bonded contaminants, leaving the surface as smooth as glass!


POLISH & WAX

POLISHING is an optional step, and is different from WAXING.

While some modern day marketers have caused confusion by naively misusing the terms, the definitions are clear.

As in polishing a diamond, the sole purpose of polishing is to create brilliant high gloss. For car show enthusiasts who are obsessed with having perfectly clear reflections , a pure polish, like Meguiars Deep Crystal Polish is the perfect choice. Others may be looking to remove the last hints of swirl marks while maximizing the gloss.

WAXING falls under the larger heading of protecting the paint finish.



MAINTAIN

Once a car is waxed, the best ongoing protection for your car's finish is regular attention, or MAINTAINING the finish. Regardless of whether your car is parked or being driven, its in a hostile environment.

Everything that flies, from the gnat to a 747, expels contaminants that are determined to bond to and then etch into your cars finish. Add to this acid rain, industrial fallout and those unavoidable UV rays ( the No.1 cause of paint degradation), and you can see how your car is constantly under attack. The more your car is exposed to the elements, and the harsher the environment is where you live, the more attention your paint finish will require.

Fortunately, Meguiars has made it easy for you with the mist and wipe detailers. Meguiars Quick Detailer and Ultimate Quick Detailer allow you to safely and easily remove contaminants before they have time to bond to your paint finish . These products form the missing link between washing and waxing, allowing you to greatly extend the protective qualites of your car wax.

So, is there a recommended 'kit' to have a go at your car with? Not necessarily all Meguiars, more a list of products which might be a couple of levels below just because pennies are precious?

1. Something to 'wash'. Decent sponge and car shampoo?
2. Something to clean. I guess this is where you need the good stuff?
3. Something to polish. I guess this is where if you do it, you may as well do it properly? Not gonna polish mine as I have a couple of nasty keyline scars I don't want to broadcast to the world...
4. Something to wax. Er, Given NZ's unique conditions, I'd probably have to splash out here?

We don't have salty or overly dirty roads over here, but we do have a b*****d of a sun - the main problem you see cars over here is that they look like this...



Obviously this isn't as prevalent on newer cars, but the point is the sun is still a b*****d. Is there any funky UV wax stuff around?

Like most things, the initial outlay is expensive BUT once bought they will last years.
Meguairs Is more accessible for us over here. Not knowing what you guys have over there I cant realy give a good comparison. What I would say for you is to change the wax to a sealant. Sealant will last longer than a wax giving more protection.
Have a look through here , http://www.shinearama.co.uk/index.php its a uk site . but they'll probaly stock brands that are more familiar to you

autoglym have a full range of products ive only ever used their resin polish but i imagine the rest of their stuff is worth while not sure if its available in NZ

maybe you could ask someone in the UK to put a polish/wax box together and post it hehe

We do get Meguiars over here... it's just expensive.

Supercheap (basiclally Halfords) carries it, along with Turtlewax. Hell, this is the stuff at minimum I am exposed to..

http://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/products/car-care.aspx

In fact, I can land these for $100, or about £45.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 057713.htm

the thing with he autoglym polish is...its a polish and not a wax protectant. It will remove light swirls and oxidisation..but its best using a rotary polisher or you'll have to use 3-4 coats by hand for a half decant finish.
If using super resin you best getting either their Hd wax or Meguairs Nxt tech II to stop the paint fade.. or better look for a sealant to help with paint fade. Cheapest sealant is suprguard, sellers on ebay retail the sponge for as little as £5 and it theres enough in there for 2 cars. but Clean and Polish 1st

Turtle wax is rubbish..thats why its cheap

Well, I got that kit thing for about £45. Picking it up tomorrow.. so weekend washing the car?

Nice one - that should do the trick, some good stuff there

I tried out the megs nxt wax this morning, its leaving bad ghosting marks and swirls on the body of the car? what am I doing wrong chaps?

Are you leaving it to dry to a haze ?. Using a clean cloth to buff ?
Is it in the sun ?

Not sure mate but someone will be along soon who'll know

The suns out but bodyworks still cool, Bet im putting too much on. It is drying to a haze and im using a buffing mitt.

Yeah, you don't need much of it at all

Is this the Nxt spray you mentioned before or have you bought the Nxt 2.0 ? If its the nxt spray then remember its not a true wax, just a 'top up' like quick or ultimate detailer..

As debz has mentioned, it sounds like you have used too much, you need a light 'mist' spray over the bodywork then wipe off.

I would try wiping over with a damp cloth ( Microfibre is best ) to try and remove the Ghosting (holograms).

Its the nxt spray I mentioned before errnee, will try it this evening when the bodys cooled down, and will use a damp cloth. I was just trying to top up whats already on the body. Like you have both said im prob using to much.

Darren

Use a meguiars large finishing cloth - makes it easier to lose the ghosting. I get it too, if I apply too much wax, but I have found the megs cloths better at removing than my other ones

What have you guys got me into? I live and breathe my zxi now I use the polishing mitt I brought the other week, always wash it after use to remove whats on it. I must say that when I was buffing up after applying the megs that rather a lot was collecting on the mitt which would indicate over use of nxt??? Lesson learnt

^^ how are u washing it? with water on its own? because some soap powders can leave softer and the like behind and that could maybe cause some issues???

just an idea

Im washing it the usual way, with a quality car shampoo, I always make sure its been washed off after with plenty of water. Its just this meg's nxt that ive had trouble with and im sure its down to appling to much. Have used other megs products and never had a problem before.

Sorry I should have been a bit clearer.

Use the damp cloth after you have removed the spray wax using your mitt , Do this if the holograms are left, Then use a clean dry cloth to wipe directly after the damp cloth..... If that makes sense?

Understood completely errnee, will give it a try this eve, thanks mate