Brand new vehicle.....wax or polish?

We are picking up a brand new CX50 Hybrid tomorrow.

I plan to use iron/fallout remover and then clay mitt the car after the initial first wash.

Being brand new paint, would you then wax (Id use Megs ultimate with g9 buffer and orange pad) or should I use a product that has more polishing ability? (In this case I have Griots 3 in 1 liquid polish/wax).

My gut tells me polish would not be needed, unless I identify some imperfections and that Megs Ultimate with an orange pad would clean/polish/deepen brand new paint enough.

But I would love to hear opinions from those with more auto detail experience.

 

If you use that clay mitt you will have to polish first.

 

even paint off the lot will need some sort of correction.

 

As has been stated.....even new cars typically have some paint defects......which are usually caused by dealership detailers. Doing a chemical and mechanical decontamination is a good thing. A light polish may be all that is needed....but, by all means, do a test spot first to see what product/pad combo will give you the results you are looking for.

So you know....Meguiars Ultimate Wax is not a wax....its a polymer based sealant. The Griots 3 in 1 liquid polish/wax will leave carnuba based protection.....typically does not last as long as either a polymer based or an SIO2 based sealant....but would give you some minor correction. If the orange pad you are referring to is a Griots orange pad......that is their correcting pad. They also have a yellow polishing pad which is a little less aggressive.

Keep in mind....removing imperfections means removing clearcoat......and it seems like the newer the car is, the thinner the clearcoat is.

 

@briarpatch : Having just read your post of 2/25, your last statement got my attention.
Situation: Currently @ day 60 of FGT re-paint w/ oem Desert-Sand Mica. Has sat in uncovered dr/way, 1mi fr/ocean, SanDiego.
What would be your course and products for wash, decon, seal and wax. 6/1 my 1yr ownership; 6/24 will be 19 yrs since Date of Service.
Shop stated 6 coats clear and minimal rub-out after. Pics after plain water/soft mitt rinse down 1st day home.
Truck will be parked as-is, but likely w/ future lightweight soft lined cover to avoid bee/bird shit and UV, salt air.

 

hello? -crickets....

 

wow..sort of confused.
New paint...'heavy cutting compound'..really?
Im trying to be conservative w/new clearcoat. Prefer to save clear coat and give up super shine; still on fence about taking my chances and leaving uncovered vs car cover tho?
Worst elements = salt air and bird/bee shits...

 

Bee shit???? Pollen?

 

@Roborob70 ...ok, maybe pollen, but once it dries, 'that shit is hard to get off'....no offense to Bee's; we need them.

 

Yes we do, without them we would be screwed.

 

uhh..yeah, thats my 06 AC just home from full re-paint.
Kind of compound shy on new paint. I was thinking microfiber fingers washmit and decon wash, then straight to hand or machine polish, then wax for final protection.

So, what products recommended?

 

thx @T-Rex266
Have never used a 'Clay' product; whats the theory there?

And for new paint, is an orbital machine for polish after hand application, or use machine for both?

 

Clay takes off surface containments and previous wax or sealants.

Orbital can be used for wax or polish. There are different pads for the orbital for waxes and polishes. Wax pads are softer, where polish pads are firmer and more aggressive. The polish pads are usually orange and the wax pads are red.

I like using the synthetic clay mitts rather than real clay. These go much faster. Griot's offers these.

I like to wash, clay, polish, then I use a synthetic wax or sealant.

Then I come back the next day and do a top coat of carnauba. I prefer Pinnacle, but kinda of pricey.

A lot of work, but if you have a dark color paint, it really pops.

 

@Coupe ...excellent; appreciate it.
Any brand preference of polish and wax or sealer?

 

hey, @frichco228 ...wondering how this has turned out for you.

Hows the new wheels?
What was your course and products used, etc?
[sorry about hi-jacking your thread]

 

T-Rex266 is correct, wax does not last as long as the synthetics. This is why I do a synthetic for a base coat. The carnauba is just "icing". If you have dark paint, it pops nicely.

The synthetic is good for a year. Wax maybe 3 ~ 4 months. A lot of times, I just add a top coat of wax, every 3 months or so and not strip the car all the way down. When you glide your hand over the paint and it feels rough, it's time to clay bar and start over.

For polish I have been using Pinnacle finishing polish. As others have said, this is a mild abrasive, so when you use this, you are taking a little of the clearcoat off.

For the synthetic, I have been using Meguiars Synthetic Seal 2.0.

The wax is Pinnacle Liquid Soveran. I also use Pinnacle Crystal Mist for detailing spray.

 

Have not been logged on in a while. First, check with the folks who did the re-spray and ask them if enough time has elapsed since it was painted.....just to be sure. If it has been.....a good decon (both chemical and mechanical) is in order. Take a good look at your paint and make sure there are no sanding marks or other defects that will need attention. I'd consider going back to the shop and seeing if they have a paint thickness gauge so you know exactly what you have to work with. Odds are, the readings you get from around the vehicle will not be consistent.

Assuming you have enough material to work with......a light polish (hopefully) will be all you will need. Griots BOSS polishing pads (Yellow) are not particularly aggressive and should suffice. Once complete.....a panel wipe using an IPA solution.....or ready made....like CarPro eraser will get you to a bare clear coat. From there....finish off with the LSP of choice. If you go with a sealant.....consider Jescar Lock Plus.....six months of protection....super easy to use.....nice slick finish. Once a month, bolster that with a nice detail spray....like Armour Detail Supply Amplify.

 

@briarpatch ...thx.
LSP = ?

Opinion of Griots Ceramic Liquid Wax ?