Meguiars NXT wax is just....OK

[Rob Slade]

I just tried some of the new Meguiars NXT wax on the hood of my ride. I have to say, it wasn't all I expected of it. It wasn't as shiny as my Nu Finish or especially Zymol. When I put my towel on the hood, it didn't slide off like it normally does with the other two. Not worth the $14. I'll give it another try some other time, but first impressions weren't as good as I had hoped.

 

[Hartman]

They love it over at Autopia. I'm sure it will outlast Nufinish and Zymol. You can barely pull out of the garage before you have to re-apply Zymol LOL.

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

I love that stuff. Totally worth the price. But I will definitely go back to Klasse for a while though.

Here's a tip, if you want the finish to be very slick, try topping it with S100 or P21S. They both are the same. Those stuff are the slickest and also enhances the shine.

 

[UtahX]

Not everyone over at Autopia loves it. I have used it and topped it with S100 and it looks pretty nice. For being a consumer product it's very good. Maybe your prep was not good enough. I clayed first then applied NXT with PC, was pretty slick. It's been 2 months and it's still holding up pretty good, we had some rain and it's been washed a couple of times. I'm also looking at getting a few new products: VM, PWC, CMW, EX, 1Z MPW, TC-3, and TC-8.

 

[expo5.0]

what in the world are you guys talking about?

i gather its car wash stuff, but whats with the crazy names? and why use such expensive stuff on your trucks?

 

[Mike 92 XLT]

Most of Autopia isn't as impressed with it as they thought they would be based on the initial conversations with people at Meguairs. The general consensus is that it is very good for a consumer level product but it is not in the same league as the pro stuff. I've got a bottle of it collecting dust in my garage and have gone to Wolfgang products (which are fantastic, BTW). UtahX is correct in that prep work is the most important part to detailing. The Last Step Product (wax or a sealant) should serve as the "icing on the cake" so to speak and will only look as good as the condition of the paint underneath.

Expo - Meguiars NXT is a new synthetic polymer product that is meant to take the place of a wax. As for the others:

VM - Vanilla Moose from ClearKote. A glaze.
PWC - Polish With Carnauba from Poorboy's. A light polish/glaze.
CMW - Carnauba Moose Wax from ClearKote. A wax.
EX - A sealant from Poorboy's.
1Z MPW - Einszett (literally, '1Z' in German) Metallic Polish - a light polish/glaze with wax.
TC-3 and TC-8 - Not sure about these.

This is all "Autopia talk." As for why we spend so much money, well, hobbies are like that.


Mike

 

[expo5.0]

i just really don't get it, i mean i'm the one constantly showing my truck and with the custom paint here, and i can't imagine any need for more than some good car wash, and some wax. don't mean to offend, maybe i need to try some of this stuff, but can it really be that much better than what my lazy butt is already doing?

 

[UtahX]

Thanks Mike.

TC-3 Premium Car Polish (Tropi-Care)
TC-8 Swirl Cutter (Tropi-Care)

expo5.0,

It's amazing what you can do to a car's finish with the right process and product. Basically carnauba wax lasts about 6-8 weeks. There are sealants out there that will last 6-9 months. The stuff is not that expensive $12-15 at or below the price of NXT. If you got swirl marks, cob-webbing, and light scratches, wax will not get them out, it might hide them, but you really need to get rid of them. Try some PWC/EX or VM/EX combo's you will get at least 4 months protection with an incredible shine.

 

[expo5.0]

you guys don't do anything then for 4 whole months wax wise?

does it look like it was just waxed after each wash then?

i don't have any imperfections particularly since it was painted 2 weeks ago, but i'm intersted

 

[Mike 92 XLT]

Theoretically you can not do anything but wash for six months if you use a sealant like Zaino or Klasse (so far the only two sealants really proven to last that long). I used to use Zaino on my old Explorer when I lived in MI since it was too damn cold in the winter to do anything to the car, plus I wanted protection from all the salt they threw on the roads. In actuality though, most of us Autopians can't leave our cars alone for that long. Plus I use a Quick Detailer (QD) after each wash to restore that "just waxed look." Right now though, I'm using the QD and the California Car Duster to cut down on the number of times I need to wash at all.

Here are a few examples of how good it can look. The first one is a Jetta I did for a customer. It was polished with 1Z Paint Polish, glazed with Vanilla Moose and sealed with Poorboy's EX.

This one is my old Jeep 5.9 Limited. Polished with 3M Perfect-It III and sealed with BlackFire:

Here's a pic of my old Explorer. Polished with 3M Perfect-It III and sealed with Zaino I believe. It had about 150K miles on it at the time.

Mike

 

[Lee S.]

If you got swirl marks, cob-webbing, and light scratches, wax will not get them out, it might hide them, but you really need to get rid of them.

So what do you guys recommend to get out the scratches. I've tried Meguiars Scratch X but it didn't work at all. Is there a better product to try?

Lee

 

[UtahX]

Lee,

To really get rid of imperfections you need to use a PC, you cannot generate enough heat by hand (break down the product). Products that will help would be Meg's #83 DACP, #9, 1Z UPP, 1Z PP. Always use the least abrasive product first and check your work. If the scratches are too deep, you will need a repaint or have a body shop look at it (maybe a rotary can get it out).

Mike,

Nice work.

 

[97XplorerSport]

VM - Vanilla Moose from ClearKote. A glaze.
PWC - Polish With Carnauba from Poorboy's. A light polish/glaze.
CMW - Carnauba Moose Wax from ClearKote. A wax.
EX - A sealant from Poorboy's.
1Z MPW - Einszett (literally, '1Z' in German) Metallic Polish - a light polish/glaze with wax.
TC-3 and TC-8 - Not sure about these.

Where would one find these products that you guys are talking about. My local autoplace only sells normal wax (like turtle wax, meguires, mothers, etc.) and nothing like the stuff listed in this thread. Thanks

 

[Mike 92 XLT]

Thanks John!

Lee, of the products John suggested, I'd highly recommend the 1Z Paint Polish. It works well either by hand or machine, is very easy to use and gives great results. This is what I reach for 95% of the time when I need a polish.

97XplorerSport:

Poorboys: www.poorboysworld.com
ClearKote: www.clearkote.com
Einszett (and much more): www.autopia-carcare.com


Mike

 

[Lee S.]

Lee,

To really get rid of imperfections you need to use a PC, you cannot generate enough heat by hand (break down the product). Products that will help would be Meg's #83 DACP, #9, 1Z UPP, 1Z PP. Always use the least abrasive product first and check your work. If the scratches are too deep, you will need a repaint or have a body shop look at it (maybe a rotary can get it out).

Mike,

Nice work.

I'm feeling real ignorant here but can someone tell me what a 'PC' is?

Thanks for the education and the product suggestions.

Lee

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

PC stands for Porter Cable orbital sander.

 

[UtahX]

expo 5.0,

Try this, use the wash/clay/VM/EX combo. Then at least after every wash just QD it (should take about an hour or less), this should last at least 4 months. Probably buy Poorboy's QD or Meg's #34 Final Inspection. Tell us what you think.