"Wax" on car. I want ceramic. What steps?

[Mugzilla]

I calayed, then applied the green Meguiar's hybrid ceramic wax in April 2024. Car is always garaged. Never put away dirty. In September, wax was still performing well:


ANYWAYS, the car has a few swirls in the paint from some open-mouth-breather, who rubbed the paint with grit on it before I took delivery. (Only a few spots.) I was impatient, and did not want to do any polishing in April. HOWEVER, If I am going to ceramic, I'll be buffing THEN putting ceramic down.

If you had a good coat of "hybrid wax" on your car, what steps would you take? I DO have a couple spray bottles of "Wax remover". (I forget the brand.). What I'm thinking:

- Remove dust cover.
- Wash.
- Super dry.
- Wax remover.
- Clay
- Polish
- Iron remover
- Ceramic.

I'm thinking if I POLISH with the old wax on there, I'm going to clog pads, and not get the polish on the paint.

I have time and the desire to spend sweat equity. I don't have the funds to pay someone to do this.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

 

[zwannabe]

i put on ceramic myself when i first got it. since it was new i didn't have to polish, just clayed due to an open trailer long distance transport dirt. a few hours of elbow grease but it's been shining for the last couple yrs. add to it a few hours stripping the wax layer, diy is great.

 

[KnightRiderz]

Just my opinion your process looks good. I’m not sure what a wax remover is. I would move the iron process up and do it before the clay process.

1. Wash
2. Iron remover
3. Rinse
4. Dry
5. Clay
6. Polish
7. Paint prep spray
8. Make sure paint is good no swirls. Touch up as needed and repeat step 7.
9. Ceramic wax
10. Once a month I apply a ceramic boosting detail spray. Might be over kill but man that black paint looks amazing.

 

[Mugzilla]

We are in the same boat; Black cars that look amazing. But, keeping mine that way feels like a part-time job!

Wax remover,... surface prep.... There are different names for it.

I think in my mind, the iron remover was to get the last remnants before doing the ceramic. It would make sense to get the iron out BEFORE rubbing it in!

 

[Mugzilla]

I have this pic all over the forum, but this is what Meguiar's hybrid ceramic wax (Green) performs 5 months after application: (Windows are treated with old-skool rain x)

 

[KnightRiderz]

We are in the same boat; Black cars that look amazing. But, keeping mine that way feels like a part-time job!

Wax remover,... surface prep.... There are different names for it.

I think in my mind, the iron remover was to get the last remnants before doing the ceramic. It would make sense to get the iron out BEFORE rubbing it in!

I agree. Keeping it clean is a part time job. And that product is what I use.

 

[Who.Am.Eye.2716]

Wax doesnt last long. Its mostly broken down by now.

Get yourself a PH Balance soap that will break down any waxes/sealant left on the paint. Dawn will be a good alternative if you have it in the kitchen

Question is, do you need to clay bar? How rough is your paint? Clay towel may be a better option to reduce more swirls

Iron, yes and no. If you use Iron, be sure to wash your car again to remove the chemicals.

Wash the car mulitple times until you get standing water with no beading effect. Your paint is ready for polish

 

[eculley]

I bought the Griots two step kit (orbital polisher, compound, pads and a spray ceramic/wax mixture) -- really easy to use as the pads are super evasive. The spray on sealant seems to be holding strong. With that being said, I do want to strip it and apply a real coating, so this thread is welcomed. The recommended CMX spray seems like the way to go!

 

[Mugzilla]

I bought the Griots two step kit (orbital polisher, compound, pads and a spray ceramic/wax mixture) -- really easy to use as the pads are super evasive. The spray on sealant seems to be holding strong. With that being said, I do want to strip it and apply a real coating, so this thread is welcomed. The recommended CMX spray seems like the way to go!

The CMX is something I bought. Zero experience with it.

Wax wears out, but as the pics show, it is still beading like crazy. I'll keep the thread updated when I get to this.

 

[CPerdomo]

We are in the same boat; Black cars that look amazing. But, keeping mine that way feels like a part-time job!

Wax remover,... surface prep.... There are different names for it.

I think in my mind, the iron remover was to get the last remnants before doing the ceramic. It would make sense to get the iron out BEFORE rubbing it in!

I have the same "black paint" issue. I'm always washing my car... it get tiring...

 

[KnightRiderz]

I have the same "black paint" issue. I'm always washing my car... it get tiring...

Yeah it is definitely a labor of love. So I forgot to mention now that it is the winter months and I can’t do a traditional bucket and foam cannon wash. I do the rinseless from DIY and top it with their detail spray. I daily my Z so I do it every other weekend unless it snows and then I do it as needed to keep the salt and crap off the paint. I know it’s probably over kill but I like to keep the car looking good.

 

[Mugzilla]

So, I've been posting my progress in the "What did you do to your Z today?" thread. It has been therapeutic.

I have about 15 hours in this task. I took my time. I washed the UNDERSIDES of all panels. I removed wax from down there. I took the license plates off to coat behind them. I coated the plates too. I coated the inside of the doors and hatch. I had some tunes on. It felt great from soup-to-nuts to do it.

Foam with Dawn/soak/pressure wash. Re-foam and wash. De-iron. CMX to remove wax. Clay, polish with DIY Detail Gold Standard. Wipe down with CMX Wax remover to remove the oils from polishing. THEN, ceramic. Here's a pic of soap STICKING to a car that's wax has been killed.

The polishing was tedious. I had one spot where SOMEONE pre me-buying the car rubbed the paint. Big swirl. That came right out. Another piece that benefitted from polishing was the strip just above the 3rd brake light. I polished the rest, but can't see many benefits there. MAYBE they're a bit shinier. It was worth doing if before I super-seal in everything. I used "rinseless wash" in a pie pan, and an empty bucket. After polishing, I'd press my polishing pad in to the pie pan and "pump" wash through it. Then, I'd rev it up to 3rd setting in the empty bucket. Turn it of. While it was winding down, I'd do 1 squirt of the polish onto the pad.

I picked up a LOT of microfiber towels at various sales. If they touch the ground, or were used to scrub the underside? I cut them in half and ONLY use them on tires or other messy things. Ones that touched ceramic went in the trash.

95% FINISHED ceramic coating the whole car today! What did I leave out? There are 2 tiny chips in the hood. Waiting on my touch-up paint. I'll fill them in THEN ceramic the hood.

Used ADAM'S GRAPHENE CERAMIC COATING SPRAY (Advanced). Went on great. Rainbowed up, but was a bit difficult to see. I planned on only doing painted surfaces. But, I got some on the trim and it looks INCREDIBLE. The trim and rubber I coated looks BRAND NEW. I did the glass with the Adam's ceramic stuff. HOLY $CHCRACKINS!!!!! It looks great!!

When I was done I remembered I bought a UV flashlight to check coverage. (This coating has UV tracers in it.) When I was done, I went over the car with the UV light. Some places were not as "glowy". Some looked as if there was a high spot because of streaking. In natural light though, there was no high spot.

I was pretty liberal with using the ceramic. There is still 3/4 a bottle left. 3/4 of a bottle of DIY detail polish too.

Got done. Closed the garage, and the rain started! Hopefully all the salt washes away, and I can rip-$#!+ drive soon!

I'll get pics of the glass and trim. I can't stress how great they look.