I use Autoglym HD Wax - not cheap at £40, but you do get two applicator pads and a decent microfibre for buffing included. Halfords have a three for two offer on at the moment, so you could buy three, sell two on eBay at close to full price to some mugs and end up with HD wax for next to nothing.
Poorboys
Natty's Paste Wax is a good option at £13.45, but you'll need to budget for a foam applicator pad or two and a good microfibre buffing cloth.
That said, waxing isn't as important as good wash technique and preparing the paintwork - it's the cleaning and polish stage which will give you the biggest improvement in appearance; wax or sealant locks it all in and protects the paintwork - do you have a decent car shampoo, two buckets and a lambswool mitt? This is known as the "two bucket method":
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBo76v2je44[/youtube]
One bucket and a yellow sponge will probably do more harm than good - you will inflict scratches and swirl marks in your paint. Remember to start from the top of the vehicle and work your way down to the dirtier areas at the bottom so you don't contaminate cleaner areas with dirt from lower down.
Claying is also a good idea every 4-6 months, but completely optional. This is where you get a clay bar and run it over the surface of the paint to remove any contaminants and get it smooth ready for waxing. Here's how to do it:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD9Qc84vSyY[/youtube]
Before waxing, you should polish - this is where most of the shininess and improvement in appearance will occur:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhwYaDWZo6U[/youtube]
And finally wax or sealant (or sealant with wax on top if you want to go all out) to protect all your hard work:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kGExhf_brQ[/youtube]
Here's the full detailing monty in a nutshell:
1. Wash - to remove dirt; remember two buckets and lambswool mitt.
2. Clay (optional) - to get the paintwork smooth; most clays require a lubricant like a detailing spray, Bilt Hamber do one that just requires water.
3. Polish - to polish or fill scratches and swirls; remember this is where the shine comes from; applied with a soft cotton cloth or microfibre application pad, buffed off with a decent microfibre cloth.
4. Glaze (optional) - to further fill / hide imperfections; applied with a soft cotton cloth or microfibre application pad, buffed off with a decent microfibre cloth.
5. Sealant or Wax (or Sealant followed by Wax if you like, but not the other way around; sealant won't adhere to wax) - a layer of protection to lock in all your hard work in the previous steps; sealant is best applied with a microfibre applicator pad, wax is best applied with a foam applicator pad, both should be buffed off with a good quality microfibre cloth (the best you can afford).
If you're doing it on the cheap - Halfords have a 3 for 2 on detailing products at the moment. Can't go wrong with Autoglym - their shampoo, super resin polish and extra gloss protection (sealant) are all around a tenner each and a tried and tested combination. Though you will need to buy some soft cotton cloths and a microfibre as well.
Halfords also do a
Meguiar's NXT starter kit with shampoo, liquid wax, applicator pad, microfibre buffing cloth and wash mitt for £34.99 which is quite good value, and will get you started in fine form.
Ideally, you'd also want to get a polish to go in between the wash and wax stage - Autoglym Super Resin Polish is included in the 3 for 2 offer and
this one comes with a cloth to apply it. If you bought the above and below starter kits, you'd get the polish for free.
If you want to take it to the next level, the
Meguiar's Clay starter kit is a good option as well for £25.99, containing two clay bars, case, detailing spray, microfibre cloth and some quick wax stuff I probably wouldn't bother with. With both kits and free polish with the 3 for 2, a total investment of £60 for a pretty complete detailing kit is not bad at all.
General tips:
1. Don't press too hard - less is more; light circular motions to apply, and straight lines to finish usually works best to ensure an even coverage. Treat your paintwork like you'd treat your face. Buff gently in circular motions with a clean microfibre. It's tempting to give it a good scrubbing, but try to resist this!
2. Don't go crazy with the product - again, less is more; applying more polish, glaze, sealant or wax does not equal more shine. It equals a waste of money, a pain to buff off, and almost always results in a worse finish, especially where wax is concerned.
3. If you drop a microfibre cloth (or clay) on the floor, you can't carry on using it as it will have picked up grit and will scratch your paintwork; it's best to have a spare or two. Dropped clay needs to be binned. Cloths can be washed in the washing machine with regular laundry liquid (not powder) up to 60 degrees but never use fabric softener as this will ruin the cloths ability to absorb.
4. Don't go too fast - there's no need to go all speedy gonzales on it; gentle, controlled movements is the way forward. Think Mr. Miyagi - wax on / wax off!
5. Try not to do it in direct sunlight - your products will dry on too hard and be a pain to get off and may dull the finish.
6. Try to be finished before around 3-4 in the afternoon as when it starts getting dark, dew starts forming on the horizontal panels (roof and bonnet) and this will cause your wax to not stick properly.
Bless you all,,,the amount of advice that you have posted I think is amazing,thankyou all so much.I shall certainly take all of it on board and will endeavor to do my "PLUM "justice.If it doesnt rain at the weekend I shall be very busy!xxxxxxxx
