Hello, I am new with a question.
- Thread starter 47ho
- Start date
Welcome to the forum! IMHO, the easiest way to use for steps is to understand what each product does.
<strong class='bbc'>Wash[/b]- Removes fresh contaminates, dirt, and heavy dust
<strong class='bbc'>Glaze[/b]- A product consisting of oils that temporarily gives a nice shine and fills swirls.
<strong class='bbc'>Polish[/b]- An abrasive that levels the paint to abrade away fine scratches and swirl marks. Some companies (like Meguiar's) call <strong class='bbc'>Glazes[/b], polishes.
<strong class='bbc'>Wax[/b]- Seals and shines a clean, like-new surface that has been polished and washed. Some cleaner/waxes, polish and wax at the same time.
<strong class='bbc'>Synthetic Sealant[/b]- Is not a wax, but a polymer that provides a long lasting barrier against hazardous rays...better than waxes.
Now you understand... it is common sense to....
1.) FIRST wash to remove dirt and light bugs, etc.
2.) SECOND polish to remove fine scratches, oxidation, embedded grime etc.
3.) SEALANT to seal up a clean surface, and give a good shine
4.) WAX to give an even better shine. Make sure it's not a cleaner/wax, or it will remove the sealant. And you dont want to use it before the sealant, because the wax's oils will not let the sealant bond properly.
If you use a cleaner/sealant like Klasse AIO, AIO's not abrasive chemical cleaners will throughly clean the paint for you, and <strong class='bbc'>polish[/b] isn't necessary.
Also, usually you will not need a wax after the sealant, unless you compete in Concours car shows, and the car is a garage queen, etc.
Anyways, have fun detailing!
~bw
<strong class='bbc'>Wash[/b]- Removes fresh contaminates, dirt, and heavy dust
<strong class='bbc'>Glaze[/b]- A product consisting of oils that temporarily gives a nice shine and fills swirls.
<strong class='bbc'>Polish[/b]- An abrasive that levels the paint to abrade away fine scratches and swirl marks. Some companies (like Meguiar's) call <strong class='bbc'>Glazes[/b], polishes.
<strong class='bbc'>Wax[/b]- Seals and shines a clean, like-new surface that has been polished and washed. Some cleaner/waxes, polish and wax at the same time.
<strong class='bbc'>Synthetic Sealant[/b]- Is not a wax, but a polymer that provides a long lasting barrier against hazardous rays...better than waxes.
Now you understand... it is common sense to....
1.) FIRST wash to remove dirt and light bugs, etc.
2.) SECOND polish to remove fine scratches, oxidation, embedded grime etc.
3.) SEALANT to seal up a clean surface, and give a good shine
4.) WAX to give an even better shine. Make sure it's not a cleaner/wax, or it will remove the sealant. And you dont want to use it before the sealant, because the wax's oils will not let the sealant bond properly.
If you use a cleaner/sealant like Klasse AIO, AIO's not abrasive chemical cleaners will throughly clean the paint for you, and <strong class='bbc'>polish[/b] isn't necessary.
Also, usually you will not need a wax after the sealant, unless you compete in Concours car shows, and the car is a garage queen, etc.
Anyways, have fun detailing!
~bw
I do not think <strong class='bbc'>glazes[/b] such as 3M Imperial Hand Glaze (IHG) is necessary. Think of it as make-up that temporary gives a nice shine with oils that evaporate quickly.
Waxing after a sealant is for more of a garage-queen type of a car that is not often driven and for a Concours car show type of a person. It's an optional step that makes the car look great, not as important as a sealant.
I would say a gallon of car wash should last about 3 years if you wash weekly, which is about $10. Since your Bimmer is so new, you don't need a polish, unless if the dealer made swirl marks. Then a 16.9 oz jar of Klasse AIO is about $22 and Klasse Sealant Glaze (so you can add more and more layers of sealant as the time passes) is about $19. If you use Klasse AIO twice a year, that would last you about 8+ years if you use sparingly, and if you add a layer of Klasse SG every two or three months, maybe about 3+ years. That is of course, if the shelf life lasts that long.
Waxing after a sealant is for more of a garage-queen type of a car that is not often driven and for a Concours car show type of a person. It's an optional step that makes the car look great, not as important as a sealant.
I would say a gallon of car wash should last about 3 years if you wash weekly, which is about $10. Since your Bimmer is so new, you don't need a polish, unless if the dealer made swirl marks. Then a 16.9 oz jar of Klasse AIO is about $22 and Klasse Sealant Glaze (so you can add more and more layers of sealant as the time passes) is about $19. If you use Klasse AIO twice a year, that would last you about 8+ years if you use sparingly, and if you add a layer of Klasse SG every two or three months, maybe about 3+ years. That is of course, if the shelf life lasts that long.
MCD007,
You may want to consider upgrading to the Klasse now. The sooner you get a quality sealant on your new car the better. A steady diet of Klasse will keep your BMW looking great for a long time.
BTW, since your car is black I would put a layer of wax on after you have applied the Klasse. The results will be stunning!
P.S.- For a good wax, try Blitz.
You may want to consider upgrading to the Klasse now. The sooner you get a quality sealant on your new car the better. A steady diet of Klasse will keep your BMW looking great for a long time.
BTW, since your car is black I would put a layer of wax on after you have applied the Klasse. The results will be stunning!
P.S.- For a good wax, try Blitz.
MCD007
I would just put a layer of a quality wax on top of the sealant. IHG is basically just a filler, and will be gone after a couple of washes.
Dont put the wax on until you have all the layers of SG that you want on the car. You must strip the wax off if you want to add any more layers of SG later. The caranuba in the wax will prevent the SG from bonding properly. To strip the wax you just wash with blue Dawn dishwashing soap. Dawn will NOT strip Klasse, so you dont have to worry about that.
Good Luck!!
I would just put a layer of a quality wax on top of the sealant. IHG is basically just a filler, and will be gone after a couple of washes.
Dont put the wax on until you have all the layers of SG that you want on the car. You must strip the wax off if you want to add any more layers of SG later. The caranuba in the wax will prevent the SG from bonding properly. To strip the wax you just wash with blue Dawn dishwashing soap. Dawn will NOT strip Klasse, so you dont have to worry about that.
Good Luck!!
Ron Ketcham
Active member
Don't apply Imperial Hand Glaze over any wax or sealant.
Want the reason why?
When a bodyshop prepares a vehicle for repaint,they use a hydrocarbon solvent blend to remove waxes, etc.
IHG is more hydrocarbon solvents percentage wise than it is fillers and a little pariffin wax.
It will disolve your wax, attack your sealant, due to the high content of solvents.
Just Old Grumpy, cluing you in a bit.
Want the reason why?
When a bodyshop prepares a vehicle for repaint,they use a hydrocarbon solvent blend to remove waxes, etc.
IHG is more hydrocarbon solvents percentage wise than it is fillers and a little pariffin wax.
It will disolve your wax, attack your sealant, due to the high content of solvents.
Just Old Grumpy, cluing you in a bit.
Welcome to the board! 
Looks like you IHG will be the first of many products that will be making it's way down to the hardly ever used shelf. There will be more joining your IHG as you experiment (so I've been told by the numerous informative people on here), like the Turtle Wax I used to use with my Armor All (I threw out the latter).
Looks like you IHG will be the first of many products that will be making it's way down to the hardly ever used shelf. There will be more joining your IHG as you experiment (so I've been told by the numerous informative people on here), like the Turtle Wax I used to use with my Armor All (I threw out the latter).