Any kind of protective wax on a new car.

The finish is a clearcoat, which--in my experience, even over the last

the dealer?

If water does not bead up on the surface of the paint then it needs waxed either way.

years--does a fantastic job all by itself.

Clearcoat is referring to paints surface or layer over color paint being clear paint.

I find it hard to believe that a car might NOT need to be washed after 6 months.

The car makers have been using clear coat for many years now. I would suggest you at least hit the drive thru car wash at the gas station, these cost about $5 to wash the big chunks off, and $8 for the deluxe hose-down.

Only if you paid for Simonize. The only good thing about Simonize is the Insurance that comes with it. We replaced a woman's carpet after SHE spilled a gallon of ammonia because she had it Simonized.

Other than that, washing and waxing is the best thing you can do. Use a good paste wax, and NOT a cleaner wax. A cleaner wax may eventually damage the clear coat.

I use Meguire's products, and have an '85 Corolla that still looks near new!

FWIW, the current issue of Consumer Reports (July) has a review of car waxes. I use Mequires also, but it didn't come out very high in CR's tests.

Merritt

I'd like to see that!

I have been waxing the '85 GTS with Meguire's ever since I bought it in '86, and I think I've 'touched it up' with 3M Fill 'N Glaze twice since then, and it STILL looks pretty good.

What I like about Meguire's is that it is WAX! Nothing else!

I ama big fan of klasse-all-in-one. A german synthetic wax. Lasts long and doesn't dissapear when parked in the hot sun. I think meguiars has a synthetic wax as well now.

I have to give Meguire's a pat on the back. Especially for their new 2nd generation products that I used so far.

My Supra's paint looks as good (excluding scratch,chips,dings stuff) as it did when I bought it in 1987. That stuff has done 0 damage to the paint year after year. By comparison, Every inch of items like the molding that are not waxed basically look like there decomposing from the hot California sun despite my best efforts.

I bought the 'new improved' Armorall product and the Meguir's new cleaner/restorer with the UV protection a wile back.

OMG I was so amazed with Meguir's I used the whole bottle, car, both bikes and the house and half bottle Armorall right into the trash!

I'm sorry this is going to sound like really bad new but its not. Meguire's 2nd generation product line is not even a wax!

I think if you take a leap of faith so to speak and give Meguire's NXT products a try they wont let you down.

My 1987 Supra just got its first taste of Meguire's NXT everybody noticed right away. This stuff was the liquid quickie no effort type and not even the typical grade NXT

I don't know what was used on my Supra. It looks pretty good. It was bought in Nov 88 in Toronto.

I bet it was garaged for a long time.

I also think they used a higher quality paint on what was then a near-$30,000 car!

and the house

I'll have to give it a try!

So what did they recommend? (I don't have the CR available here).

I have begun to use Zaino's stuff after using Mequire's for years. Not as readily available (by mail-order only), but with their hardener additive it sure wipes off easily and even seems better than when buffed with the Porter Cable. Cannot beat it. One ounce will do a whole car (I didn't believe it either!). I got the advice from some show-car owners that enter contests with it.

Just resubscribed to CR a couple months ago, but the latest issue I have is June, not July's :-(

I received the July issue in the mail on Friday, June 2.

Merritt

Surprise, surprise! The top two (both liquids) were (1) Black Magic Wet Shine and (2) Turtle Wax Carnauba Car Wax T-6. The also both got "Best Buy" awards as they two of the less expensive products.

Mequiar's NXT was number 9 out of 17 liquids tested. Two other liquid Turtle Wax products (regular Turtle Wax and Super Hard Shell) finished last.

In general, liquids did better than pastes, and much better than sprays.

They are all called "waxes" as opposed to "polishes", as polishes contain abrasives.

Merritt

Did they mention anything about Nu-Finish?

Hachi,

Do you know this guy?

Nu-Finish liquid finished 7th out of 17. Nu-Finish paste finished first of the 4 paste waxes they tested with a grade of 71 (about the middle level of the liquid waxes).

I used to use Nu-Finish because CR rated it best for durability years ago. But others are better now.

Before anyone asks, Mequiar's NXT Generation paste and spray waxes finished last among the products tested.

Merritt

How did they test ? Did they just look at the application and direct result ? I'd like to see a long term test as to which one lasts the longest on the paint. Test would have to be performed in extreme cold and extreme hot weather.