If you have old paint that will never be flawless again and want it shiny (and to stay that way for a good while)

AND you're not willing to pay for someone to mess with it.

AND you are mostly interested in something you can spray on and wipe/buff off without electric devices and mucho sweat and labor

THEN - what would you buy ?

I don’t think you’ll achieve that outside of paint correction. Paint correction is needed prior to ceramic coating and waxing. Maybe Earl Scheib can help out.

thank you BTX. looks very simple. My style :-)

Easy DIY for good not great:

Once per year - Wash (eg Meguiars gold), clay bar; wash; and a easy applied and hand removed once-per-year wax (eg Nufinish)

Weekly - Wash (eg Meguiars gold)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tatortodd,

look at the products on autogeek.com. I've been using the Blackfire products for 10 years and have been very happy with them.

Autogeek

quote:

Originally posted by odin:
look at the products on autogeek.com. I've been using the Blackfire products for 10 years and have been very happy with them.

Autogeek

Which Blackfire product would you recommend for the OP (mostly interested in something you can spray on and wipe/buff off without electric devices and mucho sweat and labor)?

https://www.zainostore.com/product/Z-CS.html

I have used this for years. It works great, just wipe it on. No wiping off or buffing required.

I use this after an initial wash and then use their wax and spray shine products as well. But for something that just shines and protects for near zero effort, the clear seal product works!

That one bottle will do about 10 cars I would estimate, at least.

I like the 303 products.

https://www.goldeagle.com/brands/303-products/

Griot’s 3 in 1 is available O’reilly auto parts for $20. Just a spray and wipe off process.
One bottle should last you a year.
Ideally you would decon the iron off, wash, clay bar and wash again but a good wash may be all most folks do. It’s gotten some VERY good reviews from detail pros.

I started with the Ice Seal & Shine (still good, and cheaper, but requires a *little more* elbow grease to get the streaks out and reportedly doesn't last as long). Then switched to the newer Hybrid Solutions (Green bottle). I've been quite satisfied on 4 vehicles now. Like the carnauba aspect. They're also so easy to apply (~30 min - 45 min.), you can do them fairly frequently.

I actually just did a '94 Ford that hadn't been waxed in awhile and it came out pretty well all things considered.




Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNgNbT-flfk


This is a decent, easy item to use while you're washing your car. Definitely smooths out the surface.




Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXgMyyHLzrE


Boss

Paint correction would be your best bet with a high speed buffer, but given that's out, I'd wash it well, clay bar the paint, and apply rejex.

Another vote for Rejex.
Find it on Amazon. One bottle will do a few cars.

I've answered this type of question many times over the past few years. The best answer to the op for his car is... Just run it through a touchless car wash on a regular basis and enjoy it. Wipe on products are mediocre at best, and without being willing to correct the surface first, you are truly attempting to put a shine on a turd. On the other hand, if you reach the point where you're willing to hire someone to correct and then seal the paint, that person can hand you back a vehicle, that with minimal continuing effort on your part, can offer pretty decent shine. Simple rule of thumb, paint doesn't 'pop' without effort being applied. If you're not willing to put in the effort, save your money and spend it at the touchless car wash.

Paint correction is your answer, but since you not willing to pay for it. Wash and any of the BS magic in a bottle products will do.

John Deere ultra polishing wax. You can put it on in the sun , it is soybean based, and the longer you leave it on, the easier it is to take off. I came across this about 25 years ago when my dads' pick up topper faded from red to pink. Put it on and left it for a week in the middle of summer and when we wiped it off the topper was as nice as the day he got it !