Wax is the last step in your car detailing regimen. Remember, wax or any sealant will only adhere as good as you prep the surface underneath. On a good prepped car, Collinite 845 can last 8 months or more easily, Collinite 476 10months, and Fusso Coat up to a year. Also, a wax does not remove any swirls. It will only mask light swirls on the vehicle. Remember it's a protective coating, not a paint corrector.
Ideally, your regimen should look like this leading up to the wax or sealant:
1. Wash the car, either two-bucket method or pressure washer
2. Chemical decontamination, using Carpro Iron X or similar product
3. Mechanical decontamination, using a Claybar. Before you use a clay bar, do a baggie test to get a feel of the grit stuck on the paint. Depending on the level of decontamination, claying can be broken down into further two processes, a) Medium Claybar and b) Fine clay bar. Use the medium clay bar first, followed by the fine clay bar. Also, make sure the surface is properly lubricated while claying otherwise a medium clay bar can marr the paint surface. For lubricant, you can either use soapy water, quick detailer or a dedicated clay lube.
4. Compounding. Depending on the level of swirls, selectively compound the panels. However, it is always best to use the compound on a test spot before applying it on a panel to determine the level of cut and whether it will damage the paint or not.
5. Fine polishing, using a fine polish like Meg's 205, finely polish the whole car. Both Compounding and polishing are steps done best with a DA polisher but doing by hand can get satisfactory results too.
6. IPA wipe down. This is an optional step, however, I prefer to do it to ensure maximum bonding of wax or sealant on paint. IPA removes all the residues and oil leftovers by polish and compounds used previously. Do not exceed more than 10% strength IPA and do not use IPA or any wax, sealant, on newly painted surface for at least 30 days.
7. Last step protection. Use either a wax, sealant, or a ceramic coating as per your liking. You can even layer these products by allowing some curing time in between.
Hope this answers your queries. Best to ask all such questions in the dedicated thread.
