Hi all,

I have a 97 BMW 328iS Cosmo Black and I'm wondering what type of wax would be best for this color, and for this type of paint. Any help appreciated, thanks!

-Sam

any suggestions?

Read the big info thread dude..

I use the mothers 3 step.

Basically, you anything you use should be similar to that in that it wont be a 'all in one' wax. Cleaner waxes dont look as good, dont last as long, but are 'quicker'.

Youll need to do a polish/sealant/wax job to get it real nice, just make sure you have a clayed /clean surface when you do it or youll get swirlies.

Also, NEVER wash with a wool washmitt. It kills black cars.

Im gonna be using a polisher and mothers 3 step this weekend if it doesnt rain fri sat sun, and ill put up some pics.

It SO better not rain.

I'd recommend Meguiars NXT tech wax + S100 carnauba wax. The metallic flakes in the cosmos black really show with this combination. Make sure your paint is clean of contaminants by claying the car first, then applying the waxes.

Here is my car after Clay, polish (Meguiars #82 swirl free polish) with rotary, wax (Meguiars NXT tech + S100) with orbital.
http://ocprodetailers.com/ltws/Resize%20of%20Rotation%20of%20sept%2027%20'04%2007 9.jpg

Read the big info thread dude..

I use the mothers 3 step.

Basically, you anything you use should be similar to that in that it wont be a 'all in one' wax. Cleaner waxes dont look as good, dont last as long, but are 'quicker'.

Youll need to do a polish/sealant/wax job to get it real nice, just make sure you have a clayed /clean surface when you do it or youll get swirlies.

Also, NEVER wash with a wool washmitt. It kills black cars.

Im gonna be using a polisher and mothers 3 step this weekend if it doesnt rain fri sat sun, and ill put up some pics.

It SO better not rain.

Lol well you know New zealand fat chance of that happining =/ :rolleyes

I really like the Poorboys Natty's wax. Some guys here don't like it too much but I have yet to find a wax that brings more of a deep gloss to a car than this one (P21S included). I had detailed my mom's black Lexus LS 400 last summer and threw a coat of Natty's some time after. My mom usually won't say anything after detailing (she doesn't really care how good it looks as long as it's clean), but after that wax she asked what I did because it looked better than ever! It even made my Alpine White look pretty deep and glossy rather than just very shiny. It does not last as long as P21S, but I love detailing my car so I don't mind waxing a little more often.
Seth

i use the Mothers 3 stage system. i used it last week and i love it. it really gives depth to the paint job and brings out the small blue in cosmos. i highly recomend it.

What would you use to clean the car other than a washmitt? Ive been using that and i dont see a major problem, but at the same time, can it get better?

I use Mother's on my car.

I'd recommend Meguiars NXT tech wax + S100 carnauba wax. The metallic flakes in the cosmos black really show with this combination. Make sure your paint is clean of contaminants by claying the car first, then applying the waxes.

Here is my car after Clay, polish (Meguiars #82 swirl free polish) with rotary, wax (Meguiars NXT tech + S100) with orbital.
http://ocprodetailers.com/ltws/Resize%20of%20Rotation%20of%20sept%2027%20'04%2007 9.jpg

now THAT'S a finish!!!

For a black car, a real killer combo would be Klasse All In One topped with Pinnacle Souveran or P21S wax. If you want a great standalone sealant for dark colors, Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant would be my choice. I then either top it with Pinnacle Souveran, Signature Series, or P21S wax. IMO either of these combos make the finish look wetter than anything else.

What would you use to clean the car other than a washmitt? Ive been using that and i dont see a major problem, but at the same time, can it get better?

He was saying that a wool mit was bad, not mit's in general. The softer the better basically. I believe mine is made from a soft cotton... I think (not really sure to be honest).

Mothers and Meguires are just fine for car products. I soley use Meguires Gold Class car wash soap. However, with other finishing products it is like everything else: you get what you pay for. Again, I am not saying that they are bad at all. It's just that there are better ones out there. I agree, you can't go wrong with P21S, and autogeek is a great place to buy from (I have, and no they don't sponser me). Again, check out the Natty's wax. It's really great stuff at little extra cost ($15-jar) compared to Meguiers/Mothers.
Seth

yeah cotton mitt with heaps of soapy water is good. Cotton dies after maybe 10 uses or so, but wont scratch.


And judging by todays weather, i think the odds of it being sunny this weekend are good. Cant wait. COz i havent washed my car in several months haha

Edit: Thats why im gonna move to san diego. Sun is goood.

ive used a car brush i think it uses boar bristles.

I really like the Poorboys Natty's wax. Some guys here don't like it too much but I have yet to find a wax that brings more of a deep gloss to a car than this one (P21S included). I had detailed my mom's black Lexus LS 400 last summer and threw a coat of Natty's some time after. My mom usually won't say anything after detailing (she doesn't really care how good it looks as long as it's clean), but after that wax she asked what I did because it looked better than ever! It even made my Alpine White look pretty deep and glossy rather than just very shiny. It does not last as long as P21S, but I love detailing my car so I don't mind waxing a little more often.
Seth

Thanks for the recommendation for Poorboy's Natty Paste wax. I'd like to see how it compares to P21S/S100.

Cotton dies after maybe 10 uses or so, but wont scratch.

Um... ok. :rolleyes How do you figure? Do you take care of your mitt? I.e. do you wash it in a washing machine ever? Both of my parents cars are black and I have zero problems with scratching either of them and this mitt has been around a while.
Seth

I don't like cotton mitts at all. They grip the surface too much. I use mine before a wax, but that's it. I prefer the cheap synthetic mitts because they hold a ton more soap/water and they glide over the surface with no resistance.

I also tried a Microfiber mitt, but again, it doesn't hold very much soap/water. And the mitt's backing foam is so stiff that it doesn't glide around the corners and contours of the car very well.

Also, NEVER wash with a wool washmitt. It kills black cars.



Really? Shit....that's all I use....what do you suggest?

I use 3M Imperial Hand Glaze and Show Car finish Wax, they really make it shine great! If you want to see pics here is the link, and my paint is original from 1992.

http://bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=327092&highlight=1992+328is

Really? Shit....that's all I use....what do you suggest?


Cotton is the way to go man. Theres like no friction. It breaks as you use it. You need a new one after like 6 washes. How can that cause any scratch?

Its soft as, holds soapy water well, plus when i wash i dunk it with soapy water, then use a hose with it at the same time to give it extra water as i go. Works well.


ooo tomoro is the big clean, i can hardly wait. Now the weather had better be good..

Well. Actually it looks like next 3 days rain.

NOT IMPRESSED. NOT IMPRESSED AT ALL.

Cloth diapers and Zaino.

won't say the Zaino is worlds better at the deep shine than a great wax, but it sure does last longer.

that was my first purchase....and having no kids, trying to find real cloth diapers was a challenge.

dude diapers are pure evil in terms of stuff you should use.

Theres like 3 options

Terry cloth
Microfiber
A good microfiber.

This whole thread is like pure detailing evil.

Next we shall have the 'lets make everyone was their car with simple green all day long' argument. (no, you shouldnt, it was only the first step you do ONCE for zaino.)

dude diapers are pure evil in terms of stuff you should use.

Theres like 3 options

Terry cloth
Microfiber
A good microfiber.

This whole thread is like pure detailing evil.

Next we shall have the 'lets make everyone was their car with simple green all day long' argument. (no, you shouldnt, it was only the first step you do ONCE for zaino.)

well, they are cotton, DUDE.
just going off what a few professionals have told me, sounds like you have a different opinion, no problem DUDE.

http://www.great-truck-accessories.com/how-to-do-auto-detailing.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_113002_restore-cars-shine.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_1327_wax-car.html

http://www.dianasmercedes.com/TechnicalArticles/CleaningTheRightWay.htm


had a few minutes to kill. only a few, or I would have posted more.

well, they are cotton, DUDE.
just going off what a few professionals have told me, sounds like you have a different opinion, no problem DUDE.

No worries MAN! :D

The thing is you never said anything about their characteristics, which would make people go out and use cloth nappies to care for their paint.

But yeah MAN capslock rocks! :evil2

Id like to say. That i have waxed my cars over hundred times. So im not having trouble with that at all.


I have no idea....no idea in hell. How to,

1) sealant
2)claying (well sorta)
3)polish....so confused.


Its not at all that I dont understand how to use these products. Because i surly do. I just dont want my lil baby to be an experiment gone bad. HELP!

dude diapers are pure evil in terms of stuff you should use.



I totally agree... I used a diaper cloth the first time I waxed my new bimmer, because I read somewhere that I should... It left fine scratches in several places, I think because the fiber is so tightly woven that contaminants left over after I washed the car had nowhere else to go but back and forth against the paint paint. I will never use diaper cloths again for ANYTHING. :mad

:confused I'm not sure what kind of wash mitts you folks are using, but real high quality lambswool/sheepskin will not scratch. They last a good 4-5 months, and I have never noticed any swirling induced by the mitts.

You might also want to try one of our natural sea sponges. It may seem hard at first, but once it gets wet, it becomes very soft and spongy. I have not noticed any marring whatsoever induced by one of these sponges.

Here is a link to our washing supplies: http://autogeek.net/washing.html

Also, I recommend using a two-bucket wash method. One bucket will contain pure water, while the other contains soapy water. Rinse the mitt in the rinse bucket before moving onto the next panel. This prevents the wash water from becoming soiled, and therefore there is less of a chance of scratching the paint.

Hi all,

I have a 97 BMW 328iS Cosmo Black and I'm wondering what type of wax would be best for this color, and for this type of paint. Any help appreciated, thanks!

-Sam
are you sure you have cosmos? I thought only the m3s had that color. You can check by popping the hood and looking on the right suspension tower (not sure what its called) you will see a sticker with the color on it.

:confused I'm not sure what kind of wash mitts you folks are using, but real high quality lambswool/sheepskin will not scratch. They last a good 4-5 months, and I have never noticed any swirling induced by the mitts.

You might also want to try one of our natural sea sponges. It may seem hard at first, but once it gets wet, it becomes very soft and spongy. I have not noticed any marring whatsoever induced by one of these sponges.

Here is a link to our washing supplies: http://autogeek.net/washing.html

Also, I recommend using a two-bucket wash method. One bucket will contain pure water, while the other contains soapy water. Rinse the mitt in the rinse bucket before moving onto the next panel. This prevents the wash water from becoming soiled, and therefore there is less of a chance of scratching the paint.

Yes. I always take the hose to my wash mitt and rinse it before dipping back into the water. Especially when washing below the trim line.

I've used the sea sponges, but they are difficult to handle and don't cover as much area with one swipe as the wash mitt does. The mitt is the way to go for sure.

And the MF mitts are no good for washing a car IMO. I've got the same one pictured on your site. I used mine once but I didn't even wash half the car before pitching it. Too stiff and there isn't an elastic neck around the opening to hold it on your hand. It might be good for hand polishing your car or something though.

The lambswool thing isnt a general thing, but its just not good to use on a black car. Use it for anything but a black car, its the only one it will show up for...

I think you guys that use diapers aren't using them right... To get it to glide w/o scratching your paint you need to make sure you baby puts a good stinky #2 in there and then it will glide just fine, unless you feed your baby peanuts?

Dude nobody should use diapers!!!
:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

That was a tad uncalled for eh?

Id still go with something even better than cotton for polishing, ultramicrofiber.com looked after me well - good products, makes the job a lot easier.

are you sure you have cosmos? I thought only the m3s had that color. You can check by popping the hood and looking on the right suspension tower (not sure what its called) you will see a sticker with the color on it.

yeah, its definitely cosmos, it even said it on the factory sticker that the original driver had kept for me, along with the sticker under the hood

Zymol Carbon, made for black cars and really good, been using it for 15 years

For dark colors, my favorite combo is Wolfgang sealant topped with Pinnacle Souveran. For metallics, I use Signature Series instead of Souveran.

none of you know a good wax job and how to get it. first make sure your car is nice and clean. after a good drying, if it squeaks that means the car is underwaxed and needs to be waxed IMMEDIATELY. if it doesnt squeak it doesnt really need it. for a dark car use Zymol Carbon Wax, it contains about 80%+ carnuba wax. the trick to applying it is that you dont do a swirl motion as you would with a regular wax, instead you go in a vertical motion. to remove the wax use a very very soft towel, i use on my cars the zymol towel that comes with a sampler kit. now this wax isnt cheap but it does pay off if you do it right. its $70. there is another Zymol wax called Zymol Black, its made specifically for black cars and contains black pigment to fill in scratches and swirl marks. now i dont know if it works on metallic black cars so i dont recommend it unless you've done more homework and its also about $70. yall need to be shot if you call yourselves detailers and u torture your car like this with all this mit using. when any large amount of friction happens, like with a mit, with sand, it causes damn scratches. SO DONT USE MITS. i use a boars hair brush and start from the top and work my way down. go to www.griotsgarage.com to buy a nice 100% boars hair brush. its the best investment u can ever make. I hope i've been a big help to you all. thanks!

Um... ok. :rolleyes

use zaino

yall need to be shot if you call yourselves detailers and u torture your car like this with all this mit using. when any large amount of friction happens, like with a mit, with sand, it causes damn scratches. SO DONT USE MITS.

I don't know what kind of mitt you've been using, but my mitt glides over the surface with no friction at all.

none of you know a good wax job and how to get it. first make sure your car is nice and clean. after a good drying, if it squeaks that means the car is underwaxed and needs to be waxed IMMEDIATELY. if it doesnt squeak it doesnt really need it. for a dark car use Zymol Carbon Wax, it contains about 80%+ carnuba wax. the trick to applying it is that you dont do a swirl motion as you would with a regular wax, instead you go in a vertical motion. to remove the wax use a very very soft towel, i use on my cars the zymol towel that comes with a sampler kit. now this wax isnt cheap but it does pay off if you do it right. its $70. there is another Zymol wax called Zymol Black, its made specifically for black cars and contains black pigment to fill in scratches and swirl marks. now i dont know if it works on metallic black cars so i dont recommend it unless you've done more homework and its also about $70. yall need to be shot if you call yourselves detailers and u torture your car like this with all this mit using. when any large amount of friction happens, like with a mit, with sand, it causes damn scratches. SO DONT USE MITS. i use a boars hair brush and start from the top and work my way down. go to www.griotsgarage.com to buy a nice 100% boars hair brush. its the best investment u can ever make. I hope i've been a big help to you all. thanks!

:withstupi

LOL. 6 posts as everyone already knows yer an ass.

you don't know everything, despite what you might think. Obviously...you didn't even mention Zaino.

Hi all,

I have a 97 BMW 328iS Cosmo Black and I'm wondering what type of wax would be best for this color, and for this type of paint. Any help appreciated, thanks!

-Sam

I like Zaino (technically not a wax) and Formula113. I like Zaino's mirror-like gloss. Formula113 gives lots of depth and a warmer shine.

I think mike from autogeek has it down. The two bucket method with a grit guard in the rinse bucket should will do you good. As for the mit, you can use about anything you want, just make sure it is soft and clean when you use it. I personally have 1 sheepskin, 1 synthetic, and one cotton. They have different uses for me and you will have different uses for you too. Detailing is all about personal taste, if you like it...go for it.
~I'm not to keen on those brushes. It seems like it would just drag dirt around vs. a mitt which suspends the dirt between the material-somewhat...But whatever you use, just make sure it is clean, and you have a lot of lubricant (car wash solution) on the mit/car.

For a black car, I would probably use Pinnicle Souvereign (spl??). I haven't personally tried it, but all the reviews have been outstanding. If you want a sealant, I would go with KSG or 4*UPP. OH, I forgot to mention poorboys Natty paste wax. It seems to be a popular product.

I just did mine recently. I used menzerna intensive polish, followed by klasse AIO, then Klasse SG. picture is too large to post.

pelos