Don't want to start a holy war...but
 

But what car wax/ treatment is recommended to bring a 2001 Black Boxster back to its old glory. Will need some work as the previous owner didn't do much and it has been kept outside without a cover.

Some road rash on the hood that will need touch up as well.

Please post up some pictures. Need to see what level of oxidation has occured.

+1 on posting pix
 

I have used a 5 step combination for a while and although labor intensive, yeilds excellent results:

1. Wash with Dawn dishwashing liquid, this is PH neutral and will gently strip off any crud on the paint.
2. Clay bar (make sure and use a quality one...)
3. Klasse All-in-One (AIO), two coats, put one on...wipe off right away, repeat.
4. Klasse Acrylic Sealant, use only a small amount and wipe off right away.
5. 1 or more coats of your favorite wax: P21S works great as does Pinnacle

I turned an old 83 Mercedes 240D from a loser to a winner with this process (made the paint look and FEEL new) and I have used it on all my cars since.

Everyone else may want to chime in...but I know this process works great!

I agree with Rob on the steps, but would like to recommend one between 2 and 3. If the paint (clear coat) has been abused, you must use an orbital to polish out the swirls and minor scratches.

My tool of choice is the Porter-Cable 7424 with an orange pad. Using a fine polish (I emphasize fine), it is very easy to buff out the surface scratches with very little likelyhood of damage to the paint. Using a slower speed (around 2500 to 300 rpm) you just work the polish, bringing the clear coat back to a shine. You can then seal the paint at that point, if you wish.

If you look at any of the detailing websites, there are great tutorial videos showing how to use the P-C and it doesn't take a rocket scientist. For an investment of around $130, it will last a lifetime and I highly recommend it.

Here's a pic of my black car to show the results...

Depends if you want to do any correction on the paint. As Jwade said, need to see what sort of condition the paint is in.

Do you want to use a sealant or a wax? Common consenus is that sealants are good for lighter colour cars (gives a glassier, shiny look), while a wax works better on darker cars (brings out the depth of paint better). Sealants are easier to apply, but i find if i put 2-3 layers of wax on, with proper care i wont need to touch my paint for at least 6 months.

What sort of effort do you want to put in?

Is it scratched, swirled, suffering from holograms? Do you really want to correct all imperfections, or just 'make it look better'?

Will you be doing it by hand or do you have an R/O machine?

I would suggest you get a professional to do a correction for you, get it back to how it should be, then you could put your wax on yourself. And with proper maintenance, you'll only need to look after it yourself with products you can apply by hand.

Check out some detailing sites to get an idea of what is involved, more options, etc.

www.detailparadise.com.au is a site i visit here in oz.

It is a long time since I met you last time
In these days I did not contact you just because I want to forget you
But please tell me how I can do that, my dear.
I am listening to the song right here waiting again and again and missing you now
It has been a custom to miss you everyday
I want to start a new life, but I can not
They say missing one person is just akin to drinking a bottle of icy water
And then it takes a long time to melt into scalding tears
Can you imagine that feeling, my dear?
wow gold
I took it for granted that our love will last forever
But in the corner of life you turn left
And I still stand at the corner
wotlk gold
If we knew the result would we have fallen in love?
If there is next life, please remember your promise, ok?
Wherever you go and whatever you do
wow gold
I will be right here waiting for you
I loved you in the past
And I still love you now
I will love you in the future
I will keep my promise to you forever
Bless for you, my dear
I will stay at the place where you left
And waiting for you

Right here waiting for you

The forums at Autopia.org are a great source of this kind of info.

After looking at a customer's Ford F-150 (black) and his 2001 Boxster (dark blue),
I am taking his advice and a gamble on the products on zainobros.com and just ordered the $118 kit for my black '01 Boxster.
This guy was turned on to the product line by another friend who has a black Corvette that he says has five coats of the product and it is like a mirror.

The Zaino process also starts with Dawn Ultra dishwashing liquid and goes from there.

Wish me luck. I will post the results of my efforts when I get the product.

Anybody else using the Zaino products? Results?

Zaino isn't exactly a gamble. It's a fantastic product. I've been using it on all of my cars since 2000. I highly recommend it.

Tips for using Zaino:
- As suggested with other methods, use Dawn and a claybar first, and take your time with that process. Then wash and dry the car again before applying the Zaino.

- Apply Zaino in direct sunlight, on a hot day when there is no humidity. (That whirring noise is the heads spinning on the traditional wax advocates.)

- Use VERY little product. I mean VERY little. Really. If you can actually SEE the product on the paint when you've applied it, you've used three times more than you should have, and it won't result in a better finish, it will just take longer to dry and will be more of a pain to remove.

- Apply a second coat of Zaino the following day, and always use the Gloss Enhancer spray after each coat. I have four coats of Zaino on my Boxster. The resulting finish is so smooth that when you run a clean towel across the paint, it just glides along like it's on Teflon.

Good luck, and be sure to post pics!

[QUOTE=punk12123]It is a long time since I met you last time
In these days I did not contact you just because I want to forget you
But please tell me how I can do that, my dear.
I am listening to the song right here waiting again and again and missing you now
It has been a custom to miss you everyday
I want to start a new life, but I can not
They say missing one person is just akin to drinking a bottle of icy water
And then it takes a long time to melt into scalding tears
Can you imagine that feeling, my dear?
wow gold
I took it for granted that our love will last forever
But in the corner of life you turn left
And I still stand at the corner
wotlk gold
If we knew the result would we have fallen in love?
If there is next life, please remember your promise, ok?
Wherever you go and whatever you do
wow gold
I will be right here waiting for you
I loved you in the past
And I still love you now
I will love you in the future
I will keep my promise to you forever
Bless for you, my dear
I will stay at the place where you left
And waiting for you

Right here waiting for you.

Quote from a guest....Punk 12123



Dude, WTF? :barf:

Quote:

"Dude, WTF? :barf: "

Posted by Jaxonalden.

I was WONDERIN' when somebody was going to comment on that.

Where's the delete when we need it?

Jmatta, I took your advice, and bought a PC 7424 last week for $109 from www.coastaltool.com. Ordered on Thursday, and had it by Monday.

I've been using the Zaino system for years and frankly its scary how well it works. It's light years ahead of anything else I've used and I've tried a bunch. I have not tried Klasse products.

"bought a PC 7424 last week "

I guarantee you will not regret it!

paint chips and road rash
 

My hood has road rash so I was thinking of trying Dr. Chip to repair them. Should I do this first or doesn't it really matter. Based on time I would just as soon wax now and then in the fall treat all the paint chips.

But maybe it makes sense to paint the chips now and then put all the sealants / wax on top. Any thoughts?

Also, is there really a difference in polishers? Makita/Milwaukee/PC? I could see for the pro - but for a couple of times over the summer? Even with three cars that is just 6x a year or so.

Wash with Dawn, claybar the car, and then fill in the paint chips, and then wax it.

Dr. Chip does look good from three or four feet away, but it's not like a respray from what I have read online. Some guys swear by it but others say it ain't that great.

I agree with the "good from three feet" comment. The problem with this application is that it does not fill the chip "craters", but colors them instead.

I would attack the chips before spending time on polishing and waxing. Even if you fill the chips the traditional way, you can polish them out later with the orbital.

I've personally had better luck with dabbing paint in the chip, let dry and lightly wet sand with 2500 grit...polish with the orbital and they disappear.

ZAINO is the best I have ever seen or used. I have used it for years and it can be an addiction as the more coats of the product you are willing to put, the deeper the shine becomes, even on light colored vehicles. :cheers:

I am a satisfied Zaino user.

Here is a link to my thread with instructions and pictures:
http://986forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13801

Definitely get a random orbit buffer. Brand doesn't really matter as long as its powerful and has variable speeds (including FAST). I actually use a BOSCH random orbit sander. Makes no difference.

The method described in this thread (dawn, clay, etc.) is correct. Again, details in my thread.

I recommend two products:

1 - Zaino ZPC is a "mild" polish. I have a few different buffer pads, and I generally apply it with a soft white finishing pad. That is usually more than enough to remove oxidation and hairline scratches. If you need more, you can use a firmer pad on the buffer. Z-PC is a great product. Amazing results. I strongly recommend you make this your go-to polish.

2 - Zaino offers various sealants that can be used together. I use BOTH the Z-2 and the Z-5. They offer different levels of "optical clarity". I use the accelerant which allows you to apply multiple coats in a day. I've done 10 in a weekend... The Z-5 has some "hiding" qualities that are useful as the first coat over the polish. The Z-2 is more "optically perfect", some folks like it as a finish coat -- especially on a dark colored car. I recommend it (see my pictures).

Also, if your paint is seriously messed up, you can go with a stronger polish. I also use Manzerna Intensive Polish (not a Zaino product). If you use it with a stronger buffing pad (say yellow), it will pretty much remove any scratch or defect.

If your shopping Zaino, do yourself a favor and get an extra bottle of Z-6. Z-6 is the quick detailer. I tend to go thru a lot of it for claying, and between coats. Its a great product and it smells great!

Finally, don't forget to buy the right tools (microfibre towels, wash mitt, etc.).

Its quicker and easier than you think to get great results. Post some pictures before & after!