Wax?

[deliriousga]

Rejex. Not a wax as it bonds with the paint. Shines like the dickens, lasts up to 2 years, bugs slide right off.

[Perfectlap]

Zaino is an excellent product but when you committ to it you really need to only use that product. That line is a bit fussy about what you put over it.

That's a deal breaker for me because Klasse All in One (AIO) is the absolute best polish on the market. Zaino customers who've used AIO have complained about not having a similar product available to them.

I'm 99% certain that if I put four cars in front of you with either Zaino, Poorboys, and Finish Kare or Klasse (AIO & SG) you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Which is a big reason why I use Finish Kare nowadays its truly minimal effort, works with EVERY polish and the price is excellent since most of their customer base is not the individual consumers. Their shipping prices and quantities are VERY generous. Spend your money on 1st rate towels instead, it'll make a bigger difference in the longevity of you paint then brand of polish/seal/wax.

[Wintermute]

Ok, so what would you consider a "1st rate" towel? Are we talking a high-quality terrycloth or something more exotic like microfiber?

--Edit--
Nevermind, I just read the FAQ section on the Zaino site that says to use 100% cotton towels from a department store, so that answers that question.

Thanks for the links BTW. There's a lot of good info in there. Just to make sure I've got the process right, this is basically the steps I would take to detail my paint:

1) Wash with dish detergent like Dawn to remove grease and old wax.
2) Use clay bar to remove any surface contaminants.
3) Wash with a commercial car wash such as the Z-7 or Meguiar's Gold Class.
4) Polish using Z-5 with the ZFX additive (or something similar).

[Perfectlap]

what year and color is your paint?

if its dark I would toss in a good rubbing compound like 3m (over the counter product) or swirl remover like Poorboy's SSR 2.5.
It will be a bit of work by hand but the car will look like new and you'll have a much better effect once you apply your waxes.

this is the towel I use (mega towel 12 for $48)
http://poorboysworld.com/microfiber.htm
I also use their waffle weave to dry the paint and an Absorber form pep boys to dry the canvas and glass.

[slogans7]

I think wax is actually not nearly as important as swirl remover and polish. When the car is truly clean, the wax will provide good protection. The real shine comes from below, IMHO.

Being the lazy bastard that I am, I've also pretty much stopped drying with towels in favor of my wife's Metro Air Force dog dryer. Don't laugh, or at least not too long. This puppy (sorry) has enough power to blow water off my car as well as its seams and gulleys. It's very light so I strap it over my shoulder. The air is clean, unlike a leaf blower. So you may want to pick one up so you're not cursed with drips and drops. You don't even really need a dog.

[Wintermute]

2002, Lapis Blue metallic (dark blue). I was thinking a good scratch/swirl remover would probably help. The Z-5 polish says it will remove minor scratches and spiderwebbing, so I might try that first. If some parts still need work I'll try something a big more abbrasive.

[Perfectlap]

Yeah dead on, a first rate swirl remover like Poorboy's SSR 2.5 is definitely a must on dark paint like Lapis. The waxes will just cover up flawes in your clear coat, the swirl remover will correct them and leave the base layer looking brand new.

If you can swing it a porter cable polisher is a solid investment in your paint.

Most waxes do a similar job but I've noticed there is a big difference in swirl removers and polishes. I've been disappointed with the Meguiar's, Mother's and Sonus brands but 3m and Poorboys were a definite step up.

check this out its in Spanish but the pictures speak for themselves.
Some people think they have to paint a car when the swrils get too bad. NOPE.
http://www.forodetalles.com/showthread.php?t=756

[Wintermute]

Whoa! That looks great! I think a swirl remover would be just the ticket. Does the Klasse All-in-One polish work well as a swirl remover, or should I use something like the Poorboys product first? I was looking at a couple of kits like this one