[NA] Wax Coat No. 5

[RJM62]

I bought a new car last week. I put Wax Coat No. 5 on it today. Meguiar's Black Wax.

Not too shabby.

Rich

 

[Joshuajayg]

Daaaaaaang!

 

[MAKG1]

Waitaminit..... YOU bought a new car?

It's not a 1990 with a rattle-can paint job?

What's with the "killed in action" badge on the front?

As a fellow mountain dweller, how long until it gets covered in sap? I guess you don't get too many pine cone dings there, but critters still throw things sometimes.

 

[ircphoenix]

BlackFire Wet Diamond.

That is all.

 

[RJM62]

Waitaminit..... YOU bought a new car?

It's not a 1990 with a rattle-can paint job?

What's with the "killed in action" badge on the front?

As a fellow mountain dweller, how long until it gets covered in sap? I guess you don't get too many pine cone dings there, but critters still throw things sometimes.

The dealership really wanted to get the 2016s off the lot. They made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

Neither pine cones, acorns, nor sap are a problem. Only about half the driveway is under trees, and I usually don't park there. The critters sometimes leave footprints but haven't caused any damage on any of my cars (possibly because of all the wax). The mice are actually the worst of them. This time of the year especially you have to check under the engine cover every couple of days.

The winter salt is really the biggest problem for cars here. That's manageable with a right-angle nozzle on the end of a warm-water hose.

I also invested in a set of decent winter tires on dedicated rims.

I even sprung for the TPMS.

They didn't have the General Altimax Arctic that I usually use in the size I needed this time around. I could have gone up or down, but the guy at Discount Tire Direct said these Hankooks are comparable and are actually a more popular choice for the car model. I've been dealing with DTD for a long time and they've never steered me wrong (hyuk hyuk), so I decided to take their advice.

Rich

 

[GRG55]

...I also invested in a set of decent winter tires on dedicated rims.

I even sprung for the TPMS.

They didn't have the General Altimax Arctic that I usually use in the size I needed this time around. I could have gone up or down, but the guy at Discount Tire Direct said these Hankooks are comparable and are actually a more popular choice for the car model. I've been dealing with DTD for a long time and they've never steered me wrong (hyuk hyuk), so I decided to take their advice.

Rich

I live in boondocks in the Rockies. I was an early adopter of the Bridgestone Blizzak when they were introduced more than two decades ago. Transformed the vehicle I was driving at the time.
I put a set of Hankook i-Pike RW11's on my current truck two winters ago. Best winter tire I have ever used. Period.

 

[SoCal RV Flyer]

Byooteefull!! I really like the Meguiar's stuff too.

Those Souls are a great value. My neighbors down the street have his & hers parked in the driveway. Enjoy!

 

[EminiTrader]

Wow that looks fantastic! Did you clay bar it first to remove the surface contaminants and rail dust?

 

[RJM62]

BlackFire Wet Diamond.

That is all.

Polymers last too long. I enjoy waxing cars. It's kind of a Zen thing.

I live in boondocks in the Rockies. I was an early adopter of the Bridgestone Blizzak when they were introduced more than two decades ago. Transformed the vehicle I was driving at the time.
I put a set of Hankook i-Pike RW11's on my current truck two winters ago. Best winter tire I have ever used. Period.

Thanks. I felt that way about the Altimax Arctic, but the fellow at DTD said these Hankooks were as good if not better.

DTD's salespeople don't work on commission and actually know something about tires. It was DTD that persuaded me to try the Altimax tires instead of my previous ones, the Firestone Winterforce. And they were right: It's a better tire. I'm hopeful they were right again this time around.

Rich

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

That's incredible

 

[RJM62]

Byooteefull!! I really like the Meguiar's stuff too.

Those Souls are a great value. My neighbors down the street have his & hers parked in the driveway. Enjoy!

Yeah, you really can't beat them on a quality / price ratio. I bought the Base because I don't care for automatic transmission, and it's better-equipped than some higher-end cars I've bought over the years.

The dealership also gave me a generous trade-in on my 2012, a steep discount on the enhanced warranty that brings it to 10 years / 100,000 miles bumper-to-bumper (usually it's 60,000 except for the power train), and zero-percent financing. Then they finagled every rebate and discount they could find. By the time they were done, I'd have to have been an idiot not to buy the car. They made me a final offer that would have impressed Luca Brasi himself were he not sleeping with the fishes.

The only disappointment was that my 15" winter tires and spare kit from the 2012 Soul were a bit too close to the brake calipers for my comfort on the 2016, hence the new winter tires and wheels. If anyone needs 15" studded winter tires with 4/16 tread on KIA OEM rims, with TMPS; or a 15" KIA OEM spare kit, please let me know.

Rich

 

[RJM62]

Wow that looks fantastic! Did you clay bar it first to remove the surface contaminants and rail dust?

No, it didn't need it. They did a really good job with the dealer prep.

Rich

 

[AggieMike88]

If it means anything to ya, Kia Souls very rarely hit my buyers radar. That means the request history for the major parts, especially drivetrain, isn't happening enough to warrant investing in inventory. So they either are well made, or Soul owners are doing what everyone should be doing to take care of them.

 

[James331]

Where are the hamsters?

First thing I thought of when I saw that, that's that car from the hamster commercial, not sure why the commercial made sense, but it did stick in my head lol

 

[RJM62]

If it means anything to ya, Kia Souls very rarely hit my buyers radar. That means the request history for the major parts, especially drivetrain, isn't happening enough to warrant investing in inventory. So they either are well made, or Soul owners are doing what everyone should be doing to take care of them.

Thanks.

I've found KIA quality is very good overall, and the company is very proactive about stewardship. They recalled a whole ****load of first-gen Souls last year for underbody inspections and additional rustproofing in the nooks and crannies that were missed at the factory. Years ago, they also extended the warranties on the first-gen Sportages when the gas tanks showed tendencies to form leaks in areas where road salt was used. They seem to take a great deal of pride in their cars.

They're also pretty easy to maintain. The only thing I tell people is to make sure they use the KIA oil filter. It has an anti-drainback valve that most of the aftermarket ones don't have. They're also excellent filters and only cost $6.99 each at the dealership or a bit less on the Interwebs, so there's really no reason not to.

Rich

 

[Skywalker]

I really like black cars - but they look best if you keep them shiny... And that is a lot of work.

We had a Kia Soul as a rental car once and we were pleasantly surprised. I would consider one, if I ever need a replacement.

 

[RJM62]

Where are the hamsters?

First thing I thought of when I saw that, that's that car from the hamster commercial, not sure why the commercial made sense, but it did stick in my head lol

 

[SCCutler]

Nice buggy. I am impressed with the quality of Kia and a Hyundai cars.

 

[SoCal RV Flyer]

I really like black cars - but they look best if you keep them shiny... And that is a lot of work.

Same can be said of polished aluminum airplanes. Valspar polyurethane for me!

 

[ktup-flyer]

Try Adams Buttery wax. Their detail spray is amazing too. The rag company for cheap quality microfibers

 

[Scott@KTYR]

WOW Great job!!!

 

[kgruber]

Looks great, but be careful.

You will tire fast waxing you car 5 times. It is much better to do it once, every month. And remember, it is black..................so it will look like hell after 15 minutes on the road.

KG......Black Corvettes I've owned
1969 black coupe 350/350
1986 black roadster

 

[Jay Honeck]

Looks great, but be careful.

You will tire fast waxing you car 5 times. It is much better to do it once, every month. And remember, it is black..................so it will look like hell after 15 minutes on the road.

KG......Black Corvettes I've owned
1969 black coupe 350/350
1986 black roadster

lol Wel, I wasn't gonna say anything, but...you're exactly right.

My black '52 Pontiac, after ten (?) coats of Collinite No 845 wax, went from a 10-foot paint job to a 2-foot paint job. I can see myself in it.

Almost immediately, it gets dusty. When it's humid, the dust sticks. Then it gets greasy.

Mind you, this happens WHILE IT'S PARKED IN THE HANGAR. When we drive it for ice cream, or in a parade, multiply this phenomenon times four, and add bugs.

If you need a reason to stay out of the bars, buy a black car with big white wall tires. You will do nothing but polish and clean. Luckily for me, it's a labor of love. Here we are in last weekend's Old Town Port Aransas parade, courtesy of the local newspaper.

 

[RJM62]

lol Wel, I wasn't gonna say anything, but...you're exactly right.

My black '52 Pontiac, after ten (?) coats of Collinite No 845 wax, went from a 10-foot paint job to a 2-foot paint job. I can see myself in it.

Almost immediately, it gets dusty. When it's humid, the dust sticks. Then it gets greasy.

Mind you, this happens WHILE IT'S PARKED IN THE HANGAR. When we drive it for ice cream, or in a parade, multiply this phenomenon times four, and add bugs.

If you need a reason to stay out of the bars, buy a black car with big white wall tires. You will do nothing but polish and clean. Luckily for me, it's a labor of love. Here we are in last weekend's Old Town Port Aransas parade, courtesy of the local newspaper.

Beautiful car!

And yeah, I know all about black cars. I've owned a few. Especially up here in Sparrow Fart, they get dirty really quickly. It only bothers me in the winter, though, when it's too cold to wash them. We do have a self-service car wash, but they also close when it gets too cold.

The thing is that the spectacular deal I got was conditional on my taking a 2016, and I wanted manual transmission, and there were only two 2016 Souls on the lot with manual: one black and one white. Having once made the mistake of buying a white car in Upstate New York, I chose black, fully aware of the time I'd be spending cleaning it.

Rich

 

[jsstevens]

Well, black cars only attract white dirt. White cars attract black dirt. Now camo cars...

 

[denverpilot]

Having once made the mistake of buying a white car in Upstate New York, I chose black, fully aware of the time I'd be spending cleaning it.

I have a white truck and live on a dirt road. I think black getting dirty bugs me more than white getting dirty. White just kinda turns tan. Haha.

Plus I'm not a fan of the thermal properties of black vehicles in summer.

Interestingly the tan truck doesn't hide the dirt as well as the silver truck. I have no idea why, but Karen's tan truck always looks dirtier than the silver Dodge.

She splatted a rabbit at 50 MPH last week though. That was a "must wash" event, and it would have been for any color vehicle other than reddish brown.

The dogs had a fascination with going out in the garage and sniffing the wheel wells that night though. And they rarely show any interest in going into the garage.

The remnants of the now quite flat Peter Cottontail are still over on the county road, I noticed yesterday on the way into town. I think they just slowly become part of the asphalt.

I still think hell froze over seeing Rich buy a new car, though. Haha.

 

[RJM62]

I have a white truck and live on a dirt road. I think black getting dirty bugs me more than white getting dirty. White just kinda turns tan. Haha.

Plus I'm not a fan of the thermal properties of black vehicles in summer.

Interestingly the tan truck doesn't hide the dirt as well as the silver truck. I have no idea why, but Karen's tan truck always looks dirtier than the silver Dodge.

She splatted a rabbit at 50 MPH last week though. That was a "must wash" event, and it would have been for any color vehicle other than reddish brown.

The dogs had a fascination with going out in the garage and sniffing the wheel wells that night though. And they rarely show any interest in going into the garage.

The remnants of the now quite flat Peter Cottontail are still over on the county road, I noticed yesterday on the way into town. I think they just slowly become part of the asphalt.

I still think hell froze over seeing Rich buy a new car, though. Haha.

Yeah, I've heard that from a lot of people. The last new car I bought was quite some time ago. But sometimes the deal is so good that you just can't pass it up. I may be a tightwad, but I'm not stupid. And I do like the Soul. It's a well laid-out car.

The problem with white cars here is that they become invisible during white-out conditions. I know there are studies that say otherwise, but I had a lot of near-misses (and one collision) driving that white car in the snow when I lived in Syracuse. Even with the lights on, they seem to just blend into the snow. And the white-out can come out of nowhere. You can avoid starting a trip in it, but you can't avoid it happening while you're already on a trip.

It's not nearly as bad here as it is in Syracuse, where you get the lake effect off Lake Ontario. But that one winter there soured me on white cars anywhere with snowy winters.

Statistically speaking, however, black cars have higher accident rates; so maybe my experience was atypical.

Rich

 

[charheep]

Its probably going to derail this thread, but what is the general consensus on wax? I always used some online brand but I think they are gone now.

Edit, I found them. www.zainostore.com

 

[Mistake Not...]

I really like black cars - but they look best if you keep them shiny... And that is a lot of work.

I've had three, including the current one. This is the first time I've done the "rinseless" wash technique, and from day one. Car's 8 months old now, washed weekly, zero swirl marks. Takes 30 minutes, wash and dry.

And yes, Blackfire coatings / sealants are teh shizzle. I prefer Blackfire sealant (the small spray bottle). It's amazing stuff.

 

[Norman]

My current ride is a silver Chevy Cobalt that is better at hiding in the fog than 'Battleship Grey'.

 

[Jay Honeck]

Its probably going to derail this thread, but what is the general consensus on wax? I always used some online brand but I think they are gone now.

Edit, I found them. www.zainostore.com

I have never found anything that works as well as Collinite No 845 Insulator Wax. It's easy on, easy off, and the results are stunning.

 

[CC268]

Blackfire is good stuff. Here is my current "arsenal" of waxes (this doesn't include all the polishes I have either:

Collinite 845 (the tried and true classic)
Menzerna Powerlock (great stuff, used by Mercedes OEM, great on German paint, or anything for that matter)
HD Poxy/HD Speed (Speed is an AIO - such an awesome product)
Pinnacle Liquid Souveran (this is a true "show car" wax, but durability is not good - great topper wax)
Blackfire Wet Diamond

However, for daily drivers I think paint coatings are the way to go. There is nothing wrong with waxes/sealants, but paint coatings provide unmatched durability. Not to mention they are so easy to use and apply now. McKee's Paint Coating is great as well as their wheel and glass coatings. But I do agree there is something to be said for applying a nice wax/sealant every couple of months.

 

[CC268]

I've had three, including the current one. This is the first time I've done the "rinseless" wash technique, and from day one. Car's 8 months old now, washed weekly, zero swirl marks. Takes 30 minutes, wash and dry.

And yes, Blackfire coatings / sealants are teh shizzle. I prefer Blackfire sealant (the small spray bottle). It's amazing stuff.

Maintenance washes are a must...I try to do at least biweekly washes...makes cleaning so much easier! Same with interior (I usually do weekly interior cleaning).

 

[ircphoenix]

Its probably going to derail this thread, but what is the general consensus on wax? I always used some online brand but I think they are gone now.

Edit, I found them. www.zainostore.com

Blackfire is the shizz. I prefer it to any of the Meguiars products or 3M or Klasse. I've not had any experience with the collinite 845 though, and I'm tempted to try it out.

I was sold on blackfire when I was lifting the wax off the car, set down the towel I was using on the relatively flat hood and it just was seemingly magically repelled from the surface and towards the ground.

I've also nearly killed myself by leaning against the surface with one towel while removing wax with another and sliding off the damn car. Lol

 

[ktup-flyer]

Its probably going to derail this thread, but what is the general consensus on wax? I always used some online brand but I think they are gone now.

Edit, I found them. www.zainostore.com

I use Adams products. There are literally hundreds of different good quality waxes. Just don't shop at Walmart or autozone, and you'll generally be find.

 

[CC268]

Blackfire is the shizz. I prefer it to any of the Meguiars products or 3M or Klasse. I've not had any experience with the collinite 845 though, and I'm tempted to try it out.

I was sold on blackfire when I was lifting the wax off the car, set down the towel I was using on the relatively flat hood and it just was seemingly magically repelled from the surface and towards the ground.

I've also nearly killed myself by leaning against the surface with one towel while removing wax with another and sliding off the damn car. Lol

Meguiar's M205 Polish is phenomenal for the price, but were talking polishes and not waxes/sealants.

 

[CC268]

I use Adams products. There are literally hundreds of different good quality waxes. Just don't shop at Walmart or autozone, and you'll generally be find.

Adams makes some good stuff...honestly there are SO many great detailing products out there (anything on Autogeek is great). You have to almost be careful because it becomes so easy to buy a ton of product that you will never even get around to using (I am in that boat hehe). I started buying the Meguiar's Professional Line for almost everything except for my waxes/polishes. Honestly, for the price it is incredible product and they come in gallons (concentrates) that will last you forever. I have their APC, Leather Cleaner, Leather Conditioner, Wheel and Tire Cleaner, Hyper Dressing, QD Interior Cleaner, D156 spray wax, and D155 spray detailer (I am probably forgetting something).

For a while I was buying tons of stuff from Car Pro, Wolfgang, DP, etc - dang does that get expensive (and honestly the products aren't any better). I still use some CarPro and Wolfgang products though!

Honestly it all comes down to proper technique. If your using bad washing techniques it doesn't matter what the hell your using. And everyone should have a DA polisher in their arsenal.

 

[paflyer]

Nice buggy. I am impressed with the quality of Kia and a Hyundai cars.

Wife got a 2010 leftover Elantra in 2011. It's a step above an econobox IMO (I drive an S550, when it's not raining). I keep offering to upgrade her ride to something with a silver star on the hood but as she's pointed out the Hyundai never breaks.

 

[Jay Honeck]

This is my 2011 Lincoln MKS. It is parked outside in the harshest salt water and tropical sun environment imaginable. It has never seen the inside of a garage.

Collinite No 845 Insulator Wax keeps it looking new. It's just amazing stuff.

 

[RJM62]

This is my 2011 Lincoln MKS. It is parked outside in the harshest salt water and tropical sun environment imaginable. It has never seen the inside of a garage.

Collinite No 845 Insulator Wax keeps it looking new. It's just amazing stuff.

I must admit, that is pretty amazing.

Rich