[Levi3xt]

With all my previous cars before the CX-3, I would wash, then polish and wax.

On buying the CX-3 I became interested as to (maybe) a better way of keeping the paint work in a good/shiny condition.

So, what comes up? CLAY BAR. Clay baring my car? I'm not wanting to repainted my car (I thinks to myself), I just want to keep it looking nice. As I get more into it I see this clay bar thing looks good, gee, and for the windscreen as well. So now, all you experts (after you've finished laughing) I have some questions that I hope you can advise me on.

After clay barring the car do I then wax it? Or, Polish it? Or, Polish and wax?

Now the windscreen. Do I clay it, then apply something like Rain-X? Some seem to suggest, before the Rain-X apply wax. That ones does not seem logical to me but, if some get good results, why not! At the present time I'm using Invisible Glass applied with a micro fibre cloth suitable for glass.

If there are enough members willing to talk about this I'll add other ways of keeping our pride and joy looking her (his) best.

 

[jetydosa]

A new car shouldnt need to be clay bar'ed. All the clay bar does is lift contaminants that have bonded to the paint off. so you will have a smooth as possible surface to polish and then wax (smooth = reflective). Chances are a new car shouldnt have any of that on it yet, depending on how long it sat at the lot.

But to answer your question - the typical process is clean, polish then protect (wax).

 

[anchorman]

I would reiterate that it very much depends on where the car has been. After leaving the production line, the cars go outside for a short period before being loaded onto a ship then a few weeks at sea. When they come ashore they sit in a compound again for a couple of days before getting put on a transporter to your dealer. You would think as Jety has indicated that they shouldn't need doing but in my experience both the CX-3 and the CX-5 did. They were covered in something but what or where it came from I have no idea.

The best way to tell is to wash the car and dry it or let it dry. Now go around the flat surfaces (the hood and the roof) and use your entire flat palm and fingers to lightly feel the surface. You will feel any contaminants. You also need to look closely. My CX-5 had got strange marks of what looked like acid rain water marks - I'll see if I can find a photo but they were a pig to get off. My guess is that by now you will feel all sorts of contaminant stuck to the surface and all the panels will need doing. If you clay a small area using lots of detail spray as lubricant then feel again, it will ultra smooth like glass. You might be able to skip the polishing process on a new car but if you look at the reflection of the sun in the paint and can see any scratching or "cobwebing" it needs polishing.

The final step is to decide how to protect it. Trust me I've tried all sorts of waxes and sealants but the best results with the longest presence has been Collinite wax. After coating, polishing and waxing, the color deepens and it lifts the appearance of the paint. Now let me find you some photos. I'll post this then add them to save losing what I've written!

 

[anchorman]

I thought I had a photo of the contaminant. It was like an orange water mark and actually had me thinking it was a fault with the paint. I'll check my phone and add it later if I find it.

Here is the wax.

This is after claying, any correction to get rid of those cobwebs and application of Collinite. This is very easy to apply PROVIDING you don't let it dry - straight on and straight off in quarter hood sized sections.

You need to do the black too........

 

[anchorman]

Washing the fiddly bits inside the door is not such a task if you do it every time and it is so much more appealing when you open the door

I do the engine about twice a year on a warm day so it can dry. A quick spray with APC then jet wash.

......and it keeps the whole thing looking like new.

 

[greaseman85]

I'm too lazy to wax lol, my local car wash was having a deal for a full interior/exterior detail with wax for $125. I should probably clay the car myself before taking it though, I don't think they'll do that.

 

[DJ9999]

I've been pro clay bar for years. Its amazing to see the debris that get embedded into the paint, even during transport whilst new as noted above. For me it makes the whole process of washing and drying that much easier.

I can't answer your question on RainX as I detest it and never use it.

 

[soldano21]

Anchor as I'm sure you know Collinite does not advise using their products on plastic/rubber/vinyl trim.....and you of course are waxing your black trim pieces with it. No problems? Do you use 845 liquid for the trim or the paste version?
Any advice on waxing trim? Thanks!!

 

[anchorman]

Anchor as I'm sure you know Collinite does not advise using their products on plastic/rubber/vinyl trim.....and you of course are waxing your black trim pieces with it. No problems? Do you use 845 liquid for the trim or the paste version?
Any advice on waxing trim? Thanks!!

No, I'm sorry, that post gave the wrong impression. I never use a wax on the black trim. That photo above is using Autoglym Bumper Care which works best out of the commercially available products I have. Just wipe it on with a soft lint free cloth then dry off the excess with a microfibre cloth. Meguires do one similar but I don't find it quite as good.

I now use a product that is very good but it is a professional product I buy from a chemical company in the UK. It is applied in the same way.

 

[Levi3xt]

I would reiterate that it very much depends on where the car has been. After leaving the production line, the cars go outside for a short period before being loaded onto a ship then a few weeks at sea. When they come ashore they sit in a compound again for a couple of days before getting put on a transporter to your dealer. You would think as Jety has indicated that they shouldn't need doing but in my experience both the CX-3 and the CX-5 did. They were covered in something but what or where it came from I have no idea.

The best way to tell is to wash the car and dry it or let it dry. Now go around the flat surfaces (the hood and the roof) and use your entire flat palm and fingers to lightly feel the surface. You will feel any contaminants. You also need to look closely. My CX-5 had got strange marks of what looked like acid rain water marks - I'll see if I can find a photo but they were a pig to get off. My guess is that by now you will feel all sorts of contaminant stuck to the surface and all the panels will need doing. If you clay a small area using lots of detail spray as lubricant then feel again, it will ultra smooth like glass. You might be able to skip the polishing process on a new car but if you look at the reflection of the sun in the paint and can see any scratching or "cobwebing" it needs polishing.

The final step is to decide how to protect it. Trust me I've tried all sorts of waxes and sealants but the best results with the longest presence has been Collinite wax. After coating, polishing and waxing, the color deepens and it lifts the appearance of the paint. Now let me find you some photos. I'll post this then add them to save losing what I've written!

I was fortunate when buying my CX-3. I wanted the Ceramic Metallic WITH the "Safety Pack". I'll explain Safety Pack as it might be different in other countries.

It includes: Smart City Brake Support. Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Blind Spot Monitoring.

As this was not in stock they had to order it in for me. The end result is that I had it virtually off the boat. I understand that it had JUST been built so apart from the boat ride I had it straight off the factory floor (at least that's what I want to believe).

Up till now, I've always used Maguire's Polish followed with a coat of their Gold Class car wax. I will certainly have a look at Collonite. Must add that I've never liked RED cars but, looking at the way your Soul Red scrubs up I'm wavering. it truly looks a gem. My daughter on the other hand LOVES red cars and "drools" over yours. (Not a chip of the old block I guess). Her Mazda2 is RED (pre Soul Red).

 

[rockposer]

I use Meguires clay bar & detailer. I did clay bar my CX-3 shortly after collecting it as the paint did have contaminants on it.

 

[anchorman]

It looks a treat RP. Is that your Amazon across the road? That's about as bombproof as you can get if you can afford to run it.

 

[anchorman]

I was fortunate when buying my CX-3. I wanted the Ceramic Metallic WITH the "Safety Pack". I'll explain Safety Pack as it might be different in other countries.

It includes: Smart City Brake Support. Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Blind Spot Monitoring.

As this was not in stock they had to order it in for me. The end result is that I had it virtually off the boat. I understand that it had JUST been built so apart from the boat ride I had it straight off the factory floor (at least that's what I want to believe). Her Mazda2 is RED (pre Soul Red).

Up till now, I've always used Maguire's Polish followed with a coat of their Gold Class car wax. I will certainly have a look at Collonite. Must add that I've never liked RED cars but, looking at the way your Soul Red scrubs up I'm wavering. it truly looks a gem. My daughter on the other hand LOVES red cars and "drools" over yours. (Not a chip of the old block I guess). Her Mazda2 is RED ( pre Soul Red).

They've just introduced that pack as an option here. With exchange rates as they are I guess around $500. Say hello to your daughter, she has good taste! Both of my two daughters are running small Toyotas, not that I influenced them in any way

 

[rockposer]

It looks a treat RP. Is that your Amazon across the road? That's about as bombproof as you can get if you can afford to run it.

No that belongs to the chav next door

 

[anchorman]

No that belongs to the chav next door

PMSL. I'm surrounded by them too ;-)

 

[bjn]

When I took delivery of my new car, I paid extra to get my new Soul Red CX-3 Ditec lacquer treated.
A month after I discovered that there were lots of small calcium deposits in the entire car. In my naivety I thought that I could remove them again with water of course.
But no, they had "burned" into the paint, so I turned to the Ditec center who had done the work, and they could not explain the spots that should "wash off" as told in TV commercials.
"Hard water" they said, and the fault was mine, I must not leave a single drop on the car when it was washed! .... We ended up they had to polish the car and treat it again.
I can not recommend Ditec treatment, it is very expensive and did not live up to expectations.

 

[Geezer]

When I took delivery of my new car, I paid extra to get my new Soul Red CX-3 Ditec lacquer treated.
A month after I discovered that there were lots of small calcium deposits in the entire car. In my naivety I thought that I could remove them again with water of course.
But no, they had "burned" into the paint, so I turned to the Ditec center who had done the work, and they could not explain the spots that should "wash off" as told in TV commercials.
"Hard water" they said, and the fault was mine, I must not leave a single drop on the car when it was washed! .... We ended up they had to polish the car and treat it again.
I can not recommend Ditec treatment, it is very expensive and did not live up to expectations.

I have the same issue. We do have very hard water which is tamed by a water softener and iron remover but deposits are in the paint and seem to want to stay! But then, I don't use the well water on the car very often, I use soft water from the rain barrel to rinse off the car but the deposits are still there. Clay baring does nothing to remove them. I believe it is here to stay and may be something to do with the Soul Red paint which is different from the other colours Mazda uses.

 

[bjn]

I have the same issue. We do have very hard water which is tamed by a water softener and iron remover but deposits are in the paint and seem to want to stay! But then, I don't use the well water on the car very often, I use soft water from the rain barrel to rinse off the car but the deposits are still there. Clay baring does nothing to remove them. I believe it is here to stay and may be something to do with the Soul Red paint which is different from the other colours Mazda uses.

I recognize the problems with the "hard" water here in Denmark too.
But my point is that I just asked for the additional safeguard as Ditec product advertises when we got our new car delivered. They "guarantee" that it protects the paintwork in a full year after treatment ... hmmm...and its quite expensive in this country as a bonus.
I can certainly not recommend Ditec products, it is a wasted investment as I see it.

DITEC Paint Preservation System

 

[anchorman]

There are several companies selling these coatings. They last a bit longer than polish but I’ve never known any last a year in normal use. I don’t use them.

 

[ghmpm]

Our dealer made us a deal on Auto Butler (a paint sealant). Every 6 months the car goes in for service and while there they completely clean and treat the paint. We had this on our Mazda5 and while I thought it was "snake oil" it really makes the paint look GREAT! Saves me from waxing the beast and car still looks amazing. We clean and do the interior ourselves.

I have a granddaughter that is in car-detailing and next month she is going to apply a ceramic coating on my 2014 Nissan Frontier. Currently I wax it with carnauba wax and it is a chore. It appears to have thin paint like the Mazda so all the protection I can get please! If happy with it, the Mazda will get the same treatment! Not cheap, but we don't drive Yugo's and want them to look GOOD! Will keep you all posted.