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Car Care

If you have a new car, or enjoy applying paste wax by hand, page down now.

I was introduced to Meguair's (M.) products a number of years ago.  I was
taking an auto mechanics course at a local Comm. College and drifted nextdoor
to see what the autobody dudes were up to.  They were being introduced to
vrious M. products. They all sounded great, so I tried some.  I believe the
ones I tried said they could be applied by hand.  Anyhow, I was totally
disappointed.

A few years after that I was contmeplating a new paint job on my '87 325.
 Having spent most time outside; and given my kids washing techniques, snow,
sun, salt, sand, etc., etc. I thought the paint was beyond repair.  I tried
M. again as a last resort.  This time, however, I used a $50 Sears power
sander with a sheepskin buffing pad.  Voila!!!  I saved the price of a paint
job.  Spectacular results.  

I continued to use M. products on all my cars after that.  I did have some
problems.  The buffer bearings went; the sheepskin pads were a pain and got
product over everything in the garage.  Once , through inattention, I burned
some paint on a sharp body crease.  But, overall, I was still quite happy
with M.

Recently, when the second buffer went South, I bought a Porter Cable, 6-in,
random action polisher.  This is truly the BMW of buffers.  It is powerful,
light, well balanced, ball bearings, adjustable speed -- Ugh, Ugh ---
Tooltime Tim would live it.  It uses M. foam pads that Velcro onto the
buffer.  It is advertised in Roundel for $198.  It is really a random action
sander, however, and I bought mine complete with metal case and hose
attachment (for dust collection) from Harbor Freight for $150.

Each Spring I use M. #9, #3 and #26.  This is a very fine abrasive "Swirl
Remover"; a sealer "Machine Glaze" (#7 could also be used here) and "Yellow
Wax".  These are all machine applied, using a separate foam pad for each
prduct.  I think it would be pretty hard to do any damage with the foam pads.
 After the product dries (stop application before dry), I buff off the excess
with toweling.  The total job takes about three hours on my 325.  I usually
apply another coat of wax in the Fall.  Since, the car is still clean and
smooth, this takes less than an hour.  

If your car's finish sounds like mine originally did (see above), substitute
#2 for the #9.  This is a more abrasive product, "Fine Cut Cleaner", and is
what I initially used.  It may take several applications.

Most of the M. products are in the $6 - $10 range.  When using the foam pads,
the products seem to last forever ( I would have thought the sponge pads
would absorb more product??).  I believe Consumer Reports gave #26 high marks
in a test of waxes awhile ago, but I wouldn't swear to this.

So, FWIW, that's my experience.  I've heard of Zymol only fairly recently and
have never tried it.   

Patrick Dargan