You dont need to get anything specific, at least brand wise. Claying the paint is extremely important because without removing all the contaminants off the paint, by applying polish or sealant on the dirty paint, you have the possibility of creating scratches. You should clay the paint first, then follow it up with some sort of polish or compound if it needs it, then finish it up with a sealant/wax.

 

Wash first with a mild dishwashing soap...like Dawn. This will remove most, if not all, of the old wax. Use a claybar (follow manf instructions). If you drop the bar on dirt, throw it away!!! It'll retain the dirt and scratch your finish!!! - As you have a fairly new vehicle, I doubt if you'll need to use a paint cleaner now as most of anything foreign was removed in previous steps. I use Zaino products to do the rest...check their web site for products. ( CAUTION: $$$$ ) Or use the wax and sealer of your choice. Follow their instructions. Use good cleaning/waxing materials - see here. www dot dftowel dot com They have great stuff. Take a ganger at his 1997 (I think) Lincoln Mark VIII if he still has pics of it on his site. He too, uses Zaino products.

BTW, a good orbital buffer/polisher sure saves the old arms.

 

Thanks for all the info everyone. Im going to polish it up. Its going to be a nic'en.

 

I like Maguires NXT.

 

I will go with the NXT also. I put Maguires #26(yellow wax) on top of that. Actaully I do the following 2 times a year:
1. wash
2. Clay bar
3. Swirl remover
4. Maguires NXT
5. Maguires #26 wax

 

I only use Maguires but am willing to switch if someone knows of a better brand for Black paint. I also use the clay bar kit by Maguires.

 

Clay bar is by hand only. It is actually a "clay" bar. You spray each section with lube then work the bar back and forth until the contamination is gone. Then you can follow up with the Meg cleaner wax. It works well. I also like the NXT meg. It come in paste and liquid. This process will give you that buttery soft paint feel you want!

 

I'm getting ready to wax my truck for the first time and I'm planning on using the Meguiar's stuff.

Do any of you guys use random orbital buffers to do the waxing or do you do it all by hand? I have a friend with one of the large professional type buffers and I'm thinking of borrowing it to do the deed. Let me know what you think.

 

If you pick up a PC (porter cable) orbital polisher, you won't be sorry. With the right polishes, you will be able to do things you cant do by hand, and 10 times faster.

 

I use a Porter Cable random orbital polisher. It is a 6" foam head. Just make sure the buffer he has is a random orbital. If it is a rotary only and you don't know what you're doing, you can really screw things up quickly. It can burn the edges of your doors, fenders and hood. Not to mention leave some nasty looking swirl marks. The Porter Cable is variable speed and it works great. I can usually do my entire truck in under 30 min. I use it to apply only. I use microfiber cloths to remove. This leaves a really nice finish.

 

I used a non-random orbital polisher on an ex-girlfreinds hood of a brand new car and the paint latter became dull and flaked off. At the time I didn't know what I was doing. I must of stayed in the same place to long and cooked the paint. Just a warning to all.

 

Unless your paint has been neglected...like if you've never waxed your truck and its a couple years old, clay bars are a bit of an over kill.
Just go buy a quality cleaner wax to clean the paint, then rub on some quality wax and you'll be good to go.
Here are some pics of my 1996 (ie 10 years old) Mustang with 120,000 miles on it. Original paint.
Never used a clay bar, just a quality wax a least once a month.

 

drm2004, OK with the black paint, how did you remove the swirls?

 

Hey DRM, feel paint that has been claybarred then feel paint that has not been. THis is proof that it is not overkill. I bought a brand new SUV for my wife and it was covered with rail dust and surface contamination. The dealer cleanup did not touch it! I washed it and it still didn't come off. I clayed it and it is now perfect. Even new vehicles have acid rain, and surface contamination on them. Clay does nothing for protection all it is used for is to remove surface contamination. You can take 2 of the same vehicles in the same condition and clay one and not clay the other. Both will look great after waxing. THe one that has been clayed will be easier to wax and will feel nicer. I just proved this to a friend of mine last Friday. He was amazed at the difference. What made it even better is that I only clayed his fender first and then left the rest of the vehicle with just wax. He later came over with a 12 pack and asked if I would do the entire truck. I told him I would, if he helped. His truck is an 03 Supercrew Lariat 4x4. It now looks better than it did when he purchased it new! BTW... thats a nice looking Stang. Clay it and feel the difference. As for swirls.... Meg swirl remover will do the trick.

 

the4by4freek, Okay, I'm sure your right that a clay bar will really help remove any contamination on the paint....better then just a cleaner wax alone.