Just keen to know what you guys use to wash and keep beautiful of the RX8

Mine is waxed with Swissol, and I use the "compatible" car bath product. So far I have 3 layers of the Swissol "Samauri" wax.

I was at Qld Raceway yesterday and one of my LS1 mates commented about how bright and shiny the paint was, and what I polished it with. Told him I'd only ever waxed it with Swissol, and it was probably 10 washes ago when it had it's last waxing.

http://www.swissol.com/E/AUS/HomeAU.htm

Cheers,
Hymee.

I am an Autobarn person... so I got myself a set of AutoGLYM products and a spray gun (water restriction here)

I particularly like the Resin Polish and the extra gloss protection. I just did it last weekend.
Cut and polish. Meguire Scratch X and tar and spot remover.

Any thing special? The Eagle one Wax and Dry. Good for the washes in between... you spray when the car still wet and wape it off with the chamois. Very good

I have the paint protection on mine and so far the car is looking real reall good. Only 3 weeks old mind you.

Mazda supplied me with a solution to use on the car and i can go back when i need a refill for no charge.

I am also certain i can use my beloved Meguiars soft gel without removing the paint protection.

Regards
Phillip

I've used the Eagle One Wax-n-Dry as well. I liked it.

Originally posted by Hymee
I've used the Eagle One Wax-n-Dry as well. I liked it.

For sure! It is the best innovation for lazy ass since the back scratcher.

Do you know who invented the back scratcher?

Originally posted by Hymee
I've used the Eagle One Wax-n-Dry as well. I liked it.

I LOVE that stuff. Ive been using is since it first came out in the US.

Its not a replacement for real wax for certain, but it sure makes the car slippery and shiney. Very easy to use also. I highly recommend it for every time you wash the car between waxes. You will never look back.


http://eagleone.com/images/2089618.jpg

I use Race Glaze

Here is my baby
http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21393

I only took delivery of my RX-8 on Thursday.

Used good-old Morning Fresh to get rid of any crap the dealer put on (although I warned him what I was going to do with it, so it was untreated). Won't ever use again, as it will eat through my protective coats.

Next I used a claybar, which did bugger all on 99% of the car, but took some gunk off the spoiler, splash guards and around the nose. Don't intend to do this again either, but glad I did it to start with.

Used Zaino's ZFX with Z2, followed by Z6. Next day I did the same again.

The gloss is remarkable! Pity that the stuff is so bloody expensive and hard to get in Australia.

Reckon we should petition them for a group purchase!

Cheers,

snoo

I got my paint protection done through the dealer. Four months now and still looking good. I just wash with the car shampoo and dry with a chamois.
I am currently using a synthetic chamois to dry off.

I use the Zaino Car wash. I went through the full Zaino treatment drill including clay bar. After I wash I use my leaf blower to take most water off then follow up with a special 100% Cotton Towel that is just for my 8. I washed today to clean up from our Napa Valley run last weekend and it looks stunning!

I've just recently applied the Zaino Z1 polish lok + Z2 clearcoat show polish (2 layers), bought locally through Aurora-One. It's incredibly easy to apply, you use very little per coat, and the results are very impressive. Not, however, impressive enough to completely disguise the orange peel which seems to afflict all RX-8's I've seen so far, especially on side panels and -for some reason- particularly nasty around the C pillar.
Oh well, the basic car is some damn good I guess we have to have something to complain about aside from the wretched fuel economy! ;) :D

Wash with Meguiar's gold class shampoo. (weekly)
Prep with meg. clear coat prep and swirl remover (3 monthly)
wax with Meg gold class wax (3 monthly)

I've done that for my 1998 MX-5 since new and it still looks great.

Originally posted by winebrad
After I wash I use my leaf blower to take most water off

I hope the leaf blower is only for the '8 as well!

I was thinking of getting a compressor and an air gun to blow the water out of the nooks and crannies.

Cheers,
Hymee.

Originally posted by Gyro
I LOVE that stuff. Ive been using is since it first came out in the US.

Its not a replacement for real wax for certain, but it sure makes the car slippery and shiney. Very easy to use also. I highly recommend it for every time you wash the car between waxes. You will never look back.


http://eagleone.com/images/2089618.jpg

Thats the stuff. Smells yummy as well. Haven't used it for a while - since I swissol'd the '8.

Cheers,
Hymee.

I use Meguiars Gold Class wax when I polish.
The 8's already received three coats in 1 month of ownership. :)

For washing I use Meguiars Soft Wash Gel with a brand new sponge used everytime.

For in between washes, I use Meguiars Quick Detailer, which is similar to the Eagle One stuff the other guys above use.

To dry the car, I use a synthetic chamois which is washed and rinsed after each use.

I like the leaf blower idea but its hard for me to justify spending a couple of hundred to simply dry the car. :)

Originally posted by nojooc
I use Meguiars Gold Class wax when I polish.
The 8's already received three coats in 1 month of ownership. :)

For washing I use Meguiars Soft Wash Gel with a brand new sponge used everytime.

For in between washes, I use Meguiars Quick Detailer, which is similar to the Eagle One stuff the other guys above use.

To dry the car, I use a synthetic chamois which is washed and rinsed after each use.

I like the leaf blower idea but its hard for me to justify spending a couple of hundred to simply dry the car. :)

If you are that obsessive.. then you should get a pump for washing

Obsessive? That's toned down since I used to own a showcar. :)

New sponage everytime is kinda more obsessive than me... I only put them to the washer to wash! :P

Another bone lazy Wax and u Dry user here ...

I know I could , and probably should use the Real Thing, but this stuff is pretty good.

The only problem, the local spares shop has no stock... my neighbours must be as lazy as me!!

Originally posted by takahashi
New sponage everytime is kinda more obsessive than me... I only put them to the washer to wash! :P

At only $1-$2 per sponge, it's worthwhile insurance against scratching the clear coat and preventing swirl marks.

You've got a black 8 Taka, you should try it out to prevent swirl marks appearing on the duco.

Well i have red 8 so i dont want anything to expensive, just looking to keep it like new.

Thanks for the ideas

I think I have to agree with you there... nojooc...

I always have 2 different pieces of sponge - one for top and one for bottom and wheels... I don't mix them. I think I should buy a stack of sponge for washing the top and rotate it to wash the bottom part and wheels.

I was told not to use other products after my paint protection application...does anyone have any experience with this. It does look great after a wash but you wonder....could it be made to look better.

I hate to break it you, but paint protection is nothing but a money making scheme devised by car dealers to make additional profit on cars.

All the paint protection really is, is a liquid wax substance which they apply by hand to the finish of your car and polish off.
The stuff is applied quite liberally and in multiple coats to create a couple of layers on top of your clear coat.

It has the effect of adding a few layers of wax to your car, that is why they ask you to go back for a inspection/rejuvenation every 12mths in the warranty documents. It's so they can re-apply the stuff.

You can use any commercially available car wash detergent and wax on your car despite what they will try to tell you.

So I guess what you paid for was a really expensive detail in advance so to speak.

skc, you have to fine something that doesnt effect the wax protection we have on our cars.

i believe the soft wash does not contain anything that will remove the wax. http://www.meguiars.com.au/Products_Retail_PC_W.htm

Soft Wash Gel from Meguiars is great since it actually contains wax particles and washing with it will add to the layer already on the car.

Smells great as well! :)

Think of waxes as relatives of fats and oils. Detergents are designed to allow these substances to be dissolved in water. All car washes will eventually wash off even the most expensive (highest quality?) waxes. Some do it quicker than others.

The mixtures used in some automatic ("brushless") car washes are to be avoided. To get road grease and tar off in one hit, they have to use high concentrations of detergents, and to help them along, may also contain high concentrations of alkali like caustic soda or caustic potash. This will rip off any wax finish quick smart, and if the dosing equipment isn't looked after, will also rip into your paint too.

The "wash and wax" shampoos aren't a bad idea. A little wax is dissolved in the detergent, and the formulation is organised so that when the mix becomes more dilute (eg, when you wash it off), the wax comes out of solution and deposits on the car. A good idea to help prolong the wax finish.

My partner doesn't use the chamois on his car. He rinses off with R.O. (reverse osmosis) quality water which doesn't contain any dissolved salts, and leaves a spot-free finish.

I would be an interesting exersice to compare the various polishes at a club meet.

I like my Rx8 looking the best it possibly can.