What do you use?

[Bluemanmoon1]

Hey GX 550 owners,

If you haven't sprung for the PPF or full ceramic coating what do you use for waxing to maintain that new car look?
Has anyone tried the spray on ceramic waxes. Claims are easy to apply and last a long time, but it isn't the same as a professional application I would guess. Don't think I would try DYI on a 60,000 plus vehicle..
But we have to keep it clean and new car as long as possible so what are you using after a good hand wash?

 

[jclaffee]

Do the hand wash with care and use Griots Ceramic spray (the lime green stuff) or Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic (believe it or not). Just follow the simple instructions. I did concours events for years and totally geek'ed out with a thousand products. Do yourself a favor and don't over-think it. Modern ceramic spray products are super user friendly and really effective.

 

[deadlikeme]

Any other tips or products you like?

 

[TmoEng]

I ceramic coat all my cars.
As previously mentioned the Turtle was hybrid ceramic coat spray is also very good.
I like to use a foam cannon and pressure washer to wash and clean.
The soap I use depends on the type of wash I'm trying to do.
Happy to go into more detail if you want

 

[serbiansizzle]

Griots 3 in 1 is very good. Lasts 6+ months on a vehicle being outside.

Regular foam cannon or 2 bucket washing.

 

[JoeRob]

Lexus recommends to NOT use a "gritty" polish/wax. I also like Ceramic polishes but - is Ceramic considered a "gritty" substande???

 

[jclaffee]

Lexus recommends to NOT use a "gritty" polish/wax. I also like Ceramic polishes but - is Ceramic considered a "gritty" substande???

Wipe-on ceramic products that I've used aren't gritty. One note on your first comment - polish and wax are different things. I'd expect that some polishes are gritty because they are designed to remove material or scratches. Wax (or sealants like most ceramic products) shouldn't be abrasive at all.

 

[Capt CF]

Do the hand wash with care and use Griots Ceramic spray (the lime green stuff) or Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic (believe it or not). Just follow the simple instructions. I did concours events for years and totally geek'ed out with a thousand products. Do yourself a favor and don't over-think it. Modern ceramic spray products are super user friendly and really effective.

If you don't mind, curious what your process looks like. I have been using a foam cannon, two bucket wash and then Griot's Ceramic all in one or Griot's Liquid Poly Wax for a few years with decent results, but the GX has a LOT of black plastic (Incog OT+) and unless anyone has experience to the contrary I think my existing routine is going to leave white residue on the black plastics unless I am very careful. I don't really enjoy having to be that careful but it's not much of an issue on our other cars since there are only a couple of areas that I have to avoid. Is this an issue with the spray? If not, I am going to give it a go since I think it will save me a ton of time on the GX.

 

[jclaffee]

If you don't mind, curious what your process looks like. I have been using a foam cannon, two bucket wash and then Griot's Ceramic all in one or Griot's Liquid Poly Wax for a few years with decent results, but the GX has a LOT of black plastic (Incog OT+) and unless anyone has experience to the contrary I think my existing routine is going to leave white residue on the black plastics unless I am very careful. I don't really enjoy having to be that careful but it's not much of an issue on our other cars since there are only a couple of areas that I have to avoid. Is this an issue with the spray? If not, I am going to give it a go since I think it will save me a ton of time on the GX.

I gave up on the foam cannon. It alone didn't get the job done well, and if I still had to hand wash anyway I didn't see the point. If the vehicle is really dirty, I do an old-school bucket and hose wash (spraying with moderate pressure washer first). Otherwise one or two bucket wash, spraying each panel liberally with a spray botle of the same mixture I'm washing with before touching it.

In my experience with Griot's 3 in 1, it doesn't leave any streaking or residue on anything. It's super user friendly.

 

[ColoradoOutdoors]

I keep it simple and use a bucket/mitt for the lower panels, bumpers and wheels, then change out to a fresh bucket and mitt for the upper stuff.

Meguairs Wash & Wax and no ceramic or hand wax.

In winter, always start with a high pressure wash at the car wash to loosen/remove mag chloride.

PPF on hood but likely should do the bumper soon.

 

[Capt CF]

I gave up on the foam cannon. It alone didn't get the job done well, and if I still had to hand wash anyway I didn't see the point. If the vehicle is really dirty, I do an old-school bucket and hose wash (spraying with moderate pressure washer first). Otherwise one or two bucket wash, spraying each panel liberally with a spray botle of the same mixture I'm washing with before touching it.

In my experience with Griot's 3 in 1, it doesn't leave any streaking or residue on anything. It's super user friendly.

Thanks, I'll give it a shot. I am not sold on the foam cannon either and may scrap it once I run out of the foam stuff. I end up having to two bucket wash anyway so it is kind of a waste of effort. I'll give the 3 in 1 a try. I wasn't looking forward to tiptoeing around all that black plastic since I know the other Griot's products I use will leave white residue on plastics.

 

[Capt CF]

Did 2 vehicles this weekend with the Griot's Ceramic 3 in 1 spray following a two bucket wash. I don't track my time closely, but I figure the spray was at least 50% faster than the paste/liquid waxes if not quicker. Can confirm it does not leave any residue on plastics. I was not careful at all and the plastics look great.

Started the GX late in the evening without thinking about it...it's a lot of truck to wash/wax.

 

[JoeRob]

Sorry, Capt CF - I see on Amazon, there are several Griot's products shown and they all have the word CERAMIC in the title. I'm going for the 22 oz. green spray bottle of Ceramic 3 in 1 Wax.

 

[Capt CF]

Sorry, Capt CF - I see on Amazon, there are several Griot's products shown and they all have the word CERAMIC in the title. I'm going for the 22 oz. green spray bottle of Ceramic 3 in 1 Wax.

Yup..that's the one I used.