I think I need some memantine (Alzheimer’s medication)…
@texases: Car spends its life in a garage except when driven or on a parking lot. Currently, time out in sun averages two to three hours a day most days but that is subject to change to more out in sun hours. I’m not worried about short term sun damage although I would prefer to avoid any. Some winters are mostly just cold and with rain but some winters are moderately snowy and icy with six to twelve weeks of very salted roads. But both my previous cars had the bottom inside of the drivers door showing rust by 6 years of age so I truly want to avoid that on this car.
@the same mountainbike: Thank you, sir. I learned quite young to go and do when I can and back off when I must. I also eventually made a rule for myself that I refuse to expend all my limited energy and pain tolerance only on the work and chores of life; some chores go underdone so that I have some energy and pain tolerance left for enjoyable activities.
You’re a smart person. Life is too beautiful not to allow ourselves to accommodate our limitations in order to enjoy it.
Thank you for the compliment TSM. I am far more used to being called lazy and criticized as stupid when I struggle with something as infuriating as days when I have trouble simply twisting the cap off a container of milk or managing to keep a safe grip on a fork when eating. It is frustrating to need to rely on other people to handle certain tasks I’d rather be able to do for myself, such as basic car maintenance. Heck, I tried to do basic preventive maintenance on the lawnmower a few years ago after getting advice here on the forum how to do a simple basic “tune up” and blade sharpening only to discover my hands couldn’t even manage to loosen the bolts I had to in order to access the engine or get at the blade properly. I confess I went beyond frustrated to angry to find I couldn’t even do that. So, I’ve had to pay to have the machine serviced a couple times to keep it running. So I not only find myself physically limited to mechanical incompetence, it ends up negatively dinging my limited finances too. Normally I take such things in stride but confess that even at my age I sometimes indulge in a momentary self pity party mental tantrum and settle for a bit of “wooden swearing” slamming doors and drawers. But despite all that, I have fewer significant medical problems than most of my contemporaries so on balance I feel blessed and try to remember that not everything is about me. (One of the best bits of advice I ever received!)
The part of my hands’ arthritis that drives me the most nuts is the inability to hold simple utensils, like silverware. It drives me crazy when the fork falls out of my hand. Writing checks is a challenge too. The writing is all scribbly and my hand freezes up.
But, like you, I only have to look around in any public venue to see someone far more disabled. I have no complaints.
Re: the car’s finish, for the most part the real reason we wax our cars is vanity… we like 'em shiny and new. Truth is, my car will last long after I’m gone even if I never touch the finish again. While I’m not advocating ignoring the car’s finish, the rot that ends a car’s life comes from places that waxing the finish doesn’t affect. Of course, if you live in the sunbelt my philosophy might not be prudent.
Black magic hides/removes the white residue from Nu Finish getting on black plastic bits.
I’ve never used Nu Finish and pretty much only use Meguires or 3M products. That’s what I’m used to. I do use Mother’s Clay though. One thing I like about Meguires is that their professional products are “body shop safe” so they won’t raise havoc for refinishing.
I’ll make one more pitch. Meguires or Mothers “Quick Detailer” is a spray on touch up. Spray it on and wipe it off to get a nice shine in between waxes. It is very easy and does a nice job. You use the same product with the clay and just quickly rub the clay over the surface using the detailer as a lube. Just this one product provides a nice smooth and shiney surface. You might want to just try the detailer and see how that goes. Its about as easy as it gets. But then you might as well get the package with the clay and the micro-fiber towel in it for $20. If you can’t handle the clay, then just use the detailer and the micro-fiber.
Does the “Quick Detailer” last?
Can’t really say. The only time I really use it is when I clay. Its designed to be used between waxes to restore the shine so I’m thinking maybe once a month or so or more maybe. But you can go over the whole car in 15 minutes or so. I had a nice shine with it before I waxed though.
I think I’ll check this stuff out and see what the bottle says.
Here’s some info. I use the older stuff in the red bottle but this may be more advanced. The comments might be helpful. I use Mothers too and about the same stuff. I have no Meguire stock that I know of. Just like things to shine, like cars and brass.
I’d have to read the bottle more thoroughly than is possible on the link, but it just might be a good solution to the OP’s problem.
Thanks.
I have not had great luck with the quick detailer.I think the liquid “wax” is better and for me it has been the same effort to apply. As a disclaimer, I have dark colored cars and one is black which with our hard water, is really difficult to keep spotless.
On the Nufinish, I believe it is says it is a “polish” rather than a wax; are you guys using these interchangeably?
As far as OP, one thing that I have noted is if I am in a hurry, I leave a few streaks and spots, but after the next wash, the car looks great. It is a bit of cheating but who cares.
We are, gallant. Or at least I am. I understand the difference, but I believe the terms have become interchangeable in the American lexicon. I don’t believe NuFinish is actually a polish, but rather a wax. While a car finisher would use the term polish to define an abrasive, and wax as a conformal coating, I don’t believe they’re different in the general population. “Polish” is used to describe anything that creates a shine, whether by abrasion, conformal coating, or even chemically (as with brass polish).
Then do I need a wax or a polish product? A nice shine is nice but my real purpose is to protect the paint and to protect against eventual rust.
I did speak with the body shop that did such a nice job repairing the road hazard damage on the Impala a few years ago as well as several other places that offer detailing wax jobs. I would still have to bring the car already washed and they would detail wax it for $180. That seems the going price. If I already have to detail wash it and use bug/tar remover to get a few stubborn bits of dead bugs and road tar off, I might as well keep going over the next few days waxing it myself!
“Polish” is a confusing term. I just used “polishing compound” to remove some rubbed on paint. It has no wax in it. Something called a ‘polish’ that has long term protection (like NuFinish) is a ‘wax’ in my book.
I think you may want to re visit the “getting a kid to do it route”
get one old enough to do it well, say 14 years old.
pay a high fee, for a 14 year old, say 40 bucks, to provide incentive.
consider using a female kid for the job, perhaps one that babysits to earn money anyway
and sit, watching under the shade tree with a glass of lemonade, and with the paper in your lap, and cartalk on the radio, to supervise and give the kid the benefit of your experience and wisdom
…oh, and make sure you tell them that you ve hired them for at least four hours, and if they lollygag, it ll take longer…
You guys takes things real easy!!
When I am at the store, I see polish, cleaner wax and was, I try to figure if they are any different, so spend ample amount of time reading the directions and the claims, which gets even more confusing. There are car detailing forums by the way.
I have read the synthetic waxes last longest, but the one I saw in the local store was over $20 and I figured at that price I might as well buy a new pair of pants and look good 
@gallant - that NuFinish is a synthetic, about $8, and performed very well according to CR.