Was looking to make the most of the Halfords 3 for 2 offer but well confused on what I should get. I have a new race blue octy and looking for some products to give it a good finish but also lasts for a good length of time (would like a protection finish that last many months if possible so only need to give it a clean every few weeks). I am happy to forgo the ultimate finish for ease of application and also durability.

Looking in my local Halfords they had a lot of different products and not sure what I need or what will be best for my car or will last the longest. Products I saw:

Maguiars Deep Crystal 3 step system (Cleaner, polish, wax)

Maguiars NXT Tech Wax

Meguiars Gold Class liquid wax

Auto Glym Aqua Wax

Zymol Cleaner Wax

Auto Glym 3 step (shampoo, Super Resin polish, Extra gloss protection)

Auto Glym ultra deep shine

Are any of the above any good? Which would be the best combination etc?

Also saw the Halfords lambs Wool mitt that is cheaper than the Meguiars one, is the Halfords one any good?

Anyone tried the Auto Glym Alloy wheel seal? Is it any good or is there something better?

Cheers for any help

Edited 19 August, 201015 yr by PSM

so the buy one get one free deal is off.

I have meg's 3 step and results are ok. Meg's are an american fcompany and do so many products that do the same job. the gold class shampoo is good.

i'm confused too with how wax and polish are marketed confusing which ones are polish (to make it shine) and which are wax (sealant). I know some are 2 in 1 but all confusing unless it explicitly states on the bottle. On the bottle it might say it's a wax for polishing for that ulitimate shine , or wax to polish on for excellent protection and shine. So is Turtle wax a polish or a wax. Is Mer's polish a polish or a wax or both (it says on the bottle that it shines and protects)

Edited 19 August, 201015 yr by fabia55

Out of your list I'd personally go with - 'Auto Glym 3 step (shampoo, Super Resin polish, Extra gloss protection)'

These fit the criteria of what your looking for more than the other products listed IMO.

If your car is new & you have a safe wash routine you can actually skip the Super Resin step and just build up layers of the Extra Gloss.

Cheers for the replies so far.

Fabia: Glad it is not just me that is completely confused with it all!!!!!!

Out of your list I'd personally go with - 'Auto Glym 3 step (shampoo, Super Resin polish, Extra gloss protection)'

These fit the criteria of what your looking for more than the other products listed IMO.

If your car is new & you have a safe wash routine you can actually skip the Super Resin step and just build up layers of the Extra Gloss.

i have used autoglym polish (super resin polish) and the sealant (extra gloss protection) before. the extra gloss is just a sealant and it looks like water but cbakes/coats a layer of sealant on top of whatever is underneath supposedly. I couldnt see any difference. I recommend Mer if you want convenience. I think it's a polish and wax 2 in 1.

I recommend Meg's 3 step as it's on 3 for 2, you can buy them all. but beware it's painstakingly (no pun intended) painful and arm aching if doing by hand. I started doing just the roof and bonnet, but obviosuly gotta do the whole car, by the time i finishe i couldn't move my arms. still suffering from DOMS. I wan going to put 2 ;ayers of sealant (wax) on top but only ended up with 1 layer.

So I do not need to use the Super Resin Polish then? What does this product do? Does it give any protection or is it more for older paint to help hide defects etc?

So I do not need to use the Super Resin Polish then? What does this product do? Does it give any protection or is it more for older paint to help hide defects etc?

Correct, Super Resin contains fillers & has some minor abrasives...obviously beneficial on cars which have built up a couple of years+ worth of poor washing as it will hide/reduce some of the defects, it also offers no protection as it's supposed to be topped with a sealant..that's where the Extra Gloss comes in.

Because your new car in theory has none, or very little wash marring you can apply a coat of Extra Gloss and then build up subsequent layers...this will give you the protection that your looking for.

Once you've got a couple of coats of Extra Gloss applied you should only need to top it up every 6-8weeks although that is somewhat dependant on how often you wash it, miles covered & weather encountered and various other variables.

i use the auto glym 3 step but i don't use the super resin polish i use the other deep shine i think its called says its better for black cars.

but the result is brilliant loads easier to wash,stays cleaner for longer or at least it appears that way.

So since the car is new a polish is not required. Would any of the other waxes, like the Meguiars or AG Aqua wax last longer?

Maguiars Deep Crystal 3 step system (Cleaner, polish, wax)

If you use this as said above be prepared for severe arm ache ....the results are good...but OUCH

So since the car is new a polish is not required. Would any of the other waxes, like the Meguiars or AG Aqua wax last longer?

If its durability your looking for I don't personally rate the 3 step Megs combo, as others have said its time consuming and difficult to apply & durability is poor.

The only other halfords sold product which offers very good durability combined with ease of use is Turtle Wax Gloss Guard which has now been renamed Platinum Extra Gloss, very similar product to the AG Extra Gloss in that it is a liquid sealant.

TG Platinum Extra Gloss

Slightly off topic but whereabouts are you based?

Edited 20 August, 201015 yr by Chris_VRS

Autoglym shampoo then you can use Super Resin polish to hide and swirl marks or paint defects you might have. This also gives Extra Glass protection a good base to grip too.

Is you car a dark or light colour? If its dark, get ultra deep shine, if its a light colour get Extra Gloss protection.

Extra Glass protection works as a sealant. It is a chemical version of wax. so to speak. It will provide a film over the car to stop drit sticking to you cars paintwork, making it easier to clean off in the future. Plus it gives you a bit more bling.

Aqua Wax is used when the car is wet. Spray it spairingly onto a wet car (not soaking wet, but still with standing water) and wipe it in. This provides a topup to any wax you might already have on the car. Also helps drying the car. I use it after every wash to keep my wax topped up before re-applying wax every 3/4 months.

So, it would be Shampoo, polish,EGP/UDS then when you wash it again, top up with aqua wax. You wont need to apply EGP/UDS every time you wash, it lasts for a while. Probably 2 months or so

I am based in Swansea. Is there non Halfords product that is better for protection/durability?

why make the paintwork nice and clean, shinier beofre applying wax. I personally would make sure the car is clean and shiny before any sealant on top. If it's a new car why just a sealent, you want to be making sure what you are sealing is clean and shiny. here's what i'd do:

1) make sure car is washed

2) get rid of surface contaminants with clay bar

3) wash again and dry

4) get rid of scratches (if any)

5) make it shiny (polish)

6) seal the cleaned/polished paintwork (wax/sealent)

7) extra layers of protection/sealent (if your arms can cope or use a machine)

then regularly wash to keep clean

Thanks for all the advice, sorry for all the silly questions but just getting my head around all this. I have done the 2 bucket technique for a while but just use a shampoo and a polish/wax thing (clearvue I think it is called). Wanting to step up to the next level as it were but was a little confused with all the products.