Dealer Installed Swirl Option

OP, don't get overwhelmed in here about what product to use. ALL waxes have come a long way and are head and shoulders above what they were in the 90s. A good cleaner wax is going to be your best bet if you don't have the know how or time to look after your paint. I've tried a lot of different ones and always fall back on the same three common brands. All of which can be purchased at your local auto parts store.

Meguires
Mothers
Turtle Wax

Someone educate me on sealers because unless they are head and shoulders above what was available in the 90s, stay away. Whenever we detailed a car that had sealant applied to it, especially on red, the sealed parts (dealers are sloppy with how they apply the stuff so they would miss spots around door handles, mirrors, sun roof seals, hood emblems and trunk badges-they would all come back to bright red) still looked 'dirty' after polishing it. We even had a hood that we used what was then considered a high end sealer to use as an example of why not to use sealer on your paint.

As I said, I will PM you later today.

 

You'd be amazed with today's sealers. No comparison to those of the 90's. They've come a LONG way since then. A majority of sealers are MUCH easier to apply and remove compared to waxes. Most have better longevity than waxes. For the average consumer, a sealer is going to be better than a wax simply due to longevity and ease of use (that's why Meguires cleverly disguises they're Ultimate Liquid Wax as a "wax", when it's actually a 100% synthetic polymer paint sealer).

Sealers do look slightly different- glassy/shiny vs deep/wet.

 

I think I prefer deep and wet.....you had to see that coming.....

 

We're talking about different sealers then. I'm talking about the ones dealers claim 'never wax your car again' sealers. Sounds like you are talking about the ones that need to be re applied, albeit not as often as wax.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=xzilon&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Oh you mean snake oil. Had another dealer try and sell me this for over $600.00

 

That's the shit I'm talking about.....don't worry if a bird shits all over your car they say, you're covered. Pun intended. Any of those never touch your car again sealers are garbage.

 

10-4 Good Buddy!

 

There is another type of product called "coatings" that are also gaining popularity. They've been trickling down the pipe for the last year or two. Wipe on, wipe off, easy application and even more durable than current sealers on the market (~not like the dealer stuff~). Also called nano-coatings, they sound pretty amazing. From what I understand, they are a type of polymer sealer (similar to ultimate liquid, jet seal, etc, but newer tech). They do have a slightly different appearance once applied (from what I've read), but the protective ability is unmatched. Some claim 1, 2, or 3 year longevity- and guys are reporting very good results. This stuff isn't snake oil. If you check out the detailing forums, you'll read about them. Literally, just a few drops to coat an entire vehicle. They sound pretty amazing and are highly regarded products, unlike the dealer installed stuff. The stuff cures harder than clear coat.

Here's an example:

 

Wax Wax Wax

 

Something to note about sealers- they typically have no correcting ability. They're all about protection. If you want to mask swirls, go with a wax. Surface prep is crucial with sealers if you want a nice finish. That said, if your paint is in relatively good shape, Megs Ultimate Liquid (a sealer) will make your vehicle shine like crazy for 20 bucks.

 

If I was in your shoes, I'd pick up some Megs Ultimate Liquid and give it a shot. You might be surprised. It'll improve in appearance as it cures over 24 hours. After 12-24 hours, apply a second coat. it might just get you to where you want to be. And for $20, it's not a big loss if not. It's meant to be applied really thin and it comes off super easy. Way easier than waxing.

 

Wow- this thread really took off. Thank you all for the replies and PMs.

I was mostly looking for details on what others with black Tacoma's experienced. This is my 3rd brand new black car, and neither of the others were scratched by the dealer nor did they have as soft a paint.

I've also never bought a car that had been built two weeks prior. Supposedly they cure in hours, but who knows?

After four hours w/ Ultimate Compound, Ultimate Polish, and NXT Wax I have my car looking mostly mint. There are still a couple of scratches that can be seen at a distance, but I didn't want to be too aggressive with the cut - it is only day 2 after all!