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Hatchbacks Honda Fit Honda Fit Care - Interior & Exterior
113 messages, Last post on Nov 15, 2008 at 4:48 PM
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Replying to: jaggrin (Aug 23, 2008 1:38 pm) |
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| I have an 08 Fit Sport in Milano Red, bought new Mar 08, about 5,000 miles on it. The paint is non-metallic (most of the 08 Fit colors are metallic) and I'm having a real problem trying to find a wax that works well. I've tried Maguire's, Turtle Wax (liquid & paste), Nu-Finish 2000, and even the Honda OEM spray polish/wax. They all leave haze/residue and don't buff off shiny/clean. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what brand/type of wax have you used that worked well? | |
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Replying to: jbonsai (May 16, 2008 7:49 pm) There is a huge demand and practically no supply for used Fits right now, so if you are considering selling, now is the time to do it (before the new 09 model is available). |
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fitisgo: You might find this useful. July 2006 CAR WAXES FROM BLACK MAGIC, TURTLE WAX ARE RATED BEST OVERALL IN CONSUMER REPORTS TESTS Inexpensive products outperform some more costly brands in CR’s tests July 2006 Issue YONKERS, NY — Consumer Reports tested more than two dozen liquid, paste, and spray car waxes for the July issue and found two products, from Black Magic and Turtle Wax, that outperformed all the others. Black Magic Wet Shine Liquid Wax and Turtle Wax Carnauba Car Wax T-6 tied with “Excellent” overall scores. Both products, which sell nationally for around $7 apiece, were also named as CR Best Buys because of their combination of performance and comparatively low cost. A total of 28 different brands of car wax were tested, including 16 liquid waxes, five pastes, and seven spray-on, wipe-off products. The waxes ranged in price from about $5 to $32. Full tests and ratings of the car waxes appear in the July issue of Consumer Reports, which goes on sale June 6. The complete report is also available to subscribers of www.ConsumerReports.org . Consumer Reports found that the liquid waxes generally provide the best combination of cleaning and protection. But contrary to conventional wisdom, they required more effort than paste waxes to apply and remove. As a group, liquids were the hardest to apply evenly, and they took the most time to buff out. In addition, some left a powdery residue that had to be wiped off. Even the top-rated Black Magic Liquid Wet Shine Liquid Wax (BM48016) required an extra bit of buffing to eliminate any streaking. And CR’s other best all-around choice, the Turtle Wax Carnauba Car Wax T-6, can cause slight scratching or hazing on newer dark-colored finishes. Consumer Reports’ tests found that pricier waxes favored by auto enthusiasts do not necessarily work better than some less-expensive brands. The two top performers cost just $7, while a product selling for $32, P21S Concours-Look Carnauba Wax, ranked no better than mid-pack. Among the four paste waxes tested, the Nu Finish NFP-80 ($8) outscored its competitors with a “Very Good” score. Eagle One Wax-As-You-Dry ($6) and Turtle Wax 1 Step Wax & Dry T-9 ($6), tied as the best spray products with “Good” scores. Turtle Wax Platinum Series Ultra Gloss T-413R came in just behind the two top-rated sprays. How to Select the Right Car Wax In its tests, Consumer Reports found that: Liquid waxes are good for cleaning, gloss, and durability. But they can be more difficult to apply evenly and buff out. Most dry to a haze within about a minute, but this varies with wind, sunlight, and thickness of application. Paste waxes are good for ease of application. But overall performance is not as good as with liquids, and it can be difficult to remove wax from the container as you near the bottom. Paste waxes usually dry to a haze within 30 seconds. Spray waxes are good for new cars with excellent finishes since new paint is still shiny and shouldn’t be oxidized. They are also good for consumers looking for convenience, plastic compatibility, and spot waxing. They are quick to apply and many can be wiped off without drying. But they are not as good for cleaning and are the worst for durability. How CR tested car waxes Overall scores for the waxes are based primarily on gloss; durability; ease of use; cleaning; resistance to scratching, swirls and hazing; and plastic compatibility. Consumer Reports tested using sample panels uniformly finished with white or black automotive paint, both with and without clear coat. Some were left to weather for 12 months on the roof of CR’s National Test Center in Yonkers, NY and others were put into a device that simulates extreme weather conditions. The panels were brought into a lab weekly, where technicians washed and dried them, and applied drops of water to measure beading effect. How well a wax causes water to bead, or repel water, is one way to determine whether wax still provides protection from acid rain and contaminants. To test for ease of use and how well products worked to clean and improve gloss on fading paint, CR used real vehicles, some of which had rarely or never been waxed. To assess gloss, CR did side-by-side visual comparisons. For durability, CR tracked how water beaded to show how quickly the wax wore away. Cleaning and scratching/hazing tests also relied on side-by-side visual comparisons. For ease of use, CR used cars owned by staffers.
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Replying to: gr8poobah (Aug 23, 2008 5:12 pm) I saw the post from the person who is using Rain-X wash & wax and may try that, but it sounds like it may be more of a polish-type finish that would need to be repeated every 1-2 months. I usually do a good wax job on my vehicles in spring and summer, so would like to find a product that lasts 6 months before re-application is necessary. I also have an 03 Civic and an 03 CR-V and have used the Nu-Finish 2000 liquid wax on them the last 5 years with no problems, that's why I'm wondering if the Fits are being made with a different type of paint that may require a particular kind of wax to get good results. Am hoping to see more posts from people who've tried various products and will share their experiences. I think I'll also call the 4 Honda dealers around here (Nebraska) and ask them what product(s) they are using when they prep new cars for delivery to customers.
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Replying to: fitisgo (Aug 24, 2008 5:10 am) Re needing the wax to last six months... how long does it take to wax a Fit, about 15 minutes?  I haven't found a wax yet that really holds up for six months; I've found that 4 months is about the limit. But that's only one more wax a year. And I actually enjoy waxing my cars. 
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Replying to: backy (Aug 24, 2008 9:07 am) I will look for the Meguiar's Gold Class liquid wax to see if it is available locally and, if so, give it a try. Yes, the Fits can be waxed quickly since they're so small and I don't mind doing the work to wax them, but I don't want to have to do this frequently. In the past 10-12 years I've used Nu-Finish 2000 liquid (in the orange plastic bottle) a lot, on a variety of vehicles including Hondas and a few Fords, and it does actually last about 6 months. I keep the vehicles garaged and out of the weather which makes a big difference from a car that is parked outside 24/7. Also the weather here in the Midwest is not as hostile or hard on cars as many other parts of the country. |
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Replying to: jaggrin (Aug 23, 2008 1:38 pm) |
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Hi gang, I've used Dash Toppers on most of my prior vehicles to protect the top of the dash from discoloration and cracking in the sun. Fabric holds its color and dash top stays like new (although hidden from view). With the Fit's expansive dashboard top and greenhouse windshield, it seems like this would be a good idea. However, I don't see these dash toppers used much on recent cars. Anyone using them (they don't have the '09 Fit yet, but say they will in a couple of weeks)? If not, what are you using to protect your dash top from fading and cracking? |
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I just hit a cement curb and scraped a foot long scrap along the side bottom edge of the car (which I guess is PLASTIC???, I can't tell what it is made of) and gouged the metal  wheel. I have a silver 2008 honda fit. Any advice as to how I can fix this expecially the wheel which I think is alloy but can't remember. Thanks for any help.
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