Slippery paintwork - Supagard or polish/wax

[RobinPJ]

My 3 month old 500 had the Supagard treatment, mainly for the interior. It does not seem to make much difference to keeping the exterior clean, but that is probably an unfair criticism as it does not claim to (rather it claims to "protect your vehicle's paintwork from the harsh environment that surrounds it UV rays from the sun, which can fade paintwork fallout and acid rain which can damage the paint finish road salt and other contributors which can fade and corrode the surface").

I'm not that fussed about fading paint etc (the car is white) but because it is white and used every day, I want to do as much as possible to stop dirt from sticking to the car and making it look rubbish so soon after cleaning - it gets particularly bad on the hatchback. I currently clean it most weekends (shampoo, rinse and chamois) but by Wednesday it looks like it's been on army manoeuvres on Salisbury Plain.

So the question is, which is more likely to stop dirt and winter crud sticking to the body work? Is it (i) the existing Supagard, (ii) a good dose of polish and wax, (iii) neither will make any difference, or (iv) is there something else out there I should be using?

I'd be grateful for your views.

 

[dave]

wash, clay, polish, wax, anti static detailer and a set of mud flaps

 

[RobinPJ]

Thank you Dave. Is there an anti-static detailer you would recommend?

 

[dave]

ive only ever seen the poor boys one, but there may be others

 

[Lloyd71]

The best thing I've seen for stopping stuff sticking is GTechniq c1:

But it's very expensive to buy and can only be applied by a professional! Any other product will just do the same as the Supaguard; products like waxes, sealants etc. aren't designed to stop mud sticking at all, just protect the surface from UV rays, salt etc. like you quoted in your post.

 

[RobinPJ]

Thanks Lloyd - I had my suspicions that would be the answer.

 

[Lloyd71]

Thanks Lloyd - I had my suspicions that would be the answer.

No problem. Unfortunately, a lot of products out there are marketed as super waxes that will stop everything from sticking to your car and will eliminate the need for washing. But they never ever do what they say. Your best bet is to stick to a decent wax or sealant and re apply it every 3 months or so.

 

[RobinPJ]

Thanks again Lloyd. Out of interest, do you agree with Dave's recommendation of an "anti-static detailer"? Not even sure what that is frankly - but would it help any?

 

[Lloyd71]

Thanks again Lloyd. Out of interest, do you agree with Dave's recommendation of an "anti-static detailer"? Not even sure what that is frankly - but would it help any?

The anti static detailers on the market have had mixed reviews and will do very little to stop mud and dirt sticking, but they should stop a layer of dust settling just after applying which is always good. I've not used one myself though, I tend to stick to a good wax or a strong sealant for the winter.