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After slapping on my new front bumper, I figured it was time to finally detail my car, typical routine, wash, clay bar, and wax. I wanted to try out the new Turtle Wax ICE line-up, and I must say some of their stuff is pretty sweet.
My WRX's finish hasn't been the greatest lately. It was badly in need of getting clayed and polished. The ICE soap works pretty well. It left a nice glossy, almost waxy finish just after washing (not to mention it smells like blue raspberry Blowpops). Score one for the soap.
The next step wasn't too impressive. Turtle Wax now has liquid clay, but I must say, nothing beats the real thing. After giving the liquid a shot, I had to resort back to regular solid clay. The liquid just wasn't picking up the little spots and specs the way a real clay bar does. I think it has something to do with the actual texture. Liquid doesn't have the ability to lift particles from the surface the same way clay does. Logically speaking, it makes sense. It would have been nice if the liquid stuff worked just because it would have saved my arm and hand from all the cramps.
After a solid three hours of painstakingly rubbing the Scooby down with a little ball of clay, it was now ready for polish. The new ICE polish can actually be applied to the entire car (well, except for the windows). At first, I was a little iffy about a wax that's supposed to work on plastic and rubber trim pieces as well as paint, but this stuff rocks. I used the paste, which came with an applicator and a micro fiber towel, which I actually needed, so score one more for the polish. The finish is really smooth, but the most impressive part is how well it worked on trim pieces. And who doesn't like waxing trim, eh? The faded black trim around the side mirrors, where the windshield wipers mount, and even the grill were all restored to a brand new finish. I found myself glued to my car just because of how new it looked and how good it felt to the touch. I used a liberal amount of polish, and there is still a ton left. I'm more than satisfied, I'm actually pretty impressed with how well it came out. It's like I have show car now. I'm just bummed I didn't have my camera ready. Too bad I have to drive super cautious for the next couple weeks, avoiding any puddles and dodging all sprinklers. At least there is no such thing as rain around here. I'm so glad I live in So Cal.
All in all, try this stuff out. The soap works well, but smells even better, and the polish just rocks - great finish on the paint and amazing on trim. It's so great not having to apply wax extra carefully just so you don't get residue on the trim. This makes the entire process that much easier as well as better looking. Just throw the wax on the whole car and call it a day. If you get some polish on trim pieces, it'll actually come out looking better rather than the white and blotchy residue that traditional wax leaves behind. Now I just need to see how well it holds up against UV rays. If the trim stays shiny, I'll be even happier. As far as the liquid clay goes, I would pass. Even though the new ICE polish is amazing, trying to reinvent the wheel didn't work out too well with the clay bar. Nothing beats the real thing. But I definitely highly recommend the polish. I'm anxious to try it out on my new front lip, which should be arriving here today!
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