Single Stage Paint - Long Lasting Last Step Product?

[bicycle019]

Hi long time lurker, first time poster. I found this forum after I picked up a '16 GTI new off the lot without any of the dealer "prep" to mar the original paint. I've been able to keep that car outside stored, free of any defects, and protected with the info I learned on this forum.

I also have a German built 1984 VW Jetta GLI with original single stage Mars Red paint. I've had the car since '03 and over the years it's been kept up with occasional buffing with a cheap $30 auto-parts store random orbital machine with a terry cloth bonnet and Megs #9 2.0, followed by Megs Gold Class Carnauba Plus wax. After having been a daily driver for most of the '00's it's been garaged stored for the last 10 years with only occasional outside storage when I'm working on other car projects in our garage. What originally was a driver/track car has at this point become a very clean survivor/C&C/car show car.

The Megs Gold Glass wax always made the car look good, but never seemed to last that long, maybe a couple of months at most, even with the car sitting protected in the garage. I'd not done much to the paint except the occasional wash and spritz with Megs QD the past couple of years and it was starting to show as the paint was starting to haze up again.

With a lot of extra time on my hands while working from home, I've finished off various other house and car projects and am now onto cleaning up the Jetta. I've followed the steps Mike Phillips laid out with his restoring single stage paint thread:

• Hand Wash (Chemical Guys Citrus Wash, 2 bucket method)
• Decontaminate (Iron-X)
• "clay" with Mothers Speed Clay 2.0 w/Megs Quick Detailer for lube
• Megs #7 - three coats on horizontal surfaces, two on vertical. First coat soaked for 12+ hours. First coat I used a terry bonnet on my cheap random orbital, next couple of coats were hand applied and buffed with terry cloth towels.

I'm now at the stage where the richness and depth are back. Most of the surface is looking really, really good again with only some light scratches showing and no hazing. If this was a BC/CC finish I'd try to get those scratches out and I'm concerned about paint depth, this is after all just an inexpensive VW not a classic Benz or BMW.

Question - After spending a bunch of time cleaning and polishing with the Megs #7, is there a longer-lasting LSP than the Megs Gold Class wax I've been using? Is there a recommended sealant for single stage paints? It seems that most of what I've read recommends using a carnauba wax after the Megs #7, which usually comes with the downside of short life before having to be reapplied. I'm trying to avoid this, so that I only have to work on the exterior of the car once every 6 or so months if possible outside of washes.

Open to trying a sealant or coating if that'll work, or a longer lasting wax if that's my best bet for the type of paint this car has.

Other products on my shelf:

• Collinite 845
• Optimum Spray Wax
• Optimum ONR
• Turtle Wax Ice Wax (my wife bought it)
• Megs QD
• Megs #2
• Megs #9
• Megs #105

Thanks in advance!

-Alex

Car outside before cleaning:


Cleaned up:

[WillSports3]

i'd suggest using ONR for your washes to avoid getting water into too many places. Collinite 845 is always a good choice for your car. If you like Meguiar's, I'd suggest their Ultimate Paste Wax. It's one of the nicest and decently prized paste waxes I've used. It's also synthetic providing more protection.