Man, we need to breath some life into this forum. I'll wake it up a bit by posting here...<P>Coastal -<P>Let me begin by begging you to not waste money on the dealership coatings (and I myself got suckered into buying it on my V70). I know several people who swear by the coatings, and if you plan on never doing anything but splashing water on the car now and again, the coatings will keep the car looking better for the first year or two. But to seriously protect your paint for the long haul, you've got to work at it a bit (but not much). The first time I detailed the car, I began by removing the $400 coating. After a few hours of work, I have a finish that is more resisant to pollutants, looks WAY better, and will last about six months with the same care I would have given the coated surface. Which brings me to another of your points: Wax.<P>Wax - Stop using it! Instead, grab yourself a bottle of Klasse All-In-One. It WILL NOT leave white paste on your black trim, so that worry is gone immediately. And that's only the beginning of the good news. It goes on and wipes off without drying. In fact, you use a damp cloth to apply it. It cleans, and puts down a shiny, protective layer that will outlast any wax. If you're truly anal (like who do you think I'm talking about?) you then follow up the AIO with Klasse Sealant Glaze. That will make the shine last for six months or longer.<P>I'm telling you, I LOVE this Klasse stuff. I've gone through many $100's over the years before finding this stuff, and it is a bargain in the long-run. If you REALLY want, you can put wax over all these other layers, but there really is no reason in my book. If you take a look at my T5 site, you'll see how my car shines, and in none of those pictures was the car JUST cleaned.<P>Here again, is Darell's must-have list of detailing products:<BR>Anything Klasse (All-In-One, Sealant Glaze)<BR>303 Aerospace protectant<BR>High Quality microfiber cloths<BR>Quick detailer<P>Yours in anality,<BR>- Darell<P>