I just put a thin coat of Meguiars #21 on my new 09 C63, and while it looks nice, it does not give me that smooth "feel" of a good thick coat of carnauba. I always have been a bigger fan of natural wax but decided to give the #21 a try for its long-lasting capabilities so I can avoid bi-weekly waxes to prevent swirl marks.

When I run my hand over it, it feels smoothER but does not give me that glide Im used to. I applied a thin coat as per the directions and then layered on some quik detail spray.

Does the smooth feel of a freshly waxed/sealed car have anything to do with protection/gloss anyway? Should I layer on some Carnauba over the synthetic to give it a final touch or just leave it as is? The car is new so the paint looks great as is.

A clean vehicle surface should feel smooth even without wax. I suspect your car had a previous layer of wax which should have been removed. Even a new vehicle should be carefully washed using a good car shampoo (one that removes old wax) and sponge/mitten (I use sea sponge), followed with claying to remove any surface contamination. At this point the surface should look and feel smooth as glass. Follow through with a paint sealer (ideally left overnight) prior to application of the best carnuba wax (since you will be using wax) you can afford; thin layers are best. Repeat waxing within a week if the vehicle is still clean or repeat wash with a milder shampoo (one that does not remove wax) and then follow with a coat of wax and buff.

The texture part of the paint comes form claying and polishing. The wax is only meant to protect the finish and it has no cleaning or abrasive abilities. Here's a reply I made to another questions similar to yours:

https://mbworld.org/forums/detailing...g-new-car.html

+1 on the smooth surface!!! If you are liking the idea of sealant and not excited about 21, check with Greg at DI about Blackfire. It's relatively new and awesome!!! I recently applied two layers of BF on a F430 that had recently been corrected. The BF looks great!!!! Seakant will offer a bit better protection over the nuba. Sealant will normally leave a slicker finish over the muted finish of a nuba. But, BF seems to add a little more depth than most other sealants.

If you are considering the BF, ping Greg about CG Citrus Wash and maybe an APC to remove previous LSP or, wash your car and give it a couple wipedowns with Isoprop. Alcohol.

The wax or sealant have very little to do with the smooth feeling. The smooth feeling and the deep shine comes with your prep work which is the wash, clay and polishing steps. You can remove the old wax and sealant by washing with the Chemical Guys Citrus Wash & Gloss - 16 oz. The bumpy feeling would be corrected with a quality clay and polish after. For the clay bar I recommend our DI Packages DI Clay Bar and Clay Lube Combo. This kit will give you a quality lube and gentle clay bar to remove surface contaminants. After that a nice polish will help remove some of the ultra fine scratches and swirls in the paint. These micro-abrasions make the surface look dull and feel slightly rough. Polishing will remove these imperfections and any oxidation. Knowing what polishes are needed depends on the swirls and condition of the paint. I would at least start off with a light polish like the Menzerna PO106FA Nano Polish (Super Finish) - 16 oz or the Menzerna Final Polish II (FPII) - 16 oz. After that apply your favorite sealant or wax to enhance the shine and protect the surface.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Greg @ DI

+1...well said Greg. There's no substitute for a proper foundation and a job done right.

some claybar before will help

wash, clay, compound, polish, sealant wax and you will be set!

wash with a good stripping wash - dawn dish soap, CG citrus wash and clear, car wash with APC mixed in, etc
clay with a medium duty clay bar to remove bonded contaminant (faster than a mild bar)
compound to remove paint defects
polish to restore luster and depth/clarity in the paint
sealant wax to apply durable paint protection

you can vary the amount of polishing/compounding step accordingly to what your paint needs!

Sometimes, it might be better to have someone else who is more qualified to dial in your car and you maintain if from there. i have a couple people who do the maintanence stuff like wash and waxes every 2-3 months and have me come out every 6 and 12 months to do the correcting work! Maybe you would benefit from the same?