I've been using NXT for the past few months, with waffle MF towels for drying and costco mf towels for wax haze removal, and have started to notice a few small streaks or scratches in the clearcoat either from the towels or from road debris. This is at certain angles which people usually do not see. I'm guessing this is just normal as a car ages. Is this view incorrect?

Also I can't really notice the gold mica specks anymore even after a wax. Some theories I have include winter-related lack of sunlight, the NXT itself, or just the small imperfections of age in the clearcoat. Are any of these valid, or is there another reason? And has anyone else noticed Mica decrease or am I the only one?

 

Road debris will certainly cause scratches/chips, but you also have to ask where the scratches are--if they're on your trunk, roof, or even your doors, you might be the likely source of the scratches. I don't know about you, and I suppose this might be a testament to my technique (or lack thereof), but I didn't start to develop scratches on my paint until I made the switch from terry cloth to MF towels.

In regard to the mica, what detailing steps do you take? NXT supposedly gives a deeper, darker look, so perhaps the NXT is "concealing" the metallic flecks (you mentioned gold mica--I'm assuming you have a green 8?), though I don't believe I've had that problem, and I also use NXT on my ti gray. To enhance the color (and to help with scratch concealment), you might want to consider polishing prior to waxing, if you don't already. Also, you might want to top the NXT with either #16 or s100--carnaubas that will further enhance shine and possibly bring the mica back out. I'm not sure where you are located, but your winter climate will determine which option is more feasible.

Another notion: Are you applying thin layers of NXT when you wax? If not, maybe it might muffle the paint reflection to apply NXT too thick? Just a thought.

Even if "Mica decrease" did exist, your car is still relatively brand new, and I seriously doubt that this short amount of time would cause clearcoat/paint deterioration. Otherwise, at this rate, your paint would be completely gone in a few years! Some here have complained at the "cheap" paint that Mazda opted to use on our cars (Dupont), but I do not believe this to be the culprit in your case.