Waxing / polishing

Author
Discussion

Ken_Code

Original Poster:

1,299 posts

4 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
After many years of having cars washed at the local £10 place, plus the occasional waxing at a valet place I’m tempted to put in some effort and polish them myself.

I’m not planning to spend twelve hours stripping, using a clay bar, “correcting” the finish etc, but quite like the idea of spending a few hours once a month making the cars a bit shinier, and protecting the paintwork a bit too.

Is there a go-to wax or polish, and any major dos or donts after that?

I was thinking of getting the Ryobi One+ polisher, buying a slightly expensive polish, applying it when the car was properly clean and then buffing it with the polisher.

Am I being ridiculously naive here, causing old hands to tut and shake their heads, or is this pretty much right for what I’m after.

I should also ask if there’s any good reason to take a different route entirely, such as having it detailed then a ceramic coat applied, and me not polishing it at all.

This is all inspired by my buying my first “pretty” car and deciding that it’s worth making it look as good as possible.

Crudeoink

505 posts

61 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Ken_Code said:
After many years of having cars washed at the local £10 place, plus the occasional waxing at a valet place I’m tempted to put in some effort and polish them myself.

I’m not planning to spend twelve hours stripping, using a clay bar, “correcting” the finish etc, but quite like the idea of spending a few hours once a month making the cars a bit shinier, and protecting the paintwork a bit too.

Is there a go-to wax or polish, and any major dos or donts after that?

I was thinking of getting the Ryobi One+ polisher, buying a slightly expensive polish, applying it when the car was properly clean and then buffing it with the polisher.

Am I being ridiculously naive here, causing old hands to tut and shake their heads, or is this pretty much right for what I’m after.

I should also ask if there’s any good reason to take a different route entirely, such as having it detailed then a ceramic coat applied, and me not polishing it at all.

This is all inspired by my buying my first “pretty” car and deciding that it’s worth making it look as good as possible.
Im no pro, but do enjoy correcting car paint, cleaning the car waxing etc. Anyways, I would strongly advise against using a machine polisher if you haven't been over the car with a clay bar. Any contaminants in the paint will be dragged all over the paint and cause damage. I would say once the car is clayed, polished, sealed and waxed it will only need a small top-up wax every now and again, but the first time go will take some time.

Edit: I cant spell

vikingaero

10,561 posts

171 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
You can go crazy over waxes polishes and tools to do the job. I still have half used tubs of£150 Swissvax and other assorted gubbins that I bring back from America.

Get your car shiny and protected with a DA polisher then:

With 4 cars, and 8 in total as I look after my parents cars, my go to is Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating that cost between £9.99-£12.00 when Amazon/Halfords have a price war. The stuff is so easy to use an apply that I used it after every wash despite claiming 6-12 months durability. One pack will cover 8 cars for 3 months using it on paintwork, glass, trim and alloys.

Everyone comments on the deep deep shine and the glossy smooth surface.

I also buy Autoglym Lifeshine No.2 Graphene/Carbon bottles from ebay (10 for £20) which is fantastic stuff.

Bonefish Blues

27,316 posts

225 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Claying is the most transformative single bit of the whole process IME

swisstoni

17,276 posts

281 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
No doubt you will soon be snowed (pun intended) with suggestions.

But i wouldn’t discount claying. It’s a very simple thing to do and it makes a massive difference to the surface.
You only need to do it once and it will make everything thst follows more effective.

Then I would use good old Autoglym Super Resin Polish followed by whetever their current topping is called.

I would not bother with snow foam, polishers and the current trend of ceramics. Certainly not the latter if you want to keep it simple and diy.

Gericho

158 posts

5 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Claying causes scratches which need to be polished out before waxing/sealing. Therefore you can skip claying and go straight to wax if you like.

I personally would at least remove all the tar deposits before waxing.

It's one of those things where you can do either do it right or do it twice.

Wills2

23,295 posts

177 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Ken_Code said:
After many years of having cars washed at the local £10 place, plus the occasional waxing at a valet place I’m tempted to put in some effort and polish them myself.

I’m not planning to spend twelve hours stripping, using a clay bar, “correcting” the finish etc, but quite like the idea of spending a few hours once a month making the cars a bit shinier, and protecting the paintwork a bit too.

Is there a go-to wax or polish, and any major dos or donts after that?

I was thinking of getting the Ryobi One+ polisher, buying a slightly expensive polish, applying it when the car was properly clean and then buffing it with the polisher.

Am I being ridiculously naive here, causing old hands to tut and shake their heads, or is this pretty much right for what I’m after.

I should also ask if there’s any good reason to take a different route entirely, such as having it detailed then a ceramic coat applied, and me not polishing it at all.

This is all inspired by my buying my first “pretty” car and deciding that it’s worth making it look as good as possible.
Having read that my advice is just go to a detailer and let them do it, you don't want to clean the paint properly but then you do want to take a machine polisher to the paint that you state will be properly clean?

Just take your car to a detailer get them to assess what is needed or not needed and go from there.



Kuwahara

891 posts

20 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
swisstoni said:
No doubt you will soon be snowed (pun intended) with suggestions.

But i wouldn’t discount claying. It’s a very simple thing to do and it makes a massive difference to the surface.
You only need to do it once and it will make everything thst follows more effective.

Then I would use good old Autoglym Super Resin Polish followed by whetever their current topping is called.

I would not bother with snow foam, polishers and the current trend of ceramics. Certainly not the latter if you want to keep it simple and diy.
This…a clay bar is half an hour roughly that will make the end result worth while.

If not you’ll just be pulling crap that’s stuck to the paint using the DA polisher as a vehicle to move it around.

swisstoni

17,276 posts

281 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Gericho said:
Claying causes scratches which need to be polished out before waxing/sealing. Therefore you can skip claying and go straight to wax if you like.

I personally would at least remove all the tar deposits before waxing.

It's one of those things where you can do either do it right or do it twice.
I’ve not caused scratches whilst claying.
The surface is meant to be totally clean (at least visually) before claying, with a good detailing spray as a lubricant, and using a clean clay surface.

J4CKO

41,826 posts

202 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
I start with a wash, then tar remover, then clay bar.

Once clayed, if its bad then I get the DA out and use that, but find that once they have been done you dont need to again if you keep on top of things, then polish with PoorBoys Black Hole or White Diamond, then a coat of Collonite wax.

Am sure a detailer would pull it to bits, but the car looks clean and shiny, for a nine year old Fiesta.

Ken_Code

Original Poster:

1,299 posts

4 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
It sounds as though it might make sense for me to get a professional to detail it and correct the paint first, after which it’d still need me to clay it before each polishing; is that a fair summary of opinion?

swisstoni

17,276 posts

281 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Claying is something to do very occasionally if the car is being looked after regularly. Maybe a couple of times a year imho.

ChocolateFrog

26,024 posts

175 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
You'd be better off putting those 2-3hrs together and doing exactly what you're dismissing once every 6 months rather than once a month.

Most of the work is prep. It takes minutes to apply a ceramic coat or maybe an hour to apply a decent wax.

That's not the hard bit.

Bonefish Blues

27,316 posts

225 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
swisstoni said:
Claying is something to do very occasionally if the car is being looked after regularly. Maybe a couple of times a year imho.
And a dry bare hand will tell you when it needs doing.

swisstoni

17,276 posts

281 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Bonefish Blues said:
swisstoni said:
Claying is something to do very occasionally if the car is being looked after regularly. Maybe a couple of times a year imho.
And a dry bare hand will tell you when it needs doing.
Or a hand inside a thin plastic bag magnifies the feel bizarrely.
Oh God, I’m going down the rabbithole again ….

and31

3,210 posts

129 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Bonefish Blues said:
Claying is the most transformative single bit of the whole process IME
Exactly this!
very easy to do and gets it properly clean

Belle427

9,155 posts

235 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
This is a good product but the protection aspect of it wont last as long as a wax or sealant.
https://www.in2detailing.co.uk/products/rupes-uno-...

Robertb

1,576 posts

240 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Ken_Code said:
It sounds as though it might make sense for me to get a professional to detail it and correct the paint first, after which it’d still need me to clay it before each polishing; is that a fair summary of opinion?
Waxing and polishing are two different parts of the process. If the paint is polished and 'corrected', then it just needs sealing, either long term with a ceramic coat, medium term with a sealant, or short term with a wax. Claying is part of the correction process.

Most of the contaminants you get on paint, eg tar, iron deposits, bird lime, bugs etc can be removed with chemicals, or simply a good wash. You certainly wont need to be claying every time you wax or seal the paint depending on how good your washing regimen is, how the car is used and where its kept.

A good detailer will talk you through an effective maintenance process once they've prepped the car for you.

Some folk enjoy the waxing process, others just want a relatively easy to maintain shiny car. There's nothing stopping you getting a ceramic coat done, and then adding your own 'topper' sealant from time to time such as Beadmaker if you enjoy a bit of fettling of your special car with an easy to apply glossy sealant.

Edited by Robertb on Wednesday 22 May 12:59

Ken_Code

Original Poster:

1,299 posts

4 months

Wednesday 22nd May
quotequote all
Robertb said:
Waxing and polishing are two different parts of the process. If the paint is polished and 'corrected', then it just needs sealing, either long term with a ceramic coat, medium term with a sealant, or short term with a wax. Claying is part of the correction process.

Most of the contaminants you get on paint, eg tar, iron deposits, bird lime, bugs etc can be removed with chemicals, or simply a good wash. You certainly wont need to be claying every time you wax or seal the paint depending on how good your washing regimen is, how the car is used and where its kept.

A good detailer will talk you through an effective maintenance process.

Some folk enjoy the waxing process, others just want a relatively easy to maintain shiny car. There's nothing stopping you getting a ceramic coat done, and then adding your own 'topper' sealant from time to time such as Beadmaker if you enjoy a bit of fettling of your special car with an easy to apply glossy sealant.
This is what I am looking for really. I’m happy to pay to get whatever initial work is needed done by a professional but then fancied a hit of time on a Sunday shining it up.