Machine Polishing

[A911DOM]

Is this a dark art - or can any numpty have a go?

I have a few typical road rash scratches and some rather more annoying car park dings on the Cayenne that Im sure could polish out or at least make look less obvious with the right amount of treatment.

So, advice / experiences / recommendations / suitable products to use with one - all welcome!

Thanks
Dom

[Bezerk]

You can use a Dual Action machine and as long as you are careful.
A rotary machine not so much.. you could really screw up with that.

Meguiars DA Microfiber System is the 'complete kit', otherwise just get any DA machine, a cutting pad and polish, and a finishing pad and polish.

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/das-6-meguiars-da-mi...

A scrap panel to practice on is probably a good idea before attacking your car though.

[OldSkoolRS]

If you read some comments on detailing world, then only the experts can do this and even then only when equiped with a £1,000 paint thickness gauge.

However, if you are careful and don't let the pad rest on edges where the paint is easier to cut through, then you should be OK. If you have a scrap panel to practice on so much the better, or even if you have an old shed of a car to try it on: I use my company car to test any detailing products on first for example.

The important thing to do is to start with the finer polishes and pads first to see if that will correct the damage. Only if it doesn't work change to a coarser polish and pad, but you may well have to go over this again with the finer polish as the rougher polish may leave marks that need refining out. You can buy a tester kit of different polishes from Clean your car (and other websites), maybe even buy the polisher complete with pads and polish as it works out cheaper than buying separately. I bought the DAS6pro for £99 on a detailing world offer as I already had the polishes and pads for an older rotary I have, but find the DA is easier to control and much lighter.

[A911DOM]

So is there a wild difference between using a bottle of t-cut or your standard polish and a 'Clarke' rotary polisher - and buying a Macquiars or 3M kit complete with exotic compounds and different finished pads?

A serious question, Im sure that these things are purpose built for the job, but what are the differences likely to be achieved in the driveway of a typical oaf like me!?

I have a couple of cars I can practice on first before I unleash the fury on the Cayenne or 911!

[OldSkoolRS]

Not sure which 'Clarke' polisher you mean, but if it's one of those 12 volt jobs in Halfords, then yes there is a bit of a difference. T cut is a bit messy to use with a rotary anyway, but no matter even Halfords sell better stuff these days sometimes on a 3 for 2 offer if you're lucky. They may even stock the items I've linked to below if it's more convienient for you.

However, if you look on sites such as clean your car, there are hand applicators and polishes that can be used by hand. If it's just a few localised areas, then just use the hand stuff rather than buy a cheapy polisher. Unless you think it's something that you're going to do regularly then maybe not worth the investment, in fact you may get a Pro to do the work for similar money, so that's another option.

If you want to try by hand something like these items might be worth trying and not a major expense. Assuming you've already got some cleaning products in your garage such as wax/sealant or an 'all in one' such as Autoglym SRP (it polishes, fills and seals but can do with some sort of wax/sealant on top for longer life).

Two sided applicator such as this one:
http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/accessories/ultimate...

Some scratch remover polish such as this:
http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/car-polish-compounds...

Or this:
http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/car-polish-compounds...

Maybe some finer polish to finish with (or use SRP if you have some):
http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/car-polish-compounds...

Or just buy a kit like this:
http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/car-polish-compounds...

If you haven't got some kind of wax/sealant then something like this is supposed to be easy to apply and lasts a long time (highly recommended on Detailing World, I have a full tin of wax that I need to use up first ). It's worth applying to protect the paint after your hard work.

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/sealants/gtechniq-c1...

[A911DOM]

Very informative - thanks!

I was looking at this: http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/... which obviously needs the additional bonnets.

However, I like the previous post and will have a look at the whys and wherefors of the products listed.

I guess the main reason I'd thought of a machine polisher is because the Cayenne is so vast, and people seem to be magnetically attracted to it in carparks (plus the obvious normal stone chips / stubborn insect impacts etc) that it might bring the car back to its former glory without expending a massive amount of time, effort and money.

The car is also metallic black so it shows up the scratches a treat

[OldSkoolRS]

If you're happy to spend £80 on a Clarke rotary then you might be better off buying something like the more basic version of my DAS6Pro, called, funnily enough a DAS6. You could buy one of the kits that include polishes and pads for little more:

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/polishing-machines/d...

Obviously the hand powered items in my last post work out a bit less, but as you say it's a big car. You're less likely to cause paint breakthrough or other damage using a DA polisher rather than a rotary. So if you go machine route, I'd stay away from the Clarke (Clean your car have cheaper rotarys anyway, but stick with DA as a 'newbie' I reckon).

Before polishing it's probably worth giving the car a going over with clay otherwise you may end up trying to polish bits if grit and tar into the paint. Ideally you'd detar the car, but this is how you start running away with buying stuff...white spirit will do if there are any bad lumps of tar for example, but it leaves an oily mark behind, so you'd need to clean that off with something else.

[A911DOM]

Wholly moley - I'd better get a Clay Brick!

Ive clay bar'd the old 911 before to great effect and she isnt blemish free either.

Okay - thanks for the advice, a little bundle from the people who know is probably the way to go, then I can tend to the collection of cars and see what results we get

[OldSkoolRS]

No don't use a brick...that'll only make things worse.

Bilt Hamber clay can be used with plain water rather than needing to use a special (quick detailer really) lub. I've not tried it myself as I bought another type that needs lub, so that was more expense...

http://www.bilthamber.com/pro-introduction.php?cna...

[MrC986]

If you have the right conditions/environment, you can also wash the car & rather than dry it straight off, can use the residue surface water as the 'lube' for the clay bar - it saves time/effort (though I am sure a few would say you shouldn't do it). Also, it might be worth looking at some of the compounds/polishes that can be used with DAs - apparently if you have a good applicator, you can apply them that way instead though it just takes more time/effort. FWIW I managed to sneak a DAS polisher into the garage when SWMBO was out & I was working from home as I thought I needed one - it's only been used a couple of times in 2 yrs as once I get a car really clean, it generally doesn't need the machine polish again. Good luck

[grand cherokee]

dual action machines are 'safe' in the hands of a novice - the more powerful rotary machine can cause 'paint burn' very easily

if in doubt stick to a dual action - i do - and i've had 'pro lessons' with a rotary!

[Willber]

I bought a Silverline Rotary with some Menzerna polishes and pads to use on my MK2 Golf.

It's not a dark art but you can damage the paint particularly around edges. I managed to burn through a tiny but of paint on the rear of my car.

I would recommend getting a rotary but just be careful, it's really not as complex as some people like to make out or talk it up to be, not at hobby level anyway.

[OldSkoolRS]

Willber, you're not alone: I polished the black top coat to near see through on a bit on the wing of my RS2000 years ago with my rotary. Granted it isn't a variable speed one and I was using Farecla fine compound and got a bit carried away trying to remove some deeper scratches (it's black so any mark looks deep ). Like you say it's not a dark art, but you just have to accept it's your own fault it you mess up. I have spray gear, so at least I can sort out my ck ups.

I do find the little DAS6Pro much lighter to handle than my older rotary though, so it's better for my back. I'm looking forward to trying it out on the RS2000 (cellulose paint, so not that hard) but need to finish the welding first...

[Beau Technique]

Safe to say that best ethic is to run on the principal of least aggresive combinations firstly i:e pad and polish combo. Small work areas rather than trying to nail a full door in one hit. You may be just as well to take a look into the Meguiars microfibre system as that is very effective. Not personally tried the DAS6 pro but you do need a better machine imo to get good results. I opted for the Meguiars G220 v2 as the motor doesnt bog down much upon pressure applied, nor does the DAS6 pro iirc where as the original G220 or DAS6 do.

[A911DOM]

Im getting the impression that I might not actually achieve my goal with a motorised polisher anyway.

I've got a few noticeable scratches on the car which if I were to go at with a machine polisher could well turn in a large area of 'thinned' paint as I try and take the scratch out.

Perhaps as has been suggested I speak to a detailer - or take it for a professional machine polish somewhere as see what happens.

Doing that once a year to combat the light scratches and stubborn bug marks may well be more sensible.

I'll try claying the car when Ive got a spare few hours - gonna be a monster task!!!

Thanks for the input chaps.

(Anyone recommend a good polisher / detailer in the Norwich area for next time Im back?)

[A911DOM]

Yeah Ive had a go at claying before, and other than the time issue or washing / drying / claying / washing / drying / polishing etc its not too bad.

My main concern with the cayenne was to try and buff out a couple of scratches, being such a big car its picked up a bit of road rash, as well as obviously attracting some car parking retards who are incapable of controlling their doors

What I have learnt from all of this is 'Dont buy a great big BLACK car, cos its bloody difficult to keep looking even close to clean'

[smart repairer]

if you are gonna spend all that money buying machines and polishes etc, you would b better off paying somebody to do it or take it 2 a bodyshop