Where do I put the most effort....
Discussion
...to get the best results in terms of depth of shine?
Alight abrasive polish/scratch remover to gradually get rid of all the minor swirls? Or polishing to feed the paint? Or sealer glaze? Or wax?
Or, as I suspect, all of them! I.e. everytime I clean the car do the whole ket and caboodle?
Whadya reckon?
Alight abrasive polish/scratch remover to gradually get rid of all the minor swirls? Or polishing to feed the paint? Or sealer glaze? Or wax?
Or, as I suspect, all of them! I.e. everytime I clean the car do the whole ket and caboodle?
Whadya reckon?
Well go the whole hog every so often. I do that once a season (gotta have the car shiny to impress the girlies in the summer, have to have it protected for winter etc 
).
In between that though you can spend 10 minutes going over the car with a quick-detailer spray (after every or every second wash). They'll "top up" the wax and keep the car looking like it was just detailed, until it's time to do the whole story after 3-6 months again
Almost all companies do these sprays.
). In between that though you can spend 10 minutes going over the car with a quick-detailer spray (after every or every second wash). They'll "top up" the wax and keep the car looking like it was just detailed, until it's time to do the whole story after 3-6 months again
Almost all companies do these sprays.Guys, I have to admit to being a bit sad and waxing the car much more frequently than that.
What I'm trying (ineffectually) to ask is, what will make the most difference to not-quite-perfect paint work - laying on a mild abrasive/scratch remover, or polishing with a pure polish/sealer, or applying more layers of wax?
I.e. after washing should I give it a polish and then a wax, or two coats of wax for instance? Or an application of a scratch remover (to reduce the still existing swirls) then wax? I tend to try to use a waterless cleaner as much as possible instead of washing; this contains carnuba wax, so it's at least partially waxed a lot.
Dunno - am I being a bit confusing about what I'm after?
PS Had beer and wine tonight so far, so that's my excuse for being muddled....
PPS So would you guys suggest buying a mechanical polisher, or do I risk driving a car that just looks like shiney fibreglass...?
What I'm trying (ineffectually) to ask is, what will make the most difference to not-quite-perfect paint work - laying on a mild abrasive/scratch remover, or polishing with a pure polish/sealer, or applying more layers of wax?
I.e. after washing should I give it a polish and then a wax, or two coats of wax for instance? Or an application of a scratch remover (to reduce the still existing swirls) then wax? I tend to try to use a waterless cleaner as much as possible instead of washing; this contains carnuba wax, so it's at least partially waxed a lot.
Dunno - am I being a bit confusing about what I'm after?
PS Had beer and wine tonight so far, so that's my excuse for being muddled....
PPS So would you guys suggest buying a mechanical polisher, or do I risk driving a car that just looks like shiney fibreglass...?
I guess it really depends on what results you are looking for, if you have swirls and scratches (marrings) and they bother you then yes get them sorted after that all you need is the correct wash and drying methods and the odd coat of wax and she'll be looking stunning all the time.
Machine polishers, if you are talking about the cheap halfords ones, save you money they are really only good enough to apply and remove wax, and if just doing that you may as well put the money into better products, cloths etc. If however you are talking about defect removal polishers then I would recommend the PC (Porter Cable) only really available from the USA, have a look at www.detailingwprld.co.uk, you'll find all the info and help you could ever ask for.
Machine polishers, if you are talking about the cheap halfords ones, save you money they are really only good enough to apply and remove wax, and if just doing that you may as well put the money into better products, cloths etc. If however you are talking about defect removal polishers then I would recommend the PC (Porter Cable) only really available from the USA, have a look at www.detailingwprld.co.uk, you'll find all the info and help you could ever ask for.
Swirls bother me Gary, yes. But I can live with them if they don't impact the depth of shine I can get. That's what I'm aftre really, the best depth of shine. Not afraid of effort or expenditure (within reason!) if it's in the right place.
Would consider a detailer to get it right first, but in the last 11 months I've got so many stone chips and seem t obe gathering more that it's not worth it. And I have no idea how much I'd be looking at spending anyway.
Will look at the site for a polisher; of the 4 cars we have 3 have good paintwork that would benefit from a decent bit of kit.
Would consider a detailer to get it right first, but in the last 11 months I've got so many stone chips and seem t obe gathering more that it's not worth it. And I have no idea how much I'd be looking at spending anyway.
Will look at the site for a polisher; of the 4 cars we have 3 have good paintwork that would benefit from a decent bit of kit.
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