advice on polishing the car

[cyrus_b]

hey guys,

need some advice on polishing my new ride without ruining the finish. its a diamond grey 07 GT

i have to leave my car outside as i dont have a garage atm (grrr) but it does have paint protection on it.

i'd like to know what products are best to use to get a nice shiny finish that i dont have to maintain every 2nd day (as i dont have that much time!).
and what kind of processes etc to get a good look, and not ruin the paintwork (eg: how to avoid all those fine swirly lookin scratches)

also, is it a bad idea to go to the local car wash and use their soap and big horse hair brush?

Thanks in advance

[Sentinel]

Search is your friend.

There is plenty of info on the questions you've asked Cyrus. And you'll find an opinion on just about everything.

But to get you started... Your query about using local carwash brushes... Let's just say that if you don't want swirls (which you mentioned you don't), then DON'T use the local carwash brushes!!! Actually, the only thing I use from the carwash is their water... The rest I do at home.

If you end up using a bucket and water to wash then I'd recommend the following:

2 buckets of water
Good quality chamois or microfiber
Lambs wool hand mitt or other very soft (deep pile) sponge

Hose off the car to rid excess dirt and grit
Start on roof and work down the car in loops. ie. roof, then glass house, then upper doors, then lower doors, then sills, then wheels.
Rinse
Chamois

With the buckets, dunk mitt into clean sud bucket and then wash, then rinse in second bucket! Then dunk in clean sud bucket and wash etc etc... this keeps the dirt off the car in one bucket, and clean water in the other and reduces the risk of scratching.

As for products - plenty of recommendations but I reckon get samples and whichever works best for you use it!

Cheers

[bennygsr]

Leaving it outside means some protection will be required: I am no detailer, but I reckon that at least means a coat of wax reasonably regularly.

As sentinel said: NO car wash brushes.

I use one of those Microfibre clothes that are fluro in colour, and look like Dicki- knee of Hey Hey its Saturday! They are about the best thing I have used for washing a car.

After wash and dry: Use a Clay bar. (any auto shop has them, about $35) this gets all the fine little bits of grit off - I have never used it until I just changed two cars over: It is time consuming, but fantastic. My 1992 lancer with original paint looks like new, and got rid of some minor swirling- (although don't show too much on white).

I then polished, but maybe you don't have to do this, and then waxed: Meguiars wax. The water beads off this for a good couple of weeks afterwards for me anyway!

Good luck

[Sentinel]

Unless you're happy to have silicon on your car, I'd avoid Meguiars. Nothing against them, bit like armorall though, I steer clear of the 'mainstream stuff' due to the silicon.

But hey, each to their own.

[teK--]

Hey Cyrus I've been having a pretty detailed discussion on this same topic in this same thread:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5508&p=79738#p79738

[Spec B Wgn]

i havent come across a better site then this one ,for the correct ways to clean, polish and anything
else in regards to detailing your car

hope you find something of value in it.

http://www.autopia.org/

[WhiteGTB]

Heaps of good products out there that will seal and protect your paint work... first question What's the budget???

Some pretty good gear sold here - Waxit

[bennygsr]

Unless you're happy to have silicon on your car, I'd avoid Meguiars. Nothing against them, bit like armorall though, I steer clear of the 'mainstream stuff' due to the silicon.

But hey, each to their own.

I can understand that the silicon based products may dry your vinyl out more for interior, but why is it bad for exterior?

And how much extra do you have to pay to avoid silicon?

[Sentinel]

Unless you're happy to have silicon on your car, I'd avoid Meguiars. Nothing against them, bit like armorall though, I steer clear of the 'mainstream stuff' due to the silicon.

But hey, each to their own.

I can understand that the silicon based products may dry your vinyl out more for interior, but why is it bad for exterior?

And how much extra do you have to pay to avoid silicon?

You don't pay to avoid it mate - just look for products without it.

Silicon is a moisture repellent, hence why it does such a great job on making water bead (along with wax) on the surface and also forms part of the sheen component in polishes. The problem with silicon is that it penetrates the surface through ANY imperfection. Now, what is an imperfection - how about the tiny air pockets that are evident in all manufacturing paint processes, or fallout, or exhaust gases, or bird crap or........ In other words, when you put it on, it actually goes into / through the clear and either onto the color or under that too if it's got imperfections. The result, after a few years of sun exposure is actually a dulling / misty effect!! The exact reverse of what it's supposed to do! Thing is, most people never see this because it's gradual and / or they sell the car after 3-5 years... Now as I said, I don't have a problem with Meguiars products or the results they produce, I just don't want to have that issue - ever. Most people don't really care about it though.

To be brutally honest though, most 'average' people will do more damage 'cutting' their cars thinking that they are getting rid of swirls only to find out in 3 years that there is no clear left!

Hope that helps.