LOL, so you're saying if you use polish on your car on a regular basis, you will eventually completely strip off all the paint.

You need to stop doing drugs before you enlighten us with your amazing wisdom.

 

Polish is an ABRASIVE. PROPER paint care will make paint look better & last longer then just polishing it to much. Wellgo here Mr Swami----> http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-polishing.htmlread what polish really is. They even caution that if you remvce to much clear coat you will damage paint.

 

Do you and the guy who wrote that article smoke the same weed?

"Polishing paint is a acquired skill. It can take years to master."

Guess I better put my Mustang away for a few years until I can master the delicate art of polishing. I wonder if there are any two-year courses I can take at college here about advanced polishing technique.

Perhaps, perhaps this is true, that polishing is an acquired skill. But for the sake of practicality, that's complete nonsense. Unless you work as a professional detailer who works on Ferrari's all day, that article is a waste of time to read. Like it's been said many times in this topic, and like I've read on countless polish manufacturer websites, polish and wax are largely interchangable. Most waxes have elements in them which polish, and most polishes have sealants and paint protectants in them (NXT, for example).

So, given the advances of modern technology, unless you're applying polish to your car with sandpaper, it seems highly unlikely that you're going damage your finish in any way (again, due to the paint-friendly sealants and protectants found in modern polishes.)

 

Well polish & waxes are interchangeable to imbeciles like you only. There are big differences between polish & wax.

 

Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go wash my car with a special mixture of dishwashing soap, rubbing alcohol, and sand.

 

I've got to call you on some things your saying here. Only because i don't want people to be misinformed.

First thing about Zaino. While it might be a good product it's highly over priced. Over-the-counter products work just fine. Just because it costs more doesn't make it better. Secondly you're only half right on what you are saying. If you don't think that a car needs to be waxed you've been minsinformed. Yes we are applying these products to the clear coat and not the paint. The purpose of the clear coat is to protect the paint but it isn't full proof. The paint can be damaged under the clear coat without proper protection...WAX. Putting multiple coats of polish or wax actually does nothing. It won't make it shine better or protect it any better. You're just doing more work for nothing. The paint on a waxed car will last a lot longer than a car that's never been waxed.

Now for everyone else. Never use Dawn! This is a car not a dinner plate that's been used to eat a three cheese lasagna off of. I realize some use it to remove the wax but there are better solutions. You want to use the least abrasive method's and solutions as possible. You can strip away your clear coat over time so be careful!

1. Wash (Use only an automotive, clear coat safe, soap)
2. Claybar (if paint is rough to the touch)
3. Use a paint cleaner (this will get rid any wax, leftover contanimants)
4. Polish
5. Wax (only 1 coat is needed)

Do those steps and you'll have the best looking car in town. How often you need to do every step depends on many things (enviroment where you live or drive, garage kept or not, etc.)

Like I said, over-the-counter products are fine and cost a lot less. As far as brand take your pick. Meguiar's, Mother's, Turtle Wax, etc. if used right will yeild about the same results. I myself use Meguiar's.

 

I'm still going to disagree with the people who say not to use Dawn. I'm not saying to apply it directly to your paint. A few small drops in with your normal car wash soap will not hurt anything. It will help get rid of road grime, built up wax, grease, and even things like tire dressing fling off. But you only need a few drops in a 5 gallon bucket of water.

Polish IS NOT an abrasive, at least not what I use. I'm guessing what the "expert" who wrote that article was saying is that polishing a car using a high speed polisher is an acquired skill. And it is, by all means. But just applying some polish by hand, and removing it by hand or with an orbital buffer, pretty much any idiot can do it.

Clay bar IS NOT for removing wax. It is for removing contaminents in your paint, end of story. You only need to use clay bar on the norm once every 3 months max! If you EVER drop the clay bar, pick it up, and throw it away. DO NOT use it on your car after you drop it.

The paint cleaner is what removes the wax. If you look at the ones you can buy at most autoparts stores, they say that's what their intended use is. Once you use it, you'll notice that your paint is squeaky clean. Then you polish, then you wax.

Two coats MAX of any wax. I prefer a hard wax, then a finer wax as a final coat. More coats DO NOT make your car shinier, so please stop telling me you have 10 coats of ButtCreme Wax on your car, and it looks "so deep." It's an allusion. Wax does not shine, it protects. End of story. If you have 3 or more coats of wax on your car, take it off now before you haze the clear coat.

 

Slappy I am not saying Clay Bar is meant for taking off Wax. What i am saying is if your going to clay the car there is no need for the dawn as the clay will in fact remove the wax as you use it. Why do you think they tell you to wax your car after using clay. Because it removes the wax. I agree with you 100% about the OTC products. Meg's hasn't been in business this long by making bad products. I used them for almost 20 years until i found products that were easier to use and remove and gave as good or better results. I actually still use many of their products because i have not found anything better. And while using Dawn in the manner in which you say is a common practice it doesn't make it right. Dawn is meant to remove oils and such and it pulls them from the clearcoat when you use it so why subject the paint to that when it is not needed. You guys see these cars that are like 4-5 years old and the paint looks like *** and the clear is coming off. Well guess what they use Dawn to wash there cars.

Also for those that use clay if you cut your clay bar into 4 sections then at least of you do happen to drop it while using it you won't have to throw away the hole bar just 1/4 of it.

And polishing does in fact remove clear coat how you you think those scratches and swirls disappear when you use polish. Polishing only needs to be done when the finish has scratches swirls or imperfections in it that you want to remove.

It simply amazes me at some of the misinformation that gets thrown around on paint care and modding in general and this site sometimes seem to be one of the worst. I am not saying i know everything but dam i have learned a lot in my 20 plus years of modding and caring for cars. A lot of the stuff that gets flung around are simply urban legends or apply to technology that is over 50 years old.

Richard

 

So this 'clay bar', where would i go to buy this product & how is it applied? Sorry for sounding dumb LOL, i just want to do right by my car.

 

There is a difference between OTC waxes and professional waxes. The ones at walmart are between $10-$20 because the companies marketing division decided that is all most people would spend on them. So they have to compromise the ingrediants to keep the bottle within that price range.

The professional waxes are not a compromise. They make the best product they can make and you'll pay for it if you want it. OTC waxes aren't bad, they just aren't the best.

Back to the Dawn issue. Use dawn in a bucket to remove wax, use a automotive soap to wash without removing wax. Dawn will not harm your paint. I believe it is even in the instructions of Zaino as the first step.

PS: I'm saying "wax" but refering to wax, polishes, QD's etc.