How to Properly Polish your car?

sn95jones

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I went and got a $16 car wash today which included a free hand dry and tire shine, after I got home I noticed my hood has some light oxidation on the hood and I have got a bottle of meguires polish I just bought last week and its states on the back not to let it dry, okay but it also never states NOT TO DO IT IN THE SUN!!!! I tried using it and at first it was doing miracles, but then after the heat from the sun started beating down on the hood it started to leave residue and streaks, which also lead to a shitty finish.
How do you properly polish your exterior?
 
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sn95jones

sn95jones

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Yeah well I didn't expect it to be so damn hot, it wasn't bad outside until I started polishing. What should I do? I can't afford Clay Bar. I've got the kit but no more spray
 

det_riot

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the only way to correctly polish your car is with a porter cable
 

Tony

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dude i would never polish a faded clear coat by hand in the sun! wait till ur car cools and in shade use a da with a good polishing compound! if by hand is all ya got try some polish that specifically says for use by hand! some require a da!! good luck though
 

g36 monkey

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By da, he means D.A. which means Dual Action, like a porter cable. That's the best way. If you can't afford a clay bar ($20 for a kit that comes with spray, clay, wax, and a towel) you probably can't afford a polisher right now. What you need to do now is save up for clay, or for that matter, since you say you already have clay, I know some people who just use water with clay. Wait for Handz to come in and say why that's wrong.

I'm honestly curious.

But wash with dish soap, clay, wash with car soap, use that polish (in the shade), then wax. SOme hand polishes can help, but the best way to go is saving for a buffer.
 

Tony

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By da, he means D.A. which means Dual Action, like a porter cable. That's the best way. If you can't afford a clay bar ($20 for a kit that comes with spray, clay, wax, and a towel) you probably can't afford a polisher right now. What you need to do now is save up for clay, or for that matter, since you say you already have clay, I know some people who just use water with clay. Wait for Handz to come in and say why that's wrong.

I'm honestly curious.

But wash with dish soap, clay, wash with car soap, use that polish (in the shade), then wax. SOme hand polishes can help, but the best way to go is saving for a buffer.
my bad...D.A.
 

ttocs

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you can get an attachment that goes in your drill. Its not the best thing but its cheap at autozone = $9
 

96GT02

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Meguires makes some nasty pro grade compound and polish in their mirror glaze series. The stuff is expensive but you get a decent amount it and it works really well. I am using it when painting my hood and it gets out 1500 grit sanding spots like nothing, rated up to 1200 grit and fine. Great stuff. I am using it with a rotary though.
 

ttocs

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also, I am pretty sure in those directions you spoke of it probably says not to do it in direct light.
 

Sinned83

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You can clay with water the quick detailers and clay lubes won't break down the clay and are a little slicker.
 
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sn95jones

sn95jones

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Alright well I'm back at square one I went out with the clay bar and some water and removed the residue from the hood, now its back to normal (slightly oxidized). Granted the hood isn't horrible, it still shine real well and you can't see the oxidization unless you are up close to the hood... As I'm typing this I'm hearing a damn storm roll in by the way FML.
Anyways the polish I'm using says to do it by hand so I did, but I'll wait until it cools down, maybe on a cool day with an overcast. I may just wait until summer is over to try polishing it again.
 

Mrstangerbanger

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You guys make me LOL ... A orbital buffer is a joke if you are trying to remove anything off a cars paint .. DA are only good for polishing period and removing swirl marks.. You are going to need to buff the car with a variable speed buffer at 1500 rpms with a wool pad and make sure too keep the RPM's low .. Then your going to need to buff the car with the same buffer with a foam pad at 1500rpms then your going to want to use the orbital buffer to remove the swirl marks .. I have done some of the nicest cars in the world with black paint and that is what I do ... if you rub your cars paint and it sounds like sand paper it needs to be clay and buffed .. Hope that helps
 

Tony

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Alright well I'm back at square one I went out with the clay bar and some water and removed the residue from the hood, now its back to normal (slightly oxidized). Granted the hood isn't horrible, it still shine real well and you can't see the oxidization unless you are up close to the hood... As I'm typing this I'm hearing a damn storm roll in by the way FML.
Anyways the polish I'm using says to do it by hand so I did, but I'll wait until it cools down, maybe on a cool day with an overcast. I may just wait until summer is over to try polishing it again.
if its a good polishing compound i almost bet u can get the oxidation out by hand or a d.a.! give it a shot....may need to go over it a few times but i've done it and it worked for me!
 

96GT02

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You guys make me LOL ... A orbital buffer is a joke if you are trying to remove anything off a cars paint .. DA are only good for polishing period and removing swirl marks.. You are going to need to buff the car with a variable speed buffer at 1500 rpms with a wool pad and make sure too keep the RPM's low .. Then your going to need to buff the car with the same buffer with a foam pad at 1500rpms then your going to want to use the orbital buffer to remove the swirl marks .. I have done some of the nicest cars in the world with black paint and that is what I do ... if you rub your cars paint and it sounds like sand paper it needs to be clay and buffed .. Hope that helps

Can a car be polished with a wool pad after being compounded with a different wool pad or is that a no no? What about a terry cloth pad for polishing?
 

Tony

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^i dont know about u stangbanger but i hate wool pads! seems like the put small scratches all over the paint. foam pads work better for me. some buffers only take those wool bonnets though.
 

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