Polish and wax help

[Shimian]

Just a bit confused on what motion to polish and wax your car. Im hearing two different methods. Method 1 is to apply either products in a circular motion. Method 2 is to apply in a linear motion. Then wiping it off can be done in any method as long as its wiped off cleanly.

Can someone advise on which is the correct or best method to apply polish and wax?

Also, is it ok to apply polish and not wipe it off, then apply wax (for example meguiars liquid techwax) and wipe it all off at the same time?

cheers

[xedent]

I don't think it really matters, the circular method is mostly for buffing, when i do mine i just do both but mostly the circular method, either way it comes up really nice in the end!

Good Luck

[traumatized]

apply polish and wax using a linear motion, doing it in a linear motion (back and forth) you will minimise swirl marks on your paintwork.

no you apply the polish first let it in sit for a little then buff it off. once it's buffed off you apply the wax in the same way you did with the polish.

use a good quality polish, wax, 2 apllicator pads and also 2 good microfibre buff cloths when detailing your car it will make a world of difference

update:

a few more tips

- make sure the panels of the car is cool to touch before washing/polishing/waxing
- make sure the car is nice and clean and is completely dry
- make sure you polish and wax in small section (do a panel at a time)
- don't drop the applicator pads or the buffing cloths as dirt may sit on it and cause scratches on your paintwork, so it's always good to have a backup laying around.

[markoJEK1]

^ says it all pretty much, you just need to be patient and do every panel the same way, applying as much effort to the last panel as you did to the first to get best result imo, Ive never actually tried using both wax and polish i always believed they do the same thing so i stuck to polish cause it seems like it does more justice for the car =/ correct me if im wrong

[traumatized]

^ polish and wax are not the same thing, when you polish your paint you are actually cleaning the paint which gives you the impression of it being nice and shiny and smooth

wax on the other hand protects your paint. so it protects it from bird droppings, tree sap, uv rays and so forth that your paint is exposed to as you drive/park etc.

so it's important to polish and wax if you want your paint looking good for years to come.

[aaronng]

I don't like calling anything polish. it can mean many different things. To traumatized, it's a paint cleaner. To older turtle wax, it was a compound. To meguiar's, it is a glaze. That's why I prefer to call it as it is. Either a paint cleaner, swirl remover, compound or glaze. I don't like to call it a polish because it is too ambigious.

And back to the question, if your car has been washed clean and your pads are clean as well, then you can use a circular motion. If your car was not 100% dust free, I would QD the panel clean first before waxing.

[SeanGT]

start by following the instructions :thumbsup:

Depending on your ability, your paint and your enthusiam, you could simply use a clay bar to remove oxidised pain, give it a light cut (not always necessary but recommended) and use a cleaner wax to finish it, eg Zymol Cleaner Wax. The Zymol can be applied either by hand or buff and is very easy to apply and remove. Money better spent than the meguiars equivalent.

[aaronng]

Claying does not remove oxidised paint. It removes surface contaminants. Since oxidised paint is flat, the clay can't remove it. The light cut, paint cleaner or cleaner wax is the one that removes oxidised paint.

How much is Zymol's cleaner wax? The meg's equivalent is about $30

[SeanGT]

Claying does not remove oxidised paint. It removes surface contaminants. Since oxidised paint is flat, the clay can't remove it. The light cut, paint cleaner or cleaner wax is the one that removes oxidised paint.

How much is Zymol's cleaner wax? The meg's equivalent is about $30

truly oxidised paint will give a similar feel to overspray (rough surface) - which the clay bar will remove. But a valid point, I should have said surface contamination. It will depend on the paint condition as whether it'll suit the purpose. Following with a cut is the ducks nuts to ensure the paint truly is clean to start with.

I've picked up the zymol for around the $35 from some autobahn stores - can be hard to track down, but is worth it.

Their interior protectant is also tops, doesn't leave the oil residue like Armer-all(sp)

[Shimian]

Thanks guys for all your input. I will try doing it in a linear motion. Ive been doing it in circular motion and im tired after doing half the car.

Im looking to buy Meguiars Deep Crystal Polish TWO STEP SYSTEM. Ive never used it before. I usually just wash the car then use Meguiars NXT Generation Tech Wax Liquid. Never bothered to polish.

I have about 10 terry towels so wiping it off wont be a problem. I guess the above 2 products is good enough?

cheers

[EuroDude]

Polish is a mild abrasive that actually removed a micro layer of clearcoat/paint. Only use it if the paint is in bad condition. i.e. if the paint is covered in swirl marks.

Wax is a coating that protects the paint from bird dropping etc.. It does not remove a layer of clearcoat.

[Shimian]

Ok, so no point in polishing then since i cant see swirls. I guess ill just wash then wax.

[aaronng]

Thanks guys for all your input. I will try doing it in a linear motion. Ive been doing it in circular motion and im tired after doing half the car.

Im looking to buy Meguiars Deep Crystal Polish TWO STEP SYSTEM. Ive never used it before. I usually just wash the car then use Meguiars NXT Generation Tech Wax Liquid. Never bothered to polish.

I have about 10 terry towels so wiping it off wont be a problem. I guess the above 2 products is good enough?

cheers
Meg's Deep Crystal Polish is a glaze. It doesn't have abrasives. All it does is provide lubrication for your pad/cotton cloth and also "re-moisturise" the paint with the oils in it. You can skip it if you want, but having the Deep Crystal Polish put on in between the washing and NXT wax does make the paint look slightly deeper.

I don't like terry towels, they scratch the paint.

[aaronng]

Polish is a mild abrasive that actually removed a micro layer of clearcoat/paint. Only use it if the paint is in bad condition. i.e. if the paint is covered in swirl marks.

Not in the case of Meguiar's. Polish means glaze to them. It isn't abrasive.

[Simmo2302]

theres alot of good stuff here,

for people who are "in to it" use seperate products, ie not wash 'n' wax but seperate wash , polish, wax. but if u r a noob and not too fussed stuff like kitten wash n wx is sufficient 4 the average joe.

i allways do everything by hand (no short cuts) except for the final buff right at the end which i have a electric polisher/buffer and i lightly go over the whole car, really makes it shine.

[aaronng]

After using wash n wax products, I reckon it doesn't leave anything on your paint to provide sufficient UV protection against sunlight.

[Shimian]

Meg's Deep Crystal Polish is a glaze. It doesn't have abrasives. All it does is provide lubrication for your pad/cotton cloth and also "re-moisturise" the paint with the oils in it. You can skip it if you want, but having the Deep Crystal Polish put on in between the washing and NXT wax does make the paint look slightly deeper.

I don't like terry towels, they scratch the paint.


What meguiars cloths do you recommend to wipe off the wax? Meguiars microfibre? or...?

[aaronng]

What meguiars cloths do you recommend to wipe off the wax? Meguiars microfibre? or...?

The Meg's gold class microfibre cloth is pretty good. I've used the Meg's regular blue microfibre cloth before and wasn't impressed. Now I use microfibre cloths from Exceldetail.com

[Shimian]

Im guessing its this one you are talking about - "Meguiars Supreme Shine Microfibre Cloth"? So this cloth is good for polish and wax? Hope Repco still has the 20% off, ill get a few.

[aaronng]

Yup, that's the one. Remember to cut off the little tag at the corner. That thing can scratch paint. Also, pick up a pack of the meg's applicator pads if you don't have any.

[Shimian]

cheers aaron. I have a few applicator pads from my techwax. I usually use about 5 terry towels to fully remove the wax off the car. You got me all worried now about how terry towels scratches. Anyways, hope i can do the job with 2 of these new cloths.

[aaronng]

Just look at your car's paint in the noon sun. You'll be able to see any swirls, most of which will be put in by washing and wiping with a towel. A microfibre towel can also scratch, especially if it has dirt stuck in it.

A way we use to test how gentle a towel is, is to wipe it against the reflective side of a brand new CD-R. Good microfibre towels won't scratch.

[gbang007]

so is there any use really for a terry towel? coz i got heaps lol. i should start using micro fibre.

[Shimian]

Same, i have about 8
1 for leather seats
1 for dash
1 for general wiping down of things
5 for removing wax

Looks like the 5 will go into retirement once i get a few of the Meguiars Supreme Shine Microfibre Cloth. Maybe ill use the 5 to wipe my rims

[aaronng]

Same, i have about 8
1 for leather seats
1 for dash
1 for general wiping down of things
5 for removing wax

Looks like the 5 will go into retirement once i get a few of the Meguiars Supreme Shine Microfibre Cloth. Maybe ill use the 5 to wipe my rims

Use 1 for your windows, and the other 4 can be used around the house to wipe dust or spills. Quite a waste using them for rims (which are fine with cotton towels)

[aaronng]

so is there any use really for a terry towel? coz i got heaps lol. i should start using micro fibre.

After trying a cotton towel and scratching up my chrome trim, I never used them again except to dry my hands. Heck, they were Sheridans too!

[Shimian]

Use 1 for your windows, and the other 4 can be used around the house to wipe dust or spills. Quite a waste using them for rims (which are fine with cotton towels)

I already have a couple of microfibre towers (bought from overseas) which are really good for my windows. Maybe ill use 1 to wipe my engine bay area

[AzKik-R]

I'm not sure if anyone actually reads this forum, but...
if your polishing is going to leave swirls in the paint, wont it also leave straight scratches in the paint?
I recommend getting the mothers wax attack (just the machine), it takes me about 10 mins to apply the polish, then i let it sit for about 10-20 mins, then take your time dusting the polish off. Once you get the machine you'll be polishing the car every weekend, simply because you can. :D

[Shimian]

I'm not sure if anyone actually reads this forum, but...
if your polishing is going to leave swirls in the paint, wont it also leave straight scratches in the paint?
I recommend getting the mothers wax attack (just the machine), it takes me about 10 mins to apply the polish, then i let it sit for about 10-20 mins, then take your time dusting the polish off. Once you get the machine you'll be polishing the car every weekend, simply because you can. :D

I was thinking of getting a machine to polish/wax car. But whats stopping me is that ive been reading that if you dont know the technique, you will scratch the crap out of your car. :eek: I dont mean you hold the machine in the one place for 30 secs. You need to know how much force, how long, direction of buffing etc. But i think to myself, theres a thick pad at the end, so its pretty hard to scratch your car.

[aaronng]

Using a random orbital is easy. Just go read up on autopia.org on how to use it. It's pretty foolproof and you have to use it correctly to get some effect. If you use it by moving around in random directions and stuff, nothing happens.


I'm not sure if anyone actually reads this forum, but...
if your polishing is going to leave swirls in the paint, wont it also leave straight scratches in the paint?
As I said, if your paint is clean and your pad is clean, then not really. That's why I also apply wax in a circular motion. Washing in a straight motion though, front to back and top to bottom. Never left and right because horizontal swirls are more noticeable than vertical ones.

[Shimian]

Going back a few steps, is there any point in using Meguiars Deep Crystal Polish TWO STEP SYSTEM to polish my car after washing, then wax? Or just go straight from wash to Meguiars techwax? I know aarong said its an option, but is it worth doing? Or outcome the same as wash to wax?

[gbang007]

aaron, what would u recommend we change, products wise and methods ie which should we do and whats not worth worrying about. i pretty much do the same as shiamen. wash with gold class. deep crystal polish. then gold class wax. from time to time, whever i can be bothered, paint cleaner too. we want to look after our car, but dont need pro detail every second weekend. just something that will keep the car in good nick.

so far, i gather there is not much point to the deep crystal polish?

[aaronng]

Going back a few steps, is there any point in using Meguiars Deep Crystal Polish TWO STEP SYSTEM to polish my car after washing, then wax? Or just go straight from wash to Meguiars techwax? I know aarong said its an option, but is it worth doing? Or outcome the same as wash to wax?

THe deep crystal polish is a glaze. When applied by hand, the only effect is that it "moisturises" the paint and makes it look deeper. That's it. It's an optional step if your paint is new. If your car is parked outside often and is a few years old, it's good to apply the deep crystal polish once in a while. If you have spare time, just give the polish a go and see if it is worth the time. :) I use Speed Glaze, which is a combo of both the deep crystal polish and scratchX.

[aaronng]

aaron, what would u recommend we change, products wise and methods ie which should we do and whats not worth worrying about. i pretty much do the same as shiamen. wash with gold class. deep crystal polish. then gold class wax. from time to time, whever i can be bothered, paint cleaner too. we want to look after our car, but dont need pro detail every second weekend. just something that will keep the car in good nick.

so far, i gather there is not much point to the deep crystal polish?

What you are doing now is good enough. For normal maintenance, all I do is wash with NXT wax and then wax it straight away with #21 sealant. So what I do is not as thorough as what you do. The difference is in the washing method.

Wash with a lambswool mitt in straight lines only, starting from the top panels (bonnet, roof & boot). For top panels, wash in a front to back motion. Then go to the side panels and fenders using an up to down motion. Wash only the top 2/3 first all round before going for the bottom 1/3. It sounds troublesome, but because the bottom 1/3 is full of dirt it's better to wash that after. Finally, go for the front and rear bumpers, also with an up to down motion. Then dry with a proper drying towel. The Meg's microfibre ultraglide chamois is good, but I find that it doesn't hold much water. You just have to wring it out more often. I now use a waffle weave microfibre towel. It's better in that it absorbs more water, but too large that I can't wring it easily.

The main thing you have to do is to wash in an up-down/front-back motion (the reason being that vertical and front to back swirls are less obvious than left-right/circular swirls) with a lambswool mitt, dry with a good drying towel and also use a good car shampoo (gold class shampoo is great). The main objective is to clean your car while minimising the amount of new swirls. Even if you got a very good detailer to work miracles and get your paint back to new, poor washing technique will just put swirls back into your paint and waste the money spent on detailing.

[gbang007]

i've also got poorboys SSR1, best to apply it straight after a wash? is this pretty much the same thing as scratchX? so using the speed glaz would cut out one step and so ur doing the crystal polish and light swirl removal at once? i got light scratches on my bonnet, i also got a random orbital, best to use this to apply ssr1 to try and revome the swirls? i know it might take a few goes.

[aaronng]

i've also got poorboys SSR1, best to apply it straight after a wash? is this pretty much the same thing as scratchX? so using the speed glaz would cut out one step and so ur doing the crystal polish and light swirl removal at once? i got light scratches on my bonnet, i also got a random orbital, best to use this to apply ssr1 to try and revome the swirls? i know it might take a few goes.

SSR1 is pretty fine though. I've used SSR2.5 on my bosch random orbital with a medium cut pad and even after 8 passes, I couldn't get strong swirls out. All I did was fix the fine swirls and marring.

[Shimian]

Too scared to use an auto buffer. Ill just stick to a manual one (me). Btw, i bought 3 of those Meguiars Supreme Shine Microfibre Cloth. I gave them a quick wash. Damn they absorb so much. Hopefully it will do the job when i use it to remove polish and wax.

[aaronng]

Remember to wash it out if you drop one on the floor. It picks up sand/wood/dirt like a magnet picks up filings.

[AzKik-R]

I was thinking of getting a machine to polish/wax car. But whats stopping me is that ive been reading that if you dont know the technique, you will scratch the crap out of your car. :eek: I dont mean you hold the machine in the one place for 30 secs. You need to know how much force, how long, direction of buffing etc. But i think to myself, theres a thick pad at the end, so its pretty hard to scratch your car.

ya gotta pick your polisher carefully, the mothers wax attack is a whole new system designed not to scratch. It's not the conventional polisher where the piece spins around on the spot, this one is a tiny pad which moves in little circles, kinda like how an orbital sander works. this movement does the same as if you polished the car making little circles all over. you wash the pads out after you're done, the pads velcrow on easily too.

next time you go to wash world or wherever you wash your car try this. easy cheap solution.

step 1:
put in $2
select the rinse
The first thing you should be cleaning is the brush which you use to scrub the car down with sprey it over quickly. Very important, some people drop the brush on the ground, and you could only imagine what sort of grit you may pick up with the brush at that point.
Sprey over your car very quickly, spreying off all the visible mess on the car. then switch over to the foam brush.
Scrub you car down removing making sure you havn't missed anywhere, be as thorough as you like, as its a foam brush, the brush still works after the timer has run out. you can do the wheels last.

step 2:
If you have a quick clay or clay bar or whatever clay, go over the car while the car is still plenty lubed with the form soap. This will remove any finer particals that are on the paint surface. I love clay, the car feels sooo smooth after its all done.

step 3:
Put in $1
And use the rinse again, clean off all the soap. (Dont be fooled into using the spot free rinse or any of those extra's if you're going to polish the car, they simply are not needed)

step 4
As it happens i live in Alice Springs, and the car wash isn't too far from my house. So I just drive home and not bother about drying the car off.
likewise, if you live close to the car wash, you could proceed to drive home, otherwise dry the car off, you dont want your car picking up any dirt on your way home.

step 5
At this point I'm at home, and there's very little water on the car. I use the Meguirs deep wet look polish on my mothers wax attack polisher, and rub that polish into the car while the surface is a little wet. This takes me about 10-20 mins. Buy a wax attack, one of the best buys you'll ever make, they're on special at supercheeps at the moment for $125. You can leave the polisher on the spot for as long as you like, you dont need to worry about how much pressure you put on it. You can do it with one hand. It spreads the polish evenly every time. It'll save you in the long run for time and how much polish you use. It'll be the best polishing experience you ever had!

step 6
Let the polish just sit there for about 30 mins, As stupid as this seams, just let it sit in the paint while the polish does its thing. I think its during this time that the polish is adhering to the paint surface. I've known some people to even leave the polish on the car overnight (not sure if there is any added benefit to this)

step 7
With a clean microfibre cloth, in a circular motion, I dust off the polish, and just take my time. Spend extra time wherever the metal bends as this is one of the most reflective parts.

You should have a really nice shine afterwards.
I dont bother cleaning my tyres, as I live in the desert, and they just get dirty pretty quickly with any of those silicon products.

Sorry this went on longer then I anticipated

[aaronng]

The mother's wax attack is just a random orbital. Nothing special about it. The downside is that it is low-powered and does not have speed selection. From this discussion at Autopia (http://autopia.org/forum/detailing-product-discussion/84783-mothers-wax-attack-palm-polisher-any-good.html), it's only good for wax application and marring removal.

Oh, and you used the brush. That's a #2 no no, with #1 being not to use the roller brush auto car wash.

[AzKik-R]

I sprey rinsed the brush first, which is just as clean (if not cleaner) then the wool glove :D
(plus I'm a kiwi and there are all sorts of implications with having my hand inside any form of wool!!!)

[aaronng]

The brush is harder than your paint and will scratch. The lambswool is softer than paint, so it won't. Have you viewed your paint in the noon sun to inspect for swirls?

[EuroDude]

Have you guys seen these paint thickness gauges?
http://www.defelsko.com/applications/automotive/automotive-paint-detailing.htm

Most factory paint is about 3.5 to 5.5 mils. Would be interesting to know what the thickness of the latest honda range has (i.e. Euro, FD, CTR).. Probably 2mils lolz

[AzKik-R]

yeah I've looked it over pretty thoroughly, no swirls, i've been washing cars like this for a long time never had a swirl problem, the brush here must be a different species, they're all nice and soft. But I agree with the machine brushes, they're quite hard, and could only imagine them inflicting damage. Just curious, what does your speedo go up to? 180 or 260 or 300?

[aaronng]

The brushes here in Sydney and Melb are terrible. Instant scratching if you use them. The hand in wool reason is 100% valid. :thumbsup: Not going to insist that you use one. :)

Our speedo goes to 260km/h. But in NZ, the cars imported from Japan have speedos that go up to only 180km/h.

[aaronng]

Have you guys seen these paint thickness gauges?
http://www.defelsko.com/applications/automotive/automotive-paint-detailing.htm

Most factory paint is about 3.5 to 5.5 mils. Would be interesting to know what the thickness of the latest honda range has (i.e. Euro, FD, CTR).. Probably 2mils lolz

5.5 mils includes the clearcoat and basecoat. So the thickness of the clearcoat itself is much thinner. New Honda paint is water-based and is softer, not necessarily thinner.

The PosiTest DFT combo is US$695. :)

[EuroDude]

5.5 mils includes the clearcoat and basecoat. So the thickness of the clearcoat itself is much thinner. New Honda paint is water-based and is softer, not necessarily thinner.

The PosiTest DFT combo is US$695. :)

US$695 :eek: ouch.

Some brushes are car wash places in Syd are actually quite soft, but yeah most are the harsh type (car lovers for example).

Shame you cant use woolen mitts at most car wash places. I guess they wouldnt mind if you paid $2 for the foam brush and applied the foam from the brush without making contact with the car, then used a Mitt to clean ;)

[traumatized]

any decent RO's around for a good price? i have been detailing my car via the good old hand method which i don't mind actually, but i wish to do it on a more regular basis so thought i would go for a RO, the mothers wax attack seems good but as stated its only a low speed RO which will not remove swirl marks

[aaronng]

any decent RO's around for a good price? i have been detailing my car via the good old hand method which i don't mind actually, but i wish to do it on a more regular basis so thought i would go for a RO, the mothers wax attack seems good but as stated its only a low speed RO which will not remove swirl marks

The Mothers one comes with 2 pads I think. To buy the pads alone here in Australia is very pricey (Meg's wants $30 each for the 6" ones). I get mine from Exceldetail.com for US$9 each + shipping (which is usually 3/4 times the price of the item).

I use the Bosch PEX400AE. It has a 125mm backing plate and 400W rating. It costs $140-150. But even though it's powerful, it still takes a lot of time and effort for swirl removal.

[traumatized]

thanks for the heads up aaron, is the Bosch PEX400AE a RO?, Dave from waxit don't seem to stock them anymore for some reason.

maybe i'm old fashion but i would not know where to start in terms of pads to use.. eg. if i wanted to use the RO like the mothers wax attack to just apply my paint cleaner and also my sealant what pads would you recommend.

where did you get your Bosch PEX400AE from?

[aaronng]

thanks for the heads up aaron, is the Bosch PEX400AE a RO?, Dave from waxit don't seem to stock them anymore for some reason.

maybe i'm old fashion but i would not know where to start in terms of pads to use.. eg. if i wanted to use the RO like the mothers wax attack to just apply my paint cleaner and also my sealant what pads would you recommend.

where did you get your Bosch PEX400AE from?

Yup, it's an RO. I got mine from Bunnings. Every bunnings store stocks it.

If you are using it for just paint cleaning and applying sealant, the Mothers machine will be cheaper since it comes with 2 pads. If you bought the Bosch, you'd still need to spend on those. I use Excelerasure pads. For paint cleaning, the white or black pad will be good, while sealants should be applied using the red pad.

[Shimian]

Usually this is how i was the car:
1. put $2 using high pressure soap, angle the gun from top and aim downwards to remove all the crap.
2. put $2 using low rinse, aim the gun and wipe at the same time. Cleaning all the top 3/4 of the car first then the bottom. Every little section, i would rinse the sponge out for any dirt.
3. put $1 using hig pressure water, go around the whole car, again aiming from top to bottom.
4. Chamois immediately


I might give this mother wax machine a try. Im tired after polishing and waxing my car, worst than going to the gym. Although its only 1 speed, i guess applying polish and wax will be sufficient and it will apply evenly. Then use the sexy meguiars supreme shine cloths to buff off nicely.

BTW, where to buy the pad for mother wax machine if it gets damaged?

[traumatized]

also interested to know where and how much to get the wax attack replacement pads also. need to way up the cost of getting the mothers or a RO like the bosch.

[EGB18CT]

i detailed my gf's jazz on the weekend took 4hrs all up, the cars only a month old, black too, had a few little swirls which wernt really noticable but im fussy!

Here what i did:
washed at home using bucket water and karcher, rinsed down (no point going car wash cos i cant detail there by the time i get home its got dust on paint) water is rain water hehehe.
Wet rins and spray hot rims cleaner and rinse and also rinse wheel wells.

Gold class wash shampoo and conditioner PANEL by PANEL to avoid drying/blotches and rinse

Give the car one more rinal rinse all over including tyre wells etc...

Dry with a chamois (i use syntetic or lether one the deared ones)

Now park in garage and let cool if its in the sun, good chance to clean inside etc...

If its older paint id clay bar it otherwise this was new so i skipped it
I applied with the meguiars applicator pad in circular motion 9i find it applies more evenly in a circular moton) No 7 Meguiars Professional glaze panel by panel and wipe off immediately. Then i use the Professional buff to buff the paint/glaze. (GMC orbital grinder/polisher/sander 99 bux bunnings with velcro attachment for meguairs pads about 35bux each repco)

Now i apply meguairs gold class wax work ur way around the car, let it dry for 10-15min, do the finger streak test, if it wipe clean if ready to remove.

[EGB18CT]

i used 2 microfibre clots to wipe down the car in circular motion (its not fast enough to swirl lol) once the whole car was wiped clean i re buffed it just like after the glaze.

Now i went an used Auto Glym glass polish inside and out (this stuff is good) it wipes on as a liquid paste and wipes off as a chalky dust!

During the buffing i spayed a bit of quick detailer on the pad so reduce the friction swirl possibility (only a tiny spray)

Paint turned out mad1 shiney and wet looking with the nighthawk black's blue metallic speckle shining!

[aaronng]

Then i use the Professional buff to buff the paint/glaze. (GMC orbital grinder/polisher/sander 99 bux bunnings with velcro attachment for meguairs pads about 35bux each repco)

So what did you use together with the pad and random orbital? Or did you dry buff? :eek:

[EGB18CT]

i used a small amount of quick detailer, i dont think u need to use anything when buffing with the meguairs pad, its a very very soft foam

[aaronng]

The yellow pad?

Pads are used to apply and work products, not really to dry buff (even with QD or water). But if it works for you....

[EGB18CT]

yeh its the yellow one, there is cutting on for cut and polish, then polishing pad for polishes/glazes/waxes and the buffing one for finishing. I think there are some good vids on this stuff on youtube search for edge2000 pads... only thing is i cant find them here anyway back on topic!

[minircc]

have any of you tried www.paintprotection.com products? any good?

[aaronng]

^^ It's just a sealant. Same with most paint protection products.

[AzKik-R]

BTW, where to buy the pad for mother wax machine if it gets damaged?

Mothers wax attack pads are available at supercheaps, only like $10/pair.

As luck has it, the machine i purchased was a v1.0 this one has pads which stop sticking to the machine, and the orbital part comes off, these machine's were all recalled. But, as I live in alice, they didn't recall ours, soo i must of purchased one that was like years old. Mother's sent me replacement pads, and supercheaps sent me out some replacement pads too. Then Mothers in America posted me over a whole new machine (with an American plug which supprisingly does not fit the Austrlaian plugs, i bet its not the same voltage either!!!) anyways, so i have the American machine sitting at home too. Anyways, Supercheaps replaced the whole machine for me, and now i have a v3.0 it has black pads they're really soft!!!

Anyways, I also read the label on the meguires deep crystal thingy, and it says its made for dark coloured paints, anyone out there know which polish be good for lighter coloured paints? otherwise the deep crystal one works pretty good.

On the weekend I did steps 2 & 3 from the meguirs range, step 2 once, and 4 coats of step 3, and the car has never looked shinier!!!
the more coats I put on, the harder it was to buff off, but the results were sooo worth it(i think it was)

[aaronng]

Mothers wax attack pads are available at supercheaps, only like $10/pair.

Anyways, I also read the label on the meguires deep crystal thingy, and it says its made for dark coloured paints, anyone out there know which polish be good for lighter coloured paints? otherwise the deep crystal one works pretty good.

On the weekend I did steps 2 & 3 from the meguirs range, step 2 once, and 4 coats of step 3, and the car has never looked shinier!!!
the more coats I put on, the harder it was to buff off, but the results were sooo worth it(i think it was)
What is the size of the pad and the size of the velcro backing?

The Deep crystal polish can be used for any paint. It's just a marketing thing that they say it's for dark paints.

[Shimian]

Bought the mothers wax attack machine a few weeks back and used it for the first time today. OMFG, buffing was a breeze. Buffed the whole car in 35 min including wiping off the wax. One thing i dont like about the buffer is that it vibrates a bit. My car is much much more shinier compared to back in the days waxing by hand. LOL, makes you want to buff every weekend :eek:

[AzKik-R]

Join the Club!!!! I polish my car almost every saturday morning!!! before the sun heats things up too much.

[Shimian]

so u wash ur car every week? Wouldnt the sand/dirt on the car scratch the paint? LOL, i think i should have said every month rather than every weekend cos now washing the car is more tiring than waxing the car. Back then it was the other way around.

[AzKik-R]

Yeah I live pretty close to the car wash, so a quick drive down, rinse the car off, soap brush (yes the brush's here are really soft, not recommended if you only have hard brushes), and then use the quick clay while the soap is still on, sprey rinse. then drive home, and apply the wax. I missed out on polishing the car for the last two weekends cause we had rain :(
hmmm, strange that the rest of civilization relies on this precipitation

[Shimian]

you dont chamois the car? Just apply wax straight on the wet car?

[AzKik-R]

yeah, well, i live in alice springs, sooo, water dries up pretty quickly. but yes, there is a little moisture on the paint when i'm applying the polish. our water up here has a lot of calcium in it, sooo yes, i should be using the shammy, or if i let that dry, it gets those white calcium spots. you could even try leaving the polish on for an hour before buffing off.

[Shimian]

ive tried using meguiars polish and its so hard to remove with a towel after you apply. Are you meant to remove the polish? Or do you just go from:
WASH -> CHAMOIS -> POLISH -> LEAVE POLISH ON FOR AN AMOUNT OF TIME -> APPLY WAX ON TOP -> WIPE OFF POLISH AND WAX TOGETHER
???

[AzKik-R]

wash-->shammy-->step 2(crystal)--> wait for a while --> buff off--> step3(wax) -->wait...--->buff off.
and then where the black plastic/rubber gets polish on it, and it doesn't wanna come off, i use that armourall stuff for the interior and apply it carefully not getting any on the freshly polished surfaces. this will remove the white buildup that just looks horrible. hmmm, not sure if using the armourall wipes is good for the outside of the car, but if its good enough for the inside, should be good enough for the outside, mind you we dont get rain here often.

perhaps you could go with the new mcguires tec wax, the one with the pretty label. i'm a lil sceptical about 1step wax's

[riruiz_88]

ive tried using meguiars polish and its so hard to remove with a towel after you apply. Are you meant to remove the polish? Or do you just go from:
WASH -> CHAMOIS -> POLISH -> LEAVE POLISH ON FOR AN AMOUNT OF TIME -> APPLY WAX ON TOP -> WIPE OFF POLISH AND WAX TOGETHER
???

wow dude your not meant to leave polish on your car for very long. as soon as you have really worked the polish in, you wipe off straight away. i learned the hard way, if you leave on for too long you get little black fibers like "dead skin" on your cloth. and it gets pretty messy to wipe off. as for wax, you gotta leave it on for it to bond to your paint. i leave it on for about 10mins. then you buff the wax off. and when polishing do little bits at a time, dont think that if you do large areas you will finish quicker cause u wont lol

[Shimian]

I used the 2 step polish by Meguiars. Polished the bonnet and left it for about 5 min, impossible to remove with a towel. Then I polished one door, waited 1 min, still hard to remove.
I use the meguiars tech wax. Very good product in my opnion. Left the wax on for about 2-3 min then wipes off easily.
Im not sure if my mothers wax attack buffing machine is faulty. It vibrates pretty hard, so i have to use 2 hands to hold it :(

[aaronng]

I used the 2 step polish by Meguiars. Polished the bonnet and left it for about 5 min, impossible to remove with a towel. Then I polished one door, waited 1 min, still hard to remove.
I use the meguiars tech wax. Very good product in my opnion. Left the wax on for about 2-3 min then wipes off easily.
Like what riruiz_88 said, the Step 2 polish should be wiped off as soon as you finish applying it. You don't have to wait to let it dry. It's actually a glaze.



Im not sure if my mothers wax attack buffing machine is faulty. It vibrates pretty hard, so i have to use 2 hands to hold it :(
Yeah, that's one problem I found with underpowered machines and cotton pads. The machine starts moving when the pad gets stuck on the paint because of a gummy/sticky product. What product were you trying to apply? Products designed for machine use are usually more watery than hand-applied products in order to avoid this problem.

[riruiz_88]

polish is meant to be wiped off as SOON as you have finished working the product. do not leave on for an amount of time not even seconds, thats why it was hard for you to wipe off. i use meguiars step2 polish as well, and then i use step3 wax. what i usually do for wax is, once i have done a panel e.g. left fender i will then go to do the right fender. and then once i have either finished applying the wax on the right fender or 10mins are up i wipe off the wax on the left fender. i do not use a buffer, i only use my hands. no machinery here

[Shimian]

wow, i thought 1 min was quick for polish. Ok, next time ill apply then wipe off straight away. Will it be ok to use the same buffing pad for wax after applying polish? Or best to get a new pad to apply wax?

[aaronng]

wow, i thought 1 min was quick for polish. Ok, next time ill apply then wipe off straight away. Will it be ok to use the same buffing pad for wax after applying polish? Or best to get a new pad to apply wax?

Use a new pad for wax. Don't use the same pad that you used to apply the "polish". Wash them after every use as well before they dry up.

[riruiz_88]

which liquid detergent would you recommend to use to wash micro towels? i have looked in the shops and i dont understand cause some say do no use with silks and others say so do not use with soft materials? and also can i wash my micro towels with the applicator pads?

[aaronng]

which liquid detergent would you recommend to use to wash micro towels? i have looked in the shops and i dont understand cause some say do no use with silks and others say so do not use with soft materials? and also can i wash my micro towels with the applicator pads?

I use Dynamo. Avoid the ones with built in bleaches and softeners.

I hand was the towels first, and after I am done with the towels, I wash the applicator pads. Just wash the cleanest items first.

[mrwillz]

and in the past 've thrown away the applicator pads

=[

[aaronng]

and in the past 've thrown away the applicator pads

=[

I use them for about 6-9 months until they start breaking apart. Then I use them for waxing rims instead and get new ones for paint.

[AzKik-R]

hmmm, the wax attack comes with a dvd which shows the guy applying the polish, and leaving it to bond with the paint for a while, and then removing?

[Shimian]

but he uses a pad to buff it off. So much easier than using a towel.

[aaronng]

hmmm, the wax attack comes with a dvd which shows the guy applying the polish, and leaving it to bond with the paint for a while, and then removing?

Are you using the exact same product that he is using?

[AzKik-R]

hmmm, no, i'm using the meguires, i figured it cant be that different can it?
the bottle also says safe for clear coats, and i dont recall seeing a warning on the label stating product must be removed before it dries....

[aaronng]

hmmm, no, i'm using the meguires, i figured it cant be that different can it?
the bottle also says safe for clear coats, and i dont recall seeing a warning on the label stating product must be removed before it dries....

Each product is different.

Instructions are instructions. If it is difficult to remove a polish after it dries, then remove it immediately. You have your own brain and you're not a robot. The only thing that needs to set and cure are waxes and sealants. For everything else, you can remove them as soon as you finish working them in.

[AzKik-R]

cool
I've never had too much problem removing the polish? guess i can do it that way sweet

[Shimian]

Even with the meguiars techwax, you need to remove it after 1 min or else its gonna be hard to remove

[mrwillz]

it says to alow to dry on the packaging
:s

[AzKik-R]

Even with the meguiars techwax, you need to remove it after 1 min or else its gonna be hard to remove

again, never had much problem removing techwax either. this is got me all curious, is it really that bad leaving polish on the car? even tho the polish was made in the last year, does not include a cutting compound, and states safe for clear coats? I understand some of the older polish's included a cutting compound which is not good to use every weekend etc

[Shimian]

im using the meguiars 2 step polish. According to Aarong, it doesnt remove any layers of paint.
If i leave the techwax for 5 min to dry, it is harder to remove. Not as hard as polish, but still require some strength to buff off. Maybe next time ill wax the whole car first then wipe it off.

[AzKik-R]

absolutely agreed, the step 2 doesn't remove any layers.

perhaps not use as much techwax? might be putting on too thick?

[aaronng]

Even with the meguiars techwax, you need to remove it after 1 min or else its gonna be hard to remove
It means you are applying too much of it. :)

[aaronng]

again, never had much problem removing techwax either. this is got me all curious, is it really that bad leaving polish on the car? even tho the polish was made in the last year, does not include a cutting compound, and states safe for clear coats? I understand some of the older polish's included a cutting compound which is not good to use every weekend etc

Is it the Deep Crystal Step 2 polish? That one is a glaze and doesn't have any abrasives in it.

[Shimian]

It means you are applying too much of it. :)

I apply only a small amout per section (e.g. 1 door, bonnet). Probably about a 30cm line. Its buffed out evenly with my wax attack machine. Maybe i got a lemon deep crystal step 2 :(

[aaronng]

I apply only a small amout per section (e.g. 1 door, bonnet). Probably about a 30cm line. Its buffed out evenly with my wax attack machine. Maybe i got a lemon deep crystal step 2 :(

30 cm!??!!?!?!?!?

I use 2x 10 cent blobs to cover 1 bonnet.

[Shimian]

30 cm!??!!?!?!?!?

I use 2x 10 cent blobs to cover 1 bonnet.

Maybe less than that. I dont know how long the circumference of the mothers wax pad is. I squeeze out a thin strip so that it sits into the groove of the pad. Thinking more closely, probably more 20cm than 30cm

[AzKik-R]

can only think of 2 other solutions,
if we've ruled out that you're using too much, then perhaps the car is hot when you're applying the polish? or perhaps you need to give a bit more shake on the bottle. if the first uses were a bit watery and the more recient usage is a lot thicker, then maybe add a lil water to the bottle to thin it down a little? anyone know?

[Shimian]

can only think of 2 other solutions,
if we've ruled out that you're using too much, then perhaps the car is hot when you're applying the polish? or perhaps you need to give a bit more shake on the bottle. if the first uses were a bit watery and the more recient usage is a lot thicker, then maybe add a lil water to the bottle to thin it down a little? anyone know?

Only drove it up the road to wash the car then back home in the garage. So car is relatively cool. Waited about 30min before commencing polish/wax process. Opened a brand new bottle. Shook it everytime i apply a strip on the pad. Oh well, we see what happens next time

[aaronng]

Maybe less than that. I dont know how long the circumference of the mothers wax pad is. I squeeze out a thin strip so that it sits into the groove of the pad. Thinking more closely, probably more 20cm than 30cm

Try slightly misting the pad with some water and use even less. When I use a pad to apply, I don't even squeeze a strip. I just put a very thin layer on the pad in the shape of a cross. After I apply the wax to the panel, it is almost invisible unless viewed at an angle. That is how little you are meant to use.

Also, NXT liquid wax was designed to be applied by hand, not by machine. So the consistency is a little bit too thick.

[riruiz_88]

wow damn, i never knew you only use a lil bit. no wonder i was thinking "am i using too much" lol. next time ill use your 2x10 method aaronng

[aaronng]

wow damn, i never knew you only use a lil bit. no wonder i was thinking "am i using too much" lol. next time ill use your 2x10 method aaronng

Use 1 x 10 cents at a time, do half a bonnet. After the first 2 panels, I find that I need to add even less for panels after that because the pad has wax on it. You shouldn't be able to see it on the paint with your eyes, but once you wipe it off, you can feel that the wax is on and smooth.

[gbang007]

damn. i have been using too much too lol. my goes a very hazy white. u can make rolls from rubbing it off when it dried.


Use 1 x 10 cents at a time, do half a bonnet. After the first 2 panels, I find that I need to add even less for panels after that because the pad has wax on it. You shouldn't be able to see it on the paint with your eyes, but once you wipe it off, you can feel that the wax is on and smooth.

[riruiz_88]

AARONNG: how much do you mix detergent and water for your wheel cleaner? im just gonna use one of those pump spray bottle

[aaronng]

AARONNG: how much do you mix detergent and water for your wheel cleaner? im just gonna use one of those pump spray bottle

Spray pump bottle, I put a bit at the bottom, probably the area of a pikelet (those mini pancakes) and then fill the rest of the 400ml spray bottle up with water.

[aaronng]

damn. i have been using too much too lol. my goes a very hazy white. u can make rolls from rubbing it off when it dried.

Whoa... what's way too much. You'd end up with your microfibre cloth being loaded up very quickly and will need more than 1 to buff the wax off.

[riruiz_88]

Spray pump bottle, I put a bit at the bottom, probably the area of a pikelet (those mini pancakes) and then fill the rest of the 400ml spray bottle up with water.

aight then thanx, i didnt think i would need much but no harm in asking. what and how would you recommend polishing my stock muffler? its looking kinda ugly and i thought why not try bling it up a bit

[aaronng]

aight then thanx, i didnt think i would need much but no harm in asking. what and how would you recommend polishing my stock muffler? its looking kinda ugly and i thought why not try bling it up a bit

Is your muffler originally chrome? If not, then you'll have having a looooong and fun time with Autosol. :)

[riruiz_88]

Is your muffler originally chrome? If not, then you'll have having a looooong and fun time with Autosol. :)

ahh dont think it is. but i have seen some one on OH do so i thought why not. looks like ill have to have a full day off for this job, i was thinkin of using a toothbrush or something else?

[aaronng]

ahh dont think it is. but i have seen some one on OH do so i thought why not. looks like ill have to have a full day off for this job, i was thinkin of using a toothbrush or something else?

A toothbrush is too soft. I'd use fine grit sandpaper and wet sand it down til it is bare, then use autosol to shine it up. After that, use NXT metal polish to finish up and to leave a layer of protection to slow down oxidation.

[riruiz_88]

wow it does sound like it would take a while, cause the amount of oxidation i have aint funny. cheers :thumbsup:

[Shimian]

Is it worth doing a quick wax inbetween the major wax/polish periods? I was thinking of getting meguiars quikwax. Whats the best way of cleaning the car before applying the quikwax other than taking it to the car wash? I was thinking to use a feather duster and a terry towel and go around the car but worried that i might scratch the car.

[riruiz_88]

imo i wouldnt man. just wash it about 2 weeks at a time. if it gets dirty in between i just use Quick Detailer, and when you can notice the Quick Detailer getting harder to remove then its time to wax again. i think that quick wax is a load of crap. as for removing the dust from the car, i use a microfibre dust magnet from Meguiars. workers wonders, you can even use it in your interior

[Shimian]

But QuikDetailer is just like water. How does it get hard? Or are you getting mixed up with QuikWax cos thats the one that goes hard. So using a microfibre dust magnet will not scratch the car whilst removing the dust?

[riruiz_88]

i did actually try it with water, i didnt like the outcome. quick wax is if you dont have the time to do a proper wax. the dust magnet didnt scratch my paint. what i meant by the quick detailer becoming harder to remove was, you have to wipe more to remove the liquid. i have noticed it that it takes more strides of my cloth to remove it.

[Shimian]

For me Quik Detailer, I assume youre talking about meguiars, is easy to remove. It is just like water. QuikWax on the other hand is a thicker liquid also from meguiars, where it will turn hard if you leave it too long.
I do a full wax/polish every 6-8 weeks. Im looking for something in between to help maintain the shine. So what ur saying is to use Quik Detailer which in my view is just like water but can remove grime easily and also gives it a nice shine. Where as QuikWax adds a coating which gives it a wax feel to the car.
Confused here :confused:

[aaronng]

Is it worth doing a quick wax inbetween the major wax/polish periods? I was thinking of getting meguiars quikwax. Whats the best way of cleaning the car before applying the quikwax other than taking it to the car wash? I was thinking to use a feather duster and a terry towel and go around the car but worried that i might scratch the car.

Quik Wax is pretty troublesome to use. It's probably easier to just apply a coat of normal wax.

If your car is just dusty, try using a Pledge Grab-it duster and then QDing it after. If it has been wet by rain or has dirt or mud, then go to the car wash.

[Shimian]

Well, assuming it has rained and car is still mint from major polish/wax. Looking to use something for inbetween maintenance. I will give the Pledge Grab it duster a try before applying the inbetween product. Any recommendations? Or should i just use Speed Detailer from meguiars?

[aaronng]

Well, assuming it has rained and car is still mint from major polish/wax. Looking to use something for inbetween maintenance. I will give the Pledge Grab it duster a try before applying the inbetween product. Any recommendations? Or should i just use Speed Detailer from meguiars?

If it just rained and your car was clean before, I'd go over it with a quick detailer (speed or quik detailer is fine, I prefer last touch) and at least 2 microfibre cloths.

You don't need an inbetween product. If you did, that means the wax you applied during the first round doesn't last long enough and you should change to a better one. :)

[Shimian]

I polished and waxed my car about 3 weeks ago. In that time, it rained a few days so i took it for a quick rinse but went around the whole car thoroughly with a cloth. I didnt use any high pressure rinse. After a chamois, car was still silky smooth, just like the day i polished/wax the car. Hasnt rained since.
Ok, since ur suggesting i dont need to use inbetweens (provided i did a good initial wax job), then ill leave it and save some $$$.

[riruiz_88]

sometimes goin to the car wash is more of a hassle. thats what quick/speed detailer is for. is that Pledge duster re-usable?

[aaronng]

sometimes goin to the car wash is more of a hassle. thats what quick/speed detailer is for. is that Pledge duster re-usable?

Quick detailer can't do much if your car has a film of dirt caused by rain mixing with dust. It's effective if you have dry dust.

Pledge duster is reusable if it is not too dirty. If you have heaps of crap on it after using it once, I don't think you would want to reuse it.

[riruiz_88]

oh really, i thought it would be the same as the waterless detailer. well looks like im gonna have to go wash it, cause i do have rain mixed with dust. looks damn ugly. can you wash the Pledge duster?

[aaronng]

oh really, i thought it would be the same as the waterless detailer. well looks like im gonna have to go wash it, cause i do have rain mixed with dust. looks damn ugly. can you wash the Pledge duster?

I'd just shake it to get the dirt out. If it is too dirty, just throw it away and put another refill on. They are cheap anyway. $5 for 3 refills I think.

[AzKik-R]

Try using the Clay Bar every other weekend, depends on how much build up you get, a Clay Bar lifts all the crap off, and allows the shine to come thru

[aaronng]

Try using the Clay Bar every other weekend, depends on how much build up you get, a Clay Bar lifts all the crap off, and allows the shine to come thru

Claybars are not designed to be used that often. They are still abrasive and do cause marring to your paint. The normal claybar that you buy is meant to be used once or twice a year. If you want to use it every month, you have to buy a fine claybar instead which is less "wearing" to the paint.

[riruiz_88]

ok so its nearly time for me to do another wax. want to know if i need to polish aswell?or should i just go straight for a wax?

[traumatized]

really depends what you mean by a "polish" to me a polish is a paint cleaner that i use to prep the surface prior to waxing.

so what i do is

wash
clay
paint cleaner
wax

i would suggest you use a paint cleaner but i know many don't.

[riruiz_88]

i have polished my car before. what i want to know is, do i have to polish/glaze everytime i want to wax my car? cause what im thinking is, that if i dont polish/glaze my car it wont be as shiny?

[markCivicVti]

^ I haven't ever polished/glazed my cars before.. so no you don't *have* to polish before applying wax. Without it it still turns out shiny... but depends on the condition of your paint too.

--------------------------------------------------------------

What are your guys take on the meguires waterless wash?

I'm in brissy and over here you can't use a hose/bucket. The nearest car wash place is actually quite a drive away unfortunately. So it would take a long time for the engine to cool down before i could give it a wash. So I'd much rather do it at home with waterless products.

So atm I've tried polyglaze waterless and will do the meguires waterless wash tonight in the garage. I really want to avoid scratching my paint so when I wipe off the waterless wash I do so very gently and in one direction. I use a microfibre cloth to gently wipe it. Then another dry microfibre to 'buff' it shiny.

My car doesn't get too dirty in a week cos i work from home so any mid-week driving I do is normally just to the shops n back.

Is it safe to continue to do so? On one hand I love the convinience of being able to do it in the garage... but on the other hand am a little concerned about scratching my (new black) paint.

[aaronng]

So atm I've tried polyglaze waterless and will do the meguires waterless wash tonight in the garage. I really want to avoid scratching my paint so when I wipe off the waterless wash I do so very gently and in one direction. I use a microfibre cloth to gently wipe it. Then another dry microfibre to 'buff' it shiny.


So you don't want to scratch your paint and you do it gently, but in the end, you still dry buff your paint?? That will cause swirling in your paint, especially with cheap microfibre cloths.

[markCivicVti]

^ Yeah. Well... is there any technique that works well with these 'waterless' ways of washing the car?

Or are they really no good then? I don't remember the details now but there was this product that you mix in with water.. and apparently you don't have to rinse off. Apparently you can do it in the garage. Would this be better than meguires waterless wash? Or would it end up doing the same sort of damage since you still buff it dry?

[aaronng]

^ Yeah. Well... is there any technique that works well with these 'waterless' ways of washing the car?

Or are they really no good then? I don't remember the details now but there was this product that you mix in with water.. and apparently you don't have to rinse off. Apparently you can do it in the garage. Would this be better than meguires waterless wash? Or would it end up doing the same sort of damage since you still buff it dry?

The product you are thinking about is QEW. It is still a 2 bucket wash. You remove dirt with one and then the 2nd bucket is sort of a rinse except that you rinse by wiping with the wet mitt instead of splashing.

With waterless washes, you wipe the paint dry after washing and that's it. If you want to buff til it is shiny, apply some wax first.

[amirul]

i have always done mine in circular motion............i use Turtle Wax and finish it off with Meguiars quik detailer.......work for me.

[markCivicVti]

The product you are thinking about is QEW. It is still a 2 bucket wash. You remove dirt with one and then the 2nd bucket is sort of a rinse except that you rinse by wiping with the wet mitt instead of splashing.

With waterless washes, you wipe the paint dry after washing and that's it. If you want to buff til it is shiny, apply some wax first.

Thanks! I don't care how many buckets I need as long as I can do it in the garage then :)

But for the meanwhile I'll try megs waterless... and not buff it dry... just wipe it gently dry... then do the wax + buff.

[Shimian]

Ever since i bought the mothers wax attack machine, my car is still smooth and shiny after one month. It rained during that time and all i did was take it to the car wash and rinsed the car thoroughly. Then chamois'd it good. Did this about 3 times during the month and still retains its silky smooth shine. Compared to hand waxing days, pretty much after 1 wash, wax all gone and back to rough nuts surface :thumbdwn:

[aaronng]

Ever since i bought the mothers wax attack machine, my car is still smooth and shiny after one month. It rained during that time and all i did was take it to the car wash and rinsed the car thoroughly. Then chamois'd it good. Did this about 3 times during the month and still retains its silky smooth shine. Compared to hand waxing days, pretty much after 1 wash, wax all gone and back to rough nuts surface :thumbdwn:

That's the advantage of having a clean surface before waxing. The Mother's wax attack pads also clean the paint while you are applying the wax.

[Shimian]

I always clean my car before i wax. Take it to car wash and spend about $6-$8. I go around thoroughly. Also wash the underside edge of the car where it is pretty much black.

When i wax by hand, i always take my time and try to do a good job. Result, as i mentioned. With mothers, its the mint :thumbsup:

[AzKik-R]

Claybars are not designed to be used that often. They are still abrasive and do cause marring to your paint. The normal claybar that you buy is meant to be used once or twice a year. If you want to use it every month, you have to buy a fine claybar instead which is less "wearing" to the paint.

one of my mates in U.S and A sent me over some really nice clay and the sprey stuff even says it can be used over and over without damaging your paint

[FAT VTI]

to eliminate swirls.
(this is gr8 for windows too).
apply going vertically on your panel.
allow to penetrate.
clean off in a HORIZONTAL motion using a CLEAN terry towel or microfibre.
this means, you are not just smearing the same streaks, ur actually going against them and eliminating them.

[aaronng]

to eliminate swirls.
(this is gr8 for windows too).
apply going vertically on your panel.
allow to penetrate.
clean off in a HORIZONTAL motion using a CLEAN terry towel or microfibre.
this means, you are not just smearing the same streaks, ur actually going against them and eliminating them.

What do you mean by penetrate? I don't see that eliminating swirls. Hiding swirls, yes.

[FAT VTI]

penetrate, leave on, let it soak in.

you put it on in 1 vertical motion, and take it off in a horizontal motion.

eliminate or hide swirls? whats the difference?

[aaronng]

Big difference. All you are doing is hiding.

[FAT VTI]

lol.....ok mate.

[AzKik-R]

if trying to remove marks on windows, do the outside with vertical wipes, and the inside with horizontal wipes, this way you can tell if the smear is inside or outside :D