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

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.