Polish vs. Wax...
 

Okay, so about once every few months, I POLISH my Jag with a very good premium high end automotive polish. I am quite happy with the resulting deep wet gloss. My question is, do I really need to apply wax over the top of the polish? I know the wax is suppoed to "protect" the finish, but I find the wax needs to be reapplied after two to three washings and the car is clearly looking good with just the polish applied...

Thoughts?

Stillwaters, thanks for your question...............

The four main steps to car care are as follows

• Clean
• Polish
• Wax
• Maintain

Polishing is definitley a must to revitalize and feed the paint with the oils necessary to bring out the depth. Waxing is right up there as well in importance.....This is the icing in the cake which then protects what you have polished or corrected.

What type of wax or sealant are you using if I may ask?......

Maintenance will also go along way in extending the longevity of your LSP.....how do you maintain your vehicle, do you wash it or do you take it to a high volume car wash..........soap and towels used can also play a big role in how far you can stretch your waxing results.

Dave,

Thanks for getting back with me. I wash the Jag weekly with Grouts car wash using a microfiber washing mitt, then dry the car with an artificial chamous. Then every few months I apply 2-3 coats of "Finish First" polish by hand.

BTW, last weekend I did go ahead and apply a coat of Mcquires Canuba wax and buffed lightly with an electric buffer wearing a fuzzy finishing mitt. I have to admit it did appear to come out better than polishing alone...

David,

What about decals? My F150 will get the Meguiar's MicroFiber Correction system treatment soon (XJ and 2003 S-Type complete) and it has the "FX4" moniker on both flanks that appears to be some kind of applique over the paint, plus pin-stripes and "Lariat" logo that may well be tape.

Finally! (get to the question already) Should I mask either or both of those? Or just have at 'em with the DA MF correction?

For Decals and pinstripes I recommend masking it all off if possible. Be sure to use the least sticky painters tape available to avoid damaging the vinyl when the tape is removed. Another option after your prep is to use a hand applicator pad and wax above, below and around the pin, logo and moniker. By hand you will avoid opening a can of worms or damaging any of the vinyl. Then follow up on the surrounding areas using your D/A staying away from the vinyl. I do this often enough so I dont always tape, I just create an imaginary border around these obstacles as I work my polisher. Then remove wax for a brilliant shine and awesome results....

On large vinyl areas (ex...Mustang GT500 hood) many times I will use my D/A to polish the vinyl and bring the shine and gloss back up and it works great.

Sorry but "auto paint correction" can take YEARS of experience. Be careful with rotary polishers if you are a newbie. You can make a real grave error in an instant. I know.....I have been doing this since 1969. Dont even think about any WOOL pad compounding until your advanced. Go to "Expertautopolishing" read about it!

Paint correction is an art, not something you learn in one day. With todays paint correction technology there is no need for a novice to consider a rotary......period!

And as for wool pads on a rotary combined with a begginer.....your looking for trouble!

Great thread. Thanks to the OP, and to the mods for making it a sticky.

Recommendations for a good detailer in NorCal? I'm in Santa Rosa, an hour north of SF, but would drive a bit to get the best. Seems like anyone can call themselves a detailer, and I get conflicting comments from everyone.

Just bought a 2010 XK, black, and want to keep it beautiful!

Dave,

Could you recommend a paint/road rash repair shop(s) in the Chicago area? I'm having a difficult time locating one that I feel confident in.

Thanks!

there is no way that i would ever contradict your advice,but i started detailing with a da,in only a few weeks i wanted to try a rotary polisher .so i booked myself on a course .ending up using a wool pad .not a big 9" pad but a 6" pad.

i found it was no different to using a heavy cut foam pad ,in fact the only time i've gone though the clear coat was with a da and a very firm pad.(on my practice panel)

so what i'm trying to say is ,yes a wool pad will remove alot of clear-coat but so can a da using the wrong pad polish combination.

Sorry, I honestly do not have a clue for this area.......Try looking at YELP reviews for your area....Good Luck!


Wool vs Heavy Cut foam pad = completely different animals

Go thru the clear using a D/A.....I am not saying it cant be possible, but extremely odd and rare at the same time..

The bottom line.......Rotary/Wool Pad combo not for the novice. For someone to use a D/A with polish not cleaner or compound and a foam pad IMO is completely safe and you do not risk removing large amounts of clear.......


Have no fear of the D/A....IMO, its a detailers friend!

Hi Dave,
Been enjoying reading this thread -- thanks for all your advice on members questions. Now to my question... I've recently acquired a 2012 XKR convertible in Azurite Blue. I'm scheduled to talk to a detailer who is factory certified on installing XPel paint films. I plan on getting the front bumper, mirrors and rocker panels done. Can you share your experience on all the different brands (XPel, 3M, Avery, etc)? Also what questions should I be asking the detailer?

TIA,
Mike

How Many Layers of Wax?
 

Dave,

Thanks for all the solid advice you have provided to the boardmembers. What an honor it is to have you here!

Here is my question: How many layers of wax do you recommend for a car that has no paint issues (08 XJ, seldom driven, always garaged and washed)?

My typical regiment is wash, claybar, sealant (Klasse) and a light coat of wax (Pinnacle Souveran). I've read about "layering" the wax with multiple coats to really bring about a stunning shine. I'm willing to do the extra work but will it make a difference? I've tested spots with multiple coats and noticed no difference to the naked eye.

What are your thought on this?

Mike,

Great question, hopefully my experience selling, installing and using PPF will help you out.

I offer 2 types of film to my customers based on my experience and what we have readily available.

Avery Dennison Nano Fusion Film

Pros

Provides great protection
Scuff and marks and stains come off very easily
Looks almost invisible, very clean consistant look
Easy to maintain

Cons

Not as glossy as Venture Film
Availability is sometimes tough


Venture Shield Film

Pros

Readily available
Provides good protection
Stains easily...bird and insect if not wiped off right away
Glossy finish

Cons

Extrusion marks from when its manufactured are almost always visible on the film. These lines depending on how the film is cut on the plotter can be visibly seen either horizonally or vertically. From afar they are not visible, but up close you can see it bit overall its a good PPF.

At the SEMA show this year in November Xpel realeased their newest film that is self healing. I saw a live demo when I was there and I must say that I was blown away!

Here is a video showing how it works......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUqzF...layer_embedded

Could this be the ultimate Paint Protection Film?

XJL,

Another great question.......and thank your for the wonderful words!

I get this question from many people and the best answer I can give is as follow....

The last step is like the icing on a cake.....To much icing is useless when it only takes the right amout to get the job done. When you apply product ontop of product, you would be removing some of the product that you have previously applied to get the next layer on.

I prefer to use a liquid topper such as Opti Coat or Adams Spray Sealant. Once you apply your last coat of product and remove it, you would then go around to each panel with either of the products mentions above to extend the protection and bring up more depth or gloss....

After your done waxing and removing your Pinnacle, walk away...enjoy a cold beverage, then come back and try either of the sealants mentioned, then admire the sparkle!

I am almost certain you will notice the increased depth and most certainly the enhanced protection.

Dave,
Thanks for sharing your experience on these PPF products. One last question...

Do these films come off cleanly when it's time to re-apply? We're concerned that the adhesive might take some of the paint or clear coat off when removing the PPF. None of the manufacturer's warranties that I've read seem to mention this.

Mike

Mike,

Your very welcome......

In regards to your last question......

PPF is like a set of tires, and it is in no way a perfect product. Why I say its like a set of tires is because it does wear out over time, but at the same time served it purpose. Maintenance is key with PPF to preserve the overall look and finish. Most PPF look great for 4-5 years and then start to degrade visually although still providing rock chip protection.

Whether or not the PPF will come off cleanly is always a concern....I always have a customer sign a release of liability before doing any removal. If the painted area that is wrapped is OEM, it almost always comes off without any issues. If it a repainted area that was wrapped, its a 50/50 without knowing how well the area was prepped before being painted. It could lift the paint in patches if it was not prepped properly. Another situation that I have encountered is that the film took a hard impact of some sort of debris, it protected the OEM paint but underneath the film the paint actually fractured. When the film was lifted a very small area of paint lifted, but I touched it up and rewrapped the bumper...

Here is an example of a PPF removal that I recently did on a Corvette that the film failed after 4.5 years. It was extremely tough to remove, but not one speck of paint peeled off and she looked like new when we were done.

Innovative Detailing presents our works of art.............: New lease on life for this So Cal 07 C6...2007 C6 transformed from "Beast 2 Beauty"

Here is a sample of PPF removal gone bad....found this one online, hope it doesnt scare you!

David, I for one would work for you free, (for awhile of course) :)!


You are Da' Man!

Again Thank you for sharing with the forum!

Haha.....take you up on that anytime Rick.....

Thanks again for your wonderful support and your compliments!

Watermarks
 

Hi,

What about watermarks? I have tried waxing over and over, but cannot remove the watermarks, I guess, it is the type of water used. Is there a product that will assist in the removal?