Polishing - How brave are you?

Curran

There's a good few of us now that are regulars on this new forum - quite a few of us know the in's and out's of the basics / how to prepare a car for polishing or protection.

What option in the poll best describes you? And if you wish to progess, to what point would you like?

listermint

Cant see a poll curran ?

Curran

listermint wrote: »

Cant see a poll curran ?

Giz a chance
You have to type out the options for the poll after you post...which is a bit strange!

Chimaera

Having only recently acquired a DA polisher, I'm in the middle of that bracket for now. I've always been keen on keeping a car looking well, but it's one of those things where you pick up knowledge with experience.

10 years ago, I was putting wax straight onto the car after washing it. Then I figured out that the lumpy black stuff on the paint was tar and it'd probably be a good plan to get rid of that before waxing.

Then I discovered the claybar about 6 years ago (I think at the time they were a relatively new thing). Since then, I've de-tarred, clayed and waxed the car once a year or so and that's kept it looking quite smart for little effort (the important thing inbetween IMO was properly drying the car after washing to avoid water spots).

Having a DA now, I've given the car a serious going over though it's not perfect. Given that the car is 14 years old and not worth a whole pile, the paint is never again going to be perfect - it's got too many chips and deeper scratches for that. My aim is just to keep it a bit better than before and get practice with the DA for my next car, and get rid of some of the dodgy rust spots.

hoodie6029

I found out what a clay bar was two years ago. Clayed and waxed my tired yaris and the rest has followed quite quickly. I look at 'car wash' brushes and sponges with horror now!
Not even close to a perfectionist in the detailing world but probably a mad man to the rest of the world!

JAMES VTI S

I'm very comforable with a Dual Action + i would like to upgrade BUT its not ever car you can use or need a rotary on.
Need + $$$$ = put it on the back burner (i have used most of the flex range and all i can say is WOW, DAS6 is a little toy compaired)

DAS6 = M3
Any one of the flex range = veyron

Curran

It's not about the size....it's how you use it!

JAMES VTI S

True but the results from a flex rotary is just another level

vectra

I find the Das -6 Pro much better than the regular Das-6

Curran

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

True but the results from a flex rotary is just another level

Results that you get from a Flex are equally achievable with any other lesser machine. ..will just take longer.

Same said for some who can use a DA to its full potential over an inexperienced user of a rotary...the DA user will get better results.

JAMES VTI S

Totaly, some bad buffer trails on cars lately

MetzgerMeister

I got my rotary yesterday and used it quite a bit today with the spot pad in preparation for tomorrow. I LOVE it However, it's very easy to see why you need a lot of experience before using one. It generates a LOT of heat a lot faster than a D/A.

After I was done with that, the whole car got a final polish with Chemical Guys V38 with my D/A. Very handy to have both!

JAMES VTI S

replacing clear coat is dear LOL

challengemaster

"I settle for a good auld Hand Job"

Seriously Curran? :pac:

fanadman1

only started polishing last year when i got on the road first car first thing i had enough pride in to polish
threw my reading here i very quickly learned about clay-bars and waxs/sealents i now cannot understand why some people polish and never bother to wax ontop of it then complain after 1 wash there beading has gone i love my cleaning regiam now and am serously thinking on picking up a reasonbly priced da to learn how to power polish on an oul wreck that is parked behind the house befor i branch out to work on good cars :P

Supergurrier

Thinking of buying a rotary as I'm crap at hand polishing even though I find waxing a doddle

Use AG SRP

Next time I'm buy I g wax will splash out on the AG stuff although its expensive

The meguiars ultimate liquid wax I use seems fine though

Curran

challengemaster wrote: »

"I settle for a good auld Hand Job"

Seriously Curran? :pac:

LOL - some are less fortunate than others and are extremely happy with that outcome!!

Fortunately I can use a rotary!

TestTransmission

Supergurrier wrote: »

Thinking of buying a rotary as I'm crap at hand polishing even though I find waxing a doddle

Use AG SRP

Next time I'm buy I g wax will splash out on the AG stuff although its expensive

The meguiars ultimate liquid wax I use seems fine though

Surely you'd be better off buying a DA first if you're just polishing by hand?

MetzgerMeister

Supergurrier wrote: »

Thinking of buying a rotary as I'm crap at hand polishing

If you're crap at hand polishing, the last thing you want to do is buy a rotary polisher.

That's like being crap at driving and entering F1 :pac:

Chris_Heilong

So tempted to answer NO.2

JAMES VTI S

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

If you're crap at hand polishing, the last thing you want to do is buy a rotary polisher.

That's like being crap at driving and entering F1 :pac:

Iv never hand polished (thats worth talking about) and i have use many different types of rotary's

rovoagho

So, do you guys use "de-ironising" as a joke, or....

MetzgerMeister

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

Iv never hand polished (thats worth talking about) and i have use many different types of rotary's

Did you use D/A's before using a rotary?

rovoagho wrote: »

So, do you guys use "de-ironising" as a joke, or....

It's an important part of contaminant removal so no, it's no joke! OAC Iron Cleanse from detailingshed.com is the best I've used.

JAMES VTI S

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Did you use D/A's before using a rotary?

Yep

MetzgerMeister

JAMES VTI S wrote: »

Yep

SG (to my knowledge) has no experience with a D/A. It's incredibly easy to burn through paint with a rotary so experience with a D/A IMO is essential.

JAMES VTI S

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

SG (to my knowledge) has no experience with a D/A. It's incredibly easy to burn through paint with a rotary so experience with a D/A IMO is essential.

No your dead right actually

myshirt

D/A newbie - I'll pass on a rotary for the moment. Being honest, some sensible advice from MetzgerMeister.

Nevertheless guys, something therapeutic and satisfying about a hand job.

Usually a mans first exposure to this game.

To the uneducated and uninitiated, it's the best feeling... challenged only when you find out about the inconsistent results you have been getting! And the pain in the upper arm!

Then again, this da polishing can be back breaking stuff.

Curran

Surprised we have more rotary users than DA users - not that its a bad thing!! We obviously have a few more closet OCD heads than we thought!

vectra

Curran wrote: »

Surprised we have more rotary users than DA users - not that its a bad thing!! We obviously have a few more closet OCD heads than we thought!

Seriously considered a rotary recently when I went to DAS-6 pro.
The only reason i stayed with DA was I now have our cars as good as perfect fo occasional top up only needed.
Maybe if my son decided to change cars again which no doubt he will just when this one is as he wants it I might rethink. Depending on what condition the paint would be on his next one.

Curran

You were right thought, the DAS-6 Pro was the sensible choice, considering how good the paintwork is already on those spotless cars!