polishing paint

[den9]

how hard is it to polish your car, do you just wash it and put some polish stuff on it and go to town with a buffer, or is there more steps to it?

[Silverfc88]

Check out this write up.

http://www.tristatetuners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11051

[JoshV70]

Your best bet for a beginner is to pick up a Porter Cable buffer and Sonus SFX pads from Autopia. For polishes I recommend 1Z Einszett polishes which are available from Pakshak.com. Next I would recommend setting up halogen lights on the areas you are buffing. This will guarantee that most swirls are removed. After the entire car is buffed using a medium to light polish process, you can apply a wax or a sealant. I recommend P21S wax, and Poorboys Carnauba EX sealant. Either one will work great. If your car has not been detailed, you might also want to clay your car. In order to keep swirl free paint, you must also watch what you wash the car with. I recommend a genuine wool wash mit, and P21S soap. To dry, you should use microfiber waffleweave drying towels. This will leave your paint looking great after each wash until you feel that it is necessary to polish/wax again. You should wax your car 1 to every 2 months, and polish every 4-6 months. Polishing is removing a minute amount of clearcoat or paint each time, so you do not want to go overboard with polishing, as it will add up over time. Also remember, when polishing and washing your car, always start at the top and work your way down.

[CHAOS]

it really depends on the state of the paint and how hard the paint is... check out some of the detailing forums, ie. autopia.org or autogeekonline.net ... lots of info...

[den9]

i dont want to mess with swirls or scratches. they arent noticable, i just want my car to shine like a mirror

[JoshV70]

The best way to get your car to shine like a mirror is to remove almost all the swirls. Polishing is the key to depth.

[Chris(NJ)]

If you'd like to do it by hand, I can get you set up for very little.

What you need is some ssr2 (can follow up w/ ssr1 if you'd like). Apply w/ a microfiber applicator pad in back/forth motion, doing a few passes per section.
Then I'd suggest using red moose glaze, and finally topping w/ a carnauba suited for your color vehicle.

Thats it :)

If you want to really drop some cash, you'd ideally pick up a porter cable, pads, a couple compound/polishes, etc etc.

Remember you get a discount through me which tops that of other online shops, plus you'll typically receive the items next day since you're in the tri state area :)

[den9]

so the ssr i just polish in then put a coat of wax on?
wats the difference between 1 and 2?