polishing, by hand you are unlikely to go through the clear coat, unless your just rubbing and rubbing in one spot with a very aggressive polish for a very long time.

Polishing is refining the clearcoat, so you want to start with a uber clear car, as you dont want to be dragging dirt from shuts and gaps into your polish, as thats when you could start to inflict more damage and why you might see people taping up gaps with automotive masking tape

There are a few types of polishes, Ones like Ag Super Resin Polish, or PB Blackhole, which whilst polishing and rubbing, they are also leaving what are called fillers, which microscopically fill the swirls with the fillers/oils they leave behind

Then there are the correction polishes that you normally use a Dual Action or Rotary polisher with foam pads, the polish by speeding up what your doing by hand, but due to this you are removing parts of a micron of clearcoat to remove the swirls or scratches, these if held in the same spot can burn through, DA is safer than a rotory due to the oscillating pattern of the disc)

If your think of a the paint as layer you have the car bodywork, a layer of primer or undercoat, the colour coat and then the clearcoat, this is normally as a rule of thumb 50% of the reading would be clear coat


So in the picture below i have 93microns or which 46microns should be clearcoat, a machine polish will normally take 2 to 3 microns off, but a full paint corrections can take a lot more, especially if you are wet sanding




I have seen some reading be as low as 10 microns on some hypercars (paint is weight ) on some threads i have read, but the pro's normally have the expensive thickness gauges which will read each layer down to the metal

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

So, I recently gave my car its annual (if it's lucky!) spring clean by claying it, then waxing. What difference could I expect to see if I had polished it too? How often might one polish a car (assuming a 'normal' car owner, not a detailer)?

Just claying and waxing seems to have given a smooth, shiny surface, so would polishing too have been worth the effort?

claying removes any surface contaminates, tar or fine partials of dirt/iron etc that are embedded in the clearcoat, hence the smoothness afterwards

Polish would have then gone on to refine the paintwork even more, to provide it with a more glossier feel, filled in/removed the random swirls or scratches, leaving the paintwork clean and ready for your last stage product, like a wax or sealant, this can also make the wax or sealant bond better with the paintwork for a longer lasting finish

I'm like you a yearly polish and wax, obviously the more times you polish the more you need to wax as polishing will remove the wax

I normally polish, not fully by machine once or twice a year, but i top up my sealant every wash, once its dried Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Thanks, Nick. Next time I do the car I'll add a polish to the process. But since I've just done it that may not be for a while!

One other question - I know nothing can stop scratching, but is there anything one can use to reduce the risk of damage from the branches and foliage which tend to overhang the lanes and byways at this time of year?

There are coating that you can use

things like Gtechinq C1, Wolfs Chemicals Hard Body, which are basically Ceramic/quartz type coatings, quite impressive to behonest, but used to be quite fiddly to apply

There is a Wolf Chemicals "The Mask" which is a water based spray on coating, designed for been a bumper/bonnet coating to be sprayed on, then you can wash it off and the bug splatters etc

only issue is been water based is if it rains it will rinse off

http://www.wolfschemicals.com/en/termek/wb...protection


Or you can make magnetic sheets to fit the doors like me

Click image to enlarge

I like the idea of the magnetic sheets, but they're perhaps a little impractical...

The brushed effect you get from the bushes looks characterful on an old Defender, but I'd rather not have it on my FL2! Will have to look in to the Hard Body type chemicals. Thanks again.

Lets just say the magnetic sheets failed to even get on Dragons Den  p****d off with a Digital Keyboard Warrior

made it in to my garage though, waiting to go in the FS&W section  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Right people my next question! Trigger spray versus aerosol. Which is better? when applying products for example dash cleaner is the trigger spray better than aerosol stuff, do you get more product out of the bottle? Is the trigger spray easier to direct the stuff where you want it to go? Black MY2013 SD4 GS Auto, Wood Company Armrest, Freel2 sticker.
Gone MY2010 Freelander 2 Manual TD4.e S, Alaska White.

either, as a dash spray is better directed onto a cloth, unless you want to clean the screen after each spray Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Little bit of an update for today, ordered the Autobrite snow foam lance deal from detailing world and also the Autobrite very cherry wheel cleaner plus goodies advertised as a group buy on the Subaru forum. Picked them both up in person as only 20 mins up the road.

Also.....and I think this is more suitable for us freelander owners with acres of plastics, I bought some 'Wax Tec Mint Dress' and did a review for them as they are a newish company, wouldn't usually post a link but its a useful one and saves padding the thread out with billions of pics.

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=313362

 2013 FL2 - Black Edition Auto
2013 FL2 - Black Edition Manual GONE!
Founder of the 'Microscopic LR Spoiler Badge Club'
Destroyer of chrome rears.....

Mmmm I've got to ask how does it stack up to 303 ? I'm running my AG Bumper / Trim down and then ordering some thing for the plastics which is why I asked.... Npinks suggested 303 ..... ( least I think it was lol ).

In side I could be persuaded to give that ago.

T Terran



'The' Car For The Modern Day UK Roads ( ie all the pot holes )

'A Freelander that leaks oil is just marking its territory' - Wise words

Now a member of the FL2 'Silly Bill' Club

Looks good, I thought things like poorboys natural look dressing was great, but as soon as it got wet, opening the door the plastic panel nears the switches streaked

Don't get that with 303, but would like to see how this lives up to the every weather

So please look at the map and drive to we're its going to rain next, open your door and report back  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Yes sir!! On my way.....!

To be fair, I like 303 for my engine bay and that's it!! Its not cheap and lasts well under there

I've been using Poorboys QD+ on plastics up until today or occasionally Megs Endurance Tyre Gel on the exterior bits when I'm feeling lazy!!

I've got high hopes for this minty green addition, we shall see......!! 2013 FL2 - Black Edition Auto
2013 FL2 - Black Edition Manual GONE!
Founder of the 'Microscopic LR Spoiler Badge Club'
Destroyer of chrome rears.....

This cleaning lark is getting to me now! Just seen a really nice white TT, wheels were filthy!! For a second I thought of the driver "dirty ".

Best lay down now and take it easy! Black MY2013 SD4 GS Auto, Wood Company Armrest, Freel2 sticker.
Gone MY2010 Freelander 2 Manual TD4.e S, Alaska White.