What polish does everyone use

[123GT-AMAZON]

Originally Posted by grantbennett2

Back in 2006 when I had my Amazon bodywork done and a re-spray all was ok but within a year the paint started to dull and now will react to water with spot marks after cutting and waxing. The marks will over a month or so join to give a completely dulled finish. Grey paint even comes off on the sponge when washing. I know there are other products to use but I only cut back once a year to remind myself how nice the car looks.

Prep paint with a coat of laquer will cure that issue naturally will be a pantshop job but cost is very small compared to a full respiratory or you could cut polish and clay bar the car two options

Kind regards
Robert.w

[CLIVERALLY]

Derek is 100% correct. Its easy to be caught up in the whole detailing fandango.
As far as I know there is polish and then there is resin.
Things that contain carnuba make the better polish .
I tend to use Autoglym which is actually a resin but only because I won it in a competition or Built Chamber. A lot of people get sucked in by hype and spend 100s on these products. But they are a fashion thing...anyone still using MER?

[T5Sweep]

Originally Posted by arcturus

Some polishes will give you a better shine and some will give the paint better protection. I use Meguires.

Polish offers no protection whatsoever, it's designed to cut back on a fine scale, it should always be followed up with a wax/sealant.

[pagan8c]

I use Showroom Shine most of the time or some polish I got when I had a car treatment done on another car I had. I must admit I am not 1 for spending a fortune on posh polishes. Whilst I am away this week I have been using a waterless cleaner/polisher from Aldi which works pretty well in giving it a shine. Also easy to use.

[jamie]

Originally Posted by Derek UK

You don't say what your problem is but graphite grey can buff up well. Your current regime isn't helping you. Having several layers of wax competing with a compound, the T-Cut, will get you nowhere. The old term polish the paint is actually the process of smoothing out the surface and making it shine. This is then protected by the wax and, perhaps with a sealant on top. These are usually called Extra Gloss something or the other. Two or three very thin coats is better than one thick one. Done properly you'll only need to do it twice a year, once in the spring and once at the end of autumn. A wax wash like Triplewax can be used to help maintain the wax. If you think you need some more wax that is fine, but something like Finishcare #425, lightly applied will top up the gloss and remove dust at the same time. Do the whole car in half an hour.
Collinite Super Double wax can be considered a 6 month wax. Simonize hard wax may be a classic but is hard work and not very glossy anyway. T-Cut is about as old fashioned as they come and not a good choice now. Better stuff available from Autoglym, Meguirs and 3m etc.
A fairly strong Fairy liquid wash will remove all of the wax and allow you to start over. Wash down well afterwards. Shouts will be made about the salt in it but that isn't the whole picture.
Dive into detailingworld.com or check YouTube but don't get sucked in by the fanatics.

Hi Derek

It is not clear to me if you mean 2 or 3 very thin coats of wax or polish?

and Fairy Liquid, I was led to believe that it is not good for the rubbers, windscreen and window scrapers. Is that true and hence quickly rinse down well afterwards, or is it just a myth?

Best wishes

Jamie

[Derek UK]

Jamie, 2 or 3 coats of wax. Modern waxes can be applied very thinly, you hardly know you are putting them on. The circular application pads may look a bit twee after using a bit of old T shirt, but they work well and you don't waste any wax. Leave a day between coats. I'm saying to use the Fairy Liquid just to remove the wax. Don't use it as a car wash. Rinse well. Anyone who uses it as a cheap car wash will remove any wax protection each time they use it. Not a good thing. A good car shampoo doesn't do this and just removes the dirt. Try Meguiars Gold Class. Not too expensive especially if you are able to take advantage of Halfords 3 for 2 when the offer is on.
Autoglym resin polish isn't much of a polish as there is very little abrasive in it but it will clean and smooth as you use it. Use it after you have used an abrasive paint prep to smooth the finish and remove oxidised paint. Note we are talking straight older style paint and not clear coat. What it does do is to work as a filler for the fine scratches that dull the shine. Again you don't need to use a lot as most of it will be buffed off. Do a panel at a time and leave panel to dry and go cloudy while you're doing the next one. 20-30 minutes is fine. If you buff off straight away the fillers will just be removed from the scratches and you'll be back to square one.
Extra comments: GB2 sounds as if your grey paint needs extra attention. Cutting back as you call it can be done with different grades of compound. If the paint is really bad you might need a course grade to start with and then go on to a finer grade. Some grades are very fine and can be termed swirl removers and are used after machine polishing. Best to start with a very fine one and then go to a coarser one only if you have to. The better finish you get before waxing, the more durable the finish will be and the longer the wax will work properly. Water spots can be a problem if you don't live where the water is soft even if the rinse water or rain beads well. Beading water and hot sun not a good combo. The Collinite wax I mentioned is quite hardy but most waxes start to break down after about 6 weeks, if the shine is still good, a good shampoo and another coat of wax will do the trick.
CR: Mer was one of the trick "polishes" that started this all off. It worked pretty well and was a bit of a jack of all trades. Main fault was the dust and the way it whitened anything rubber. Formulation is different now and it still has its followers. Cheap at Costco.
If you can, always do your cleaning and polishing on a cool day or in the shade so that the car panels aren't warm. Gives you much more control over the materials. Have fun!