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Polishing or rubbing compound

G

GTPgasm

New member
What's the difference between the two? And do you polish before every wax? Also do you put anything on top of your wax?
 


i use liquid compound, then paste wax with a buffer. i use good old turtle wax. nice and cheap and lasts a good year.

i normally do it once year in the fall. but you can always wax it more often.

the compound removes the swirl marks you see in your paint. and makes it shine again.
 
this was my paint when i first got it.

IMG_8073.jpg


after some personal time with a PC buffer.

IMG_8081.jpg
 
Scotty any tips?
I plan to do my 40th and gtx since the paint is oxidized on one csr and the other the clear coat us just filled with water stains and doesn't shine at all.
I have a buffer already but any techniques to it?

I just worry on burning the clear coat.
 
I'm battling water spots right now.

The only thing that has worked so far is white wine vinegar.
 
You'll never burn the paint with a porter cable, unless you are dumb and leave it there for 5 minutes in 1 spot.

I just use a light compound first, then polish and wax.

You can feel the stuff it takes off as you do sections of the body.
 


GTP89 said:
Scotty any tips?
I plan to do my 40th and gtx since the paint is oxidized on one csr and the other the clear coat us just filled with water stains and doesn't shine at all.
I have a buffer already but any techniques to it?

I just worry on burning the clear coat.
Click to expand...

search youtube for how to use a porter cable buffer, theres a bunch of how to's. with a pc orbital buffer you cant f up the paint, its almost impossible.

wash car, compound with buffer, then wax with buffer.

all i used was turtle wax liquid compound, #7 or 8, and then turtle wax paste wax in the can. applied with the buffer.
 
A quick stumble thru the posts on Meguiars online and Autogeek will tell you a lot.
On a black car the story goes.............
First the wash(2 bucket system) and clay.
To get rid of my winter swirls I will first use Meguiars Ultimate polish with a Lake country white pad on my Porter Cable 7424XP.
If that doesn't do it I will step up my game with Meguiars Ultimate compound and a Lake country orange pad followed by the previous steps.
Then for summer, my fave wax is Meguiars Ultimate Wax(liquid this year, last year was paste)

I could probably use Megs 105/205 twins but why fix something thats not broke.

The GUZ shipped me some samples of Meguiars Mirror Glaze#21 and some Hi-tech yellow wax#26, I'm dying to try.
He suggested the #26 over the Ultimate wax for some more pop. I listen to him, that cat knows what he is talking about.

And don't forget some quality micro-fibers. Meguiars has some decent yellows,sold at the wall and auto stores.
Chemical Guys has some 16x24s on Amazon, 6 for 20
 
I always wash with a harsh soap before correcting paint. Make sure you clay bar as well, then wash again. I would certainly advise against polishing before each wax. It's a waste of clay and soap and will eventually wear through your top coat.

Typically before winter I will do a sealant on the paint and then a layer of carnauba wax, not the other way around.
 
Typically you use the DA polisher(dual action) to get the imperfections out then sustain with the washes,waxes,quick wax sprays and detailer sprays.
But that one time you use it, it pays for itself. You will be glad you bought it. Night and day difference.
The thought of doing a car with all the voodoo by hand makes me want to take a nap.

Harbor freight has a DA for around the 60 mark. Also some pads will be needed.
Entertaining the thought is half the battle. A few dollars spent will pimp your car.
 


the buffer does a better job hands down. ive done the hand compound, and its worthless.


when you work the buffer you do a 2 foot x 2 foot area at a time tops. you work a box out line, then work the buffer up and down with a 50% over lap side to side, then do the same left and right. repeat 4 to 5 times for each box you do.

when you first start and wipe that first box clean with a micro fiber rag, it just shines back at you . like looking into a mirror. its all it takes to get you amped up to do the whole car.

and how smooth the paint feels vs the old not worked paint.
 
I was planning on getting a 3m rubbing compound and a polish glaze they have, one of my painters that I know uses it and he suggested it. I have the pads just not the actual compounds yet. Don't know if something from say autozone or Walmart will be good for now to try it out.
 
i was a detailer for toyota untill a year ago. we always used products from a company called car bright. made by valvolene.. i loved thier products but i liked the meguiars ultimate compund for the intitial stages they do have clay bars very good ones in a two step process. i know they had two to choose from. and they had a pre wax glaze you would use after clay, after compund,then glaze, wax, mirrior polisher. after all of that was done there was no way water would stay on the car we would have to have a constant stream of water to make the car wet enough to wash again
 


also dont go for a bead in water.. go for a sheet. you want the water to sheet off once youre done with it.. reason being ( in my belief) is that when you have beads of water on your car. those beads turn into little little magnifying glasses and intesify the UV rays that damage paint. so i say if it beads its not protected enough, paint that is.
 
Lmao unless you have a really crappy paint job even then I don't ever see beading having a negative effect on your paint.
 
Is this stuff I can get at the store as mentioned above?
Also is clay bar a must? Never used it before. Also does everything have to be specific down to the name. It's all very confusing to me that is why I ask.
 
3m rubbing compound you can get just about anywhere. Glazes you can also get locally I'm not 100% if 3m sells a OTC one but there's also meguiars show care glaze #7 that's available if worse comes to worse. Well a clay bar isn't 100% necessary but it can pick up and remove contaminants/spots that some products won't touch. Now if your going to polish wax your car hell yea you want to clay bar it first.. So that your not dragging contaminants that's stuck on your paint across. Think about sandpaper rubbing against your hood..that's similar to what can happen if you just throw on some quick wax and using a microfiber. Clay also removes any old wax or polish and stripes the paint down to the clear coat so u have a fresh base to work it

Cliff notes
Yes buy clay it's cheap and well worth it and doesn't take long to do, oh and it's simple.
 
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