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Quick Question Wax/Polish/Rubbing Comp

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Shake_Zula

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Hey guys its beginning to get warmer here in Schererville IN. So Today I bought some Turtle Wax w/Carnauba (Paste) and Liquid Ice Polish, 1500 WET/dry Grit sand paper, 2000 WET/Dry Grit Sand paper, 7inch Polisher and I have some Turtle Wax rubbing compound I have for minor scratches.

I am not really sure what order to work. Wax or Polish first?
I have a couple scuff marks and minor scratches that look like there just in the clear coat.
When do I use the Rubbing Compound?
Should I wash in between Wax/Polish and rubbing compound?
Should I use the 7inch polisher when waxing or polishing or both?

Ive been reading on how to use each item, but the other in which to use them is kinda throwing me off.

I have a couple rough spots on the lower part of the bumper that go down to the primer. There small chips and inside is just black. I figured I would just get some spray paint and use a toothpick to fill those in. Other than the correct paint, will I need to put clear coat over that?

Any Info is appreciated Thanks guys

P.S. anyone know the color code for the 04+ GP's that are Blue/Green Crystal?
 


Rubbing compound is probably a lot more aggressive than what you need. You want to remove as little clear coat as possible to make the swirls disappear. I don't think our clear coat is thick enough to wet sand safely, but you'd need a thickness gage to be certain.

Here's a good place to start: We Are Car Care -- Car Wax, Car Polish, Auto Detailing Supplies, Car Buffers & Car Accessories Store
They have a good selection of products and a lot of tutorials and information.

If you're looking for minor to moderate swirl removal, I'd recommend getting two polishes. One moderately abrasive polish (I used Menzerna Intensive Polish on the badly scratched areas. Then, you'll want a less abrasive finishing polish to remove minor swirls from the rest of the car without remove too much clearcoat. I used Menzerna Final Polish on mine. You'll also want different pads, as some pads are more abrasive than others.

If you've never polished before, I'd recommend a random orbital buffer (like the Porter Cable 7424) over a rotary. It's much less likely to cause permanent damage to your finish.
 
As for which order to go in, I'd recommend:

  • Wash
  • Claybar (to remove contaminants and old waxes)
  • Wash (to remove claybar residue)
  • Polish (to remove minor scratches and swirls)
  • Wash (to remove any polish residue)
Your paint will now be clean, free of contaminants, and smooth. It will also be exposed to the elements, so you'll need something to protect it. Your options are:

  • Glaze: Gives a deeper, wetter looking finish, but doesn't provide a lot of protection. Should always have sealant or wax applied over it.
  • Sealant
  • Wax
Here's a good writeup on the differences between waxes and sealants.
 
You don't need anything so involved to get rid of swirls. After a few applications of turtle wax Ice my swirls were gone. When I finally clayed the car, I saw them come back but of course I just waxed it right after that (wash in between, of course). I used P21S Concourse wax with carnauba and haven't seen any swirls since, and that was back in July.
 
Warhellride said:
As for which order to go in, I'd recommend:

  • Wash
  • Claybar (to remove contaminants and old waxes)
  • Wash (to remove claybar residue)
  • Polish (to remove minor scratches and swirls)
  • Wash (to remove any polish residue)
Your paint will now be clean, free of contaminants, and smooth. It will also be exposed to the elements, so you'll need something to protect it. Your options are:

  • Glaze: Gives a deeper, wetter looking finish, but doesn't provide a lot of protection. Should always have sealant or wax applied over it.
  • Sealant
  • Wax
Here's a good writeup on the differences between waxes and sealants.
Click to expand...

wait why do you wash after polish? i always just went straight from the polish to the wax. is that ok? it shines like a mofo...
 


MNGP07 said:
wait why do you wash after polish? i always just went straight from the polish to the wax. is that ok? it shines like a mofo...
Click to expand...
It's probably not necessary, but I just like to make sure there's no residue left over.

Edit: Some polishes (including Menzerna) leave a residue from the lubricants in the polish. After polishing my new car, I used Menzerna Top Inspection to clean off any residue.
 
Last edited:
Sabrewings said:
You don't need anything so involved to get rid of swirls. After a few applications of turtle wax Ice my swirls were gone. When I finally clayed the car, I saw them come back but of course I just waxed it right after that (wash in between, of course). I used P21S Concourse wax with carnauba and haven't seen any swirls since, and that was back in July.
Click to expand...
It depends a lot on what color car you have. Some waxes are very good at hiding swirls, especially on lighter colored cars. I try to remove as little clear coat as possible, and hide what I can with wax, but on a darker car (e.g. Redfire Metallic or black) pretty much everything shows up. I thought my Redfire Metallic GP looked good just hiding the swirls, until I polished it and saw how clear the paint was.

A full polish regimen can be a PITA, but you should only have to go through something like that once if you take care of it.
 
Shake_Zula said:
Hey guys its beginning to get warmer here in Schererville IN. So Today I bought some Turtle Wax w/Carnauba (Paste) and Liquid Ice Polish, 1500 WET/dry Grit sand paper, 2000 WET/Dry Grit Sand paper, 7inch Polisher and I have some Turtle Wax rubbing compound I have for minor scratches.

I am not really sure what order to work. Wax or Polish first?
I have a couple scuff marks and minor scratches that look like there just in the clear coat.
When do I use the Rubbing Compound?
Should I wash in between Wax/Polish and rubbing compound?
Should I use the 7inch polisher when waxing or polishing or both?

Ive been reading on how to use each item, but the other in which to use them is kinda throwing me off.

I have a couple rough spots on the lower part of the bumper that go down to the primer. There small chips and inside is just black. I figured I would just get some spray paint and use a toothpick to fill those in. Other than the correct paint, will I need to put clear coat over that?

Any Info is appreciated Thanks guys

P.S. anyone know the color code for the 04+ GP's that are Blue/Green Crystal?
Click to expand...
Schererville huh?, im from dyer, nice to meet you
 


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