Polish before wax or not?

[Chrishazle]

I've decided i'm going to purchase the following for when i eventually get round to doing mine:

1. Bilt Hamber Clay Bar for after washing:

http://www.bilthamber.com/pro-introduction.php?cname=Clays, Wax :: Polish&name=auto-clay regular

2. Then polish using the Menzerna Final Finish PO 85 RE 5.

3. Use Isopropanol alcohol (IPA) to wipe the car down after polishing

4. Then use Bilt Hamber Auto Balm:

http://www.bilthamber.com/pro-introduction.php?cname=Clays, Wax :: Polish&name=auto-balm

5. Then finish with R222 Carnauba Wax:

R222 Concours Look Carnauba Wax | Original Wax | FREE UK DELIVERY

Well, that's the plan anyway!

One thing missing from your list..........

Large can of elbow grease. Believe it or not, Bodyshop used to sell it, my children bought me a tub of it for Xmas years ago, still have it somewhere!

On a more serious note, if you or a friend have a Costco card, they do mega packs of microfibre cloths cheap, about 20 to a pack, would be really handy with all the work you plan to do.

I used the Bilt Hamber regular when I clayed both my cars last year - you'll only need 1/4 of the block to do your car, and you only need water as the lubricant.

Remember to take before and after photos!

 

[Superspec]

Always polish before wax. Polish will generally help to correct defects like swirling and oxidisation and will help you achieve a depth of shine. Polish offers your car no protection though.

Wax will improve the liquidity of the shine significantly as well as protecting your paintwork.

If you have the time and inclination (and a small budget) you could produce some amazing results....

Check out Car Care | Car Care Products | Car Covers | FREE UK Delivery for detailing stuff......as an aside my Merc is in this months competition - it's the first time I've done any detailing but I am very pleased with results.

 

[300CE]

One thing missing from your list..........

Large can of elbow grease. Believe it or not, Bodyshop used to sell it, my children bought me a tub of it for Xmas years ago, still have it somewhere!

On a more serious note, if you or a friend have a Costco card, they do mega packs of microfibre cloths cheap, about 20 to a pack, would be really handy with all the work you plan to do.

I used the Bilt Hamber regular when I clayed both my cars last year - you'll only need 1/4 of the block to do your car, and you only need water as the lubricant.

Remember to take before and after photos!

Haha, cheers Chris, good idea with regards to the Costco card. I'll certainly post up some pictures once it's been done.

 

[300CE]

Always polish before wax. Polish will generally help to correct defects like swirling and oxidisation and will help you achieve a depth of shine. Polish offers your car no protection though.

Wax will improve the liquidity of the shine significantly as well as protecting your paintwork.

If you have the time and inclination (and a small budget) you could produce some amazing results....

Check out Car Care | Car Care Products | Car Covers | FREE UK Delivery for detailing stuff......as an aside my Merc is in this months competition - it's the first time I've done any detailing but I am very pleased with results.

Cheers Superspec, I've heard good things about Bilt Hamber Auto Balm as it also provides an anticorrosion barrier and will use that after polishing and before using the R222. Good luck with the competition, do you have any pics available at all or can they be viewed on the website?!

 

[Chrishazle]

Just noticed you're in Sidcup, so ultimatefinish are not too far away from you at Brands Hatch. I've bought a few things from them, and had some good advice over the phone, so would recommend them. The competition photos are on their website, and it's worth being on their mailing list for their special offers.

 

[300CE]

Just noticed you're in Sidcup, so ultimatefinish are not too far away from you at Brands Hatch. I've bought a few things from them, and had some good advice over the phone, so would recommend them. The competition photos are on their website, and it's worth being on their mailing list for their special offers.

Yeah, they're a few units down from where i bought my bike from. Have subscribed today

 

[billywhiz]

Polish over wax = good - try and get rid of as much contamination as possible, tar, fallout, etc.

Simple rules as applied to anything - preparation is the key

Stay away from sponges,chamois, dry blades etc - Got Colly 476 on the 55, nice looking finish, easy to apply

 

[bostonmj]

wow, you guys are speaking a different language.
Looks like I need to research this subject and polish my car properly.

 

[Chrishazle]

If you want to research, and have lots of time to spare - A world for detailers.... Just lock you wallet away before you start reading!

 

[bostonmj]

Tks,

Will do

 

[bigbear]

It has been mentioned polish before wax, I thought they were the same thing can you explain the difference?

 

[effbee584]

chocolateobrian - Thanks for the photos, the scooby looks great, looks like a good weekend coming up to tackle my Merc

 

[chocolateobrian]

chocolateobrian - Thanks for the photos, the scooby looks great, looks like a good weekend coming up to tackle my Merc

Not a problem buddy. Sorry about not replying sooner, I've just become a dad as of Wednesday morning :bannana:

Anywho, now I've got a couple weeks off, I'll get down to the important stuff - cleaning the Merc

Had a nice big box of stuff from Car Care Products | Detailing Products | Free UK Delivery a couple days ago. Big ass container of Autosmart Tardis and some chemical bottles, some more applicators and microfibres and a nice new lambswool wash mitt

Day on exterior and day on interior should see some worthwhile results.

 

[artyman]

..........I've just become a dad as of Wednesday morning :bannana:

Congratulations

 

[johny5_uk]

Not a problem buddy. Sorry about not replying sooner, I've just become a dad as of Wednesday morning :bannana:

Anywho, now I've got a couple weeks off, I'll get down to the important stuff - cleaning the Merc

Had a nice big box of stuff from Car Care Products | Detailing Products | Free UK Delivery a couple days ago. Big ass container of Autosmart Tardis and some chemical bottles, some more applicators and microfibres and a nice new lambswool wash mitt

Day on exterior and day on interior should see some worthwhile results.

Thanks for the link to polishedbliss.co.uk it's probably the most comprehensive site with streams of detailed information that I have seen yet!

The car care section at the bottom of the page is invaluable and I know I need the BLACKFIRE WET ICE OVER FIRE KIT but it's out of stock

 

[reflexboy]

I SRP then FK1000P.

Just got some FK1000P. Washed, AG SRP then two coats of FK yesterday and a third this morning and the shine is wicked-(well, as wicked as you can get on a silver car)-God, I loved shining up my black Chavalier SRi when I was a teenager

 

[jefrs]

It has been mentioned polish before wax, I thought they were the same thing can you explain the difference?

A polish is an abrasive, even if it is a mild one like AG SRP
- every time you use a polish, you rub some of the paint off. You will see paint colour on the polish rag. Rubbing paint off every time you wash the car is probably a bad idea.

Some unctions seem to be fillers and sealers e.g. AG Ultra Deep Shine (UDS).
- these fill in micro scratches and seal the surface (doh!). The paint does not colour up the application rag.

A wax is a sealer, it provides an impervious seal to the paint after polishing and filling etc. A polymer "wax" cross-links as it cures making a plastic coating (usually "metalized", use mildly alkaline soap solution to remove). Carnauba wax comes from a palm tree and can set as hard as concrete, and it buffs up very nice and shiny.

 

[jefrs]

Not a problem buddy. Sorry about not replying sooner, I've just become a dad as of Wednesday morning :bannana:

Anywho, now I've got a couple weeks off, I'll get down to the important stuff - cleaning the Merc

Had a nice big box of stuff from Car Care Products | Detailing Products | Free UK Delivery a couple days ago. Big ass container of Autosmart Tardis and some chemical bottles, some more applicators and microfibres and a nice new lambswool wash mitt

Day on exterior and day on interior should see some worthwhile results.

Baby's got to have a clean Merc to ride in - congratulations!

 

[reflexboy]

I've been busy and now have sore pinkies!! The black specs are dirt NOT tar

 

[JOB-BLACK-RAT]

Polish takes off? Wax goes on?

Wax on

Wax off

Danielson







Sorry, I'll get my coat