Wax on Wax off...or is that Polish on......

[Guidedog]

I am 100% positive that everyone will have a view on this question. I plan on spending the two weeks I have before I get my license back waxing and polishing my new (new to me) Elise.

Which Polish have you guys had luck with?

Which Wax have you found to give the best protection?

There seems to be quite a lot of confusion even in the industry in exactly what product does what and even in the advertising of products it appears they cant work out their arse from their elbow.

I checked out AutoExpress's web site but I am always a little pessamistic that they favour one brand over another. I look forward to some suggestions.

guidedog

[ryallm]

I think a lot depends on what state the paintwork is in to start with. I have had my car from new and it is always garaged, so I have only ever used Turtle Wax top coat sealant, which is a non abrasive wax and gives great results. When you are trying to restore a shine to a car that has been exposed to the elements more it gets a lot more involved, but I have always found Autoglym products to be pretty good.

Mark

BTW greetings from Roslin too - I work at the Midlothian Innovation centre just up the road.

[dezzy]

I used to use Autoglym products, but was totally converted when I tried stuff from http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk . They stock mostly American stuff and I now mostly use Poorboy's products. Their polishes and natural carnuba wax are amazing. Email the guys on that website and they'll give you plenty of free advice.

D

[Shug]

Car care forum maybe?

[Guidedog]

Thanks Shug... but i should point out that Polishing and waxing my car is about as technical as i get.

Will, however, endevour to keep my topics in the correct forums.



guidedog

[Paolo]

Guidedog polishing usually refers to removing some of the defects in the paint - light scratches, swirl marks, oxidation etc. There are different types of polish however which is where the confusion lies. 'Pure' polishes (which are really only effective using a machine polisher / rotary) remove a little clear coat, removing the marks altogether (polishes like Menzerna etc). Other polishes which can achieve reasonable results use 'fillers' to mask the defects. It's not a permanent fix though, but can be done by hand (such as Autoglym's super resin polish).

Waxes and sealants are the 'last stage protection' and will either provide the shine, deep colour, protection or combinations of each. Obviously you can buy waxes and sealants from 5 quid to 7 grand and they will give differnent results on different cars / colours. It is however all in the prep if you're trying to achieve showcar status, (which is when you'll be ejected from the forum anyway)!!

Let me know how much you're planning to spend and I can recommend some products...

[DDtB]

BTW greetings from Roslin too - I work at the Midlothian Innovation centre just up the road.

I go there about once a month too.... where abouts in the centre are you??

Dave.