--- David Councill <dcouncil@imt.net> wrote:
> Well, my question, somewhat related is - what is the
> best way to care for
> and/or polish a newly or nice painted car?
Everyone has their own techniques, I guess, but here's
mine:
The first and most important thing in my opinion is
keep the car very clean. If it gets dirty or muddy or
dusty or otherwise sloppy, wash it as soon as you can.
I try to always wash my car with lots of cold water
and not much else. I try to avoid "rubbing" it clean
(which abreades the finish), but instead just let
water run all over the paint and wash off the muck by
itself, or with the pressure from a hose. If you keep
the car really clean all the time, this will be
enough, but if it gets really dirty, you'll have to
use a very small amount of car wash. But try to avoid
it and even if you have to, don't use too much soap.
Soap, even the best "auto soaps" will degrade the
protection afforded by your polish. No matter what
they claim.
Up until recently, I didn't use soap at all, and
companies like Ferrari and Aston Martin didn't
recommend using car soaps either. Both recommended
washing with cold water only. (Now both recommend
certain cleaning products, but I'm somewhat convinced
this has more to do with the marketing and sales of
"approved" products than any real advantage in finish
care).
If the car is cleaned all the time, and you don't use
too much soap, you won't have to polish/wax it very
often, which is good. Any time you're polishing or
waxing, you are abrading the surface of the finish -
or at least potentially abrading the surface of the
finish. Wash mitts, cloths, sponges, chamois, towels,
etc. all take minute particles of dust and grit and
grind them into your paint. Over time, even if you're
very careful, these particles start to create little
swirl marks and ultra-fine scratches. In a relatively
dark color - like your black tulip - this is
particularly noticeable. So you want to avoid any
kind of rubbing or wiping of the finish. I dry mine
with a blower, but if you don't want to be quite that
fanatical, use a microfiber drying towel, which is
probably the best thing around in terms of softness.
But just lightly drag enough water off to avoid spots.
Don't bear down on the paint or anything to dry it.
It isn't necessary and you could abrade the paint.
Oh, and as an aside, make sure you NEVER get other
chemicals on your paint. No Armor All overspray, no
Windex, no brake cleaner... nothing.
Then, when the car is clean and dry, use the polish of
your choice. Ask a hundred different people what the
best polish is, and you'll get a hundred different
answers. There's no hard and fast right or wrong.
There are "wax guys" and "polymer guys". I'm a
polymer guy. I use a product called Klasse, which is
a German-made acrylic polish (sorta the German
equivalent of Auto Glym, which is very similar and
also very good). It is not cheap, but it is
categorically awesome, and you use so little of it
(compared to waxes and other polishes) that it's
actually less expensive in the long run than using
some other products. The best part about Klasse is
that you can keep applying it - without waiting in
between "coats" - and the gloss will keep getting
deeper and more reflective each time. On a dark car,
two or three coats of Klasse makes the paint look like
inch-deep liquid. Plus, it won't stain black parts
white like wax. There's no chalky residue. In fact,
you can polish glass and plastic with Klasse as
well...
I personally don't like wax. The residue is
irritating, the gloss isn't as deep, and the
protection is no better than the acrylics.
If you keep the finish clean - very clean - you only
have to polish about two or three times a year. I
keep my car pretty spotless, and I still polish four
or five times a year, but that's just because I'm
crazy. I'm not really doing anything except making
myself feel good. The paint would be perfectly
protected even if I only waxed half as often. If your
polish is in good shape, it sheets water off like mad,
and when you run your hand over the paint it feels so
smooth it almost feels "soft". Klasse is really
pretty amazing.
But in short, your enemy is abrasion. You don't want
to abrade the paint. Any time you're rubbing on it,
you could be abrading it. Cheap cloths can have
synthetic fibers in them that will scratch the finish.
Wiping dirt off the car when you're washing it could
scratch the finish. It's my mantra... "don't abrade
the finish..."
This was all probably more than you wanted to know,
but it sure works for me. My black Alfa looks like
black glass, and it has for years. No swirl marks
whatseover.
(Oh, and don't ever use silicone-based protectants on
your vinyl or rubber. Not the interior or the
exterior. These dry out the vinyl and cause it to age
more rapidly. No "Armor All", no "Son of a Gun", no
"Finish 2001"... I use "303", which is water based
and has massive UV inhibitors. Disney World uses 303
for all their outdoor plastic and rubber, which bakes
in the sun all day, so it must be pretty good. Plus,
the finish is very "natural". Sort of a satin finish
that's not overly glossy.)
Cheers,
=====
Paul Misencik
1971 MGB Vintage Race Project
Huntersville, NC USA
www.sopwithracing.com
Learn the truth at www.misleader.org
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