How many times should i polish + wax the car?

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How many times should i polish + wax the car?
Topic Started: Sun Jul 5, 2009 3:24 pm (356 Views)
surreyboy	Sun Jul 5, 2009 3:24 pm Post #1
Member Posts: 334 Group: Members Member #4,228 Joined: June 3, 2009	Hi just given the car a good wash,then a polish and a wax What should i do next? Just give it a wash each week ?( Which i have been doing ) or Wash + Polish each week then a wax each month? Must say the car does look much better now Thanks in advance Lee



merc190uk	Sun Jul 5, 2009 3:44 pm Post #2
Steve Posts: 7,525 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: November 1, 2005	i too await the responses wax/polish what way round ? both ? i use polish (autoglym) should i then wax too ! jeeez it will take forever



skutter	Sun Jul 5, 2009 4:17 pm Post #3
I am NOT a brummy!!! Posts: 1,416 Group: Members Member #1,627 Joined: August 18, 2007	I polish with colourmagic first, then a super resin polish after



toff190	Sun Jul 5, 2009 4:26 pm Post #4
190 Mob Member and a Wise Guy. Posts: 3,448 Group: Members Member #2,544 Joined: April 18, 2008	I Autoglym mine once a month also Autoglym tyres and bumpers on a monthly basis.



surreyboy	Sun Jul 5, 2009 6:32 pm Post #5
Member Posts: 334 Group: Members Member #4,228 Joined: June 3, 2009	So a good thing would be to polish + wax once a month then?



toff190	Sun Jul 5, 2009 7:35 pm Post #6
190 Mob Member and a Wise Guy. Posts: 3,448 Group: Members Member #2,544 Joined: April 18, 2008	surreyboy Sun Jul 5, 2009 6:32 pm So a good thing would be to polish + wax once a month then? Well i do, but its entirely up to you really



medhyk	Sun Jul 5, 2009 7:50 pm Post #7
Newbie Posts: 19 Group: Members Member #3,465 Joined: November 6, 2008	surreyboy Sun Jul 5, 2009 3:24 pm Hi just given the car a good wash,then a polish and a wax What should i do next? Just give it a wash each week ?( Which i have been doing ) or Wash + Polish each week then a wax each month? Must say the car does look much better now Thanks in advance Lee Concentrate on the oily bits...and chuck a bucket of soapy water over the car when it is raining and you have nothing else to do.



aemt	Sun Jul 5, 2009 7:58 pm Post #8
Member Posts: 2,907 Group: Members Member #3,171 Joined: September 1, 2008	It realy depends on how often your are going to do the car. I give it a good wash with autoglyn every week which removes most of the crud and rejuvinates the wax.. Then depending on how the wax coat is looking I would top the wax coat up propably every two to three weeks. I polish as seldom as possible as polish is an abrasive and removes the build up of wax and clear coat if a lack of wax on the car.



merc190uk	Sun Jul 5, 2009 8:09 pm Post #9
Steve Posts: 7,525 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: November 1, 2005	so wash then polish then wax later wash and just wax didnt know that so really big tubs of polish are a waste of time then as it would mean they are a one hit wonder in theory i dont have any wax



aemt	Sun Jul 5, 2009 8:27 pm Post #10
Member Posts: 2,907 Group: Members Member #3,171 Joined: September 1, 2008	It depends on how good a finish you have achieved to your paintwork through polishing. Between polishing and claybarring I have got a very smooth paint finish to most of our cars. Once you get it to that stage a regular hand wash (as opposed to brush) with a good product will keep the crud off the paintwork. By hand washing you can feel how smooth the surface is. If it is rough even after a wash its time to polish again then add a coat of wax. Remember that wax and polish are or should be two different finishes. A build up of the wax layers will add more levels of protection to the paintwork. I also add a finishing coat once the wax has been applied to prolong the life of the wax. It only takes ten minutes



Tim.W	Sun Jul 5, 2009 8:33 pm Post #11
Sportline Crazy Posts: 1,224 Group: Members Member #1,655 Joined: September 1, 2007	merc190uk Sun Jul 5, 2009 8:09 pm so wash then polish then wax later wash and just wax didnt know that so really big tubs of polish are a waste of time then as it would mean they are a one hit wonder in theory i dont have any wax Just do what im going to do... Polish like hell just before retro, then just wash with wax shampoo for the rest of the year!



NEIL	Mon Jul 6, 2009 9:08 am Post #12
Fewer Posts than Kenny Posts: 16,161 Group: Members Member #63 Joined: November 18, 2005	I only give my car a 'serious' polish twice a year. Any more, and I'd be going through the paint a bit too quickly. The odd light once-over with AG SRP is barely going to remove any paint at all, but tbh it's more worthwhile if you seal the job with Wax or Paint Sealant after polishing, as already said.



nullogik	Mon Jul 6, 2009 9:14 am Post #13
190LE Owner Posts: 628 Group: Members Member #2,274 Joined: February 14, 2008	An interesting read. I polish mine every six months, wax it probably every 3-4 weeks and wash it every 2 weeks or so depending on how dusty the car is (and obviously before I wax or polish it). I'm sure I do overkill on the waxing side of things but I want to build up a good layer of wax to prevent corrosion or damage to the paint. Merc190UK, I recommend Collinite wax. After reading the good reviews of it on DetailingWorld and using it for a year I can wholeheartedly agree with the guys on that forum. It doesn't cost a fortune - �15 a tin, and a 13 months later I still have half a tin remaining. You'd easily spend that kind of money on a bog standard off the shelf wax at your local auto parts store. Edited by nullogik, Mon Jul 6, 2009 9:16 am.



MadMike	Mon Jul 6, 2009 9:28 am Post #14
Member Posts: 3,842 Group: Members Member #1,062 Joined: March 15, 2007	nullogik Mon Jul 6, 2009 9:14 am I recommend Collinite wax. Can I ask which one you use ? I just looked it up and there seems to be a couple available....476....915 ....... 845. Mike. Edited by MadMike, Mon Jul 6, 2009 9:29 am.



nullogik	Mon Jul 6, 2009 10:28 am Post #15
190LE Owner Posts: 628 Group: Members Member #2,274 Joined: February 14, 2008	MadMike Mon Jul 6, 2009 9:28 am nullogik Mon Jul 6, 2009 9:14 am I recommend Collinite wax. Can I ask which one you use ? I just looked it up and there seems to be a couple available....476....915 ....... 845. Mike. Yep, I use Collinite 476s on my LE. There is a picture of it here: http://s14.zetaboards.com/mercedes_190_club/topic/6571061/1/ There isn't much difference in finish between 476s and 915 Marque D'Elegance. Some on DetailingWorld claim that 915 produces a nicer finish on darker colours (has slightly more carnauba content than 476s) and that in terms of durability 476s has a slight advantage over 915. IMO I can't tell the difference between the two in terms of finish - though 476s is quite a bit cheaper than 915. Whatever you choose you'll have a great wax to work with, I think 476s will suit you just fine. I pulled this off Collinite's FAQ: 4) What is the difference between the 476s and the 915 Marque D�Elegance? In terms of durability, the 476s lasts an average of one month longer than the 915. The 915 has more carnauba wax in the formula, and its finishing result is a warmer shine, and it is slightly easier to work with. The 476s is the most durable product offered by Collinite, which is why it requires a little more rubbing and elbow grease. 6) How long does your wax last? Liquid/Gel Wax (845 and 925): 5-7 months depending on UV exposure. Paste Wax (476, 885): 9-11 Months depending on UV exposure. Marque D�Elegance (915): 8-10 months depending on UV exposure Keeping your car in the sun all the time will slightly reduce these figures, and so will washing your car constantly with highly potent grease-cutting soaps. The wax is meant to protect your paint from the elements, so anything more than a non-abrasive soap is not necessary. Many times, hosing off your vehicle and drying it off with a towel will keep it looking great while preserving the coat of wax you applied.



MadMike	Mon Jul 6, 2009 10:34 am Post #16
Member Posts: 3,842 Group: Members Member #1,062 Joined: March 15, 2007	Thanks for that, I will give it a try.



NEIL	Mon Jul 6, 2009 10:39 am Post #17
Fewer Posts than Kenny Posts: 16,161 Group: Members Member #63 Joined: November 18, 2005	Brilliant, thanks fellas. I will go for 915 methinks - products designed for dark cars seem to really work wonders bringing out the depth in Signal Red.



Matt	Mon Jul 6, 2009 11:57 am Post #18
Administrator - Hawk Eye Posts: 14,126 Group: Admin Member #20 Joined: November 8, 2005	merc190uk Sun Jul 5, 2009 3:44 pm i too await the responses wax/polish what way round ? both ? i use polish (autoglym) should i then wax too ! jeeez it will take forever It should always be polish and then wax Look at the polish as a very light cutting liquid. It will remove dirt build up on the clear coat of the paint. Once polished, this will leave the areas 'open' to the elements, which is why you would need to wax after. The wax is just a protective layer. You shouldn't have to polish that much during the year, but just top up the wax layer every now and then if you notice it starts to loose its water dissipation. Too much polish can be bad over time.



merc190uk	Mon Jul 6, 2009 6:01 pm Post #19
Steve Posts: 7,525 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: November 1, 2005	well thats me sorted then thanks all for helping me out too



aemt	Mon Jul 6, 2009 6:20 pm Post #20
Member Posts: 2,907 Group: Members Member #3,171 Joined: September 1, 2008	merc190uk Mon Jul 6, 2009 6:01 pm well thats me sorted then thanks all for helping me out too I am amazed that no one has volunteered to detail your car for you. What sort of forum is this. Instead of drinking and loutish behaviour at Retro the members could muck in to sort your car out for you Boss.



surreyboy	Mon Jul 6, 2009 11:15 pm Post #21
Member Posts: 334 Group: Members Member #4,228 Joined: June 3, 2009	It was so much easier when i let the African boys clean my car at my local sainsburys :-) Thanks for all the advice Lee



cookwibble	Wed Jul 8, 2009 2:43 pm Post #22
Member Posts: 75 Group: Members Member #4,334 Joined: June 29, 2009	and dont use washing up liquid to wash the car! it will cut through the wax



moomycossie	Wed Jul 8, 2009 3:29 pm Post #23
2.3-16v engine now in Posts: 3,065 Group: Members Member #2,263 Joined: February 12, 2008	what i dont get is why they advertise wax as polish, they always put polish on the lable too so i think to myself i wont use that as i have polished the car already. if its wax then just say wax dont put polish. rant over



surreyboy	Thu Jul 9, 2009 5:44 am Post #24
Member Posts: 334 Group: Members Member #4,228 Joined: June 3, 2009	I get confused by that too, wonder why they do that ?



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