How often to buff

[nola]

I know to wax my vehicle every 3 months, but how often should I buff the car?

[Murr1525]

Re: How often to buff

It depends what you mean by buff.

If you are waiting 3 months, you would certainly want to use a cleaner, or cleaner/wax type product before you wax. And those can certainly be applied by hand or machine.

[nola]

Re: How often to buff

Thanks. I read that you should use a polisher only twice because using it more would eat at the clear coat.

[Paul S]

Re: How often to buff

The paint condition will dictate how often it will need correction. Once a car has had the swirls and defects removed and been polished , the way it is washed and maintained will determine how often further correction will be needed. Various other things also come into play such as is the car a daily driver or garage queen. Once the compounding and prep work is done and followed by the LSP of your choice then proper washing and maintenance will lengthen the time between major detailing.The amount of corrections that any one car will take is dependent on paint thickness. The average car will take quite a few normal compoundings without any problems. No two cars or contitions will probably be the same. It will help to know what you are working on and a little history of the car.

[nothelle]

Re: How often to buff

As long as it's properly cared for (good washing, maintaining), should take no more than a full detail job once a year and probably minor one bi-annually.

[Fly Bye]

Re: How often to buff

I read that you should use a polisher only twice because using it more would eat at the clear coat.

That's an old wives tale.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: How often to buff

As Paul S states, the paint condition will dictate the need for paint cleaning, whether by hand or with a D/A buffer. If your wash & dry process is done properly, and your paint is not overly sensitive, you may not need to do this for a year or more. If you find you're constantly finding new swirls and other defects showing up, you need to review your maintenance program rather than figure out the least aggressive way to remove these defects time after time.

Read through this article for some pointers on keeping a finish looking good between paint cleaning sessions.