Is it too late to polish? Newbie questions here....

[wsudu]

Ok, I have a Black TL and I bought it used, so I have no history as to what happened in care previous to me...so I thought I would start from scratch. I wash with GC soap to start and see what I am up against and there were scratches and swirls everywhere. Next, I just went for the best cleaner (Ultimate Compound) and used a polisher to work it in. WOW, that stuff got rid of all of it. Great. Next I went with GC paste and put a coat of wax down. I went with GC instead of NXT because they say Carnuba makes black especially shine deeper but I need more frequent application over synthetic waxes.....true? I didn't know about polish until later, can I polish on top of a wax job or should I just wait until next time? If so, that's ok....I will just put my second coat on and be good, but then wait how long until the next job? And then, do I start back over with Ultimate Compound to remove the wax? So much stuff to know......Thanks!

[Fly Bye]

Re: Is it too late to polish? Newbie questions here....



It's true, synthetic polymers last longer than traditional caranuba waxes. As far as polish... Wait until you wax again, seeing as you just applied GC.

[wsudu]

Re: Is it too late to polish? Newbie questions here....

It's true, synthetic polymers last longer than traditional caranuba waxes. As far as polish... Wait until you wax again, seeing as you just applied GC.

How long until another coat of GC - 24hrs? Then how long until the next wax session or how will I know when?

[Fly Bye]

Re: Is it too late to polish? Newbie questions here....


There are a lot of variables that dictate how long a wax will last. Heat, repeated washings are two variables.

I wouldn't wait 24 hours to apply a second coat. If you really are itching to try the polish, enjoy the new shine for at least 3-6 weeks, then go from there.

[Fly Bye]

Re: Is it too late to polish? Newbie questions here....

how long until the next wax session or how will I know when?

Water not beading like it did when you first waxed is one way to tell if there is any wax left. Whether or not a mf towel glides smoothly/effortlessly across the paint could be an indication.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Is it too late to polish? Newbie questions here....

We would suggest waiting until the next time you need to wax before using a pure polish. How long that will be is dependent on many factors, as Fly Bye points out. A great indicator that it's probably time for a fresh coat of wax is when your towel no longer glides as easily when using a quick detail spray. Since you just waxed the car, try using one of these products now and get a good feel for easily it wipes off/dries and how the towel glides over the paint. When the wax has deteriorated a quick detail spray won't wipe off as easily and the towel will start to drag a bit.