Polishing a car - artful dodger {P}
On Monday my wife picked up a 4 month old Kia Rio with 2,500 mile on the clock from a Kia dealer. They offered the usual paint and fabric protection package for £299, which we declined.

I have been thinking of using Autoglym resin polish as it has a UV protection built in. The car is in bright red, non-metallic, and I am worried about it going pink. The car has been waxed and water droplets are beading nicely at present. Should I remove this polish before using the resin polish and what should I use?

I am intending to do 2 or 3 coats of resin polish. This may possibly followed by several coats of Extra Gloss Wax, or would it be better to increase the number of coats of resin polish.

Also would it be best to use an electric polisher or do it all by hand?

Any comments would be appreciated as we intend to keep this car for 6 to 8 years.

PS My wife has only let me move the car 20 feet so far, so I cannot judge what it is truly like but she is very impressed.


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Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
Polishing a car - Roger Jones
My understanding is that Super Resin Polish is very mildly abrasive. I would think that one application of that is enough, but then pile on as many coats of Extra Gloss Protection as you have energy for, leaving each one at least several hours (a day if you can) to dry/bond before polishing, as Autoglym say that this significantly increases its effectiveness: "Once applied, leave EGP for as long as possible before polishing off. By waiting two hours or more, the resins will continue to cure and work even better" (from their booklet, Car Care: an Expert Guide; they also have a video/DVD). You're dead right to be rigorous about all this with a non-metallic red car.

You could contact Autoglym for further advice. They're usually receptive and helpful.

www.autoglym.co.uk/index2.html
Tel 01462 677766
Fax 01462 677712
Polishing a car - Roberson
If the current wax coating is good enough to form tight water beads, I would say the current wax protection is fine, in which case just leave it for the time being. It?s usually only necessary to apply wax 2 or so times a year. In any case, as long as it has a good coating with any wax, it probably wont turn pink.

Personally, I think your wasting your time and money putting several coats of wax on your car. Once is usually sufficient unless the cars paint is past its best, but in your case, this is probably not true.

Also, there are far better waxes/sealants out there now than Autoglym. Meguiars is highly recommended on here but I much prefer Bilt-Hambers 'AutoBalm'. No hard work and no dust but with a first class finish and is the only wax to seal well enough to stop rust if applied to bare metal.

bilthamber.com/


Polishing a car - bell boy
i agree with roberson just give it a good polish 3/4 times a year and keep the money saved for a nice weekend away.
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\"a little man in a big world/\"
Polishing a car - Roger Jones
I've always wondered how often you really do need to wax a car. As I have mine valeted, I let him pile it on every time as I'm paying for it anyway, but is there any solid empirical evidence out there showing that doing it more than, say, every quarter at most is simply a waste of time? And does excessive application of wax have any ill effects?
Polishing a car - Lud
Yes, anyone ever noticed waxy yellow build-up on the pale silver coachwork of some cosseted projectile?
Polishing a car - pmh
Is fading of red non metallic paint still a problem? My (bright) red 1996 Fiesta only shows a slight discoloration on the plastic fuel filler cap. The rest of the car paint work is as new, probably because it has never been polished! Just washed every 2 years.
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pmh (was peter)


Polishing a car - Lud
It's never, ever, a 'problem' except in the eye of the beholder, unless the finish dissolves completely followed by the rest of the structure.

Like the sound of that polish alleged to protect bare metal, but suppose it's just a sound really...
Polishing a car - Roberson
Like the sound of that polish alleged to protect bare metal,
but suppose it's just a sound really...


Nope, no joke. Practical Classics applied a coat of wax to a bare metal panel and subjected them to 72 hours of salt spray, to which Auto-Balm was the only one of those tested to prevent rust. Also gave one of the best finishes. Also see: www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=33358&...e

Polishing a car - Victorbox
As someone who has polished a 17 year old non-metallic bright red (Carimine Red) Vauxhall from new, I can confirm that Autoglym Super Resin polish used once every 12 months has stopped it ever going pink or even slightly off red. I've never used the Extra Gloss Protection.
Polishing a car - artful dodger {P}
Thank you for all your replies and links to previous discussions on wax polishes.

I think I might now use Turtle Wax Gloss Guard, which came top in the Auto Express product test.
www.autoexpress.co.uk/product_test/55103/car_polis...l

My main worry has been to stop the red fading, but I think you have reduced my worry by suggesting regular polishing should stop this happening, if it happens at all. I certainly do not want a part pink car!



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Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
Polishing a car - caesar
if the paint work is in good condition you should not need to keep useing polish. You should only need to use a wax to seal the paint.If it were my car i would wash,clay,polish,wax.Then just keep topping the wax!!