My Mk6 Golf is a lovely pearl black paint job (did I mention I have a Golf Mk6?)
I want it to shine like a Sergeant Majors bulled up boots on parade day, and repel any 'orrible shower'.
Any recommendations? Of course, I have polished a car before, but do certain polishes suit certain colours?
(No, I won't be taking a hot spoon to it)
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Detailers will no doubt curl a lip, but I reckon the colour-specific polishes work well in everyday use.
They are easy to apply and polish off and do a reasonable job of hiding fine scratches.
Never used one on black, but green on my previous Focus and dark blue on the CC3 work well enough.
The finish might not win any concours prizes, but my car looks one of the best in the park and ride car park.
As I said, good for everyday use.
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Can you still buy that colour reinforcing polish you used to be able to get in the UK? I think it may have been made by Holts. My pal has bought a black BMW Z3 and polished it - with mediocre results. The stuff I remember used to bring my metallic black Prelude up a treat. I have promised him I will buy him some when I get to the UK in August if it still exists.
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I just used Turtle Wax Ice which was leant to me. It has no polishing particles in it, but was very impressed with it and it can polish everything, including black trim and plastic grille etc... and leaves no powder or white residue. What's more, it used so little the bottle will probably last 10 years.
Edited by Hamsafar on 28/07/2009 at 22:08
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Don't forget that polish is polish and wax is wax. Obviously!
No, being serious, I had a black car and found Autoglym polish followed by an Autoglym wax was a darn good combo. You can then top up the wax protection weekly/monthly with a spray quick detailer after you wash the car. Keeps water beading like water off a ducks back.
Autoglym is good stuff that is easily available in the shops, however if you want something even better then go down the specialist route and you will find a spray, wax, polish, cream etc for every part of your car. Do a web search for "detailing forum" and have a read what the specialists say.
One other thing with black cars is be careful how you wash it - a sponge on a un-rinsed car is a recipe for disaster. Rinsing, washing with a wash mit, double bucket method etc will help keep swirls to a minimum.
I'll shut up now before I dig myself further into geek car wash mode....
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I always use Autuglym super resin polish for the shine and to hide scratches as I have an old car. then I use the Autoglym Sealant to keep the polish and protect paint. Once I had a bit of paint sprayed on my previous car (while I taught in Exmouth, some twit was painting a house on a day that was windy). Well I got most of that sprayed paint off thanks to Autoglym Sealant. I also use Wonderwheels on my alloy wheels.
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You WILL be polishing the underneath won't you?
MD
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"I want it to shine like a Sergeant Major's bulled up boots on parade day, and repel any 'orrible shower'."
Something tells me an RSM wouldn't think much of 'pearl black' ! Army boot black is distinctly non-metallic.
I'd go along with Autoglym as above.
Edited by Avant on 29/07/2009 at 01:22
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I haven't been for a good Polish in ages.........
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Fee fie FSO fum......
Edited by Avant on 29/07/2009 at 01:34
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During my time in "the mob" our general staff cars were black in colour, it was generally accepted that to do a proper cleaning job took a full day. They were then inspected by the S/Sgt to determine if it passed muster. The first thing he did was to take a six inch ruler from his pocket and hold it against the different panels of the vehicle so that the ruler was at right angles to the car. If he could not read all the markings on the ruler in the reflection of the paint work you had to start all over again until it was done correctly, you `orrible scruffy driver ! The joints between the panels were the down fall of many, dried polish showing white. The more switched on amongst us detailed these joints with Cherry Blossom black, I never had to re-do a vehicle! After leaving the "mob" I attended a chauffeurs course at Rolls Royce and then was employed as a chauffeur for H.M.G. for 30yrs. My service experience of vehicle cleaning stood me in good stead, I have to smile every time I see neighbours doing the Sunday car washing, I have never yet seen one who knows the correct procedure for washing a vehicle !
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There's only one way to do it
www.corsasport.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?tid=3478...1
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Whatever you use, you might want to know that you can buy Diamondbrite treatment on EBay.
This is the stuff that valet firms use when you pay for special bodywork treatment when you buy a car.
It comes in two bottles- stage 1 is applied, then left to dry; then stage 2, which when dry is polished off.
Seems to be good for 6-12 months.
Although the stuff is about £15-20 you should get 3 or 4 treatments from it.
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Whatever you use you might want to know that you can buy Diamondbrite treatment on EBay. This is the stuff that valet firms use when you pay for special bodywork treatment when you buy a car.
I have used this myself on my newish Audi, it is okay and probably worth a tenner, but doesnt last anywhere near as long as their claims.
The holy grail I have found is the BMW Hardwax (Nanowax) treatment, also found on EBAY. This stuff is great, and the rain still beads even after numerous washes.
I minor work of warning though, the Nanowax is only really suited to newish cars or cars with near pristine paintwaor, ie no sun-oxidation etc.
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There's only one way to do it www.corsasport.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?tid=3478...1
He needs to get out more. Zonda or Veyron- Yes, but an Astra!. My mate, who spent £400K on cars last year alone would laugh.His F430 often looks like its done the RAC rally.
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There's only one way to do it www.corsasport.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?tid=3478...1
Thats crazy. i wonder if he ever takes the car outside. He should of saved all the money from buying polish and brought a better car.
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I also have a black car and use Meguirs Tech Wax 2.0. There is one without the 2.0 but it doesn't work as well. Best polish I have used on that particular colour by a mile
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What a total waste of time...it takes all sorts, of course. I see OCD in some cases here.
Quick as possible wash occasionally......Used to be £1.20 at the IMO before they went !
Polish the jet black Jowett now and again, use black color-magic....doesn't leave any white bits to get rid of.
Occasionally use polish on the bike, lots of plastic...Mr Sheen does for that, I can spray it on.
Clean the screen and my visor with nappy wipes, they rip the bugs off.
That's it for me !
Not sorry to be a slob !....life's too short.
Ted
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In the end I got some Autoglym Aqua Wax and a squeege to get rid of excess water. I have frozen shoulders from my Parkinson's, so not having to leather the car off is a bonus. By all accounts, reviews of the Aqua Wax have been positive.
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Aqua Wax is used to "top up" your existing wax and to help dry the car. Its a very popular and easy to use product, but it won't last long and is not really designed to be an LSP.
I'd look at Collinite range, maybe their paste waxes as they are very cheap and last quite a few months. They do a liquid wax which is even easier to use (I use it myself).
To get the best out of the car you'd need to have it machine polished to get rid of nasty swirles and scratches.
Oh, just for the record your looking for a wax rather than polish. Polish removes small amounts of paint and does not leave protection. Waxes are normally based on natural ingrediants and bead water and offer a warm deep glossy look. Sealants are synthetic (normally liquid) and tend to last longer and sheet the water and are good for a bling look. Waxes and sealants (LSPs) don't normally remove anything. Autoglym's SRP is a sort of mix between a sealant and polish, their EGP is a sealant and the HD Wax is, well a wax!
Enjoy!
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"I have to smile every time I see neighbours doing the Sunday car washing, I have never yet seen one who knows the correct procedure for washing a vehicle ! "
You are assuming that the military method is the 'correct' way. There is no such thing, it depends on the standard of finish people want. If the neighbours are happy with their result, then that's the correct way for them.
If the Staff Sergeant's not happy, tell him to clean it himself :-0
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Tack
You might also consider Autoglym Ultra Deep Shine, which is particularly effective with dark colours. It is said to be generally better than the Super Resin Polish and that Autoglym deliberately tilted it towards deep colours to avoid cutting into their sales of SRP.
In any event, don't forget the sealant Extra Gloss Protection. Very easy to apply and buff, two coats of that will obviate the need for repolishing at more than quarterly intervals, and you could go even longer just washing rather than repolishing. The longer you leave it to cure between coats (e.g. a couple of hours), the more effective it is. As a sealant, it is non-abrasive and it gives a protective coating that fends off all sorts of muck and makes the paintwork less vulnerable to the worst of the lot -- bird droppings.
As for "correct procedure", if you get hold of the Autoglym booklet on the process, there do seem to be right and wrong ways of doing this job, although you are free to disagree with them.
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I neither have the time or inclination to polish cars. Even washing stretches my endurance.
Think the dried on white stuff afterwards around badges, mirrors, black plastic etc. is so disappointing. Never affected trade in values in my experience.
Now my BMW bike is a different matter, I like getting that shiny at least once a year.
As for brands of polish- I've several in the garage and all the results look the same. Autoglym resin polish fell to hand last time.
My BIL does recommend MER for his Midas to shine up a faded gel coat.
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