i have been trying to find the porter cable under 100 hundred dollars.no luck yet.

 

I agree with the microfiber towels. In fact, I swear by them. I don't dry my cars off with anything else. I've found they tend not to make as many, if any, swirl marks...

I have to admit though, I don't quite understand the difference between polishing and waxing... To me it seems the same, and pointless to do both at the same time.

 

Think of polishing as chemically/mechanically cleaning of the paint...it removes any oxidation or films left over from washing...basically it "clears" the paint for wax application...if youve ever polished an older car you will notice the haze is good from the shine. Wax is just a protectant.Polish is a cleaner.

 

I have found them on the web for right at $100 plus shipping.

Cost on the unit is around $90 so you will not do much better than that. It is a great detailing tool and great for those who can not use or need not use a normal buffer.

I am good at using the big buffer but I would rather use the less aggressive for clean up work and rermove less material.

 

Think of polishing as like sanding wood. The clear is like a imperfect surface and you use different grades of polish as like finer grades of sand paper.

They remove the imperfections till your eye no longer detects them and presents a great shine. That is why a properly cleaned and waxed car feels so smooth.

Wax is the sealer that seals in that surface. So many people over the years think it is all just wax. Many products are a polish and wax combo that may be easier but really do not do a good of a job as various grades of polish,

I can use up to 5 grades of polish depending on the condition of the paint. If it is in poor condition I will start with the more agressive and move to the finest. Each step makes it better and better, Most paint only needs one or two grades since it is not usally damaged that much.

Oxidation is no longer a real issue with modern paints with clear. Today we are mostly treating and working a clear finish and no longer have to deal with paints as we once did.

Also todays paints are very hard. This make them durable to some extent but also prone to chip. Most water based paints are good today but could still be better. The EPA rules have hurt the paints today and are the reason they are water based. Even our spray paints in a can are no longer as good as they could be.

Like I stated earlier get a good book on detailing cars. It is amazing what you can learn and how some small things can make a world of differance.

In showing cars over the last 25 years I have learned a lot of detailing tricks and ways to do things. I have also experimented with many materials too and learned a lot.

I still get a kick out of someone who comes up and wants to know what kind of wax I use. They think it is just wax that makes the finish. While clear coats today help it takes more than a single stage wax. You may not see it in silver or white but in the dark colors it makes a world of differance.

During judging I pay a big price on showing my Black car. It takes me more work to get mine to look as good as say red in direct sun. But at the shows I attend the judges know to look for things like that and know that I have nothing hiding and often I get full points for it. They can see the imperfections in the other colors but they have to look for them. I have told I am very brave to show a black car more than once by a judge. I am just glad my car is so small. I once had a 1963 Ford Galixie and it was a real pain since it was so big and it was still the original Ford paint from 1963. It looked good but took a lot of work.

 

I've been maintaining my black HHR and haven't had issues with swirls. I only use microfiber towels. I get 36 of them for 20 bucks. I'm not sure if it's a good deal or not, but they work well.

We did these 2 yesterday the simple way with Meguire's using microfiber towels.

http://www.amazon.com/Zwipes-Microfi...9180066&sr=1-1

 

On the mirco fiber there is something to know.

The small towels are good for application and wiping small areas.

Large towels are best for wax removal and final wipe down. 24 x 30+.

Once I get done I use a clean micro towel to wipe down the entire car with detailer. This evens out the entire finish.

What ever you do never wash, polish, buff, wax or dust a black car in direct sun. I have to at car shows and it is only if I have to. The surface heat make streaking a major issue.

 

Hyper, I need a pro to do mine and it sounds like you know what you are doing so come and get it!

 

Get in line..... I already have a group of people I do this for for extra spending money or just to help out.

Yes I even do windows!

I detailed out a Cobalt SS not long ago and the owner could not believe it was the same paint. He never did anything to help take care of it.

Some people sew, drink or smoke for stress, I polish!

Your silver would be easy to do. My GTP is the same color and shows so little damage and dirt. Only the stone chips are a pain to fix. It is hard to match the metalic.

 

That's the truth!!!!!