How do you polish your car?

Capra

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Messages
3,320
Reaction score
1,197
Location
Gloucestershire
Your Mercedes
W204 2013 C350 CDI Pan roof
Ceramic and sealants must go straight onto the paint - not onto a wax or anything else......the better the condition of the paint surface, the better the ceramic / sealant will look. Given teh age of your car the paint probably could do with

1) Good wash
2) Decontamination
3) Clay (mitt or bar)
4) Polish (by polish I mean something like https://www.amazon.co.uk/Meguiars-G...91&hvtargid=pla-472610210811&psc=1&th=1&psc=1
5) Creamic / sealant / wax - your choice there are 100s available - IMO any reputable manufacturer will be fine

Loads of information on YouTube but you will get bored with all the "beading" and "sheeting" videos
Doesn't the clay process introduce some tiny areas that would require some polish, or is that what you are doing with the Meguiars compound?
 

rorywquin

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
9,488
Reaction score
6,385
Location
North Yorkshire
Your Mercedes
An old B-Class.
Polish (compound) is the last stage before protection (what we used to call polishing the car) i.e. waxing etc
 

Jimbo1959

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2018
Messages
1,785
Reaction score
1,807
Location
Ayrshire
Your Mercedes
VW Scirocco. The Quattro, E350 CDi Blue Efficiency Sport Coupe, now both gone
Nice polish to use is Autoglym it leaves no residue, but its only for show cars that sit in the garage most of the time. It does nothing to protect the paint if outside in the rain.

I have been using Autoglym for oh, must be 25 years and agree that it is "nice to use", however I don't think that it's only for show cars.

My cars in that time have all sat outside in all weathers, mainly for the convenience factor of getting away sharp in the morning to work, despite having a garage, which has mainly been used for doing repairs in the dry and out of the wind.

I've always been a touch obsessive about keeping my cars clean and would polish each every 4-6 weeks, consequently, finding that that gave them good protection and beading as a result. It would probably have lasted and beaded longer but, as I said, I've always been a touch OCD about my cars.

It's only been since I was recommended to try Maguirs Ceramic treatment that I've stopped polishing so often, as the Maguirs makes it totally unnecessary. I am still getting good beading after 3 months these days. Great stuff the ceramic treatment and, the combination of the two works well together.
 

Rappey69

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
1,893
Reaction score
388
Location
hants
Your Mercedes
c220 w204 amg sport
my car has to park under a huge oak tree so an sfternoons work cleaning and polishing may last 2 days if im lucky..
I googled "the best wax" as was looking for something that lasts months and months.
What did show up was halfords wax, a little over £3 yet rated as one of the best !!
They did a great deal recently on shampoo, wax/polish, a bucket and microfobre clothes..
 

Wighty

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2016
Messages
13,435
Reaction score
12,467
Location
Sunny Essex
Your Mercedes
W211/E320cdi/2009 and CLK200k 2009
my car has to park under a huge oak tree so an sfternoons work cleaning and polishing may last 2 days if im lucky..
I googled "the best wax" as was looking for something that lasts months and months.
What did show up was halfords wax, a little over £3 yet rated as one of the best !!
They did a great deal recently on shampoo, wax/polish, a bucket and microfobre clothes..
Try Collinite for a good long lasting cost effective wax buddy
 

EmilysDad

Senior Member
Joined
May 8, 2012
Messages
12,120
Reaction score
5,664
Location
Bury Lancs
Your Mercedes
ML350
Just don't do, as a lad at work did the other week, use a machine polisher on a black car on one of the hottest days of the year .... Yes! He burnt the paint! :eek: :rolleyes:
 

Rappey69

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
1,893
Reaction score
388
Location
hants
Your Mercedes
c220 w204 amg sport
Try Collinite for a good long lasting cost effective wax buddy

Did a google and read some reviews.. have now ordered some... bit of a price hike from my £3 halfords stuff but time will tell if it was worth it
 

Wighty

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2016
Messages
13,435
Reaction score
12,467
Location
Sunny Essex
Your Mercedes
W211/E320cdi/2009 and CLK200k 2009
Did a google and read some reviews.. have now ordered some... bit of a price hike from my £3 halfords stuff but time will tell if it was worth it
Let us know buddy :D
 

A.J.

Senior Member
Joined
May 31, 2015
Messages
21,258
Reaction score
9,581
Location
Norwich. UK
Your Mercedes
UnMerc - 2020 VW Polo 2.0t GTi Plus, DSG. Flash Red, Traditional VW GTi Tartan seat trim.
Did a google and read some reviews.. have now ordered some... bit of a price hike from my £3 halfords stuff but time will tell if it was worth it
Let us know buddy :D

It is a bit too rich for me. I always use Bilt Hamber Speed Wax at around £15, it's easy to use and I have been more than happy with the results :)
 

Wighty

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2016
Messages
13,435
Reaction score
12,467
Location
Sunny Essex
Your Mercedes
W211/E320cdi/2009 and CLK200k 2009
It is a bit too rich for me. I always use Bilt Hamber Speed Wax at around £15, it's easy to use and I have been more than happy with the results :)
That's another great wax , I think the Collinite beats it for longevity though .
 

Rappey69

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
1,893
Reaction score
388
Location
hants
Your Mercedes
c220 w204 amg sport
This collintie stuff has me intrigued... Rained all day today so cant try it..
The intriguing part is that as well as being suitable for all automobile finishes its also for fine furniture, wood panelling etc. Grp and metal...
Ive got quality wood waxes and non of them suggest suitability for cars and never seen a car one suitable for other materials. It also states "gleaming lustre lasts at least a full year"
Cant wait to try it !
 

Wighty

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2016
Messages
13,435
Reaction score
12,467
Location
Sunny Essex
Your Mercedes
W211/E320cdi/2009 and CLK200k 2009
This collintie stuff has me intrigued... Rained all day today so cant try it..
The intriguing part is that as well as being suitable for all automobile finishes its also for fine furniture, wood panelling etc. Grp and metal...
Ive got quality wood waxes and non of them suggest suitability for cars and never seen a car one suitable for other materials. It also states "gleaming lustre lasts at least a full year"
Cant wait to try it !
Tomorrow looks dry :D
 

Capra

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Messages
3,320
Reaction score
1,197
Location
Gloucestershire
Your Mercedes
W204 2013 C350 CDI Pan roof
Try Collinite for a good long lasting cost effective wax buddy
Can you apply a top coat of something else over the top like Sonax, or this enough on it's own?
 

Wighty

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2016
Messages
13,435
Reaction score
12,467
Location
Sunny Essex
Your Mercedes
W211/E320cdi/2009 and CLK200k 2009
Can you apply a top coat of something else over the top like Sonax, or this enough on it's own?
I would be happy to apply the Sonax over the top of Collinite , but not the other way round .
 

Rappey69

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
1,893
Reaction score
388
Location
hants
Your Mercedes
c220 w204 amg sport
Had a go with the collinite today and it looks no different from the finish from the £3 halfords wax :(
Left a few panels with £3 wax to see how they perform over time compared to the premium price of collinite..
 

AIB understand your special Mercedes deserves a special insurance policy. We have a refreshing attitude to insuring high performance, modified, imported or classic and vintage cars and deal with the UK’s leading insurers. We offer discounts for length of ownership, where the vehicle is kept overnight and limiting the mileage and can also cater for those clients who need higher mileage and business use. To obtain a quotation please call the team on 02380 268351 or visit us atAIB Insurance
Top Bottom