WHY can't I ever get my car to really shine? I've washed with dish soap, clay barred, washed with armor all wash and wax,

and waxed with meguires spray wax. It just never seems to be what im expecting! I do know the hood needs painting, but the rest always looks dull. Help me!

 

Dish soap stips off any previously applied coats of wax and also a small amount of the paint. always use car wash soap and never dish soap.

Do you know if its original paint? A buff job usually does a LOT for a car with worn paint, but if you've been using dish soap on it for years I might not risk it for fear of buffing through thin paint.

 

I've only washed with dish soap once for the sole purpose of stripping the old wax off. The car is all original paint. I have washed and waxed the car multiple times usually using meguires products. It does look million times better than when I bought it back in April. Just can't seem to get the shine to last. Looks great after a fresh wax, but goes all dull within a week. A complete buff would be the ticket but that's not going to happen until the hood gets repainted.

 

Buff the paint. You would be shocked at how well you can restore original, single stage paint! You may find that the hood doesn't need to be repainted after all. On neglected SS paint, it sometimes helps to apply Megs number 7 glaze a few times, even letting it sit overnight, so the paint can suck up essential oils before buffing.

 

Yeah, especially being original single stage you'll be so much happier with a buff job. If the hood isn't cracked or peeling you may actually be happy enough with it afterwards. You're going to want to buff the car before painting the hood anyways. You'll want the painter to match the color after buffing not before.

 

The hood is cracked so that's why it needs paint. The plan was to have it painted this fall but we are in the midst of selling our house so it will have to wait. I was just hoping that there was something i could do myself to improve things for now.

 

you need to use a rubbing compound. then buff w wax.

 

If you're planning on painting, but have to wait.....then I'd buff it yourself first. It definitely takes some skill and some practice, but you're not happy with it now, and you're planning on painting relatively soon anyway.....bah, give it a shot. Watch a vid on youtube or something, do a little research, and give it a go. Start on the hood first since it's already cracked. Heck, pick up a used body panel from a junkyard just for practice.

 

This May Give You Some Help.

http://guidetodetailing.com/damage-r...xidized-paint/

 

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Honestly, when I see a car with a dull finish like this, I can't wait to dig into it. I find it fun and relaxing. And the results afterwards, usually have people wondering if it's the same car.

 

Removing the oxidation with polish will give you results but since the polish is most likely a Synthetic you can stay with synthetics.


Using Synthetics. They are extremely "Reflective"
It will give a car a glass like shine.
You can use synthetics products only simply by using two products.
Maguire's Ultimate Paste Wax (it is all synthetic) once every 2 to three months or sooner if you want. The product actually will protect for 3 to 4 months if not longer.I would put two coats on yours to start.
And a synthetic polish once a year to remove the first product. Then re apply the Ultimate Paste wax again and your good to go.
I use a California duster in between car washes. No wax in the soap.
No wax at any time.
The polish will remove the wax that's on there so you can try this.
Just start with the first one and if you don't like it you can put wax on top of it.
Here's the products.


1) http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotiv...ate-wax-paste/
2) http://www.raceglaze.com/polish.html
3) http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotiv...itioner-1-gal/
4) http://www.calcarduster.com/originalduster.asp


My paint is only 9 years old so there's that to consider.
But this is what I mean.

 

Your car being repainted with quality paint (probably far better paint than originally used), well taken of and only nine years old is why your car looks good. YOu may have three coats of clear whereas the factory used one or maybe two. I believe people give far too much credit to a wax. I also favor synthetics but only because they have a much higher melting temperature than regular wax. According to the MSDS of most waxes the regular carnuaba waxes begin to melt around 120* or so. So regular wax will really only last or look good for more than a few days on white cars not parked in the sun during summer months. Forget about dark colors that can easily reach 180* in the sun. MSDS of the synthetic blends like TW Ice has it melting at 170* and full synthetics like Meguiars tech and ultimate melt at 200*. This is why you read (for every wax) reviews that are all over the place. Car color and sunlight exposure play huge rolls. Even if the wax doesn't melt off or evaporate off it will be softened, dust falls on it and the wax cools down and now you have the hazy look and gritty feel.

 

Tibo,
Thank you for that information.
Just another reason to consider synthetics.
I really do believe that they will give him what he's looking for.
Even if he applies the polish by hand, not only to remove some of the oxidation but also the wax that's on there then uses the product I suggested he will get results.


Practicing buffing on something other than the car is a great idea .Using a buffer requires a certain technique so he does not burn the paint.
If I was going to do it I would stay away from the corners focusing on the flatter parts of the car starting with the hood.

 

Starting with a dual action polisher and a light cutting polish like 205 Meguiar's would be a fairly safe though not risk free start. A foam pad on a da polisher with machine glaze would be best to practice with and then move into a light polish.

 

I just want to say that the men and woman here that use quality wax and detail products have produced some of the most beautiful cars I have ever seen. Its obvious as to the attention to detail and the time and effort to do it creates amazing results.


When I suggest synthetics its not to take anything away from that.
Its just a different path.

 

My recommendation is to use a wool pad on an orbital buffer at about 1800 rpm. Use 3M rubbing compound with the wool pad. After the cut is complete, you will have a consistent dull shine across the entire surface. Then use the black waffle foam pad and some 3M polish pad glaze. Again, keep the RPMs to about 1800 so you don't burn the paint. Keep the buffer moving, but not too fast. The shine will POP. You can then follow up with a DA polisher to remove any halo or ghosting if you created those with the buffer. If you didn't create ghosts/halos in the paint, use a good hand wax or Meguiar's Tech wax and apply a nice even coat. The car will look like glass when you are finished if the paint still has the ability to shine.