Advice on polishing with paint protection

[Caz]

I've been told that as I have paint protection I should not use a polish on my MINI. As I don't really trust my dealer's advice on a number of issues can anyone advise me on the best way to clean a car that has been paint protected please. Many thanks.

[Shuttermutt]

Unless your dealer has access to some magical formula that the rest of the world has yet to discover, I'd say they're full of (ahem)... beans. However, the advice they gave may be designed to protect yourself. Allow me to attempt to explain.

There are so many products, both good and bad, on the automotive finish market that it can be very overwhelming for the average consumer. There are waxes, polishes, compounds and all sorts of goodies each with the manufacturer's own terminology and each with different intended applications.

In general (again, manufacturers and individual opinions vary), automotive finish products are as such (in order of aggressiveness):

1. Cleaners
2. Compounds
3. Glazes
4. Swirl Removers
5. Polishes
6. Sealants
7. Waxes
8. Detailers

In other words, a cleaner is generally a very aggressive "cutting" product that will actually remove some of the finish whereas a detailing spray would not. Your dealer may be advising you to avoid a genuine polish as they have already applied a sealant and using a polish would remove that treatment. That is, they may be telling you that it's okay to wax the vehicle, but anything more aggressive would negate any benefits of the dealer-applied sealant.

Personally, I always assume that if I haven't done it myself, it doesn't exist. You can see the paint, but you can't see any of the products that have been applied to get it to the state that it's in. There's absolutely no harm in applying a polish yourself as long as you intend to follow-up immediately with a sealant (some consider optional) and a high-quality wax. The detailers (usually spray-on products) are just for quick touch-ups, by the way.

A brand-new factory finish shouldn't require anything more than a high-quality wax or, in some cases, a sealant and then a wax. Depending on how often you wash, where the car is located and how the car is stored, you'll need to step back to a polish and then re-apply the wax every now and again. If you're diligent about maintaining your finish and careful about how you wash and apply your wax, you shouldn't need to go to a swirl remover or more aggressive product for a very long time (if ever).

Then again, dealers tend to be a bit rough with our babies. The "detailing" they provide often does more harm than good. Low-quality products applied by an untrained employee using a machine polisher with a dirty pad will ultimately result in swirl marks or even worse. If that's the case with your vehicle, I highly recommend taking your vehicle to a competent detail shop. For a moderate price, they can remove the swirl marks, polish the vehicle to a proper factory shine and protect the paint with high-quality wax. At that point, you'll be ready to take on the task of maintaining that finish as described above.

My personal preference is for the Meguiar's product line. Do note that they have a professional line and a consumer line. The professional line typically comes in a tan colored bottle and is usually intended for application by machine whereas the consumer products are typically in black or red bottles and most can be applied by hand. Please don't make the assumption that because the bottle says "professional" that you should be using that product. The professional products require particular application techniques and can do more harm than good if not used correctly.

Well, this was a long-winded post and I'm sure others will have great advice as well. Good luck and enjoy your MINI!

[SteveM3]

Polishes tend to have mild cutting agents in them to brighten up tired old paintwork. In
your case you don't need this so a mild shampoo every week and occasionally a wax
on top. I personally prefer Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection but you'll get almost as
many opinions as products.

[Caz]

Many thanks for the helpful advice

Caz

[russ.mackay]

Caz,
Does this mean you finally got your new mini???

[Caz]

Yes, picked her up on Friday. She's beautiful and drives like a dream - well worth the wait

Caz

[russ.mackay]

Congratulations!
You must be relieved, its been a long wait.

Happy motoring!

[Caz]

Thanks Russ. Yes it was a bit stressful along the way but anyway she's here now. Thanks for your helpful input along the way.

Caz