Do I Have to Polish?

I'm new to polishing and waxing so maybe this is a dumb question. If I just washed and dried my car, do I *have to* polish and then wax or can I just wax? Right now I have car wash soap (Mothers) and wax (Mothers) but I don't have any polish and I don't feel like taking a trip to the auto store but I want to wash and wax.

So can I do that? Will it still look pretty good without polish and is there any negative effects of not polishing before waxing? Just got the car yesterday so it's pretty clean.

[oldster]

Elliott, have you ever had a car before?

Oldster, yes I have had lots of cars before but never one nice enough to really care for (although I'm sure I could have tried). No, I'm just a newb in this waxing/polishing thing. But hey, I can wash with the best of them ... maybe.

[oldster]

Take a few moments and go through the wash and wax section and many if not all of your questions will be answered.

Been reading the whole section every day for a while now. Never found a post about waxing without polishing (might have missed it but don't think so). I agree that there's tons of helpful hints here.

[HilfigerCelica]

You don't have to polish before you wax. Polishes makes the car shine better giving you that "wet" look. It's for people who really want a shiny car. If you just want to protect your paint then wax is fine and will give you some shine too, just not as much as with a polish & wax.

Thanks Hilfiger!

[MrSpiffy]

You cannot just wax the car...even w/ a wash it is impossible to remove all the contaminants which will eventually destroy your paint. Take if from a detailer, you must use a paint cleaner first.



~Jeron Kerridge, Spiffy Detailing

[fmnibblesx]

Elliot take it from spiffy. Polish removes the old paint that sun and weather destroy. Leaving you with beautiful clean shiny paint. The wax is protectant that also brings out shine by filling the microscopic pores left in your paint after polishing. It's kind of a raincoat and sun block for your car. But still store your car in the shade whenever possible.

[HilfigerCelica]

Originally posted by MrSpiffy
You cannot just wax the car...even w/ a wash it is impossible to remove all the contaminants which will eventually destroy your paint. Take if from a detailer, you must use a paint cleaner first.



~Jeron Kerridge, Spiffy Detailing


A polish will not remove the contaminants from paint. Claybars and cleaner waxes are used to remove contaminants.

[fmnibblesx]

Oh boy here we go. If a polish doesn't remove old paint and contaminants what does it do? What, the same as waxing? Plleease!

[HilfigerCelica]

Like I said, a polish is to make the paint shine more, to remove contaminants, you're going to have to claybar the car. Go to Walmart and pick up the claybar box. It'll say it removes contaminants. I've used a claybar, and let me tell you, your car will be butter smooth because the claybar has removed all the contaminants. Make sense?

[msucelica]

Originally posted by HilfigerCelica
Like I said, a polish is to make the paint shine more, to remove contaminants, you're going to have to claybar the car. Go to Walmart and pick up the claybar box. It'll say it removes contaminants. I've used a claybar, and let me tell you, your car will be butter smooth because the claybar has removed all the contaminants. Make sense?

yes, HilfigerCelica is right, the clay bar makes a world of difference!

[fmnibblesx]

Reallly? So then how does polish make paint shiny?:rolleyes:

[fmnibblesx]

I know what the clay bar does I have used it myself.
POLISH, does the same thing on a lesser scale. I'll give you the fact that polish doesn't remove contaminants. But it does remove scratches, by means of removing paint, making it shine. Do you use clay bar and polish at the same time? No, you don't. It is either clay bar and wax or polish and wax.
Look at this:
http://mothers.com/carcare/carcare.html