alright i finally got to the detail and not a fill one at that. i was crammed for time and only had about 5 hrs. i didnt get to the interior. I will do that when i put the 26 on her sometime this week. I clayed with megs clay and QD. Then polish with step 2 of the deep crystal system. (this said pure polish on it, what does this mean?) Then i slapped some NXT on it. It looks much better than before. I wish i would have taken before pics. I'll try and get more and better pics up as well. just for the record i will be purchasing a PC before the next polish and wax. I am planning and maybe hitting it with some #80 with the PC when i get it. I am also gonna see if i can find some vinylex or 303 somewhere soon. The eraser trick on the trim worked well. and thats all i have for now. Any tips or suggestions are appreciated.

 

The difference between polish and wax.

A polish is more like a paint conditioner that restores valuable oils to the paint, eliminates fine scratches and creates incredible high gloss not possible with waxes. An application of a pure polish should be followed by waxing to protect the shine and extend its life.

A true polish, is non- abrasive and safe for all paints.

If you own a dark-color car, you'll see a dramatic difference if you use a polish.

 

thanks rusty. i was wondering if there was something contrary to pure polish. i.e. synthetic polish. are all polishes pure?

 

So a polish would make this truck stand out more?

 

Kind of a loaded question...

Most of us here will tell you absolutely ... me included. But, beauty is the eyes of the beholder. If you're satisfied with what you have accomplished and can live with slight swirling (if it's there) or slight oxidation (which is likely not there) and other slight paint blemishes (which may or may not be there)...

Then forgo the polishing step.

Most everyone here will concur that you'll note a difference but, it's not a huge one... everyone here would be lying to you if they told that it was... it's simply not one.

What it will do for most is deal with those slight paint problems that I mentioned and raise the entire look up to another level if done properly.

-RP-

 

still wondering about the polish....

 

Hmm... I think you're getting POLISH and WAX confused.

Several people still call 'wax' 'polish'. The truth is, they are two very different things.

Polish is typically a product used to enhance the overall look of the vehicle. These products do this in two ways. First, many of them will be geared to remove surface blemishes (like swirls and oxidation) whereas others will be more geared to simply making the painted finish 'pop' without the need to remove any blemishes. You'll hear these referred to as an 'abrasive polish' or a 'pure polish' respectively.

There really aren't any 'synthetic' polishes out there that I can pinpoint in my head -- most all rely on a couple of key consitiuients (like certain varieties of clay and various types of oils) to accomplish their tasks (be it pop or cleaning of the paint (ie: swirl removal).

Wax, on the other hand, is a product used to PROTECT the finish. Many waxes will have polishing characteristics built into the mix. These are called CLEANER WAXES.

Within the wax realm, you may hear names like Sealant or Last Step Product (LSP) mentioned. In a nutshell, most all of these products are accomplishing one thing -- protection.

Synthetic waxes (or sealants) will often outlast their older brother varieites (carnauba-based wax) as they will bond with the paint and form a much more durable finish. The draw back to most synthetic waxes is that they often yield a more 'glossy' appearance versus that of a carnauba wax which typically yields a warmer/deeper appearance.

For that reason, many of us like to use both a synthetic AND a natural wax as last step products on our vehicles -- especially those of us with dark colored paints.

That clear it up a tad?

 

Why don't you try polish and wax on half your hood and just plain wax on the other half.

Here is a good, basic, 3 step system.

 

alright thanks RP. I get it now. I knew the difference between polish and wax. There is a huge difference now after my first polishing experience. I was just wondering what the opposite of a pure polish was. I was just guessing synthetic. I now know it is abrasive. Im learning. Would there be an advantage to using an abrasive polish, such as #83, and then following with a pure polish such as #7. except for the fact that the #83 would remove more swirls? would the addition of the #7 give it more "pop" than just the #83 alone?

 

Generally speaking, yes. Especially on darker colors as #7 is a much 'oilier' product than is #83. Basically, they're serving two distinct purposes...

The #83 to remove moderate to minor paint problems... and the #7 to add pop and depth and darkness to the paint.

 

thanks a lot RP.