I come from a family that has taken immaculate care of their automobiles. My grandfather has had cars 15 years old that look like they just rolled off the factory showroom...

That said... now that I am the proud owner of a '01 F250 Crew Cab LWB with a paint-matched cap.... I have A LOT (22' long, 7' high) of truck to clean and polish.

So... when I first got the truck, I had a local place wax it for me. Needless to say, while I got a coat of wax on the truck, I was pretty disappointed with the overall results.

So... I've pretty much determined that I need to be the one to take care of my own truck. I doubt I'd get much argument here about that one!

I guess that was a long winded way to ask ... does anyone use a power buffer (or the appropriate name) when detailing their vehicles? Or is by hand strictly the way to go (which would garner no objection from my family)?

Insights are appreciated....

 

Well I'm sure opinions will vary... but my truck is simply too big to apply and remove polish/wax by hand.

I use a buffer to apply and remove by hand. I don't apply pressure, just let gravity do the work for ya'.

The material goes on much more evenly (and thinner) with a buffer so hand removal is no problem.

To make things a bit more convenient, I mask off the plastic and rubber pieces with masking tape.

While removing, I can then apply polish/wax by hand to any areas that were not adequately covered by the buffer.

XLT_D

 

That's basically what I was thinking....

If I can go so far... what brand of buffer do you own/use, and what products do you use with it?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

I'll "third" XceLenT Driver's post. I used to do my truck by hand until I learned how to use the polisher. With foam pads it's not as dangerous as it used to be, since there isn't as much heat buildup. Ask a pro to show you how to properly use a buffer and you'll get better results in less time.

 

Now your really asking for controversy when it comes to polish/wax brands. I typically use "Mothers" brand products.

BUT... most work well. You just want to make sure it is clearcoat compatable.

My buffer is a 9" Craftsman. I'm an amateur so I don't need the most powerful, biggest, etc. Smaller units let you get into tighter spaces, larger units cover more surface area faster. 9" is a good balance for the "do it yourself'er".

I have used both liquids and paste with mine. The liquid is swirled on by spinning the pad by hand while applying/squirting the liquid on, I use a spoon to apply paste products onto the pad.

Start with the roof to get used to it.

Make sure you let gravity do the work (light pressure on the sides, doors, tailgate, etc.) so don't press on the buffer.

Keep the pad moist and keep the buffer moving.

After doing about 3/4 of the truck, you won't need to apply any more polish/wax to the pad.

The pads can be cleaned or discarded depending on your budget.

I let mine soak in a bucket of concentrated dish soap and water for few days then I wring it out and wash it in the clothes washer with some other non-greasy "truck rags", etc.

Good luck... XLT_D.

 

Thanks for the suggestion(s)! I'll probably be trying them out this weekend...

If it turns out nice, I'll snap a picture.

 

When I bought my 2001 Lariat lst month I had the Touch of Class applied to it. The dealer was very adament that I should never apply wax or polish to it. Just a cold water bath to knock off the dirt and a feather duster to knock off the dust. He asked if I remember waxing my older cars/trucks and if I remembered seeing the color of the vehicle come off on the cloth. That, he said, is the paint being removed by the abrasiveness of the polish/cleaner. It took the dealer 6 hours to apply the initial application of T of C. and after 1,127 miles and several spraydowns, it still looks like it just came out of the wash.

Anyone else use Touch of Class? Does this even sound reasonable?

Thanks,

Mac

 

MacComas
Wow, what a line that guy gave you. I'm sure the ToC offers some protection, but I doubt if it will last the life of the truck.
The reason paint used to come off on the rags is because there wasn't a "clear coat" over the color coat like there is now. Also, waxes and compounds were pretty harsh, they're much less abrasive now if they're labeled "clear coat safe."

If you're satisfied with the way it looks, just wash it and enjoy it. If you think it can look better try a light polish and wax (and probably a clay bar to begin with) and you'll see a big difference.

Check these threads and you'll find lots of help on how-to.