Which polish for heavy swirls/scratches?

[53flattie]

I recently purchased a 2004 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. It appears the previous owner washed it with a mud-soaked rag... 🙄

 

I’ve been wanting to get a polisher for quite a while, and I think now is the time. My question is - which polish (or combination of polishes) do I need for scratches in the clear coat, but not deep enough to catch a fingernail (see photos below). 

 

I already have some buttery wax and correcting polish.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[53flattie]

16 hours ago, shane@detailedreflections said:

[53flattie]

So the ceramic spray is as good as hand-applied wax?  I certainly hope so, because waxing is quite time-consuming. I would LOVE a product that could replace that process.

 

Last question, I hope...  Is there a point of diminishing returns on the correcting compound?  As in, will doing more and more passes continue to remove scratches?  Or am I thinking more about the “buffing” process where you warm the clear coat enough to flow back together?  No need for me to waste time going over and over if it’s not going to help...

[shane@detailedreflections]

1 hour ago, 53flattie said:

So the ceramic spray is as good as hand-applied wax?  I certainly hope so, because waxing is quite time-consuming. I would LOVE a product that could replace that process.

 

Last question, I hope...  Is there a point of diminishing returns on the correcting compound?  As in, will doing more and more passes continue to remove scratches?  Or am I thinking more about the “buffing” process where you warm the clear coat enough to flow back together?  No need for me to waste time going over and over if it’s not going to help...

Ceramic spray is really just another last step product. You have a million options in that regard. 
 

There is a point of diminishing returns. Buffing is not a process of melting clear coat back together. In fact, heat is the enemy in polishing. Think of polishing as really find sandpaper on wood. Think of compounding as corse sandpaper on wood. 
 

All polishing and compounding removes clear coat to remove imperfections in it. You generally don’t want to take off more than 1/3 the thickness over the life of the vehicle. At that point you lose UV protection and accelerate failure. 
 

The diminishing returns come when you’re removing a lot of clear coat to remove a blemish and weakening the overall protection. It’s a balance. 
 

We use a special gauge to know how much we can remove and how much we are removing. This isn’t available to everyone, but it’s important to note. 
 

Hope this helps. 

[falcaineer]

8 hours ago, 53flattie said:

So the ceramic spray is as good as hand-applied wax?  I certainly hope so, because waxing is quite time-consuming. I would LOVE a product that could replace that process.

 

Last question, I hope...  Is there a point of diminishing returns on the correcting compound?  As in, will doing more and more passes continue to remove scratches?  Or am I thinking more about the “buffing” process where you warm the clear coat enough to flow back together?  No need for me to waste time going over and over if it’s not going to help...

 

@shane@detailedreflections has you covered on diminishing returns. 

 

Ceramic Spray Coating is a ceramic coating, only in a spray form, so its durability will be significantly longer than a traditional hand-applied, and likely carnauba, wax. Check out this article for how the products are different, to include reasons for longevity differences, etc.

 

 

 

[53flattie]

I applied Buttery Wax to my double-cab Tundra a few years ago. It took forever - mostly because there’s about 3 acres of sheet metal on that truck. I was very pleased with the results. If the ceramic spray is just as good as that (and it sounds like it might be even better) I’m totally sold. $100 is a bargain to keep from spending that much time with a hex applicator in my hand. 
 

I’m going to order the ceramic kit tomorrow when the Black Friday deal goes live. 
 

 

[falcaineer]

6 minutes ago, 53flattie said:

I applied Buttery Wax to my double-cab Tundra a few years ago. It took forever - mostly because there’s about 3 acres of sheet metal on that truck. I was very pleased with the results. If the ceramic spray is just as good as that (and it sounds like it might be even better) I’m totally sold. $100 is a bargain to keep from spending that much time with a hex applicator in my hand. 
 

I’m going to order the ceramic kit tomorrow when the Black Friday deal goes live. 
 

 

 

It's better, and will last significantly longer. Prep is everything, though, so be sure the surface is corrected to your liking and it's completely clean. Application is super easy...spray about 6 sprays directly on the Microfiber applicator pad to prime/start, working panel by panel spread evenly in crosshatch pattern, allow to cure a couple minutes, wipe away residue. Then, after at least 4 hours, apply the Ceramic Boost for added shine and protection. Voila...coated!

[53flattie]

For the benefit of future readers - I received and applied the Ceramic Coating Kit.  All I can say is "wow!".  I was completely shocked at how simple it was to apply and how much shine it brought out of a very tired paint job.  When it went on, it honestly looked like I was wiping the paint with petroleum jelly (not the consistency, but in the shine).  It looked like glass.  It's VERY easy to apply and very easy to buff out.  The whole vehicle only took about 20 minutes to do - granted, there's not a whole lot of painted surface on a Wrangler...  

 

By no means is the finish 'show quality', but that's because it's a 175K mile vehicle with many imperfections.  But I think it absolutely looks as good as it possibly can.  A friend walked by it in the garage the other day and asked if I had it repainted.  😊