Polish Necessary after Clay?

[kidwolf908]

Yesterday I washed and clayed my new 2013 Challenger. After a lot of time spent claying, I finally got the finish to a nice smooth feel with the baggie test. It started to get dark, so I pulled the car in the garage and decided to try revive polish and brilliant glaze on the trunk lid and rear quarters. The polish seemed to help remove some more substantial scratches, but it also seems to have created a bunch of small scratches. Glaze helped to fill some of those small scratches in, but I still believe there would be fewer scratches if I hadn't polished.

 

I still have over half the car to do with polish if I decide to do so, but I wanted to see the car in the sun to determine if its truly necessary. What do you guys think? Should I just glaze, seal and Americana the car as it stands? Or finish the polish job even of it does add some minor scratches?

 

Edit: Also wanted to know if I can expect to see any additional filling from either the quick sealant or Americana steps? And if revive is safe to use on my clear coated aluminum wheels?

Edited March 31, 2013 by kidwolf908

[dipolley]

Chris, first welcome to the forums and congrats on your first post. This is a great online community and you will find everyone here helpful.

 

Second, you do not HAVE TO polish the car after you clay. It is not required per se. However, you can and should if you have never polished the vehicle before. Typically you should clay your car about as often as you change the oil (Every 3-4 months or so) to keep it free of contaniments. If you do polish (and it sounds like you are doing it by hand) start with a small area with the revive. If you don't get the results you want step it up to Fine Machine Polish and then Swirl and Haze Remover, then step back down. It sounds like the Revive is not agressive enough to get all the scratches out that you want. So you may have to step up then use the Revive. Revive is the least agressive polish in the Adam's line so it should not be adding scratches. Make sure your polishing pad is free of contaniments that may be adding any.

 

Second, the glaze and wax will help hide the scratchs and swirls, but of course this is only hiding the problem not solving it. Once you polish, whether by hand or machine, for the best protection you should seal the car with Machine Super Sealant or Quick Sealant THEN Brilliant Glaze, then Ameicana Wax, in that order. Don't lay down sealant on top of glaze or wax. Sealant adheres to the vehicles finish and won't stick to the glaze or wax. If you want to seal the car you will have to remove the sealant.

 

Hope this helps and again, welcome.

[kidwolf908]

Hi dipolley, thank you for your quick reply! Unfortunately, the problem is not that the revive isn't removing the scratches I want to remove. Its more like the paint WAS flawless with the exception of a few notable scratches. The revive has helped diminish the appearance of those stand out scratches, but left behind some smaller surface scratches. I'm guessing it's either a result of a contaminated polishing pad or maybe the clay bar didn't get everything from that panel. I guess I will baggie test it again and clay again if needed and follow up with some more revive and lots of elbow grease. I think I will step up to machine polishing in the future, but I don't gave the funds for it right now.

 

On another note, I wasn't away that sealant came BEFORE glaze and wax... I followed the detailing flow chart on Auto**** here: http://www.********.net/detailingtips.html

 

But now that I know, I will strip the glaze back off with more revive and then seal first. Thank you for clarifying this!

[Blazer15]

I don't know if you have yet but watch all the Adams videos. Very helpful.

[BluedogGMC]

Yes, Take the time to watch all the videos here.

 

Instructional Detailing Videos

[SYMAWD]

Hi dipolley, thank you for your quick reply! Unfortunately, the problem is not that the revive isn't removing the scratches I want to remove. Its more like the paint WAS flawless with the exception of a few notable scratches. The revive has helped diminish the appearance of those stand out scratches, but left behind some smaller surface scratches. I'm guessing it's either a result of a contaminated polishing pad or maybe the clay bar didn't get everything from that panel. I guess I will baggie test it again and clay again if needed and follow up with some more revive and lots of elbow grease. I think I will step up to machine polishing in the future, but I don't gave the funds for it right now.

 

On another note, I wasn't away that sealant came BEFORE glaze and wax... I followed the detailing flow chart on Auto**** here: http://www.********.net/detailingtips.html

 

But now that I know, I will strip the glaze back off with more revive and then seal first. Thank you for clarifying this!

 

Yes, sealant first. I know the chart that you are talking about and I do not know why they have glaze first. Sealant bonds best to paint only.

[kidwolf908]

Blazer, bulldog,

 

I have indeed watched all the videos countless times in preparation to detail my new car. I think the clay bar went really well and now the paint is baby bottom smooth. With the exception of maybe the trunk lid which I need to re test.

 

Speaking of the videos, for the revive hand polish, the guy uses circular buffing motions with the polishing pad. Is this the preferred method? Or are straight back and forth motions preferred to avoid swirls as much as possible?

[Blazer15]

I don't know if its 'correct' or not but I go up, down, side to side.

[kidwolf908]

Well tonight I did a little experimenting in the garage. I found a spot that was buttery smooth with the baggie test and proceeded to try revive hand polish with the blue applicator. First time around, I used circular buffing motions until the polish dried up and wiped it away with a clean microfiber. It seemed to add scratches to the paint. So I then did up and down and side to side strokes with revive, this time with a little more pressure until the polish dried out. This again seemed to add more scratches. So then my final attempt was again circular buffing motions with more pressure than the first try. Again, it seems to have added more scratches and not removed any!

 

Keep in mind this was with a freshly cleaned applicator that I washed with APC last night. On a freshly clay barred panel after being wiped with a microfiber. WHAT GIVES?!?

 

I compared the rear quarter which I polished last night to the driver door using overhead light and I would swear the rear quarter was more swirly and scratched than the door! The true test will be tomorrow when I pull the car out in the sun and get a better look at the whole car but at this point, I'm pretty frustrated and about ready to buy a porter cable. I'm beginning to think I need to clay the whole car again and wash it down afterward.

[dipolley]

OK Chris. It sounds like you are doing things right. the scratches shouldn't be appearing. So the next culprit could be the microfiber towel. Which towel are you using?

 

And the PC is great. I have both the PC and Flex.

[kidwolf908]

OK Chris. It sounds like you are doing things right. the scratches shouldn't be appearing. So the next culprit could be the microfiber towel. Which towel are you using?

 

And the PC is great. I have both the PC and Flex.

 

Hi dipolley. Tonight I used an Adams double plush microfiber. Straight out of the bag. I don't really see how the towel could cause as many scratches as I am seeing. I will attempt to get some pictures tomorrow in the sun of the polished panels vs not polished panels. I also plan to clay the piss out of a panel and then rework it with revive tomorrow to see if it just wasn't clean enough. With a detailing spray rub down after the clay.

[dipolley]

I wanted to make sure you weren't using a big-box store cheap-o MF towel.

 

That is just wierd man. Pics will help.

[kidwolf908]

I wanted to make sure you weren't using a big-box store cheap-o MF towel.

 

That is just wierd man. Pics will help.

 

I understand man. I've been pretty strict about using only Adams stuff on my new car. She's my baby after all lol.

 

I think I might tape off a square section and really clay bar it, clean it up with detail spray and only polish that square and see what comes of it. That way its easy to compare to the surroundings.

[mc2hill]

If it feels smooth with the baggie test there is not reason to keep claying. The clay only removes contaminates, it does not remove scratches. The Revive is very light polish/paint cleaner and will not do much correction. You will probably need to move up to SHR by hand, or switch to a machine to remove them.

[kidwolf908]

If it feels smooth with the baggie test there is not reason to keep claying. The clay only removes contaminates, it does not remove scratches. The Revive is very light polish/paint cleaner and will not do much correction. You will probably need to move up to SHR by hand, or switch to a machine to remove them.

 

Hey mc, I understand that a heavier polish may be needed to correct deeper scratches. Unfortunately I don't have s&h because I didn't think my brand new car needed it. The problem I seem to be having is that revive is adding scratches.

[mc2hill]

Hey mc, I understand that a heavier polish may be needed to correct deeper scratches. Unfortunately I don't have s&h because I didn't think my brand new car needed it. The problem I seem to be having is that revive is adding scratches.

 

It would be odd if Revive was adding scratches, but it is possible. Hopefully someone in your area sees this thread and can help you out.

If possible you may consider attending one of the upcoming Detail Clinics in your region - Adam is attending one and Dylan the other, and they can get you sorted.

[ihaveacamaro]

What car? If you have incredibly soft paint, you're in for a ride.

[Chuckkilo3]

What car? If you have incredibly soft paint, you're in for a ride.

 

2013 Challenger.

[Odds and Ends]

What color is the beast in question?

[BluedogGMC]

How long since the car has been built? Could it be that it is not fully cured yet? Just trying to figure out why you are getting worse scratching then when you started.

[ihaveacamaro]

How long since the car has been built? Could it be that it is not fully cured yet? Just trying to figure out why you are getting worse scratching then when you started.

 

I'm pretty sure that car paint cures in a couple hours or less at the factory.

 

They use a different paint system than body shops.

[ihaveacamaro]

Hi dipolley. Tonight I used an Adams double plush microfiber. Straight out of the bag. I don't really see how the towel could cause as many scratches as I am seeing. I will attempt to get some pictures tomorrow in the sun of the polished panels vs not polished panels. I also plan to clay the piss out of a panel and then rework it with revive tomorrow to see if it just wasn't clean enough. With a detailing spray rub down after the clay.

 

There's a possible culprit. Wash all MF towels first before using them.

[kidwolf908]

What color is the beast in question?

 

Jazz Blue Pearl. Basically navy blue with metal flake.

 

How long since the car has been built? Could it be that it is not fully cured yet? Just trying to figure out why you are getting worse scratching then when you started.

 

The car was built in January. I'm pretty sure the paint has cured by now.

 

There's a possible culprit. Wash all MF towels first before using them.

 

From here forward I will be sure to wash all MF before it touches my car. Unfortunately, I assumed that brand new out of the bag was safe. My bad.

 

I pulled the car out in the sun today and took a look over the parts that I polished the other day and compared them to spots that had only been clay barred. It would seem that the panels that had been hand polished with revive were roughly the same as those that had only been clayed. That said, there are still plenty of fine surface scratches all over the car. I'm inclined to believe they weren't present before claying, but I didn't look the car over quite as closely until this full detail. I'm not sure the revive did all that I expected it to, but the whole hand polishing process has made me conclude that I simply need to invest in an orbital polisher to get the perfect paint that I'm searching for.

 

Today, I polished the entire car again with revive. Followed that up with quick sealant. VRT'd all the trim while giving the sealant time to cure as per instructions. Then glazed the whole car and put a first coat of Americana on about half the car. I'll finish up the wax tomorrow. Maybe do a second coat. Then work on the stripes and wheels.

 

I'm under a bit of a time crunch because I am having paint protection film put on the car this Friday and I wanted to have the paint underneath protected first. Later on down the line, I'll fix all the other surfaces with a polisher, like I said. It's too bad I'm a perfectionist and that this Challenger SRT is my dream car, otherwise I would be pretty happy with where it is.

 

I'd like to thank everyone who has replied for their help on this!

[ihaveacamaro]

if it looks the same (scratch wise) everywhere, my guess would be that revive didn't add scratches, it simply did nothing to remove them. Hand polishing is most often a futile approach on clear coats. Can it be used, you bet. But it is hard and a ton of effort.

 

Machine polishing is the best!

[BluedogGMC]

I'm under a bit of a time crunch because I am having paint protection film put on the car this Friday and I wanted to have the paint underneath protected first.

 

Quick Sealant or Machine Super Sealant is most likely the same thing you are going to get with the "paint protection film" What all are they doing? To put on a sealant you have to strip the wax. Just a thought.

[ihaveacamaro]

Quick Sealant or Machine Super Sealant is most likely the same thing you are going to get with the "paint protection film" What all are they doing? To put on a sealant you have to strip the wax. Just a thought.

 

Quick Sealant or Machine Super Sealant is a chemical, a paint protection film is a concrete substance that is on your car and visible. It's literally a plastic film over your car. Totally different animals