How often can you polish??

[Erictski]

I have a 1 year old Toyota Tacoma. If I was to want to paint correct once a spring, how many times can a person do that before burning through the clear coat?

 

I have read stories about some on here burning through the clear and don't want that to happen. Is a yearly paint correcting polish/finishing polish possible over 10 years?

[GXPaycheck]

If you do it right, as often as you want.

Once a year should be fine. Just depends on how much you drive, where the car sits, how you wash it, etc.

Edited January 1, 2017 by GXPaycheck

[BrianT]

If it's a street truck and your washing it, it shouldn't need much correcting every year. If you driving through trees, well it's gonna need lots of correcting and will end up with thin clear

[Erictski]

If you do it right, as often as you want.

Once a year should be fine. Just depends on how much you drive, where the car sits, how you wash it, etc.

20k miles a year with Wisconsin winters. Sometimes outside 24/7 sometimes in garage.

 

I am not sure how my washing and drying is adding to the swirls as tlit was swirled up pretty good from the dealer.

 

But that Toyota clear is soft so my black truck shows everything.

[Erictski]

If it's a street truck and your washing it, it shouldn't need much correcting every year. If you driving through trees, well it's gonna need lots of correcting and will end up with thin clear

It's my daily driver but also my hunting truck. So a scratch here and there.

 

I am not ever going to go for perfect. A few of the deeper scratches I will always live with but the swirls is what I want to remove once a year before summer.

[SumBeach35]

why not correct it one more time and do a ceramic paint coating.  should add a bit of swirl resistance and add shine as well

[Erictski]

why not correct it one more time and do a ceramic paint coating. should add a bit of swirl resistance and add shine as well

I might but the long cure time might make it tough for me to go the coating route

Edited January 1, 2017 by Erictski

[galaxy]

The rule of thumb is not how often, but rather use the least aggressive product/method needed to get the job done when it needs doing.  In other words, (and this is sincerely not being a smart ***), if it needs it, do it.  If it doesn't need polishing or correcting, then don't.  Don't do it just because it's been a year or whatever timeframe you've set for yourself.  Having said that, sticking to the least aggressive rule, you should be safe to polish whenever needed.  

Edited January 1, 2017 by galaxy

[Erictski]

The rule of thumb is not how often, but rather use the least aggressive product/method needed to get the job done when it needs doing.  In other words, (and this is sincerely not being a smart ***), if it needs it, do it.  If it doesn't need polishing or correcting, then don't.  Don't do it just because it's been a year or whatever timeframe you've set for yourself.  Having said that, sticking to the least aggressive rule, you should be safe to polish whenever needed.  

this definitely makes sense.  I am assuming I will need to go with a pretty good 2-3 step correction this first time in spring, but after am hoping to only need to do a finishing polish or a light correcting polish.  Not sure how much swirl removal can be done with the finishing polish.

[chops1sc]

In a perfect world you should only have to correct the paint once. Correct washing techniques will ensure swirl-free paint. However, we do not live in a perfect world and even though we try our best we still get some damage.

[Erictski]

In a perfect world you should only have to correct the paint once. Correct washing techniques will ensure swirl-free paint. However, we do not live in a perfect world and even though we try our best we still get some damage.

agreed...I know some get added during winter months with snow and ice removal/sliding around on the paint as well as a few rinseless washes with all the salt on the paint.