Polishing without waxing

[2019CRVlx]

I purchased a new car. I plan to clay it then polish it with Meg's #80.

Can I polish it for a few weekends without before applying a wax/sealant?

Would a fews weeks of no protection hurt?

 

[SZR48207]

No problem, as long as its garaged. Polish in itself CAN provide some protection, although it is not durable. You could also use a light carnauba and the next time you polish, you'll remove the wax.

 

[2019CRVlx]

No garage

 

[tom slick]

Why not wax it?

 

[2019CRVlx]

Originally Posted By: tom slick
Why not wax it?


I'll be polishing by hand and I think it may take a couple of weekends before I get it to the point I'm satisfied.

At that point I'll probably add a sealant the top with wax, but don't want to put something on it that I'll remove on consecutive weekends.

 

[RTexasF]

In my opinion it would be a mistake. Forget the wax and look for a good sealant such as Duragloss #105.

 

[2019CRVlx]

Originally Posted By: RTexasF
In my opinion it would be a mistake. Forget the wax and look for a good sealant such as Duragloss #105.


Really?

My common sense tells me that after removing contaminants by claying and polishing new clear coat could go months without wax/sealant without compromising it.

btw, I probably will go with a sealant

 

[tom slick]

Originally Posted By: 05corollaLE
Originally Posted By: tom slick
Why not wax it?


I'll be polishing by hand and I think it may take a couple of weekends before I get it to the point I'm satisfied.

At that point I'll probably add a sealant the top with wax, but don't want to put something on it that I'll remove on consecutive weekends.


Makes sense.

I think you could go a long time without any damage. In fact I know of vehicles that go years (never) with no wax and the paint is okay.

 

[SatinSilver]

A compromise btwn applying a sealant and doing nothing would be to spray the car with some Duragloss Aquawax. Very little effort and you will get some protection even from those UV rays. It's actually a spray sealant. Not to take the place of #105 which is much more durable but it fits what your looking for.

 

[Trvlr500]

I was a painter for 10 years and the only reason you have to wax or seal these new urethane paints is to keep bugs, tar, bird [censored] etc from sticking to the paint. Bird [censored] can damage the paint if it sits on the surface. Just as acid rain can. Road film if not washed off frequently can eventually cause problems since the sun will bake it on.

Washing the car regularly is the key to keeping your car looking good. All the buffing, polishing, waxing etc wears the paint surface and the factories don't put on a thick film of clear to begin with. Frequent washing is the way to go.

Wash it every week and wax or seal it once or twice in the winter and 2 or 3 times in the summer. The sun degrades the wax and sealants quicker. There is no reason to be waxing and/or sealing a car every month or two even if it isn't garaged.

If it's a show car or your toy then I can see the labor of love but for a daily driver just wash frequently with a cleaner that won't strip the wax and wax a few times a year.

 

[wapacz]

Just do one panel at a time.

 

[GMBoy]

I can't see why you couldn't set aside a full day and just do it and be done with it. I do full details on my vehicles (and I mean all the details!) and I usually can be done perfectly in 5-6 hours. I wouldn't start polishing until I was ready to wax or seal. Clear coat is nothing more than paint and when you do come back a later to wax - you'll have to re-polish and clay anyway so the wax will have a good surface to adhere to.

You'd be surprised how much fallout you'll get in just a few weeks.

Do it all at once.

 

[Craig in Canada]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy
I can't see why you couldn't set aside a full day and just do it and be done with it. I do full details on my vehicles (and I mean all the details!) and I usually can be done perfectly in 5-6 hours. I wouldn't start polishing until I was ready to wax or seal. Clear coat is nothing more than paint and when you do come back a later to wax - you'll have to re-polish and clay anyway so the wax will have a good surface to adhere to.

You'd be surprised how much fallout you'll get in just a few weeks.

Do it all at once.


This is also how I usually work. Earmark a day/weekend and get it done. I'd highly recommend a ROB and some good Lake Country pads to suit what you want to do. The ROB will last a lifetime, provide better results and save a LOT of time.

 

[bretfraz]

I agree that you should knock out the entire job in one day. As time goes on between polishing sessions, the first panels polished will need a light touch up before you can wax. So you may end up polishing sections of the car multiple times.

Why use M80? It's a product designed to be used with a rotary polisher. Do you have a lot of experience with it?

I'd use a spray wax for short term protection. But you don't have to worry about being "exposed" without wax. The vast majority of cars have never seen wax and their paint is fine. A few weeks without something on the paint won't destroy it. No worries.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: bretfraz
I agree that you should knock out the entire job in one day. As time goes on between polishing sessions, the first panels polished will need a light touch up before you can wax. So you may end up polishing sections of the car multiple times.



If you plan on taking two days for the project, and for the sake of argument you wash, clay, and polish on the first day. On day two do you wash the car first then proceed? I've always washed the car again if the project took me into a second day even if the car is garaged. Just wondering how you guys handle it? Thanks!

 

[bretfraz]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: bretfraz
I agree that you should knock out the entire job in one day. As time goes on between polishing sessions, the first panels polished will need a light touch up before you can wax. So you may end up polishing sections of the car multiple times.



If you plan on taking two days for the project, and for the sake of argument you wash, clay, and polish on the first day. On day two do you wash the car first then proceed? I've always washed the car again if the project took me into a second day even if the car is garaged. Just wondering how you guys handle it? Thanks!


If it is overnight in a garage, I just wipe down the car with detail spray and a clean microfiber towel. It is only light dust on the car that needs to be removed.

I will wash the car if it is covered in pollen or polishing dust. If a car is with me for several days, it will get washed several times anyway, so it's all part of the process.

Good questions, thanks!

 

[demarpaint]

Good answer thanks! That will save me some time next time I do a 2 day detail!

 

[Craig in Canada]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint


If you plan on taking two days for the project, and for the sake of argument you wash, clay, and polish on the first day. On day two do you wash the car first then proceed? I've always washed the car again if the project took me into a second day even if the car is garaged. Just wondering how you guys handle it? Thanks!


Assuming that it's in my attached garage (ie. this isn't a dusty barn) I'll just gently use a California car duster and continue. IMO, spray detailers may contain waxes or other ingredients which may interfere with what I'm doing. If I wash the car again I both waste time and end up with water hiding in seams everywhere even when I try to blow them out thoroughly.

I like my car, still think of it as a hobby (despite being a daily driver and having kids now) and like to do a good, thorough job detailing when I can. But with busy home and office lives, a commute and I DIY everything home and auto, I simply don't have time to waste needlessly.

 

[demarpaint]

I read a book years ago about the guys that detail show cars. If a car sat over night IIRC they suggested washing it again. I'm not showing cars, but want to do the best job I can if I decide to tackle a complete detail. Sometimes I will wash clay and polish for example. Then a week later wash and wax the car, especially if it is the full size van I have. As I get older I don't have the spunk I did 20 years ago!

 

[MKZman]

If it has been garaged overnight and you feel it needs to be wiped down, consider using one of the waterless washes. They do not add gloss, etc. They are basically cleaning detailers. These products include PoorBoys Spray and Wipe and DP Waterless Wash (from Autogeek). Adam's makes one too but never used it.