Do you have to polish before waxing?

[single shot]

I have a 2001 MB S430 in Brilliant Silver that is about 3 months old. Drive only 1 time every couple of weeks. Garaged all other time.



Do I need to polish before waxing?



Any rec`s on wax for this color?



Thanks

[bigpoppa]

If it`s that new - you shouldn`t have to polish. Make sure to clay first. If you like wax - P21s is probably the best for silver. You may also want to try Zaino - it is outstanding on light colors.:cool: It is also very durable.

[Jngrbrdman]

Polishing is for fixing surface damage and preping for a sealant or wax. If your car is brand new then there probably isn`t a need for any of that. Just go straight to the wax. I would suggest P21S. Its about $25 a jar and worth every penny of it. If you want to go the sealant route first then you need to decide which is best for you. There are several sealants out there to choose from. Do some looking through the forums on what other silver car owners use. The Gallery might be a good place to look. They may say which products they used on the car in the pictures. :) Welcome to Autopia!

[atldave]

How did you get a 2001 3 months ago?



Personally, I think Zaino looks beautiful on Silver.



I don`t care much for it on Black, Red, or a really dark color, but pick some up from Zainobros.com.

[single shot]

Oops, I meant 2002

[imported_ThreeSixT]

I was in the same boat a few weeks ago. I have a 2002 A4 that`s less than 2 months old and I drive it about as much, if not less, than you do. When I did my first detail on the car a few weeks ago, I used P21S Paint Cleanser (aka GEPC) and Klasse AIO..followed by SG and Carnuba of course. I opted not to clay because the contamination and oxidation weren`t that bad, but along with the minor scratches and swirls, my paint was enough of a concern to polish. In result, I was more than happy with the results of polishing with the GEPC and AIO to clean and prep the paint prior to waxing. Trust me, you`ll be suprised at how many fine scratches and swirls your car has from those monkeys at the dealership using cheap synthetic sponges and bath towels with edges. Take a closer look at your paint under a UV light and re-evaluate the condition of your new car`s paint. You will be amazed at what you find. If you are a scratch and swirl freak like me, you will be livid. :xyxthumbs



See my post below for results of my first detail:

Results of 1st Detail (http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17310)