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  1. #1

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    Polish on good panels if you’re going to coat?

    I did a very light polish on my wife’s hood this evening even though I couldn’t see any marring under any light angles. I decided to anyway before I put on CQuartz Lite. Was wondering if I have other panels like that, do you think I ‘need’ to polish at all?
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  2. #2
    dwaleke's Avatar
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    Re: Polish on good panels if you’re going to coat?

    I would always polish before coating.

    Helps ensure maximum durability of the coating.
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  3. #3
    dansautodetailing.com Stokdgs's Avatar
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    Re: Polish on good panels if you’re going to coat?

    I want the all the paintwork to be really clean, clear, flat, and glossy - it all has to match for me..
    So I always paint correct/polish, whatever it needs, all of it, and then a great wipedown with a product made to use before applying a coating..
    I believe the coating will have the best chance to adhere to the paintwork the best if the paintwork is as clean as possible..
    Dan F
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  4. #4

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    Re: Polish on good panels if you’re going to coat?

    Even on new paint... polishing brightens the paintwork. If in good shape just don’t have to use anything too abrasive. Cleaner wax will do.


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  5. #5
    wannafbody
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    Re: Polish on good panels if you’re going to coat?

    I`d use one of the newer prep polishes like Mothers CMX ceramic 3in1. CMX leaves a ceramic base coat.

    As far as cleaner polishes, Zaino ZPC has the best cleaning ability of any polish I`ve used.

  6. #6

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    Re: Polish on good panels if you’re going to coat?

    If I don`t see a difference I don`t do [whatever]. I`m not spending one unnecessary *second* on this stuff if I can help it. I haven`t done *anything* except wash and refresh LSP for ages and my vehicles look fine to the only person who matters

  7. #7

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    Re: Polish on good panels if you’re going to coat?

    I always give the vehicle a polish before coating. Even a light polish on a good condition car will spruce things up. You don`t have to go nuts with a multi stage polish; even a quick one-step with a finishing polish helps.

    Even on an older car in good condition there is a noticeable difference in the clarity and color of the paint. On my wife`s maroon car which hadn`t been polished in three years due to a coating, I ran a tape line just to see a before/after comparison and it was quite noticeable. The newly polished area was brighter in color, the pearl flake was much more noticeable and the overall gloss/shine was more crisp. I`ve noticed similar on my black cars, though it isn`t as noticable as on maroon. Mike Phillips at AG has some great before/after pictures of both a white and a yellow car in which the difference in color was substantial even if there wasn`t a lot of correction going on.
    Drop by to see the latest at The Car Geek Blog
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  8. #8

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    Re: Polish on good panels if you’re going to coat?

    I`ve been rethinking my previous response...since we`re talking *coatings*, well...yeah, I`d probably give it *some* kind of very gentle polishing too. Unless the paint was too thin to risk it.
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  9. #9
    William_Wallace's Avatar
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    Re: Polish on good panels if you’re going to coat?

    I always thought so because your knocking off oxidized paint, grime and a thing embedded in surface. Now do I follow this not always if u got the time or if your own vehicle definitely

  10. #10

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    Re: Polish on good panels if you’re going to coat?

    Quote Originally Posted by William_Wallace View Post
    I always thought so because your knocking off oxidized paint, grime and a thing embedded in surface. Now do I follow this not always if u got the time or if your own vehicle definitely
    I guess that "own indefinitely" explains a whole lot of my seemingly contrarian positions. And the way our vehicles are pretty pampered...that " knocking off oxidized paint, grime and a thing embedded in surface.." makes perfect sense, just never seems necessary for me these days (and I`m sure just as particular as I ever was about how they look when I finally do wash `em ).

    But (again..repeating myself as I really missed the boat previously ) when *coating*, yeah...do some degree of prep if only because the coated surfaces shouldn`t need subsequent attention for a good long time.

 

 

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