When to strip the car or not?

[jlineman]

My wife has a 2008 Ford Edge with 37,000 miles on it and it looks like it came off the show room floor yesterday. This past April I used CG Citrus Shampoo to strip the car, then clay. then Blackfire polish, and then Blackfire sealer. I try to wash the car every week and when I do, I follow up with a spray wax, Optimum or Pinnacle Souveran and about every 5th wash use Blackfire spray sealer. This may be over kill but the car looks good and I have not seen any compatibility issues. If the car was a dark color I might see a difference in the products but being a very light cream (White Sand Triple Coat) I really don`t see a difference in them. Having said all this...the question is...do the coats of spray wax layer to the point that the car will sometime need to be striped again or if the surface is smooth and not showing any problems just continue on as I have been?

[Iomcamaro]

I don`t think that spray waxes build on each other. I feel that they just feel in the spots where the other spray waxes had vanished. If you haven`t had any problems I`d say continue on doing what you like to do. : As Mike Phillips always says, "Find something that you like, and use it often."

[Dr Oldz]

I would continue as you are doing but also follow claying and polish intervals as required! The baggy test will determine when claying is required and your eyes will tell you when a polish is needed! Hope this helps.

[Stokdgs]

My wife has a 2008 Ford Edge with 37,000 miles on it and it looks like it came off the show room floor yesterday. This past April I used CG Citrus Shampoo to strip the car, then clay. then Blackfire polish, and then Blackfire sealer. I try to wash the car every week and when I do, I follow up with a spray wax, Optimum or Pinnacle Souveran and about every 5th wash use Blackfire spray sealer. This may be over kill but the car looks good and I have not seen any compatibility issues. If the car was a dark color I might see a difference in the products but being a very light cream (White Sand Triple Coat) I really don`t see a difference in them. Having said all this...the question is...do the coats of spray wax layer to the point that the car will sometime need to be striped again or if the surface is smooth and not showing any problems just continue on as I have been?

I think whatever you are putting on is coming off with the next wash and not really sticking in the paint pores as well as a Sealant or better still, a coating would.

In my experiences with spray detailers, etc., they DO leave material on the paintwork, and if you have a clearbra on a black vehicle like I do, you will see it at the leading edge of the clearbra on the hood for example, if you are not careful when applying and rubbing it onto the hood with a soft microfiber towel..

But this material if not removed from that edge will be gone next time the Jeep is washed.

Ditto with the great feedback above - you are doing fine with this process, but at some point, when you wash and run a clean dry hand carefully over the paintwork, when you feel that embedded stuff, you might need to consider a claybar, etc., cleaning, check it after, decide if you want to remove any defects, etc., and that will pretty much leave you with a clean surface to either continue with your process, or polish it down lightly with something very very light cutting, so you are in effect, refining the work you have been doing already, and making it clearer and clearer..

Dan F

[Old Pirate]

I think it depends where your at. I recommend doing twice a year ( spring/fall ) to ensure it`s always protected and to remove any swirls it might have on it. The layer`s you apply of these products will wear off over time and IMO your doing fine by what your doing to protect it. Happy detailing.

[Todd@RUPES]

I would continue as you are doing but also follow claying and polish intervals as required! The baggy test will determine when claying is required and your eyes will tell you when a polish is needed! Hope this helps.

I couldn`t have said it better myself.