need help
- Thread starter maurofc70
- Start date
acuRAS82
New member
This is a loaded question, but polishing will give you the base gloss and the sealant or ceramic coating will add the cherry on top.
Coatings tend to have a bit more glassy appearance IMO compared to sealant “candy coated” appearance, but this is all generally speaking.
tom p.
Active member
Yeah, the appearance of A vs. B will come down to personal preference, certainly subjective. However, you might get a superior lifetime out of a "ceramic" product, Mauro.
No harm in trying a couple of panels on your car and live with it for a while. Maybe a product like the new Turtle Wax offering would be an easy/cheap way to examine it...
No harm in trying a couple of panels on your car and live with it for a while. Maybe a product like the new Turtle Wax offering would be an easy/cheap way to examine it...
Dan
Well-known member
It’s not likely you’ll get much more shine, though you didn’t tell us what you’re using. You will get a cleaner car for longer though.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Agree. The diffs in LSP/coating/etc. are so minimal as to not *really* be that much of a factor with regard to "getting a better mirror shine". Just avoiding LSPs that are geared towards "depth and jetting" (e.g., oily natural waxes) or that "darken" the finish (certain sealants and synthetic waxes), you can get that Last Step Product to be nice and shiny.
Note all those scare-quotes...the diffs really *are* that minimal, though sometimes they can be significant enough that some of us nutty-particular Autopians will indeed have our preferences and think that one or the other is completely right/wrong for the application. But none of that`ll matter until the finish is already as good as it`s gonna get thanks to proper polishing and (most important overall) how it`s cared for long-term. Marring, even light issues that "nobody sees", will result in light being refracted instead of being reflected and that means "less shiny".
acuRAS82
New member
Well said. Worry about getting the finish perfected and then you can focus on this type of look vs that other for a given type of paint. If the car isn’t being freshly polished then you can probably base your LSP decisions on other factors besides gloss (ease of use, longevity, durability, self-cleaning, etc.).
And I want to note to the OP that I didn’t mean to assume you don’t polish. But it was mentioned originally so polishing was the first thing coming to me. If you do polish and get good results, then trying different things becomes more worthwhile in the looks department (and almost any other aspect).