Advice on which products would be best to use

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denise

Guest
I have a 1998 metallic green vauxhall tigra and am looking forward to carryoing out some detailing on my car if i knew what products would be best to use but as i am new to the polishing and detailing scene there are so many different products available that i am completely confused and am not sure which products to use!I plan to apply all products with a Halford's car polisher and buff off either with the polisher or by hand. Would anyone be able to give me some advice on which products would be best to use? Also, considering the age of the car would i be best to use a polish and wax all in one or a separate wax and a separate polish time is not an issue but was unsure which would be best? Could anyone give me some advice thank-you in advance :)
 

Poorboy

Founder
Staff member
Welcome to our forum...first question is what is a Halford's buffer...after we figure that out then we can suggest what and how to fix up your car. :)
 

BigLeegr

Token Brute and Chief Bottle Washer
Staff member
200-681361.jpg

or possibly:
200-234542.jpg

(Halfords is a store in the UK.)
Hope this helps! :smt039
 

BigLeegr

Token Brute and Chief Bottle Washer
Staff member
Well, I was hoping one of the "pros" would chime in, after I offered my amazingly helpful help, :roll: but, I guess I'll chime in myself.
First, I wouldn't recommend removing the product with the buffer. If you've applied the product "properly' you shouldn't need much effort to remove it. If you find it hard to remove, it may be that you used too much product. (If you can't see your paint through the residue, you've got too much product applied! :eek: )
Generally speaking, you will get better results from dedicated products/multiple steps than an "All-In-One" product. This isn't to say that you can't get good results from the AIO, rather, that you'd be able to concentrate more on what needs more attention and address specific concerns with multi-step systems.
The buffer you likely have isn't the same as the PC buffer often mentioned on these sites. Two big concerns with them are that they usually come with "less than the highest quality" bonnets, and secondly, they are usually fixed at 1 speed - ie. on or off.
With the bonnets, you might look for some microfibre bonnets for your buffer. They are less likely to induce marring. The "cotton" bonnets usually supplied are fairly threadbare, and tend to get "balls" forming if used with sticky polishes or waxes, or if the products are applied too thick. This "balling" can also induce marring. (Also, this can occur if you used the bonnets to remove the product, which could mar a section fairly quickly.) The "cotton" is often mixed with polyester thread as well, which may also cause marring.
As to the speed, you likely wouldn't get major blemishes fixed with it, but it does allow an even coat to be applied, as well as allowing you to work in a product longer than you likely would by hand.
(I wouldn't recommend using the "wool" bonnet, as 1-it isn't real wool, it's synthetic and could swirl up the finish, and 2-it is meant to "bring up the shine by doing a deep buff. This may have been needed on older finishes with older products, but for the most part, today's products don't require excessive buffing to get a nice shine.)

Using this type of buffer, look for products that can be used by hand. Products that say "machine use only" usually refer to rotary buffers, which yours certainly isn't. You won't be able to get the speed/heat needed to make the products work.

Is your car in nice shape, or is it in need of work? (Oxidized/scratched/swirled/etc.) You would need different products depending on the condition.
If you have it in nice shape, I'd recommend SSR1 and EX-P (since it's metallic.). SSR2 or 2.5, depending on how bad the condition is.
Of course, there's the BnB for tyres, NL for interior (or Leather Stuff for leather), SSS for washing, S+W for just about everything, blah blah blah.

Well, this is probably too long now, so I'll stop. :p
Let me know if you require further (non-pro) assistance!
 
D

denise

Guest
240 volt Polisher

BigLeegr is right halford's is a store in the Uk. I have a 240volt polisher do the pros have any advice 4me?
 
V

VroomVroom

Guest
I'm definitely no pro, but I'll chime in. :)

First, you'll love Poorboy's products. They're easy to use and offer outstanding results.

I'd actually recommend starting your detail (after the wash, of course) with a clay bar treatment. If you've never used a clay bar, you will be amazed at what contaminants it lifts from your finish.

Second, can you share some more specs on that polisher? This is just a guess, but I'm concerned it may not have the horsepower to do any actual polishing. As the pros will certainly better explain, to remove swirls and light scratches, the product must be "broken down" through speed, pressure, and time. A "dual action" polisher such as a Porter Cable 7224 is a common choice for us shadetree folks, along with a variety of foam pads. For example, here's my general routine:

SSR 2.5 with a medium-cut pad
SSR 1 or Professional Polish with a light-cut pad

I usually apply topocats (i.e. sealants and waxes) by hand, but your polisher could certainly be used for this. Since you mentioned that time isn't a great concern, a sealant topped with a wax will give you good durability and a smile on your face from the appearance. If your finish has a high metallic content, I'd recommend EX-P as a sealant. Otherwise, EX w/ carnuba will provide a nice "wet" look. Natty's Blue is my favorite carnuba wax, and it will add depth to the finish as well as more wetness and reflection.

Good luck!
 
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