If you want to preserve the look of your car’s paint job after it’s received body work, you must regularly polish your car. But how often is too often? At Kirmac Collision & Autoglass, we suggest polishing your car every 6 months or so. This, along with other protective measures, should keep your car looking consistently at its best. But how can you know for certain that you’re polishing your car correctly? If you’ve never polished your car before (or feel uncertain that you’ve been doing it correctly this entire time), read on to find out tips and suggestions given by our team of experts at Kirmac.
Three Simple Rules to Live By
Unless you’re a professional auto body technician who has professional-grade tools and a top-of-the-line automotive polish at their disposal, you’re simply not going to know right off the bat what you should and should not be doing when it comes to polishing your car. Don’t worry! Our trusted team has compiled three simple rules you should follow when getting ready to polish your car.
Rule Number One: Avoid Damaging Your Vehicle More Than What It Is
If for some reason your paint job gets scratched or damaged and you’d like to buff it out and clean it with a car polish, remember to select your polish thoughtfully. A common misconception is that, the harsher the components are within the polish solution, the better it will be to buff out and polish a scratch—let this be your last resort! A harsh compound can actually do more damage to your paint job than good, as you could end up removing more of the paint than you mean to and have an even more obvious discrepancy on your paint job. Carefully select a less abrasive car polish and start there. We suggest a fine car polish (often referred to as pre-wax cleaners) that will remove dirt, polish the paint coat, and maintain the gloss on your car’s paint.
Rule Number Two: Save & Protect Your Topcoat!
Your car’s topcoat is what gives it its glossy, clean finished look. When taking a car polish to the surface of your auto body, you want to keep in mind that the topcoat is particularly sensitive to the abrasiveness of the polish and must therefore be applied with a gentle hand. This is because, once the topcoat is gone, you can’t go back without the assistance of a professional technician. You may think that without the topcoat, you’ll be able to see a glossier finish due to the car polish, but be aware that this comes at the expense of the depth and clarity of your car’s paint job which can result in a patch of paint that doesn’t match the rest of the body. So, do yourself a favor and be very careful to save and protect your topcoat when polishing your car and thank us for it later.
Rule Number Three: Buy the Correct Automotive Polish
Again, we’re aware that you’re not a professional technician who knows the ins and outs of polishing your car, so when shopping for the proper car polish that will satisfy your needs, we suggest that you do a bit of research. Compare and contrast different automotive polishes so that you can find the ones that is right for you and your car. You don’t want to accidentally buy a car polish that is so abrasive you end up adding more to the damage than what was originally there. You also don’t want to buy a car polish that is to fine for the automotive issue at hand. Lastly, be sure to buy the correct application tools. The best car polish is nothing without the proper applicators, wash mitts, towels, etc. Talk to your local auto supply store and get the necessary tools you need.
Contact Vancouver and British Columbia’s Top Auto Body Experts
Now that you’re ready and armed with our three simple rules, we’re confident that you’re ready and able to get started on polishing your car. If you have any lingering questions about the subject or aren’t feeling quite confident or up to the task (maybe your car has a scratch that needs to be looked at), you can always schedule an appointment online with one of our technicians or request an online estimate for auto body repair. We have 18 different locations all over Vancouver and British Columbia, one of which is sure to be close to you. Give us a call and find a location near you, today!
