It was a public holiday yesterday (the English would call it a "bank holiday") and it was a horrible wet gloomy day, so I got on with a task I've been looking forward to - giving our 500 a polish. The 500 lives outdoors, and winter is almost here, so it needs some preparation and protection for the driving/washing in the next few months.
Yes, I know this post could be in the Detailing Forum, but I want to encourage 500 owners who aren't 'detailers' to give polishing a go
The colour of this 500 is Nero Provocatore, which has mica pearls in it, but the effect is far too subtle for anyone to notice. It really just looks like plain black. I thought it was quite shiny before but it turned out to be like a mirror once given some care and attention!
It's usually worth starting with a clay bar if the surface feels rough after washing - I had some waterless car wash spray that has proved less-than-great for its original purpose, but works fine (as a substitute for detailing spray) with a clay bar. This little ball of yellow plasticine (I use Mothers clay bars) smooths the surface by removing contaminants. It turns a red colour, I think from microscopic bits of rusty steel from brakes etc. The tailgate seemed to be affected the most - also had a load of tiny road tar spots. Having the surface smooth already means polishing will be easier and more effective.
The next step was to wipe down the doors with Bug and Tar remover - this is basically WD-40, but it was cheaper for some reason - this removes the larger road tar spots. I don't want to be polishing those gritty lumps into the paint.
Then it's time for a polish. The aim is to remove all the fine scratches and swirls that arise from using and washing the car.
I used Chemical Guys V36 - this has diminishing abrasives, so this particular grade (36) is strong enough to remove fine scratches, yet becomes smooth enough to give a brilliant finish. I use an orange foam pad (washed) on a DA polisher set on medium-to-high speed. DA polishers are a must-have item, as they are powerful enough to be useful, yet much easier to control than a rotary polisher - and importantly for a dark colour being polished, a DA (orbital) polisher doesn't leave swirls that cause 'holograms' (shimmering patterns) in the paint.
Then after removing that with a microfibre towel, I washed out a Meguiars foam applicator and DIDN'T use the 'NXT' Meguiars synthetic wax - instead I used a trusty old favourite, Turtle Wax ICE paste. The moistened foam pad is then used by hand to spread a thin swirly layer of the translucent blue paste. As the surface is super-shiny and smooth, this is not difficult. About 15 minutes later, I use another microfibre towel - different colour so I don't mix them up - and buffing-off is easy.
I notice you can't buy the ICE paste as readily as before - they seem to favour the liquid now. I realise the paste is slightly more work than a liquid to apply and buff off, but in my experience it gives a more durable result than the liquid. It actually seems to live up to the claim on the tub - "more durable than the leading paste" - I have found it more durable than any other product in the way that water will bead off the surface for a few months after application.
Applying and removing synthetic wax on/from an already-polished surface is much easier than trying to apply to an unpolished surface - the ICE paste, in common with most synthetic products, has no abrasive capabilities, so it isn't the place to start if you have 'surface issues' to resolve.
I realise that many people don't have five hours to polish their car and therefore shortcuts are tempting Most of the products clamouring for shelf space at your favourite DIY store are 'combination' products, with the abrasive polish and the silicone/carnauba wax blend all in one. The ingredients are fine, and good for a quick result, but it usually won't be a lasting result. And you tend to get white residue in all the crevices - a machine will leave horrible marks on the rubber around the 500's windows. The problem is the silicone/wax fills in scratches instantly and tends to give a false shine during polishing, making the surface look a lot better than it actually is. This false shine will fade after only a few days and you'll wonder why you bothered!
That's why I find it best to polish with a non-silicone polish first - the high-quality types won't leave white marks, and the Chemical Guys V36 is the best product I've found. As it breaks down to a finer polish (white colour disappears), you can see your progress and judge when the surface is truly glossy. Works on clear plastics as well - the taillights look and feel like new again.
Mirka T10 compound is very good, too. On the other hand, the 3M Finesse-It range is one that I would avoid - it makes quite a mess, doesn't produce much of a gloss (unless you use a sequence of two or three grades), and is hard to remove.
Once the surface is polished, it needs protecting (from contaminants, water spots, etc) with a wax of some sort - but I find that the trade-type products (cheaper) are not any more satisfactory than some of the consumer-grade products. I am a fan of the synthetics (such as the ICE paste) rather than the natural waxes (from the more 'upmarket' brands). The synthetic waxes can be rubbed into the plastic and rubber trims found on the 500, which saves having to go around the car again with some other product. I notice that Mothers and Meguiars, and other expensive name brands, have their own versions of synthetic waxes now, but I haven't found them to be particularly durable.
I have polished the glass roof with the same polish - seemed effective, I breathed on the glass to check for water spots - and then with it clean, I decided to try applying ICE paste as well! not sure whether that will prove to be a good idea or not, usually it is best to avoid any sort of silicone product on windscreens (even Rain-X, which is fine on side windows but I don't like its interaction with wiper blades). The roof isn't a critical safety item, so I will see whether it becomes smeary or stays crystal-clear as it is at the moment. Any comments on glass-roof treatment are welcome
Our 500 is sitting on a borrowed set of 15" wheels while I work on refurbishing the 16" wheels it came with - that's a topic for another thread
-Alex
Yes, I know this post could be in the Detailing Forum, but I want to encourage 500 owners who aren't 'detailers' to give polishing a go
The colour of this 500 is Nero Provocatore, which has mica pearls in it, but the effect is far too subtle for anyone to notice. It really just looks like plain black. I thought it was quite shiny before but it turned out to be like a mirror once given some care and attention!
It's usually worth starting with a clay bar if the surface feels rough after washing - I had some waterless car wash spray that has proved less-than-great for its original purpose, but works fine (as a substitute for detailing spray) with a clay bar. This little ball of yellow plasticine (I use Mothers clay bars) smooths the surface by removing contaminants. It turns a red colour, I think from microscopic bits of rusty steel from brakes etc. The tailgate seemed to be affected the most - also had a load of tiny road tar spots. Having the surface smooth already means polishing will be easier and more effective.
The next step was to wipe down the doors with Bug and Tar remover - this is basically WD-40, but it was cheaper for some reason - this removes the larger road tar spots. I don't want to be polishing those gritty lumps into the paint.
Then it's time for a polish. The aim is to remove all the fine scratches and swirls that arise from using and washing the car.
I used Chemical Guys V36 - this has diminishing abrasives, so this particular grade (36) is strong enough to remove fine scratches, yet becomes smooth enough to give a brilliant finish. I use an orange foam pad (washed) on a DA polisher set on medium-to-high speed. DA polishers are a must-have item, as they are powerful enough to be useful, yet much easier to control than a rotary polisher - and importantly for a dark colour being polished, a DA (orbital) polisher doesn't leave swirls that cause 'holograms' (shimmering patterns) in the paint.
Then after removing that with a microfibre towel, I washed out a Meguiars foam applicator and DIDN'T use the 'NXT' Meguiars synthetic wax - instead I used a trusty old favourite, Turtle Wax ICE paste. The moistened foam pad is then used by hand to spread a thin swirly layer of the translucent blue paste. As the surface is super-shiny and smooth, this is not difficult. About 15 minutes later, I use another microfibre towel - different colour so I don't mix them up - and buffing-off is easy.
I notice you can't buy the ICE paste as readily as before - they seem to favour the liquid now. I realise the paste is slightly more work than a liquid to apply and buff off, but in my experience it gives a more durable result than the liquid. It actually seems to live up to the claim on the tub - "more durable than the leading paste" - I have found it more durable than any other product in the way that water will bead off the surface for a few months after application.
Applying and removing synthetic wax on/from an already-polished surface is much easier than trying to apply to an unpolished surface - the ICE paste, in common with most synthetic products, has no abrasive capabilities, so it isn't the place to start if you have 'surface issues' to resolve.
I realise that many people don't have five hours to polish their car and therefore shortcuts are tempting
Most of the products clamouring for shelf space at your favourite DIY store are 'combination' products, with the abrasive polish and the silicone/carnauba wax blend all in one. The ingredients are fine, and good for a quick result, but it usually won't be a lasting result. And you tend to get white residue in all the crevices - a machine will leave horrible marks on the rubber around the 500's windows. The problem is the silicone/wax fills in scratches instantly and tends to give a false shine during polishing, making the surface look a lot better than it actually is. This false shine will fade after only a few days and you'll wonder why you bothered!That's why I find it best to polish with a non-silicone polish first - the high-quality types won't leave white marks, and the Chemical Guys V36 is the best product I've found. As it breaks down to a finer polish (white colour disappears), you can see your progress and judge when the surface is truly glossy. Works on clear plastics as well - the taillights look and feel like new again.
Mirka T10 compound is very good, too. On the other hand, the 3M Finesse-It range is one that I would avoid - it makes quite a mess, doesn't produce much of a gloss (unless you use a sequence of two or three grades), and is hard to remove.
Once the surface is polished, it needs protecting (from contaminants, water spots, etc) with a wax of some sort - but I find that the trade-type products (cheaper) are not any more satisfactory than some of the consumer-grade products. I am a fan of the synthetics (such as the ICE paste) rather than the natural waxes (from the more 'upmarket' brands). The synthetic waxes can be rubbed into the plastic and rubber trims found on the 500, which saves having to go around the car again with some other product. I notice that Mothers and Meguiars, and other expensive name brands, have their own versions of synthetic waxes now, but I haven't found them to be particularly durable.
I have polished the glass roof with the same polish - seemed effective, I breathed on the glass to check for water spots - and then with it clean, I decided to try applying ICE paste as well!
not sure whether that will prove to be a good idea or not, usually it is best to avoid any sort of silicone product on windscreens (even Rain-X, which is fine on side windows but I don't like its interaction with wiper blades). The roof isn't a critical safety item, so I will see whether it becomes smeary or stays crystal-clear as it is at the moment. Any comments on glass-roof treatment are welcome Our 500 is sitting on a borrowed set of 15" wheels while I work on refurbishing the 16" wheels it came with - that's a topic for another thread
-Alex
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