I never used to see the fun in cleaning my car and would always do a shoddy job, then one day one of my friend's father recommended AutoGlym products and I spotted some 'Super Resin Polish' on a trip to Halfords.
AutoGlym claims on the bottle that it is the polish of choice for Aston Martin, Lagonda, McLaren and Aston Martin... Must be good eh?
As soon as I used it for the first time on my car, I was absolutely hooked. It really is unbelievable how good the paintwork of the car comes out after you buff the polish off and it's also hard to believe the fact that there is such a small amount of people who know the process of polishing cars. The finish you get from this polish is so pearly and deep and it is one of the most satisfying feelings for me when I have finished washing the car etc. and get to take the polish off using the buff cloth. So satisfying in fact that I always wash my friends cars now, although I have a set process and I have gained a bit of an OCD, with all of my products and different cloths etc... I enjoy it though :).
Polish works by removing a tiny layer from the surface of the paint, to remove any impurities that have built up on the surface and to reveal the pristine paintwork underneath.
Anyway, this is a traditional style polish. A gooey but not too thick white liquid
which smells very pleasant. You don't need any special materials for applying the polish but I would strongly recommend a dedicated polish applicator cloth of some sort as they have a more hard and rough surface, to ensure that the polish smears on nicely.
Firstly, you completely wash the car and dry it with a Chamois or similar cloth. Once the car is bone dry (don't worry about water marks). You literally go round the whole car, applying bits of polish to the cloth and smearing it onto the car in circular motions until the whole car is covered in a white smear, that looks very unhealthy. (A lot of friends usually comment at this point.. Thinking I've ruined their paintwork) haha.
All very simple. Except for the polish's worst enemy... WATER!!! oh and, another not quite as bad enemy... black plastic trims. You really need to go round the whole car with a cloth before you apply the polish and make sure that no drops of water are lingering anywhere... Places that water likes to hide are in the wing mirrors (you wont know until you knock into it and water gushes out), around the seals of the doors and in grilles. If you get any water on the polish after you have applied it then it is an absolute nightmare to rectify. The polish goes really gooey and its annoying to get off. Also with plastic trims, the polish tends to leave a white mark, so once you have applied the polish, go round the car and wipe any polish off of black trims with the damp corner of a cloth (trying not to touch the polish).
Polishing really isn't a job you want to do half heartedly and you must make sure you have thoroughly washed and dried the car before you rush into it... It's all worth it.
After you have completely smeared up your car and seemingly ruined your good cleaning job, you leave the smears on for a while. AutoGlym recommend performing other tasks such as cleaning windows while you wait for the polish to dry. I usually start packing away the washing products.
Once it's been left for 10 or so minutes, the smeared on polish hardens. Then comes the extremely satisfying part. You need a completely clean and dry soft cloth and I'd recommend a second cloth of the same style for after...
You go round the car, wiping off the dried polish. It comes off relatively easy but if you are polishing the car in the sun then the polish tends to go a bit harder and you'll need a bit more elbow grease to get it off. You instantly see the fantastic results as you are wiping off the polish. The paint is extremely pristine looking and shiny. You can see the results best on the back of the car. It leaves a beautiful, smooth pearly finish that you can see yourself in!
Make sure you go round the whole car thoroughly and make sure you get every bit off. I've forgot little bits before and it stays on your car stubborn until the next time you wash the car. The polish comes off as dust and the first cloth you use to take the polish off will become dusty so after you have taken all the polish off, I'd recommend going over it with the 2nd cloth to wipe off any dust that gets left behind.
Voi la, a revitalised paint job that looks like it's just come out of the showroom. The surface of the car also feels very smooth to the touch and will repel dust and light soiling for a few weeks.
I've tried other products such as a 'crystal' polish which is completely clear and doesn't mark black plastic trims. I find this doesn't produce such a good result though and is harder to apply because you cannot see the polish on the car before you buff it and it is very greasy (like putting baby oil on your car!).
It is a fantastic product that will revitalise any car that has a non-faded paint job. I find the best results on silver coloured cars and the result lasts the longest on red cars for some reason.
Either way, don't get too polish-happy. As it removes a layer of oxidised paint, you should only polish the car every few washes, once the paintwork has become dull again. If you polish your car too often, it will begin to damage the protective surface of the paint. I'd recommend giving the car a wax now and then instead of a polish too, to re-protect the paint.
You can buy this polish at any branch of Halfords but they live up to their slang name of 'Halfrauds' in this case and a small bottle usually costs around £10. So I purchase it from the Internet. You can usually get the largest bottle for not much more than the smallest bottle in Halfords.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
A professional grade car polish, internationally acclaimed and used widely in the auto ... more
industry. This polish applies easily in liquid form, and helps to clean and recondition paintwork, giving a high gloss finish when completed. Requires a lot less ene...
Postage & Packaging: £3.95 Availability: In stock. 3 working days
Polishes and protects in one easy step... lasts for months! Periodic polishing gently ... more
removes harmful surface contaminants and imparts a tough, glossy, protective barrier to preserve expensive paintwork from the harsh environment. Internationally ...
Postage & Packaging: £3.91 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Aug 24th, 2009
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