We could talk forever about the differences between the methods of enhancing your vehicle’s paintwork. Essentially, when it comes to polishing there are many degrees of strength we can apply – from an abrasive polish, which will remove (or hide) fine scratches through to very mild non-abrasive polishes, which may well react with the paintwork on a chemical level (depending on type) to remove very light oxidisation. It could even be a polish that puts a protective coat on to the paint, enhancing the look of the paint in a similar fashion to a wax. A high quality polish that contains PTFE (poly tetra fluoro ethylene) will enhance paintwork and last longer than other polishes and waxes.
Waxing won’t react with the paint in any way and it will enhance and protect it, although some waxes won’t last as long as polishes (especially those containing PTFE). On a vehicle where the paintwork is in good condition you cannot go past a quality wax. There is no doubt when using a wax of high quality, it will produce a better result than any polish (as long as the paint work is at its best). At Car Care we use and recommend Swissvax products, they are expensive but produce a result like no other (the author is a car detailer for over 10 years). One of their new products actually contains PTFE as well as the sought after Carnauba wax (comes from a Brazilian Palm tree). There is a wax to suit all types of paint to get it looking its best.
All vehicles require either a wax or a polish on a regular basis, how often depends on their exposure to the elements and the quality of the paintwork. Generally between 3-6 months will be sufficient to keep your vehicle looking at it’s best (with regular washing in between).
All vehicles require either a wax or a polish on a regular basis, how often depends on their exposure to the elements and the quality of the paintwork. Generally between 3-6 months will be sufficient to keep your vehicle looking at best (with regular washing in between).
