UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

[rover137]

Hi all

I've decided to buy a DA to use on my 6 month old black Hyundai. I've hand polished it twice and it's come up ok but not as good as i would like and my arm almost fell off!

I've read a lot of info on how frequent you can use UP, but I've also received quite a bit of conflicting advice.

Most people around here subscribe to the thinking that you can use UP on a DA monthly with no ill effects due to its light abrasives.

I've researched other forums and some say even though the abrasives are minor, that 1-2 times a year would still be overkill and risk removing clear coat. I've also spoken to a few local professional detailers here in my area and they have said that even a polish with very minor abrasives is risky to apply yearly and they would correct once and that is it. I told them that i wouldn't be correcting (compounding) yearly but just a light polish with UP and a finishing pad (megs yellow or black equivalent). Their advice that once a year is excessive remained.

I'm guessing my car has quite soft paint (black hyundai) and it does swirl really easy.

I enjoy detailing and am thinking i will like the DA. The machine with pads is going to cost $4-500 which is a lot if i were to correct once and then maybe once more and that is it for the lifetime of the car. it is a lot to pay for two lots of use and the odd machine wax here and there (i only use ULW 6 monthly and second coat with the spray HCW more frequently)

I would prefer to be able to apply UP 1-2 times a year on a finishing pad with the DA to at least get that shine, gloss and prepare the surface for waxing.

What are everyone's thoughts?

Thanks!

[Murr1525]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

Well, I had my first car 3 years, second car 9 years, and current car 4 years.... Used Ult Polish, SwirlX, Ult Compound if needed, etc at least twice a year... some by hand, some by machine. The cars still have paint on them, even the 9yr old one when I traded it in.

[HCAD]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

If you take care of the car properly, wax/sealant 2-3 times a year, you shouldn't need to polish that often. The goal is to protect the surface from getting any defects that you might need to polish away. Proper washing technique and regular sealant protection (which you would use your new machine for btw) gets my vote. My cars get an occasional polish with Meg's #205 if I need to remove water spots or light scratches in certain areas. I don't feel the need to do the whole car though.

[rover137]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

Good to hear that your cars still hold up after multiple polishes!

Yeah, i do get that if you take care of it then you shouldn't need to do it often and that should be the goal but I kind of enjoy the process so I don't mind doing it 1-2 times a year. I thought there were other benefits of UP (oils and wax bond etc) other then defect removal? As mentioned above i don't really want to spend $4-500 for a DA and use it 1-2 times and that is it.

My car is black, has very soft paint and is used as a daily. Either i'm not capable of keeping it in perfect condition or it just isn't possible. I bought it brand new and the dealer didn't touch it before delivery. I washed, clayed, and used ultimate polish by hand. I use the 2 bucket system with grit guards. I always use clean microfibers/wash mitts and rarely wipe the car down with a QD. I also wash using megs products exclusively but i also have a couple chemical guys mitts which are meant to be very good. I always have the car protected (usually with ULW if i do a full detail followed up by HCW routine applications). I do all that and i'm still left with minor swirls.

[Nick Winn]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

We do not see the use of a polish like our Ultimate Polish applied via D/A once, twice a year, even more, as even being close to an issue. You are removing an extremely microscopic amount of film with a compound, let alone a much much milder polish. Hope this helps.

[rover137]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

Thanks Nick, that is similar advice to what I have read. Just thought it would be worth checking as I have received some conflicting advice.

just to confirm - 1-2 times a year of UP on a DA with your yellow pad or equal would pose no issue?

[drumdan]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

I took an advanced polishing and sanding course with Rupes in 2017. The demo hood was sanded with 1500, and 3000, and then compounded with heavy cut Rupes Zephir Coarse and their microfiber pads at total of 14 times before it gave up the ghost. Of course the paint on a Pontiac Sunfire is different than yours, but the point is that a mild product like the incredible Ultimate Polish with the way you intend to use it should keep it in the safe zone.

For our cars at home I just use the original Porter Cable at a very low speed and a finishing pad to revive the gloss before I apply sealant. Usually speed 2 or 3 - whatever speed needed to get some rotation out of the pad.

[atikovi]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

If you're only using a DA 1-2 times a year why spend $4-500 on a new one when you could probably find a used one for a third the price?

[rover137]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

I took an advanced polishing and sanding course with Rupes in 2017. The demo hood was sanded with 1500, and 3000, and then compounded with heavy cut Rupes Zephir Coarse and their microfiber pads at total of 14 times before it gave up the ghost. Of course the paint on a Pontiac Sunfire is different than yours, but the point is that a mild product like the incredible Ultimate Polish with the way you intend to use it should keep it in the safe zone.

For our cars at home I just use the original Porter Cable at a very low speed and a finishing pad to revive the gloss before I apply sealant. Usually speed 2 or 3 - whatever speed needed to get some rotation out of the pad.

Wow that is a lot of compounding! Good to know that as a reference point at least. My paint is very soft but surely given i will be using UP on a finishing pad on speed 2-3 will negate many of the effects of cutting!

[rover137]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

If you're only using a DA 1-2 times a year why spend $4-500 on a new one when you could probably find a used one for a third the price?

To get a half decent one second hand they really aren't that much cheaper here tbh. I could only find one machine that wasn't a pure budget option which was a Rupes and was still $700 used. The rest were budget machines for under $100 which i could pick up new for $20 more anyway.

To be exact i can get the 12mm DA and around 10 pads for around $410 AUD - $290 USD, which should do me for the life of the car. I guess it is either that or buy a budget machine but I'm happy to pay the extra $150-200 AUD for a machine that is a little better, smoother, ergonomic etc.

I can get a MT300 for around $450-$500 delivered to Aus with no pads which works out a fair bit more and no local support if something were to go wrong.

[drumdan]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

Wow that is a lot of compounding! Good to know that as a reference point at least. My paint is very soft but surely given i will be using UP on a finishing pad on speed 2-3 will negate many of the effects of cutting!

While I feel better promoting Meguiar's products on their forum, it's no secret that I really like the blue Hex Logic with Ultimate Polish for light defect removal, and final gloss. I'm not sure of those are available in Austrailia.

[rover137]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

While I feel better promoting Meguiar's products on their forum, it's no secret that I really like the blue Hex Logic with Ultimate Polish for light defect removal, and final gloss. I'm not sure of those are available in Austrailia.

I understand and feel better promoting megs as well but the pads are just so hard to come by here! Everything else i have is megs!

Is this the one? https://shop.autofxwa.com.au/product...-blue-6-5-inch


Looks to be available here in Aus and reasonably priced. Would you say this pad is more similar to the black megs pad i.e. with this pad i'm guessing there would be zero cut and it would be pure glaze from the UP?

I was also thinking about the lake country pads in the SDO range as they seem good quality and are priced ok here - https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...14383538372697

I like the idea of having just a little bit of cut with a finishing pad.

[drumdan]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

I understand and feel better promoting megs as well but the pads are just so hard to come by here! Everything else i have is megs!

Is this the one? https://shop.autofxwa.com.au/product...-blue-6-5-inch


Looks to be available here in Aus and reasonably priced. Would you say this pad is more similar to the black megs pad i.e. with this pad i'm guessing there would be zero cut and it would be pure glaze from the UP?

I was also thinking about the lake country pads in the SDO range as they seem good quality and are priced ok here - https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...14383538372697

I like the idea of having just a little bit of cut with a finishing pad.

Yes, that's the one.

It's got some cut, probably between the yellow and black Meguiar's discs. You might also like the red hex (similar to the black) which has no cut. Regardless, of how light the pad is, there is a light mechanical abrasive cut in the Ultimate Polish whose strength depends on how you use it. Low speeds, moderate pressure, light product application, and you're probably up for some serious gloss.

I use Ultimate Polish with the green pad (and higher speed, moderate pressure) in many one step polishing situations. While I get surprising defect removal, the trade off is a little gloss. When polishing for gloss I'm typically using the blue, or the yellow Buff and Shine Uro-Tech.

Lake Country are also very nice. Their black would be excellent.

[rover137]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

Yes, that's the one.

It's got some cut, probably between the yellow and black Meguiar's discs. You might also like the red hex (similar to the black) which has no cut. Regardless, of how light the pad is, there is a light mechanical abrasive cut in the Ultimate Polish whose strength depends on how you use it. Low speeds, moderate pressure, light product application, and you're probably up for some serious gloss.

I use Ultimate Polish with the green pad (and higher speed, moderate pressure) in many one step polishing situations. While I get surprising defect removal, the trade off is a little gloss. When polishing for gloss I'm typically using the blue, or the yellow Buff and Shine Uro-Tech.

Lake Country are also very nice. Their black would be excellent.

That's interesting - so you'd use the red hex for wax application or pure gloss with UP? I'm just now trying to get all the combos in my head along with DA speed and all the other varying factors. Is low speed (gloss) considered as maybe 2-3 on a da and high speed (more cut) considered as 5?

I do like the lake country but they only have 3 pads in the SDO range and im thinking i might need more to choose from with soft paint - Ie like the hex pad that is inbetween the yellow and black megs pads. Im not sure i see much difference with the hex red and black pads. Sometimes too many pads does confuse things i guess.

[NorthantsPete]

Re: UP every 1-2 years - conflicting advice

Depends.... you can correct with a da and polishing pad, or you can just use a finishing pad (or spread by hand) and make use of the filling ability as I do
I dont need to remve anymore clearcoat.

ITs not an exact science as, say the door jams will have thinner paint than your exterior... a compound may remove say 2 micrograms of paint and you have around 40-60 to play with.

IF you used ultimate compound every week, youd be into the filler by month 2!