How often between corrections?

[Farmingdales Finest]

I have become OCD about the finish on my truck. In the past as long as my vehicle was clean I was good but since I got my new truck i have become obsessed with making sure it is spotless and shiny. Unfortunately yesterday I had a business meeting and my truck was dirtier than I wanted my client to see so I took it to the local car wash and it basically reversed all my hard work from my detail from a couple of weeks ago. :doh:

So my question is how often can I compound and or polish using my DA without fear of doing damage myself to the finish?

I will post pictures of the swirls the car was put in it tomorrow.

[JeffM]

I wouldnt stress, those will buff right out :)

[kevincwelch]

I think it depends upon a number of factors: 1) how extensive (deep) the defects are, 2) how much clear coat you have, 3) technique and 4) selection of products. If you've got minor swirls and you're expertly using a DA with something fine like SF4500 on a finishing pad and have thicker paint, you probably could get away with doing it several times per year. If you've got extensive swirls and need to use FG400/SF4500 every time to take them out with a cutting pad/finishing pad, then you should probably rethink your washing technique or choices.

[dlc95]

One time through a car wash shouldn't be too hard to clear up. Ideally you wouldn't need to polish often at all once you cut the paint once. I going through way more polish than I do compound.

[FUNX650]

I have become OCD about the finish

my truck was dirtier than I
wanted my client to see so
I took it to the local car wash

it basically reversed all my hard work from
my detail from a couple of weeks ago. :doh:

So my question is how often can I compound
and or polish using my DA without fear of
doing damage myself to the finish?

•IMHO:
-You're going about this the wrong way.
-Instead, this axiom should apply:
"The paint should only have to be
corrected once; then, properly
maintained from thereon after".

•The following article (by:"Junkman2008")
reinforces this; and is, IMO, a no-nonsense
approach in achieving the above axiom's goal.
_______________________________________________

[Quote]
"Here's the deal: It's not about how
many times you can fix your damage,
it's about what you need to do to keep
from damaging the paint in the first place!

After you correct all the damage in your paint,
you should be doing the things that I do in my
detailing videos which are totally geared toward
saving your paint!

You should NEVER have to get aggressive
with your paint again, after you do the initial
correction. If you do, you are totally caring
for your paint the wrong way.

Whenever you touch your paint, the
opportunity for damage exist. Thus,
proper interaction with your paint is the
key to NOT having to continually repair it.

In reality, some minor damage is bound to
happen, however, the polishes that are
designed to take care of that damage are
extremely light in abrasiveness. Thus, you
can frequently use those polishes with the PC
and not have a worry in the world.

With that said, you don't want to be careless
with your paint maintenance procedures just
because a light polish will remove the damage.

It's about preventive measures, not reactive ones.

Don't think about "how many times",
think about "not at all." If you don't damage
your paint, you won't have to fix it. In the
end, that is the best scenario for your paint".
[/Unquote]
__________________________________________


Bob

[Eldorado2k]

You ran it through a car wash just to impress a client and now you have swirls? Smh..

Don't compound it. Polish should do the job.

[Paul A.]

Once again Bob has nailed it from my perspective as well...er, should i say Junkman's point. The most successful approach for me has been to minimize as much as possible the introduction any new marring after i have corrected it and flattened the paint. All of us have heard or read countless times how thin factory clearcoat is and Mike's analogy to a post it note.

With that said and from the owner of a black daily driver, it is inevitable i need to correct the paint however i now do that about once a year. The real trick was to refine my weekly washes so as to all but avoid any marring from the wash and dry effort. During the year i have taken a mid to fine cut polish to remove isolated spots here or there but i only fully correct the entire vehicle about once a year. That's all i need to return it to nearly flawless condition. And that is because i have refined my "friction" passes (weekly) to a minimum. Because it is a DD i have had to live with a few scars here and there that are inevitable when mixing with society's Great Unwashed out there but hey...it's a DD! However, i will also say that with today's products properly used, you aren't removing a lot of paint if you need more frequent correction. Using a PC and a light to mid level cutting polish can be done frequently on today's paints without too much risk. There is no magic, quantified number of "how many times can i use FG400 or D300 on my paint" before i strike through the clear. Just treat it super thin and balance the shine and gloss you want with proper care in between corrections and then correct it back to where you want it less frequently.

Basically what i am saying is that my experience has yielded great paint condition from 1. Improving my wash and dry technique and 2. Living with the inevitable use scars from frequent exposure to the DD grind. Then only correct when YOU think you need or want to. Reducing the times YOU need to is the trick.

And DON'T let anyone else wash and dry it!