Waxing

You may want to rinse off the vehicle after buffing before this step. Be sure to let it dry. I prefer to hand wax a vehicle as opposed to using a buffer for this step. I also like to use carnauba paste wax as the product. With this wax there is no chalky residue, and wipes off wet. Wax pads work great. Just apply wax to pad and apply to surface in a circular pattern.

After you have applied it to the entire vehicle, you can start to remove it. It is best to use microfiber towels to remove the wax. This will avoid putting any scratches in your newly buffed paint. Once you have removed all of the wax, be sure to open all the doors, hood, trunk and gas lid in order to remove and compound built up in the cracks and jambs. Just use a damp rag or towel to do this.

Next Topic: Cleaning Vinyl and Leather


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How to Use a Buffer

To start be sure to have the surface of your vehicle cool and out of direct sunlight, and make sure the surface is clean. You are going to want an extension cord to make movement around the vehicle easier. If you decide to use a Makita buffer, set the speed to #3 on the dial, or 1500 RPM. This will help to avoid burning the paint as long as you keep the buffer moving.

Start with a wool pad and some polish or rubbing compound. Choose a section of the vehicle to start on, I personally start witht the hood and work my way around the vehicle. Apply polish to the area you choose, and place the buffer on the paint. You dont want the pad to be flat on the surface so angle the pad slightly to maintain control of the buffer.

You dont need to apply any pressure to the machine, you are simply guiding it along the surface. Use a back and forth motion across the vehicle until polish is removed, avoid leaving the buffer in one spot so that you dont burn the clearcoat or paint. Make your way around the vehicle, avoid decals and emblems as well as rubber window mouldings.

Use the same technique for the next round of polish, just change the pad and the compound. Be sure to be aware of the antennae and license plates! Do not use the buffer on black plastic, vinyl, or chrome surfaces: i.e. mirrors, flares, bumpers, mouldings, etc.

Next topic: Waxing

Supplies for Buffing

There are a several items needed to buff a vehicle. I personally use a Makita buffer and have found that in many detail shops, they prefer it as well. It is a great tool for anyone that wishes to keep their car in "like new" condition. With that you will need buffing pads and compounds as well.

Wool pads are great with the harsher compounds in order to remove bad scratches as well as oxidation. Now, this will more than likely cause swirl marks, which is ok since there are steps that follow to remove those. You should use a harsh or "grainy" compound for this step as well. You can feel the grains in the more harsh compounds if you put some between your thumb and finger and rub them together.

If the wool pad scares you, there are foam pads available for this step as well. I use foam pads in the other steps, but if you decide to use it in the first step, the stiffer the pad the better. You need softer pads as you go down in the harshness of the compound.

Next Topic: How to use a Buffer