ok! I'm buying an electric mop, know all about the different heads/pads but know nothing about what polish to use or what method to get best results.

 

I've seen it done on that Wheeler Dealers TV show but its always struck me as something that has the potential to go very wrong so i've never dared to have a go myself, I think my fears come from seeing an Astra that my girlfriend owned after the previous owner had a go and the roof looked like a chess board!!

I've watched some good tutorial video's on youtube if you search the subject on there, failing that i'd be tempted to pick up and old bonnet or boot lid from the scrappers and practice on that first.

Edit - i just searched 'mopping vehicle paint' on youtube and there are plenty of video's on there.

 

mmmmmmm....... you have a point there

might just get some quotes to have it done professionally

 

mo i worked in bodyshops all my working life and the results in the wrong hands are horrendus...i would reccomend to get it done professionaly...

 

Dont get me wrong i'd love to have a go at mopping sometime but as I said earlier it would be on an old panel from the scrap yard until I felt confident enough.

Is your paint really bad enough to need mopping Mo? I wouldnt have thought it would be on a car less than 10 years old unless you live by the sea (or somewhere continually very hot and sunny)

Personally I would give it to a valeting expert, I had a quote to mop my old GTO a few years ago which had a bit more surface area than the Crossfire and it was pretty reasonable at about £80...... and the professionals are insured if they mess up.

 

my advice would be dont do it, i have a mop doing the bonet and the roof if easy, its the curved panels where the problems lie, i burnt through the paint of my crossfure and my dads jag and i left marks on my Range Rover with it and that was with just the soft wool polishing head.

Dave

 

ok! I'm going to leave it alone

 

Excuse my ignorance, what's mopping, is it like t cutting?

 

sort of use a machine, various grades of pads and compounds!! buff to high gloss shine

The paint on the SRT coupe is not too bad, just a few light scratches, but listening to you guy's I'm not going to attempt it

Anyone used Clay Bar???

 

I use a clay bar a couple of times a year on my car gets rid of all the old wax and crap the car as picked up over the year then give it a layer of supagard top stuff shines like new

 

Or like taking a large course file to your paint in the wrong hands

 

Ive used a clay bar when I first got the car, and its amazing how much dirt these things lift off. I washed the car first, then used the clay bar and wow> the paint becomes glass smooth afterwards. The XF paint is very hard/tough and though clay bar cleans it well, it doesnt remove the swirl marks which if bad can look naff. I have a Mop which I have used on the XF's with good results. Damage is caused by having the speed setting too fast/high, applying pressure (non is needed) and allowing the mop head to go dry, and staying on one spot too long. The resulting friction then knackers the finish. Secret is, nice n slow, let the polish do the work, keep it wet, dont apply pressure, and keep the head moving all the time.

 

I try and refrain from replying to comments in the UK forum as some have been told to buzz off.

But with all this talk about ruining finishes etc I had to pipe up.
Use an orbital buffer only, experts only on the rotary polishers and look for answers in the appropriate forum on here.
Like this thread.

Sorry to butt in, carry on and smoke 'em if you've got 'em.