# How often can you machine polish a car?



## cheekyage (Feb 28, 2014)

Hi all,

I'm trying to understand how many times you can machine polish a car. 

By reading all the fantastic how-to threads on this forum it seems that every time you machine polish you are effectively removing the clear coat. 

This would then limit the amount of "play" you have for correction. 

As I am new to this, I've put together a few newbie questions:

1. How would I know how much "play" there is to ensure a safe correction?

2. How often would you machine polish a car? 

3. If you machine polish in January 2014 and then go at it again in February 2015 wouldn't I be removing more clear coat and putting myself at risk of causing paint damage?

4. If you are fixing another Detailers mistake or poor correction in the space of a few days/weeks/months - would this be removing more clear coat? 

5. Do I need a paint thickness/depth gauge?

Appreciate your help and advice


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## organisys (Jan 3, 2012)

Answers will vary, but here goes.

1.With carefull use of a paint depth guage
2.When you feel it needs it
3.In a word, yes. But see 1. above!
4.Yes
5.Probably! Especially if you are not just working on your own car.


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

I would too say as and when it needs it and or if you get any swirls or scratches. I don't think it should be done on a regular basis that's for sure. :thumb:


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## fatdazza (Dec 29, 2010)

Probably not the answers you are looking for but you can polish a clearcoated car until you polish through the clearcoat, then you have polished it too much :lol:

Any abrasive polish will remove some clearcoat. The amount depends on polish/pad combination and time and pressure used polishing.

Without a paint depth gauge you are really feeling your way in the dark.

Unless you spend around £2k on a PDG, it will only measure total paint depth (primer, plus colour plus clear), and you will have to infer the amount of clearcoat you have to play with.

A car will need polishing when it needs polishing not on a scheduled basis. It all depends how it is looked after.


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## Guru (Aug 28, 2013)

Correct answer (as per me) - You need to do it as less as possible. That's why the emphasis on correct washing / maintenance techniques, and keeping your car well protected.


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## 204driver (Aug 27, 2008)

So many variables involved in this. The particular car in question, it's previous history etc. Then the actual polishing. There will be a vast difference between different pads/polishes etc. 

You could burn through the clearcoa with a harsh pad and polish in one session. You could polish using a finishing pad and finishing poilsh many, many times .


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## lowejackson (Feb 23, 2006)

Welcome to DW

I would start by reading this guide by Dave KG http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/images/misc/dapolishing.pdf Don't worry about specific product suggestions, just gain an understanding of how the polisher works


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## Flakey (May 5, 2013)

If you can manage without machine polishing it, then please do. On a very well maintained daily driver that gets pampered a lot, I probably wouldn't need to use a compound again after a one time correction. A clean up with a pre wax cleaner every 6 months or something like Menzerna SF4500 should do the job.


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## suspal (Dec 29, 2011)

Realistically a car from brand new and this is only a general rule of thumb only ever should be machined 3/4 times in it's lifetime,this excludes glazing and polishing by say a da.


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

Depends how much you take off each time.
You can wax your car with a machine daily if you wanted too.
Add a cut into the product and then depends how much you shave off compared to how thick the paint is


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## JwilliamsM (Dec 20, 2011)

A lot of uneducated people think 'polishing and waxing' weekly is what makes a car looks good. 
Makes me think what condition a cars paint is in when i see 'washed/polished/waxed' weekly.
I havent polished my paintwork for about a year now, and it's still looking amazing.
When the nice weather comes i want to clay/iron x/tardis it again though.

I kept mine sealed with fk1000p after using the megs microfibre system with my das6 pro, but because i have washed it properly using proper techniques, it doesnt need a polish


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## cheekyage (Feb 28, 2014)

Thanks so much for you informative guys.

It has certainly helped me understand what is involved with machine polishing.

I guess I am a little nervous before I attempt to do any correction work, but going off your recommendations I will start with the most least agressive polish/pad combo and move on from there.

Would a Black or White Lake Country CCS with Menzerna PF2500 be a good place to start?


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## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

As everyone has said. It will really depend on the car and paintwork condition. Last year I corrected somebodies car for them. I got the car decontaminated it etc. Started inspecting the paint. It had never had a machine polish but had been subjected to really bad wash reigemes and various amounts of T cut. I used my paint guauge and found there were only around 83 (average) microns on paint (Primer, paint and laquer). How much of each I don't know as I used a paint detective. 

Normally I wouldn't have continued but the owner said to and worst case scenario would be a re-spray Luckily it didn't come to that. I got rid of most of the swirls but didn't dare tackle some of the bigger scratches. I wouldn't do it again. Remember this car had previously never been machine polished.


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