Paint Buffer - How To Buff Paint To A New Car Shine

How To Buff Paint New Car Shine Ford Mustang

Towel Cheat Sheet

Terry Cloth

Used for:
Drying after washing
Cleaning glass
Cleaning convertible tops
Applying interior cleaner and protectant
Applying tire dressing

Microfiber

Used for:
Removing compound, polish, and wax (use separate towels for each step)
Applying quick detailer
Applicator care:
Buffer pads and terry cloth and microfiber towels can be machine washed with regular detergent. Wash them separately from your clothes (the waxes and cleaning products can stain your clothes, not that we would know or anything), do not use bleach, fabric softener, or dryer sheets—these contaminate the towels and they will not work as efficiently.

The Paint Buffer’s Cheat Sheet

Compound

What it is: A mild abrasive designed to remove a small amount of paint from the surface of the car
What it does: Removes swirl marks, oxidation, and light scratches
Use it with: A random orbital polisher with a compounding foam pad (usually yellow)
High speed setting, slow travel time
Fifty percent overlap on each pass
Work in small sections
Remove with a microfiber towel

Polish

What it is: A gloss enhancer*
What it does: Adds depth, brightness, and clarity to the finish
Use it with: With a random orbital polisher and a polishing pad (usually gray or black)
Medium speed setting, fast travel time
Work in larger sections
Fifty percent overlap on each pass
Remove with a microfiber towel
*Polish is a vague term. Some polishes contain small amounts of abrasives that “clean” the paint, but pure polishes contain no abrasives, they are a chemical formulation that adds depth to the finish.

Wax

What it is: Sunscreen for your paint
What it does: Offers UV protection, prevents oxidation, and seals paint from the environment
Use it with: Applied in a thin layer by hand with a foam pad*
If machine application is OK, use a low speed, fast travel time
Apply over the entire car
Let dry to a light haze and remove with a microfiber towel
*Some waxes aren’t meant to be applied by machine—the high speeds (relative to hand application) cause the wax to gum up.

“The Ultimate products are derived from our pro line but are sold in the consumer line. They are easy to use and take a lot of the variables out.”

Meguiar’s Michael Pennington

Parts List

Description	PN	Source	Price
Gold Class car wash shampoo, 16-oz.	MEG GOLD 16	Meguiar’s	$7.49
Professional Grit Guard	MEG X3003	Meguiar’s	9.99
Microfiber wash mitt	MEG X3002	Meguiar’s	4.99
Water Magnet microfiber drying towel	MEG X2000	Meguiar’s	8.99
Gold Class all wheel cleaner	MEG G11332	Meguiar’s	7.99
Smooth Surface clay kit	MEG G1016	Meguiar’s	19.99
Quik Detailer, 16-oz. bottle	MEG QUIK16	Meguiar’s	6.99
Professional dual action polisher	MEG G110V2	Meguiar’s	176.99
SoftBuff 2.0 polishing pad	MEG W8207	Meguiar’s	13.99
SoftBuff 2.0 finishing pad	MEG W9207	Meguiar’s	13.99
Ultimate Compound	MEG G17216	Meguiar’s	9.99
Ultimate Polish	MEG G19216	Meguiar’s	9.99
Ultimate Liquid Wax	MEG G18216	Meguiar’s	22.99
Foam applicator pad	MEG X3070	Meguiar’s	1.99
Supreme Shine microfiber towel, three-pack	MEG X2020	Meguiar’s	6.99
Convertible top cleaner	MEG G2016	Meguiar’s	7.99
Soft Buff terry towels	MEG X2050	Meguiar’s	8.99
Gold Class leather and vinyl cleaner	MEG G18516	Meguiar’s	7.99
Gold Class leather conditioner	MEG G18616	Meguiar’s	7.99
Quik Interior Detailer	MEG G13616	Meguiar’s	6.99
Odor eliminator	MEG G2316	Meguiar’s	5.99
Ultimate Black plastic restorer	MEG G15812	Meguiar’s	9.99
NXT Generation glass cleaner	MEG G13324	Meguiar’s	5.99
Hot Shine tire gel kit	MEG G12412	Meguiar’s	9.99
Ultimate Quik Wax	MEG G17516	Meguiar’s	9.99
Total			$405.25