Jamie Edwards

I see what you mean. So even after you've washed it, those brackish water stains remain ? Do you live near a railway line, industrial area or a coal mine by any chance ? I also assume the car isn't garaged right ? If not, invest in a car cover.

I think the cheapest way to clean it up would be a good polish. If you have a buffing machine, that would be faster, but a good hand polish should remove those stains. I always advocate for a regular treatment of a spray paint sealant. Every 2 to 3 months, which helps ward off any environmental fallout, especially bird poop.
When you have no protection on the paint surface it is much easier for stains, hard water and poop to cling and etch into the paint.

Do you have any detailing products ? If not, Supercheap Auto has a good range for the DIYer. Also, Get yourself some decent microfibre cloths too. These are the only cloths you should be using when applying or removing polish. Don't use old T-Shirts. They will scratch the paint.

Do one panel a time in the shade and it will come up ok. Then once the polishing is done, give it a hit with some paint sealant.

Here's a few products I can recommend

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/bowdens-own-bowdens-own-three-way-prep-spray-770ml/591965.html?cgid=SCA010102#start=8

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/meguiars-meguiars-ultimate-compound-450ml/214309.html?cgid=SCA010102#start=1

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/meguiars-meguiars-ultimate-liquid-polish-473ml/295147.html?cgid=SCA010102

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/turtle-wax-turtle-wax-ice-seal-n-shine-wax-spray-473ml/622353.html?cgid=SCA010102#start=89&sz=60

https://www.amazon.com.au/MR-SIGA-Professional-Microfiber-Household-Dual-Sided/dp/B08PBX22ZC/ref=d_pd_sbs_sccl_3_5/356-9644072-6322456?pd_rd_w=MyvP2&content-id=amzn1.sym.d1825639-ef0c-406d-817e-edd44d294c05&pf_rd_p=d1825639-ef0c-406d-817e-edd44d294c05&pf_rd_r=G0DR5QK37ZKC781ZDPPQ&pd_rd_wg=3W24n&pd_rd_r=2e510934-9426-4065-accd-d5249dc76436&pd_rd_i=B08PBX22ZC&th=1

Light bar looks great. Plenty of Lumens now lol !!

Hope it all works out. Let me know how you go mate.
All the best for the New Year !

Regards
Tony

well i got all four of those products today all except the mf towels should a couple of 1200 gsm towels be ok and i also need to get the a few applicator sponge pads thank you in advance....hope you had a awesome new years btw 🙂

Hey Jamie,

The 1200 GSM towels are too thick for polishing. Those are only really designed for the absorption of water for when drying your car. I wouldn't use those. Save them for when you wash the car. I like to wash my drying towel after each wash because they tend to pick up traces of dirt from various areas around the car you don't notice until you look at the towel and see dirt marks all over it. Keeps the contamination down to a minimum so you don't inadvertently induce micro scratches on the paint next time you dry it.

You can get a budget pack of microfiber cloths from Bunnings. Use those for general purpose use such as applying the polish and  the Mr Siga ones I linked would be ideal for the mopping up or wipe off stage as they are a much more higher quality.
The Bunnings ones are low quality but can still do the job, but the 300-400gsm cloths are ideal for wiping off and buffing.
For me, personally, I use microfiber cloths I purchased a while back from "The Rag Company" through Amazon. They aren't cheap but they perform excellent and last. You can also wash them and keep re using them too. There's a washing procedure for microfiber cloths too, just so you know.

You can apply the polish compound with a microfibre cloth. Just fold it into quarters so it's kind of "padded" and away you go. Not a fan of those small spongy puck applicators. The microfiber are more gentler on the paint. Also, If you can find a microfiber padded polishing pad, I'd much prefer that to the previously mentioned. It's more or less a sponge with microfiber cloth sewn around it. They come in round and rectangular shapes. I prefer the rectangular ones as they are thick and fit in the palm of your hand nicely and is way more comfortable to use than those silly little 2cm thick round sponge pucks.

Use the prep spray first to help decontaminate as much as possible before you commit to the polishing/sealant stages.
Read the labels carefully for optimal use.

I rarely hand polish these days as I have a machine, but once the paint has been brought back to a good standard, maintenance gets easier. Just try to remember to apply a paint sealant in spray form every few months and you're golden. You'll notice how much easier it becomes to wash and you'll love those nice water beads. Beading is a good sign the coating is still active.

Hope all that helps mate. Amazon can yield some good buys if you have a little dig around.

Regards
Tony