Wondering if I should use a buffer to apply and polish the wax, or if I should just do it all by hand. I can't see how a buffer would hurt the car in anyway. Also, what would you recommend I use? Zaino maybe? Thanks in advance -- Kyle

 

Use both. I used a buffer with 3M Machine Polish to buff my paint to near perfection (all scratches/swirls gone). Then Zainoed over it by hand. It works amazing.

Don't machine on Zaino though, you'll waste FAR too much polish.

 

Using a buffer just speeds things up.

 

On my serious car, I will never use a buffer. I have seen it done on other cars, and the results on some of them were ok. The art of fine waxing (or at least a credo firmly held by Zymol) can only be best experienced by applying and finishing the wax by hand. This way you can feel out particles in your paint before it hits your wiping surface.

In my own experience, I have only used hand applied polishing and waxing, and I never had a problem with swirl marks or have ever needed professional wetsanding or compounding. That is my opinion, however, as you should see which types of polishes and buffers are available to give you the finished results you are hoping for. Good luck.

 

What I reccomend, go down to your local auto store, pick up some meguiars NXT tech wax. It comes with an applicator, your set for application. Pick up some car wash concentrate, most all are the same, stay away from crap like armor all, go with mothers, meguiars, etc...wash car. Then wax it with the stuff you just bought. While your out, they sell microfibers at auto parts stores to, they arent as good as the stuff you can get online, but they get the job done, and take wax off fairly easily, especially meguiars NXT. All in all, you spend around 30 bucks, and a saturday.