Using petrol as a car polish for Defender?

[fender22]

Was at the servo a few months ago and an old bloke came in in the nicest series 3 I ever seen. He introduced himself and told him I'd admired his
car before, shiniest paint I ever seen. He told me he used a bit of petrol on a rag to polish it? Wasn't new duco either. Has anyone had any experience with that?

[munro]

Haven't tried petrol but swear by metho. A bit on a rag and go to work. Be gentle & don't rub too hard or some paint might be the casualty. But gentle rubbing has never hurt the paint. This can be done whether the vehicle is washed or not. Gets off the tar & bugs as well.

I should say that I have not done this on newish vehicles, only older ones.

[Vern]

When i was a wee lad, i was painting my first car, dad told me to cut it back with petrol and wet and dry, he was apprentice panel beater of the year 3 years in a row in his day, so took his word for it. He's passed on now, and still have no idea why he said to use petrol. Anyone??

[fender22]

I could see how it would give a good result. It's full of oil and has great cleaning properties. Be more worried about the long term effects

[isuzurover]

I knew a bloke who had an olive drab Series that had been polished shiny! He used RP7 I recall.

[Loubrey]

I can't see the clear coat on a modern car liking the idea of being rubbed with petrol. Obviously they're resitant enough for quality purposes, but I'd be reluctant to experiment with mine!

[isuzurover]

I can't see the clear coat on a modern car liking the idea of being rubbed with petrol. Obviously they're resitant enough for quality purposes, but I'd be reluctant to experiment with mine!

There is absolutely no way you would want to use that method on a new car.

Also, bear in mind you would be exposed to a LOT of chemicals if you used petrol to polish a car.

[JDNSW]

There is absolutely no way you would want to use that method on a new car.

Also, bear in mind you would be exposed to a LOT of chemicals if you used petrol to polish a car.

Not to mention the fire risk. It is probably successful because of the solvent properties of petrol removes both most of the dirt and the top few molecules of paint, exposing a fresh surface.

I remember being told fifty years ago that kerosene produced the shine I had just admired on a truck, but was warned that it was a very temporary shine.

John

[Blknight.aus]

wait, you clean your defender?

[VladTepes]

I use a special cleaning product on mine.

It's very expensive though.



It's called water.

[isuzutoo-eh]

To get a really good shine, I apply a thick layer of elbow grease


aah who am I kidding, it gets the hose again.

[LowRanger]

Mine always looks shiny when I apply water.....wet mud always glistens:D

Wayne

[Ranga]

I use a special cleaning product on mine.

It's very expensive though.



It's called water.
Hmmm... might try that one day.

But I doubt it.

:)

[Nera Donna]

Enamel, Acrylic and Two-pack.
OK, I think? The older style of paint, per 1980’s ish was Acrylic? The old EH comes up a treat with a bit of the old Repsol – Cut and polish. But use that stuff on the 08 Defender? I don’t think so! What I’m saying is petroleum based product (Gasoline, RP7, Metho) might work fine on older vehicle but not on the new ones. Different sort of paint.

[flagg]

On mine I use Meguiars gold class car shampoo, with a sheep skin mitt. I wet it thoroughly first and am very careful to only move the mitt lightly, and slowly in the direction of the grain of the paint. If I drop the mitt - I throw it away.

After washing, I analyze the surface carefully. If there is any resin, bug tar etc I use a clay bar and lubricant before applying a silicon free pure polish.

Once this is all dry and polished, I give it a separate wax. For an absolute mirror finish I spay on a finishing oil.















.....but not on my county! :p

[DEFENDERZOOK]

my ol man used to tell me he would wash his car then wax it with good ol turtle wax.......

then when that was all done he would go over it with a rag dipped in kero.......
that would give the final shine.......way before my time.......and the old cars had different paint on them back then.......
we are talking a '64 holden.......so it was some kind of duco on them back then....

totally different to todays paints......and all this lead free life we live......
and there was no clear coats over the paint back then......so you could keep cutting it back for a shine till you hit bare metal......