Does Polishing a New Car Affect the Original Paint?
4 Answers
Polishing a car does cause a certain degree of damage to the paint surface. The process and purpose of vehicle painting are introduced as follows: Vehicle Painting Process: Cleaning, inspection, evaluation, and masking; masking and degreasing; removal of old paint; application of putty; sanding putty and old coating; degreasing and masking; application of primer; sanding intermediate primer. Purpose of Vehicle Painting: Protective Function: Automobiles are widely used, operate in a broad range of environments, and are frequently exposed to moisture, microorganisms, ultraviolet rays, and other acidic or alkaline gases and liquids. They may also suffer from abrasion or scratches, leading to damage. Applying paint to the surface can protect the car from such damage and extend its service life.
I often see new car owners rushing to polish and shine their beloved cars, which may actually harm the original factory paint. When a new car leaves the factory, its paint surface is protected by a 0.1-0.2 mm clear coat layer, which is the most critical line of defense. Machine polishing uses abrasives to remove the oxidized layer, and each operation thins this protective film. Excessive polishing reduces the clear coat to a dangerously thin level, allowing UV rays to directly damage the base coat. Within two years, the paint will turn yellow and peel. Experienced owners know that basic care, such as waxing to form a protective layer, is sufficient for the first six months—no need for polishing machines. The original factory paint is applied through a high-temperature baking process, and repainting can never achieve the same effect.
Last year, my neighbor bought a brand-new white car and was persuaded to get a full-body polish. Now, the doors are covered in swirl marks. The clear coat on a new car's surface is actually quite delicate. Professional polishing machines with abrasives of varying grits can indeed remove oxidation layers, but it's akin to sanding. Each polish removes at least a few microns of thickness. Nowadays, premium car manufacturers focus on eco-friendly paint processes, resulting in thinner coatings compared to older cars. These coatings can't withstand repeated polishing over three to five years. Some people think a newly polished car looks shiny, but that instant effect comes at the cost of sacrificing years of protective layers. For proper maintenance, frequent washing and professional ceramic coating are better options—leave the factory paint untouched for the best value.
I've studied the structure of car paint. The original factory paint on a new car consists of five layers: electrocoat, primer, basecoat, clearcoat, and protective film. The key layer is the clearcoat, which blocks UV rays and provides scratch resistance. A polishing machine rotates at high speed to frictionally remove surface molecules, equivalent to forcibly altering the molecular structure of the top layer. While this may temporarily achieve a mirror-like finish, it reduces the paint's toughness. Particularly for Japanese cars, whose clearcoats are generally softer, frequent polishing may accelerate paint aging. Factory paint undergoes high-temperature baking at 140°C, a structure that cannot be replicated manually. The best way to preserve the value of original factory paint is to avoid using polishing machines.
