Every time the car is polished, I assume a fine layer of the clearcoat is removed. So eventually it would seem that one could completely go through the entire clear coat after enough detail/polishing sessions. Is this something to worry about or is the clearcoat thick enough to widthstand all of the routine polishing sessions done throughout the life of the car?

also is there any way to visibly tell that the clearcoat is starting to thin out? Or is a paint meter the only way?

 

You're absolutely correct about your assumption. Over time, depending on product and technique used, you will eventually wear down the clear. This is why I don't suggest polishing even with a porter cable more than once a year. It's my belief that a car shouldn't ever need machine polishing. I have a handfull of clients that have p-cars that look absolutely amazing because between the client and myself, no one else has touched the car; not even the dealer. Cars like that will never need polishing. If your car has been mistreated, then a good polishing will do the trick. After that, it's up to you to care for it. The light swirls and spiderwebbing will always be there from washing and wiping down. This is why one should be realistic and use good, natural eco-friendly products to "fill" the imperfections. This is just my philosophy. I've always been a eco-friendly detailer and it seems now is a great time to share my ways to those that will hopefully appreciate it. I don't want to get philosophical, but the earth and our future is precious enough to demand this level of care.

 

Don't machine polish. If you need to get gunk out of the surface..use a clay bar. Don't go crazy with washing it even with car wash soap every weekend. Try lots of clean water. You only need car wash soap once a month at most.

 

Why "fill" when you can polish and be happy? A little Menzerna FPII with a red or black pad will give you 3-4 months of completely swirl free bliss on a black car. With the right products and the right technique, I don't believe you can overpolish through the clear. As Moe stated, "depending on product and technique used," you could wear the clear coat but even with 500+ polishes, it would be hard to burn through clear if it's done right.

 

On the contrary, you will be adding swirls and scratches if you don't use soap. The soap acts as a lubricant between the dirt and your paint. The bubbles suspend the dirt particles and hold it until you rinse the car off. You need to use a mild, pH balanced soap every time you wash.

 

If using a porter cable and a light polish like FP or FPII, it will take a long time to wear down the clear to the bare paint. However, one must examine the cause and not the effect. If you are forced to polish every 3-4 months, you must examine why. If you have a good wash and wipe technique, use high quality towels, you shouldn't need to polish by machine. The micro swirls would be so minimal, that polishing and waxing by hand will get you results like polishing by using a machine. Remember, steps like claying also reduces the thickness of the finish. Add the claying, machine polishing, hand polishing, weekly or monthly washes, etc. and you can imagine the overall affect. IMHO, a proper wash routine, using DI water, and the occasional polishing and waxing, will yield you greater results. I like to tell my clients that you are the care taker of the current P-car, or any other exotic. For example, one of my dream cars is a 997 GT3; I cannot afford one now but in a few years I will have the means. It would be great to find a well-maintained GT3 that someone took great care of. The current owner should be caring for it so these magnificent cars can be passed down for many decades with integrity and respect.

 

I agree that proper care is the best way to avoid paint damage but Porsche black is so "soft" that you could run your finger across a freshly washed surface and see fine scratches. Granted a proper "fill" job will look fantastic under most lighting conditions but it would never hold up to a 500W light test and after 2-3 washes it won't look flawless in direct sunlight. I agree that proper washing techniques are key but for someone like me, it's simply not realistic. At the same time, I didn't exactly wash my car with a Brillo Pad. Using reasonable precautions, clean water, mild wash soap, microfiber towels, and as much anti-swirl generating technique possible, you still get swirls. I can't stand the look of dust or swirls on a black car. When I had my triple black cab, I used it as a daily driver and ended up washing it 2x a week because it sat outside. All the careful washing in the world is not going to save you from swirls and who has the time to do a 3 hour wash every week let alone 2x a week. Menzerna FPII every 3-4 months or so is enough to make black maintenance free and yields spectacular results every time you wash it even if you do a half assed job. Also, I prefer not to clay black unless absolutely necessary, I believe I only did it 1x on the black car. I know what you are saying about taking care of these cars but for me, my triple black 996 cab was just another daily driver. My goal is to keep it clean and looking good with a minimal amount of maintenance. FPII is as easy and gentle as it gets. IMO, it also increases your enjoyment of a black vehicle because you don't become a slave to your car.