What is the best method for polishing a spoiler?

[tibbsonaphone]

The past few months I've been buying pads and polish BIG TIME, I'm planning a full paint correction on my car when I can count on good weather. I'm by no means a pro, but I genuinely want the best for my car and will use the least aggressive products and work up if needed. Lately during washes I've been thinking a lot about my spoiler. It shows considerably greater marring than other painted areas, likely from high velocity particles hitting it as downforce and the way frost seems to build up on it. Anyway, I can't fit my polisher beneath the wing, and I've been wondering how to best go about polishing the wing top, underside, supports and trunk lid beneath it. In the pro-details I've seen, the spoiler is not removed and the wing underside is not polished(at least not in any posts). I know the underside of the wing is not a visible area, but it would bug me to do a full correction and neglect to polish an area of the paintwork. I also think it would help me polish the trunk lid better to have it off. Anyway, as I see it, I have only two options.



1.Leave the spoiler on and polish what I can of it and the surrounding area. If I use a larger pad, I can fit a partial pad beneath the spoiler, but I won't be able to apply weight on the polisher and therefore wouldn't achieve quality correction. Leaving it on won't allow machine polishing of the wing underside or supports. I can do what I can by hand-polishing, but it's a very narrow area, and there isn't much room for my hand. I'm also worried about a noticeable difference between machine and hand-polished areas.



2.Remove the spoiler. I have two concerns doing this.

A.Would there be a rubber gasket beneath the supports that may have adhered to the paint over time. if that's the case, how could it be removed without scraping.

B.I don't want to risk stripping the bolts or creating scratches during removal and re-installation.



I took some photos to show why I'd like to polish it.



This shows the underside of the wing with a visible scratch and swirls highlighted by the flashlight.

This shows the underside of the wing reflected in a mirror. The white marks are on the mirror, but the above portion shows waterspot patterns that I can't remove with regular washing.

This shows the limited space between the spoiler and trunk lid. There are also minor swirls on the trunk lid beneath the spoiler. A build-up of product/wax can be seen at the spoiler support, I have washed this several times but it continues to reappear.

This shows the trunk lid beneath the spoiler. There are visible scratches and swirls in the upper left corner.

I know I'm being really picky about an area that won't be closely inspected, but the spoiler is an eyecatching feature, and I'd hate to leave it neglected after so much time and money. I just don't want to get in over my head in a spoiler removal if it doesn't have to be done. I'd greatly appreciate any advice or learning experiences regarding spoiler polishing, particularly wing undersides and supports.

Many Thanks

 

[Street5927]

There are a few options that you have. If you don't want to remove it, you can either let it as is, or just try to do it by hand. The other is to remove it and polish underneath (as well as the decklid) and the posts and then reattatch. The spoilers have some type of gasket/gromet on the decklid portion and I have also seen them on the underside of the decklid to prevent leaking into the trunk.



This is all assuming that you cannot safely polish the underside while it is still on the vehicle.

 

[Accumulator]

tibbsonaphone- I have a *very* similar issue with the rear spoiler on my M3 (and a less-similar one with the rear spoiler on the MPV).



I'd suggest a) not worrying about it so much and b) doing what you can by hand.



Products like M105 work well by hand and call allow you to do some pretty impressive correction.



I've taken such items off the vehicle before, but it *can* open a can of worms and leave you with more problems than the current marring issue.

 

[imported_DetailDan]

There are only 4 nuts that hold it on.

 

[backwoods_lex]

DJ (Got Leather) seems to remove a lot of them in his before and after posts. I was suprised to see how much grime actually rests between the spoiler and trunk lid.



Another option would be to use the edge system pads as they have both a top and bottom surface that polishes, but I myself would probably just go the 105 by hand route.

 

[tibbsonaphone]

Thank you gentlemen.:wavey



I will do what I can by hand with the 105. If I'm not totally pleased with the look I can always take it off. I normally detail a car from front to back, but I think I'll work in reverse, and get this area done first. Thanks again.