Can you over detail a car?

[Gojirr]

I believe so. washing with clear water is about the safest thing you can do on a regular basis to your cars paint.
Wiping or brushing the car off when its dry is damaging.
When you are drying your car you can pick up dirt you missed in the wash and pull abrasive particles across your paint leaving very fine scratches.
By the time you notice them, you cannot figure out how they happened.
Any excessive rubbing and or friction wears on a paint finish.
All abrasive activity including and especially power buffing is damaging to paint and will cause accumulative damage that will steal your shine like glaucoma steals your vision. a little at a time until before you know it it's all gone.
Yes the paint needs a protectant, but in moderation and non abrasive form.

[akboss]

Originally Posted by Gojirr

I believe so. washing with clear water is about the safest thing you can do on a regular basis to your cars paint.
Wiping or brushing the car off when its dry is damaging.
When you are drying your car you can pick up dirt you missed in the wash and pull abrasive particles across your paint leaving very fine scratches.
By the time you notice them, you cannot figure out how they happened.
Any excessive rubbing and or friction wears on a paint finish.
All abrasive activity including and especially power buffing is damaging to paint and will cause accumulative damage that will steal your shine like glaucoma steals your vision. a little at a time until before you know it it's all gone.
Yes the paint needs a protectant, but in moderation and non abrasive form.

True enough. You basically just have to detail 'smart'. Wash with clean water and non-abrasive soaps, wax once a year, keep the paint free of dirt and grime, etc. As for the power buffing, as long as everything is clean it's cool right?

[ErickTR]

Originally Posted by akboss

True enough. You basically just have to detail 'smart'. Wash with clean water and non-abrasive soaps, wax once a year, keep the paint free of dirt and grime, etc. As for the power buffing, as long as everything is clean it's cool right?

I agree with akboss except, I would steer clear of power buffers unless I was trying to restore a paint job, They create a lot of friction and heat on the paint.
Sure you can over detail a car, anything you continually rub on that's not self replenishing has to wear out.