Guys, I'm a noob here. I've always owned nothing but honda (2 civics) and i just within the last 2 months purchased a 2008 honda accord coupe ex-l. i've decide to go ALL OUT with taking care of her. I detailed to the extreme! clay bar, wax, etc...

well - i somehow got talked into purchasing chrome wheel polish. i mentioned that i have factory clear-coated honda wheels (not the v-6 model) which have somewhat of a matte finish because of the machining process...but was assured that this product was safe for all types of metal wheels.

welp, yesterday i applied the chrome polish to the wheels, let it dry to a haze, buffed it out, and got scared.

i think the polish ate through the clearcoat on my wheels. they are extra shiny now which some would consider a plus, but they've completely lost the machined look that they had, they don't have that "ribbed" feel that they had, and there are tiny looking swirls and scratches on them. what do i do? are they ruined? would i have to pay to get them refinished/coated now? is there anything else that can be done.

why do i always have to learn the hard way

 

guesss i'm too much of idiot for responses

 

No, not an idiot.
I guess I'm just not sure exactly how to fix it. Honda clearcoated wheels seem like they should be treated like painted wheels. You aren't actually polishing the aluminum itself, you're polishing the surface of the clear coat which is basically a type of paint.