Paint correction - what do i need to buy? And hard water Q
 

I always wash the car in a self serve bay at Mike's and never dry with anything other than air OR I wash it at home with a wool mitt and again air dry.

However, the car is riddled with swirl marks and it needs fixed. I used my generic mequires compound and it's not making any impact.

So, what do I need and where do I get it? Someone help me with a shopping cart list.

Thanks!

Oh and the line to my garage is not on the softner line, so it gives me hard water. I thought about rigging a RV style filter in line but curious as to what others have done. This is primarily why I have been going to mikes since their spot free rinse is filtered.

Meguiar's Ultimate Compound follow by Ultimate Polish using a buffer/DA should take the swirls out..unless they are severe. I would also walk through your wash process and figure out what it is causing the swirls on your paint (unless they were there when you got the car?). There's no point in paint correction if your washing is going to make swirls again.

As far as washing a car using hard water..it is possible. It is bit more time sensitive though. The main thing is do not let the water DRY on your car. You don't necessarily need soft water..just be sure to wipe the car down when you are done washing it. If you are washing the car in the sun or hot temperatures (which I don't recommend anyway), you may want to wash the car one panel at a time, drying it as you go.

Are you doing this by hand? If so, give up and buy a polisher. I love my Porter Cable. Others swear by the flex. Then PM Junkman here because he will give you more info in one pm that we will in a long thread.

No I have a random orbital. But wouldnt be opposed to buying a new one. The Meguires Ultimate Compound hasnt made any noticeable difference in the finish.

As for wash methods... I use the two bucket method.

I don't think that's going to be the difference maker. I bought the Prima sampler and their "cut" polish did a great job on my swirls, but they weren't too bad to start with. Maybe a more aggressive pad?

What color pads, pressure, and # of passes are you polishing with?

junkman

search for his youtube videos

instead of asking me questions, tell me what I should use :) I'm 31 and my 370 is my 17th car. I've always just washed, clayed, polished, waxed, etc. Any paint correction needed I took to a buddy that owned a detailing business but he has since moved. I'd rather begin doing it myself.

As for color pads, nope. Just using a r.o with either wool, microfiber, or terry... definitely not the right stuff for the job. I need to add a circular and foam pads to my arsenal.

My paint is no way painful to look at, but i definitely see swirls, especially at an angle.

If your random orbital isn't some cheapo, i would think it should work. Maybe it doesn't have enough speed to do the job :confused:. Or as a previous member had mentioned, you may need a more aggressive pad. I had fairly decent swirls on my 350z and I used a foam pad with Meguiar's Ultimate compound. The finish was flawless after I was done. I can't imagine that you have bad enough swirls that it wouldn't work.

I've never used foam pads so that very well may do the trick. I can at least start there but was hoping to get some recommendations on better products than meguires. Or, are they "good enough?"

You are Charles Barkley on a golf course. I stood on the hood of my car and dug my shoes into the paint. I then commenced to fixing that damage with the very products that you say are not working. Do you know why? I do, it's called technique. No matter what you use, you are never going to have any success until you learn a proper buffing technique. The guys in this thread are trying to answer your questions but you are not listening. So let me make it real easy for you.

WATCH. http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...eys/yesnod.gif

No need to be a ****. I want the proper supplies and then I will learn to use them prior to busting them out.

I swear, detail guys are the snobbiest of them all...

I'm not being snobby, I'm just trying to wake you up. Since I can't reach across TCP/IP and shake you real hard, this is the best that I can do. Straight forward, plain and simple to the point advice. Like I said, the other guys in this thread were trying to tell you what to do and you weren't listening. It seems that I have gotten your attention.

We Marines kinda have a way of doing that. ;)

If you don't want to take Junkman's excellent advice, go over to Adam's Polishes and review their video series.

Instructional Detailing Videos

Hard to be snobby when your name is Junkman.

Now if you had gone with another title I could see it. Something like -

The Grand Poobah of Carnuba

The Boss of Gloss

The Wax-tastic Master of Shine

The Polymer Prince

Sir Buffsalot

The Prime Minister of a Shine so Sinister

The Saint of Paint

I can keep going...probably for days.