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.

:rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2:

Now THAT'S funny! :tup:

:rofl2: Isn't it difficult to breathe with your head in your a$$. Several people have made an attempt to help but you don't seem to want to take the advice you asked for.

Slamming Junkman is just stupid. Check out some of the videos and comments that he has posted on this site and you will see that not only does he know what he's doing, he loves to share his knowledge. (The Carl Sagan of Carnuba?)

Good luck. You're gonna need it.

:rofl2:Those titles are even better when you read them out loud in Michael Buffer's voice. "Fighting out of the blue corner...,"



OP, I think you're inferring tone where there isn't one. And, even if Junkman had been a complete **** to you (he wasn't at all), that wouldn't change the fact he gives great info.

Take a look at our Paint Correcting and Paint Finishing Polishes, along with either foam or microfiber (or both) pads. Video are at the bottom of the pages that outline their usage. You can find them here:

Polishes, Pads, & Applicators

What size backing plate do you have on your machine? If it's 5.5-6", then you'll be ready to rock with a little kit like this one:

Adam's Machine Polisher Starter Kit | Machine Polisher Kit

From there, you can seal/glaze/wax your heart out!! :)

I keep laughing at all of these, but this one in particular

is absolutely fantastic.

He did lay out some classics. I may have to bust some of them out in a video! http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...mileys/lol.gif

Here is what you need:
Griots Garage 6 Inch Random Orbital Polisher or some other DA

LC flat pads, I'd get 1 yellow, 2 orange, 2 white, and 1 black to start
Lake Country 5 1/2 x 7/8 inch Beveled Edge Pads 6 Pack, foam pad kit, build a kit, buffing pads, curved edge pads

These are 5.5" pads, so you need a 5" backing plate for the DA. A 5" backing plate is also much smaller than the 6" plate the GG above comes with; less surface area>less work for the motor>easier correction:
lake country 5 inch backing plate, 5 inch backin plate, 5 inch hook and loop backing plate

Meguiars ultimate polish and compound should work for the majority of any scratches you need. Start with the least aggressive method (ie white pad with polish, if that doesn't give desired results, move to orange pad with polish, etc)

Also, listen to Junkman, he knows his sh!t.

I would chose the Hex Logic pads over the Lake Country on the PC as they have more cut and grab. The LC pads are better for the Flex and rotary polishers. The 5.5" size is best for novices. The Hex Logic pads are carried by Chemical Guys.

I just ordered a pc 7424xp, 3 hex white, 2 hex orange, 8 oz of m105 and m205, 5" pad, griots foam pad cleaner and a Foamaster 95QGFMR. I can't wait to put the Junkman videos to use.

Make sure you watch them a few time and take notes. You will benefit big time from doing so. Once that buffer starts spinning, people tend to forget everything that they saw.

yeah i had to watch them a couple times as well as take notes. came out good :) sry big pic lol


Before/After

http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1369295772


http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1369295772



http://www.the370z.com/attachments/n...4_191226-1.jpg

Good job. http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...s/thumbsup.gif

God this had me rolling :rofl2: