Just bought a UDM PACKAGE!!Need help getting started!

[Megaman096]

Hey everyone I decided to scrap polishing my car by hand and broke down and purchased a Ultimate Detailing Machine w/other products! Here is what all it came with:
Kit includes:
Ultimate Detailing Machine
UDM Canvas Storage Bag
UDM 5 Inch Hook and Loop Backing Plate
UDM Wrench
UDM 6.5 inch White Foam Polishing Pad
2 CCS 6.5 inch Yellow Cutting Foam Pads
2 CCS 6.5 inch Orange Light Cutting Foam Pads
2 CCS 6.5 inch White Flat Polishing Foam Pads
1 CCS 6.5 inch Gray Finishing Foam Pad
1 CCS 6.5 inch Blue Finessing Foam Pad
2 Cobra Microfiber Bonnets 6”
1 Lambswool Leveling Pad
2 Cobra Indigo Edgeless Microfiber Polishing Cloths
12 oz. Pinnacle XMT Polishing Foam Pad Cleaner
12 oz. Pinnacle XMT Polishing Foam Pad Conditioner
4 Wolfgang™ Low Profile 5.5 inch Orange Light Cutting Pads
All for $249.99

I have watched movies and read about using a DA polisher but still need some thoughts.

My car is a 2002 Absolutely Red Lexus IS 300. There are swirls but nothing major, I would classify as intermediate - to - minor swirls. I also have water spots on the windows from the previous owner and need some ideas to get rid of these spots. I have some products but need help matching them up with pads for use. And are those enough pads to do my car once? I read somewhere about cleaning pads during use(getting rid of caked polish on pad??).

Before and polishing begins my car will be washed and clayed.

The products I currently have on hand are:

Sonus SFX-1
Sonus SFX-2
Sonus SFX-3
Klasse AIO
Klasse SG
Autoglym SRP
Autoglym Glass polish(maybe use with UDM to get out water spots?)
Meg's NXT 2.0 Tech wax (paste)
Meg's NXT 1.0 Tech wax (liquid)

Can someone shed some light on what I need to use with what?? And in what order? Is there anything else I need to buy, because I want to be fully prepared. If I can get some sun where I live I will take some pictures and post them. Thanks so much to who ever can help me out!! This has already became an addiction and I haven't even started yet

[slckrsx]

I'm in pretty much the same boat as you so I would like some input on this as well.

[Megaman096]

ohhh come on, 65 views and no one can help me

[willtothewong]

awesome deal

i've used the sfx polishes and they rock!

try the sfx 1 with an orange pad and you'll do some major cutting but always go least aggressive first, so i would try the sfx 2 with a white pad and see what you get from there.

then you can go KAIO by hand or by white pad then follow up with KSG by hand or grey/blue pad. i wouldnt put nxt over the klasse bro's b/c nxt has some cleaning abilities and they might harm your KSG. instead, you can just layer on more KSG or get a carunba wax like meg's #16.

hope this helps.

[Megaman096]

So if the SFX-2 polish with the white pad doesn't do the trick use, SFX-2 polish with an orange pad. Then follow up with SFX-3 with a white or gray pad? Then Klasse AIO with a white, gray or blue pad? What should I use for my water spots? Yellow pad with my autoglym glass polish?

[BigAl3]

you want to always use the least aggressive approach, so perform a test spot and take it from there. as mentioned above, try using the white pad with the sfx2 and see what your results are. make sure to work in the polish until it is fully broken down, and use slow overlapping passes from side to side / up & down (speed 3-4 to spread, and then 5-6 to work in polish). here are some more videos if you havent seen them yet... Car Detailing videos - How to detail, polish and wax your Car

[Neofate]

Originally Posted by Megaman096

Hey everyone I decided to scrap polishing my car by hand and broke down and purchased a Ultimate Detailing Machine w/other products! Here is what all it came with:
Kit includes:
Ultimate Detailing Machine
UDM Canvas Storage Bag
UDM 5 Inch Hook and Loop Backing Plate
UDM Wrench
UDM 6.5 inch White Foam Polishing Pad
2 CCS 6.5 inch Yellow Cutting Foam Pads
2 CCS 6.5 inch Orange Light Cutting Foam Pads
2 CCS 6.5 inch White Flat Polishing Foam Pads
1 CCS 6.5 inch Gray Finishing Foam Pad
1 CCS 6.5 inch Blue Finessing Foam Pad
2 Cobra Microfiber Bonnets 6”
1 Lambswool Leveling Pad
2 Cobra Indigo Edgeless Microfiber Polishing Cloths
12 oz. Pinnacle XMT Polishing Foam Pad Cleaner
12 oz. Pinnacle XMT Polishing Foam Pad Conditioner
4 Wolfgang™ Low Profile 5.5 inch Orange Light Cutting Pads
All for $249.99

I have watched movies and read about using a DA polisher but still need some thoughts.

You were where I was about 2 weeks ago. -- Good deal btw.

My car is a 2002 Absolutely Red Lexus IS 300. There are swirls but nothing major, I would classify as intermediate - to - minor swirls. I also have water spots on the windows from the previous owner and need some ideas to get rid of these spots. I have some products but need help matching them up with pads for use. And are those enough pads to do my car once? I read somewhere about cleaning pads during use(getting rid of caked polish on pad??).

Rolling in a Lexus myself,.. My imperfections were not the most agressive either. But they had been in for quite sometime , so I did have to go a bit agressive. Though as has been advised start with the least agressive and slowly work your way up.

You may ask, how can I do this on the whole car? You don't. -- Do a 1x1 spot with least agressive, look at it under halogen light, if fixed do another, if not try more agressive. But don't jump from White to Orange with the most agressive polish if you can help it. (You might end up with the most agressive though)

Those pads are more than enough to do the car once.. your fine.

The main pads that are going to get caked are the ones you do the main correction with. Whatever pad/polish combination you choose for your first major correcting pass will be the pad that you will want to replace half way through or so. (You probably have two).

As for cleaning, just do a search there are many ways.

I ordered a spur to clean my pads,.. but it doesn't work so well alone, but its ok for removing some gunk mid way -- (you hold it against the rotary while spinning, and you can imagine the rest).

Otherwise, the real clean is in hot water, and my hands. Takes a little while but get them nice and rinsed but don't squeeze them. Then let them air dry and before you leave the area for good put them in labeled Zip lock bags with product name used.

Before and polishing begins my car will be washed and clayed.

Great!

The products I currently have on hand are:

Sonus SFX-1
Sonus SFX-2
Sonus SFX-3
Klasse AIO
Klasse SG
Autoglym SRP

Autoglym Glass polish(maybe use with UDM to get out water spots?)

Have you tried this by hand? If so,.. sure use the UDM -- It won't hurt anything. Start easy though. Inspect your work often.

Meg's NXT 2.0 Tech wax (paste)
Meg's NXT 1.0 Tech wax (liquid)

Can someone shed some light on what I need to use with what?? And in what order? Is there anything else I need to buy, because I want to be fully prepared. If I can get some sun where I live I will take some pictures and post them. Thanks so much to who ever can help me out!! This has already became an addiction and I haven't even started yet

Your orange pad is your most agressive -- So you will want to use it with the most agressive polish. With that in mind, you can use your most agressive polish with even a white pad. That notches down the cutting a bit. (You want , again, the least agressive method that will get the marring out).

The cut on your pads go in order of listings:

Yellow -- Strongest cut

Orange -- Intermediate Cut -- (What I used)

White -- Light

Grey -- For Waxes/sealants no cut.

Blue -- Same as grey


You are set man.. You are ready to rock and roll. Good luck to you.

[Megaman096]

So i guess my polishing steps would be:
Sonus SFX-2( figure out pad)
Sonus SFX-3(white pad or gray pad???)
Klasee AIO( white pad, gray, or blue????)
KLASSE SG(by hand)

Can anyone confirm?

[Megaman096]

Also can anyone tell me or give me tips for doing tight areas or really curved areas. My front and back bumpers the curved lines on my hood or where my hood meets my fender. How do i polish those lines? Do i need to worry about burning or hurting my paint??