BRAND NEW car with minor marring; Need recommendations!

Need4Spd · 10-10-06, 07:11

Hi all,

Need some recommendations on products.

I have a BRAND new Mitsubishi Evo MR.. less than 500 miles on it - graphite grey. Anyway, the dealer new I didn't want them to wax it since I wanted to do it myself... well, the day I went to pick it up it was raining. Apparently, just before I got there someone wiped the car down with a towel....

You guessed it - long sweeping but very very minor scratching in the brand new paint. It really is only noticeable under 1000 watts of halogen light in my garage and only at an angle. It's best described as a hologram from certain angles.

Anyway, I'm getting ready to detail her - but I need to get something that will remove the very very light scratching before I seal it. I have a PC.. so basically I'm looking for a polish that is NOT harsh, but effective for removing the lightest of hologram/marring. Additionally, I need a pad recommendation...

I really want to stress that it is a new car - so I want the products to be as delicate as possible but still effective. No need for aggressive pads here...

Any recommendations? I'll be claybarring first and sealing with Zaino.

Thanks!!
Chris

Need4Spd · 10-10-06, 07:21

BTW - Just wanted to mention that right now the car has NO wax/polish on it and never has.

Could this also be the reason I am seeing the sweeping scratches so easily? Because it's bare paint? Am I dumb to break out the PC on a brand new car like this? I really just wanted to Zaino by hand before taking this route.. but saw those scratches under light tonight and wanted to go crazy!

paradigm · 10-10-06, 07:41

no harm in using the PC on it. i'd go with a white LC pad and a light polish like PB SSR-1 or Optimum Polish to see if that would do it. if not, go to Optimum Compound. if that still doesn't do it...try an orang e pad w/ the same products...then down to a white to finish.

.02

mcnab · 10-10-06, 07:47

OP w/ a light cutting pad will remove minor swirling like that. I'll also leave it LSP ready. Top with something like the AJ if if you want a sealent. Something like OCW also looks very good on lighter cars. EX-P also works well for light coloured cars, although some will question it durability as a sealent.

There's nothing wrong with doing a very light polish on a car that new either. We refer to dealer installer swirls around here for a reason

The reason you're seeing them so easily has nothing do with the protection or lack of. Wax's with fillers may hide these, but you're just masking the problem. A very light polish should take that right out. Make sure you top with an LSP and you're good to go

Winter is coming up (not sure where you are) so you might want to think about doing a few layers in your choice of sealent as well if this is a DD.

Regarding the SSR-1. I've honestly stayed away from the PB's polishes as of late because I just cannot get them to stop dusting. I've tried tons of different ways (QD's etc) and nothing seems to stop it from dusting. I suppose a small dilution of RMG would help as well. This is why I've keeping going back to OP for minor swirling/marring.

j3ffff · 10-10-06, 07:58

Try Klasse AIO. It is a mild polish that can remove/cover up minor scratches on your car. It's great on new cars and lasts a long time if toped w/ Klasse SG.

Need4Spd · 10-10-06, 08:02

Thanks for the suggestions ..

So white is the least aggressive pad? Followed by orange?

I should mention that the graphite grey is a metallic dark grey.. barely lighter than a lexus dark grey..

So is the Optimum Polish with white pad a good choice? Is it newbie proof? I've used my PC 7424 on my last car (black...) and had difficulties with it.. I was using the Sonus SFX2 that came with my PC and was not all that impressed. I noticed that it literally took minutes to break down.. and sometimes never seemed to break down at all.

What kind of pad? LC? Sonus?

Any recommendations of where to buy?

Sorry about all the questions - I'm not a complete newbie (been reading here for a long time), but want to make sure I make the right choices from the start on my new baby. I'm terribly nervous about making it worse. I mean, under the halogen I see NO marks when I look at the paint head on. But like I said, when I look at an angle 5 feet away from the light its minor scratch lines galore!

Thanks!

Need4Spd · 10-10-06, 08:04

Thanks for the suggestion.. Not sure about the Klasse AIO.. don't like the sound of cover up.

BTW - I'll 100% be sealing this with Zaino. I'm one of those Zaino fanboys

So compatibility may be an issue.. want a product that works well on its own without having a product of the same brand to top it...

02ZTSfocus · 10-10-06, 08:32

I would question whether OP on a white pad is going to completely correct the surface. In my personal experience OP on a white pad it is just aggressive enough to remove light hazing from compounding but wont do much for swirl marks or marring.

If it were my car, I would go with OP on a Lake Country Orange Pad. OP is remarkably gentle in terms of correction and is very user friendly with its low dusting and long working time. It will easily leave the paint *perfect* and ready to be sealed up with your Zaino.

I would recommend purchasing Lake Country pads getting 1 or 2 of the orange and white pads. Most people on here, it seems, order predominately from www.AutoGeek.net

GregCavi · 10-10-06, 08:35

opt polish will work fine prior to the Z, also menzerna fpII is excellent. ZPC works great to if you have that.

Greg

Need4Spd · 10-10-06, 08:45

Okay - I guess I'll pick up both a white and orange LC pad.

I just went on Autogeek.net.. do LC pads only come in 4"? Wouldn't 4" be too aggressive?

Chris

Need4Spd · 10-10-06, 08:48

Okay, now I see these 6" Dual Action Pads.. LC in the part number.. these ok?

tdekany · 10-10-06, 08:56

yes those are ok. To get anything out of the pc with a polish, you make sure to use speed 6. FYI, holograms are from rotaries, not from wiping the paint.

what idiots those dealers are.