Newbie Checking in!

[Lil Mac]

Hello Autotopia!

Might as well step up to the plate and start posting here! Been a lurker/creeper/searcher for a while now.. figured I'd introduce myself and dip into some discussions.

My name is Nick, I live in Ontario, Canada. I currently own 2 vehicles.

My 2002 Camaro Z28 is my baby.. pleasure driver Owned it for 1.5 years now, but I only get to drive her in the summer. Mods to date include some G2 suspension pieces, with much more to come. The host of parts I have sitting in my room include Kooks Stainless 1 3/4" headers, high-flow cats, Coilovers, Koni Adjustable shocks and some bump-in-the-trunk courtesy of a 10" JLW3 in a stealthbox.

My daily driver/beater is a 96 Sunfire.

'Nuff said bout that one.. :

Just getting into the machine polishing scene.. picked up a PC 7424 as a christmas present and currently doing research on what pads/polishes to use.

I used Zaino last year to some pretty good results (IMHO)
Here is a picture..



Any suggestions into pads/polishes for my Z? Right now I'm eyeing up the Menzerna line-up.. it comes highly recommended to me from the F-body community. What do you all recommend for a first-timer? My car has small swirls and a few scratches but nothing too deep.

I was thinking of the following products so far:

Menzerna Intensive Polish
Menzerna Final Polish II

Of course, the car will be clayed beforehand... I drive roughly 7,000 miles a year in my Camaro.

What pads would you all recommend for a newbie to the machine-polishing world? I've read that white and orange pads are good to start out with.

Let me know any advice/suggestions you have!

Thanks for reading, hope to get to know you all better.

~ Nick

[scottabir]

First off
For the scratches/swirl marks a polishing pad and or cutting pad may be needed. I dont want to just say colors because most manufacturers use different color pads for different applications.
i.e. edge pads use black as a heavy cut pad while LC black pads are finishing pads, BIG difference!

Menzerna is great stuff. I usually use FPII right before my LSP. IP is great on the rotary too. *I* personally dont get great results with it using it with the PC, others have though.

*MY* go to swirl mark removers are either Meguiars, 3m or poorboys.

Hope this helps.

-scott

[TOGWT]

to Autopia Lil Mac

I usually use 3M products but I'm sure someone will advise you on Menzerna (it seems to work better with the 'heat' of a HS rotary as opposed to the PC)
JonM

[Lil Mac]

Okay, I did some searching and came up with the following recomendations for pads..

but I am confused as to what pads with what products?

1-Polish / Cutting Pad (*Yellow)
1-Polish / Light Cutting Pad (*Orange)
2-Polish / Waxing Pad (*White)
2-Finishing Pad (*Black)
1-Flexible Urethane Backing Plate

I'll be using the Menzerna Twins, what do you guys recommend beyond that? A Sealant right?

Something like FMJ or Z2, or NXT?

What beyond that?

[Lil Mac]

Also, would you guys recommend any step beyond claying before the Menzerna twins?

[gregk]

If you are in Ontario,(like me!), check out Eshine.ca for a great selection of pads at resonable prices. They have a pad kit special on right now with an orange pad-(cutting pad for scratch removal and more abbrasive cleaners), white pad-(polish pad for polish,wax or cleaner wax -not as hard or as much cutting power as orange pad) and the black pad (finishing pad-softest pad for use with glaze or sealant on final coat). They have the soft backing plate with the kit that lines up perfectly with the above pads and a discount on shipping right now.-

[Lil Mac]

Greg, your about 30 minutes away from me!

[gregk]

Nick,

Small world! I am more familiar with the Meguiars line up than the Menzerna. I would recommend #80 Speed Glaze on a white pad followed by NXT on a white or black pad for light swirls or scratches. Speed Glaze is a cleaner/polish that works great on swirls. If they are larger scratches, start with #83 DACP, then #80 and NXT.
The great thing is that there are many products out there that do similar things. I choose the Meg or 3M line-up as they are easy to purchase locally at reasonable $.

[Lil Mac]

Greg, Can you PM or email me where to get all of these products?

[thinksnow]

I'll avoid the dreaded product suggestion and skip straight to the advice:

You can't have too many polishing pads. Depending on the car (probably not your Z), it's possible to go through as many as 3 or 4 polishing pads. The white Lake Country pads work great for me, and have been machine washed many, many times with no sign of fatigue.