About to start paint correction - need some help

[Nav45]

I`m sorry maybe I missed it.

What color is your paint?

Merlin, the color is Galaxy Gray Mica.

Some pics:


Thank you.

[Accumulator]

Nav45- Looking at the pics, that`s a color I *would* like FK1000P on, but that`s just me.

On the other vehicle, here`s something to consider (note that I`ve had quite a few trim-heavy vechicles ), you don`t have to apply the FK1000P very often, so it`s not a "frequent struggle" to keep it off trim or to do the tight spots. On my Crown Vic (black plastic trim), I use the FK1000P and do the trim with Ultima Tire and Trim Guard Plus, one of those "trim sealants". Works great, I hardly ever have to redo it (but then, it`s garaged).

I`ve never applied FK1000P to glass, I`m just not in the "LSP your glass" camp.

OK, OK...I`ll quit with the hard-sell now!

[Nav45]

Hey Accumulator, FK1000P sales won`t be hurting with you around .

I`ve had issues with products getting on trim in the past and the staining was not removed easily so I`m cautious whenever someone says a product might cause trim staining. I`ve used Mother`s Back to Black on the trim before but that only lasted a couple of weeks for me. I`ve been looking at trim coatings or sealants. Good to know about the UTTG.

Alright, FK1000P has moved up the list now! You`re pretty good at this, LOL.

One question though: How would something like Ultima Paint Guard Plus compare with FK1000P? I live in the South where it gets hot and often humid as you know.

The Ultima Paint Guard Plus seems very easy to apply and seems to last for months. It is also made to be used on glass and other exterior surface. From what I`ve read, the water glides off the glass. Seems like a very nice product. The FK1000P gets great reviews about its long lasting durability but it may not be as easy to apply though this is not a big deal. I`m not sure which product would give a better and glossier look so that`s also somewhat important.

I plan on washing the car with a two bucket method probably every other week or so. Maybe sometimes a bit longer, we will see. Not sure if this will factor in what product to choose. Thanks.

[Accumulator]

Nav45- Heh heh, yeah...FK oughta pay me a commission, or at least send me a free tin of the FK1000P!

Sorry, never tried the Ultima Paint Guard Plus. Heh heh, you could always do a comparison! IME the way the FK sheds dirt makes it easier to wash marring-free, no need to "scrub" to get things clean. And I sometimes go a long time between washes, allowing the vehicle to get awfully dirty (literally so dirty that you can`t easily tell what color it is).

The FK1000P oughta do fine in hot/humid conditions. I don`t put much stock in its description as a "High Temperature Wax!" (eh, ad-copy hyperbole IMO), but I *do* put stock in this- it was originally developed to be the industry-best mold release wax, and that`s a very demanding application. Most such waxes don`t work all that well on paint, that FK1000P does is a pleasant fluke.

I`ve never had big trim-staining issues with the FK1000P. I even applied it (intentionally) to the trim of the Yukon XLD I used to have and it worked out fine. BUT other people have had staining issues, and I was very careful to do a Wipe-On-Wipe-Off application with *VERY* thorough buffing to ensure that there was no excess product residue in the texture of the trim so, in other words, "Don`t Try This At Home, Kids!" But the real point is that if you do the trim with the Ultima *first*, and then when applying the FK1000P you`re careful to *immediately and thoroughly* buff off any that gets on the trim, you should be OK.

Eh, I was always *very* prejudiced against LSPs that were prone to trim-staining. I wouldn`t use some otherwise great ones because of that concern (e.g., 1 Grand`s Blitz Wax on my Jaguar). But now I`m all about the FK; I don`t think it`s as much a case of my changing my mind about how serious the issue can be but rather that I`ve found it simply *isn`t* a serious issue with that product.

[Nav45]

That is a satisfied customer if there ever was one! Appreciate the information about FK1000P. Good to know that it makes cleaning quite a bit easier.

I`ve seen some videos and they are definitely convincing if one needs to be convinced. So you just apply with with a foam applicator pad? I`ve never applied a true wax before. Yes, I am quite inexperienced but that doesn`t mean I can`t learn a thing or two from the pros! In my mind, heh, I`ve already got it all figured out (sometimes)

I`ll buy this one to apply it:

Round Foam Wax Applicator for Car Wax and Paint Sealants

What towel would you recommend for buffing it off?

I wonder if this wax can be applied to exterior glass. I might try a panel and see how it goes.

Thank you Accumulator! Maybe we can get an FK1000P fan club going when I get mine in

[Nav45]

I think I`m going to be ordering shortly but just wanted to list some products before I do:

DA machine: Griot`s Garage

Polish: CarPro Reflect

Backing plate: 5 inch Lake Country or Meguiar`s

Clay: Detailer`s Universal Detailing Clay and Lube Combo

Polish remover/paint cleaner: CarPro Eraser

Wax or sealant: Ultimate Paint Guard Plus or FK1000P

Pads: ?

Some very nice people here have suggested some pads to use: Lake Country Hydro-Tech and Lake Country CCS. I am not sure which would be better at removing swirls and also leaving a great finish. I know that different colors mean how light or aggressive the pad is but I`m still confused. In some LC brand lines, the white is less aggressive but in others it`s another color. Also I can`t tell a big difference between the Hydro-Tech pads and the CCS pads except that the HT might be better for water based polishes?

Thank you guys for the help!

[pwaug]

Nav45--You might want to look into the Buff & Shine 5.5" flat pads (the B&S 5" backing plate is very reasonably priced also). They are very durable and have a recessed Velcro which adds a margin of safety when working around protruding structures on the car.

Here`s an article by Mike Phillips regarding the number of pads to buy-- How many pads do I need to buff out my car? - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

[Bunky]

The first thing I spotted in the pics was that shopping cart against the curb.

[Nav45]

Nav45--You might want to look into the Buff & Shine 5.5" flat pads (the B&S 5" backing plate is very reasonably priced also). They are very durable and have a recessed Velcro which adds a margin of safety when working around protruding structures on the car.

Here`s an article by Mike Phillips regarding the number of pads to buy-- How many pads do I need to buff out my car? - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

They seem like good pads though they cost higher than many other pads. But they might be a great quality.

This is the one right?

Amazon.com: Buff and Shine 5.5-inch Green Foam Polishing Pad: Automotive

You are right about the backing plate - great deal.

I will check that video out. Thanks pwaug!

[Nav45]

The first thing I spotted in the pics was that shopping cart against the curb.

Heh, got to be careful around them! Your from Raleigh too?! Glad I`m not the only one!

[pwaug]

They seem like good pads though they cost higher than many other pads. But they might be a great quality.

This is the one right?

Amazon.com: Buff and Shine 5.5-inch Green Foam Polishing Pad: Automotive

You are right about the backing plate - great deal.

I will check that video out. Thanks pwaug!

That price is ridiculous. They have them here on Autopia Buff and Shine 5.5 Inch Flat Foam Pads

[Nav45]

That price is ridiculous. They have them here on Autopia Buff and Shine 5.5 Inch Flat Foam Pads

Wow, what a difference!

I`m thinking of getting 4 orange pads, 4 white pads and 4 red pads. I will first try the white ones and see how they work. If I need to, I will move to the orange ones. Good strategy? Any benefit in also ordering the more aggressive yellow pads?

Since I will be using one polish for both correcting and polishing, I`m wondering what pad would I use to put a finishing touch? Black or red? I`m thinking red because black is the "Finishing"polish while red is the "Ultra Finishing" polish.

Thank you so much for that pwaug.

[pwaug]

Nav45-- Don`t think you`d need the yellow pad since you`re trying to preserve thin clear on your Mazda-it is very aggressive. The red pad has absolutely no cut--I use it to apply LSPs only. It is very soft, but has very dense pores so it doesn`t soak up allot of product. The B&S read hand applicators are made of the same foam and are excellent. If you want a finishing pad go with the blue or black. It`s hard to say what color pads you should actually buy without seeing the paint. I`ve never worked on a Mazda but everything I`ve read their paint is not too hard. So perhaps you could get away with 4 white heavy polishing pads, 4 green polishing pads and then any red you want for applying LSPs or any blue or black for final finishing. Perhaps someone with more experience with Mazda paint will chime in here.

In the interest of keeping this simple perhaps you should consider HD Polish. It is very easy to use as it has a long working time, little to no dust and removes easily. And it can have some decent cut depending on the pad used but finishes very well.

Then apply your FK1000.

Here is some instructional material that may help you:


The Definitive How-To Article for Removing Swirls, Scratches and Water Spots Using a Porter Cable 7424XP, G110v2 or Griot`s Garage Polisher - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

DA Polisher Trouble Shooting Guide - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

Video: Mark your backing plate to make it easy to see pad rotation - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

How to clean your foam pad on the fly - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

[Nav45]

pwaug, so an orange pad is also not necessary? White is fairly aggressive I believe and then the green is less aggressive. Should I try green pad first and if it doesn`t work well, then use white? I guess I can try them out and see the outcome. Thanks, I will be getting 4 black pads to apply the finishing touch.

The HD Polish looks like a great product. On the 3D Products website, it says that it is fairly sun friendly so that is great. Might it offer more cut (swirl removing) than the Reflect?

I really appreciate it. Those videos will definitely be useful.

One more question please: I`m going to be doing this in a shaded area to be out of the sun. The issue is that it is hard to see swirls with no light. On this car, the light needs to be bright and at a certain angle in order to see the swirls and fine scratches. So is there a specific flashlight or some other device I can use to see the swirls?

[Accumulator]

Nav45- Remember that you might need to go over an area numerous times to correct it. You might want to do more passes with a mild pad as opposed to fewer with a more aggressive one.

Spotting marring is tricky, and I can` be of much help regarding doing it outside; IMO that`s simply gona be tough. If you can`t see the flaws using the (natural) sunlight, you might have to reposition the vehicle or find some way to shade it in order for a flashlight (people seem to like LED ones) to work. There are guys here who work almost exclusively outside, don`t know what they do...