Originally Posted by
e21pilot
I`m a newbie to this board and to detailing in general. We have a Toyota SUV that`s been the grocery grabber for years. Although it is old, the driveline and interior are still in great shape. Only the original factory white and dent free exterior looks shabby because of the oxidized white paint, some black overspray it picked up at the high school auto shop and dozens of paint chips on the nose and hood, some of which started to rust.
I have more time than $$$ right now and decided it would be a good learning experience to try bringing the exterior back to life myself.
Through a guy at work, I have access to a Flex orbital and DA buffer and I have a small budget for detailing tools, polishes and waxes.
My questions are:
Should someone like me with zero experience attempt to use these buffers or am I likely to do more damage than good?
Is it possible to make a difference in this old paint if I stick to elbow grease?
What is a good way to fill in the chips in the paint and get rid of rust in the chips?
Should I take care of the chips first and then polish or the other way around?
How can I deal with the black overspray? It has been on the paint for years and I can`t even get it off with my finger nail.
If I can use a buffer, what pads/polishes/waxes should I buy? I don`t mind spending more for quality as I only have one vehicle to do.
If I do end up polishing the 20 year old paint, will I have removed so much of finish that the paint won`t last long after that?
Many thanks!
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