Help with HD line up vs. 2008 Audi Brilliant Black

[tdowns187]

Hello-


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Just purchased 2008 Audi S4 in brilliant black. `I`ve read a fair amount on this paint and appreciated how difficult it can be to work with. `Had a PPI done beforehand that among other things showed the paint to be uniform, consistent with factory paint and no repaints. `Initially I thought the paint was moderate defect but after a wash and inspection under the brinkman, I`d say it`s worse then that.


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I washed and clayed the car. `Would have used iron x prior to the clay but it was too windy out and I didn`t wanna risk it drying.`


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Before I got started I made a real effort to minimize the amount of product used. `I`ve posted prior and was told I was using too much product, thanks for the feedback! `So I used 3 pea sized dabs to prime then 2 for every section, cleaning with terry cloth and pad brush after every 2x2 section`


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<u>Equipment Used</u>


Griots DA polisher - correction took place at 4 to 6 on the speed dial`


HD UNO


HD polish


HD Pads - 5 inch green initially then orange for the UNO. `Then blue pad for the HD polish


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Pictures are limited due to upload size restrictions and that they`re from an iPhone. `


Here is a pre correction picture of the trunk shot with iPhone and brinkman in the dark


[attachment=9917:prephoto.png]


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Here are two 50/50`s following single pass with 5 inch HD green pad and HD UNO


[attachment=9918:50 :50.png]


[attachment=9919:50-50.png]


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In an attempt to get a bit more correction I tried HD orange pad with UNO and noticed a bit of improvement, but most of the deeper defects that were present after UNO still persisted. `I then moved onto HD polish on a 5 inch blue pad. `The polish made things a little better/ deeper removed a little marring, but deeper RIDS remained similar. `The <u>photos look better</u> then the area looks in person. `


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On the opposite side of the trunk I tried HD cut with orange pads followed by Polish on a blue pad. `I honestly think the UNO did a better job with the swirls, no real improvement with respect to RIDS on the left compared to UNO on the right. ``


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Overall it`s an obvious improvement but still far from perfect or even 90%. `I realize it can be a challenge to offer advice while not seeing better images but I wondered what you guys had in mind to further correct things.


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The hood is another story. `I don`t have any images but I`d say its a bit worse then the trunk deck. `Lots of swirls and RIDS. `I used the HD orange pad and UNO again but the level of correction wasn`t as good as the trunk. `Made another few passes, no improvement. `Stepped up to HD cut with orange, no better, then finally HD cut with yellow. `Tried these combos with 4 inch pad as well, which didnt make much of a difference.`


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I know this paint would be a challenge but I`m feeling a bit defeated right now. `I was hoping to get some ideas from you guys. `I`d consider maybe some MF pads, but don`t want to invest in a rotary at this point. `A few of these could be just too deep to correct without wet sanding, which I don`t want to explore (unless I brought it to a pro).


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So any feedback or questions would be appreciated...


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Thanks!


Tony

[IHA Mark]

Hmmm, hard to say without doing a test spot but this would be my advice.


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Skip the yellow and try HD Cut with an Orange pad. Do NOT prime the pad, just do 6-8 small dots to begin, 3-4 per pass following.


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Clean the pad after EVERY pass. Nylon brush should work fine after each pass then fully clean afterwards.


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Work the Cut until defects have been removed. Don`t worry about hazing, Polish will clean that up.


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Use a blue pad for polish. Use this combo until the finish is refined to your satisfaction.

[House of Wax]

The MF pads work great on DA`s....I`d give that a try

[tdowns187]

Hmmm, hard to say without doing a test spot but this would be my advice.


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Skip the yellow and try HD Cut with an Orange pad. Do NOT prime the pad, just do 6-8 small dots to begin, 3-4 per pass following.


`


Clean the pad after EVERY pass. Nylon brush should work fine after each pass then fully clean afterwards.


`


Work the Cut until defects have been removed. Don`t worry about hazing, Polish will clean that up.


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Use a blue pad for polish. Use this combo until the finish is refined to your satisfaction.

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Thanks-


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With other products people have recommended white pads for final polish on this paint. `I may try that again. `Wouldn`t you guys agree that a DA just may not be able to get this job done? `

[House of Wax]

I wouldn`t give up on the DA until you try a MF pad with it

[tdowns187]

I wouldn`t give up on the DA until you try a MF pad with it

You can never have too many pads right!?`

[House of Wax]

Amen to that

[pwaug]

In addition to Mark`s suggestions, I would say use speed 6 on the Griots with very slow arm speed with firm pressure.` I`m in the same boat with my VW clear and use speed 6 all the time but primarily with HD Polish for light marring.


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Perhaps you`ll have to move up to MF pads.` Here`s a quote today`from Junebug down in the machine polishing section "Go with the B&S pads, Megs "may" in the right hands and under perfect conditions, may cut a little faster but it would be as significant as a fart in a F5 tornado. Now, B&S are much thicker, and much tougher, just clean whichever you decide on with compressed air between panels"


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Perhaps Accumulator will chime in here as he has a couple of Audi`s.

[Dellinger]

In addition to Mark`s suggestions, I would say use speed 6 on the Griots with very slow arm speed with firm pressure.`

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pwaug nailed it.


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When you think your arm speed is slow... go even slower!


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There is a post by Barry Theal titled "Abrasive Isolation" ... it has a video so you can see how a slow arm speed can cut like a champ. `A great visual aid with great info from Mr. Theal.


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I wouldn`t give up on the D/A or your products just yet. `


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Don`t feel defeated! `Carry on soldier!

[David Fermani]

Everyone is giving great advice. I`2nd Micro Fiber cutting pads with`HD Cut.. Especially for times like these. And work it with very slow arm movement.``Also, I prefer speed 5 over 6 with the GG.


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Please give us an update.

[tdowns187]

Thank you guys for all your insight! `Had hoped to take another stab at it today but had a surprize snow storm and a bit cold tonight for an ONR wash. `I`l be sure to update this thread when the time comes...


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PS. Just mounted Nokian WRG3`s tires today. `Amazing in the snow / ice / even dry roads


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TD

[Accumulator]

Yeah, three Audis and two of `em get used pretty hard.


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Even with MF Cutting Disks, I find Uno and Cut are both a bit gentle for significant correction of Audi clear.` It`ll happen, but not quickly.` They do work pretty well with a 3" pneumatic/MF Cutting Disk when doing spot-correction, but it still takes a while.


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Eh, for serious Audi correction (large areas as opposed to spot-correction) I break out M105 (preferably V1.0) on either a MF Cutting Disk or a Meguiar`s burgundy Cutting Pad.` And it can still be slow going with the GG 6" as opposed to my Flex 3401.`


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[Comments about wetsanding with 4000 grit` DELETED....."don`t try that at home, kids!"]

[tdowns187]

Thanks for chiming in Accumulator. `Life is getting in the way of detailing these last few days. `I`ll update this thread after my next attempt.

[Accumulator]

tdowns187- Copy that on the "life getting in the way", happens to me all the time!


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When you do your next attempt, I`d pick a good, representative area to work on, and I`d make that area a lot smaller than the usual 2` x 2`.


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Rereading your original post, I`m a little surprised that the 4" pad didn`t make much of a diff, but maybe it`ll work out differently if you work a really small area.` I find that I actually spend less time overall when I do it that way, though it might not seem like it at the time.

[tdowns187]

Accumulator-


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Regarding the the 4" pad, I used that on the hood, while the bulk of test panel work was done on the trunk lid which had less defect imo compared to the hood. `So, that may have played a role in my observation of "lack of difference". `I`ll try working an extra small area next Friday with MF pads... `


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Small pad + small area + HD products= even less product? `Man, thats going to be the tough part ha.


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Thanks everyone for your input. `I`ll plan to post an update with pics ASAP


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TD`