What pads to use with Z-PC, and more questions

[avalys]

Last summer I bought a PC 7424 to use on my 2003 BMW 325Ci (Electric Red).



I used a white Lake Country pad and 3M Perfect-It III Machine Polish, and got decent results, although not as much swirl removal as I would have liked. It also took me a hell of a long time (eight hours, maybe more) to polish the whole car - I think I was using too much polish, or had the PC set too low, or something, because people on here seem to manage washing, claying, multiple passes of polishing, and waxing in four hours, and all those steps together took me most of a weekend.



Anyway, this year I`d like to try the Zaino Z-PC polish, since I like Zaino`s waxes. The paint is in pretty good condition, although there are some very nasty swirls on the trunk and rear bumper (from washing off all the grit that seems to accumulate back there).



A few questions, though:



1) What pads should I use with the Z-PC? Should I stick with the white LC pads, or try their orange/yellow ones?

2) If I do use one of the more aggressive pads, will I have to go over the surface again with a white pad in order to remove hazing? I`ve read differing opinions on this - some people say the Z-PC produces hazing, others say it doesn`t.

3) What speed should I run the PC at?

4) How long should polishing the whole car take? I`m talking about a single pass with one product/pad.



Thanks,

Alex

[ZaneO]

ZPC is a light-medium polish depending on the machine/speed/pad combination. Your 3M Machine Polish is probably a touch more aggressive. You may want to start with it using a cutting or light cutting pad, and finish up with ZPC and a polishing pad.



I use 2 thin lines of ZPC with a polishing pad on speed 5 using the PC and work it until it *almost* dusts. With this method, I can make it around an average sized vehicle in about 45 minutes.

[RAG]

I`d recommend using two different polishes - you can use the white LC pad with both if you`d like. One polish should be for medium cutting and the other should be for finishing. For cutting, you can use something like Meguiars DACP, SSR 2.5, or Menzerna IP. For finishing you can use ZPC, though I`ve never used this product. If ZPC isn`t getting the job done, then step up to your stronger polish then finish with ZPC. I`d plan on making three medium/slow passes with each step. Figure on about 2 - 2.5 hours per step.

[avalys]

45 minutes!? Does that include every surface (hood, roof, bumpers, mirrors, side skirts)?



I must be doing something totally wrong - I think it took me 45 minutes just to do the hood.

[ZaneO]

Time will depend on the severity of the defects, hardness of the paint, etc.