How about this combo?

[1Bad81Bu]

I am getting ready to spend a day on my 02 F250 ext. cab superduty. It has blue metal flake paint which in the sunlight looks almost purple, with silver on the bottom. It has a few small minor marks, scuffs. There is one long section where it had been scratched pretty good and someone has touched it up. Noticed in the sunlight there was a spot where someone had left some swirls buffing it. I have a plan on what I am going to use, all except for what polish to use on the problems I spoke of.

Wash with Meguiars Gold Class Shampoo

Clay (probably as I wash) Do I need to rewash if I clay after drying and use QD?

I am gonna use Klasse AIO & SG so I need to figure out what polishes I should use before this step

I will then top with a Carnauba (haven`t decided on one yet) any favorites for metallic paints?

Sorry for the long post. I want to spend a day on it then get some pics up. Thx.

[gmblack3]

Menzerna polishes are very nice.



Internsive Polish -IP

Final Polish II -FPII

[1Bad81Bu]

So what would be the total process you would use? Thx. Wouldn`t even need the AIO would I? What about the topcoat of wax for the metallic?

[Accumulator]

1Bad81Bu- Heh heh, that`s not a long post ;)



I dunno if I`d choose the Klasse twins for a five year old truck, you gotta get the finish basically perfect for them too look good (IMO). But anyhow..



If you clay while you wash, just give it another quick pass with your wash mitt after the claying and that oughta do it.



If you clay a washed/dried vehicle you *probably* won`t need to rewash but you`ll just have to see.



If your local autopaint/body supply place has the discontinued 3M PI-III twins in stock, those work very well before Klasse (they`re what I use on the vehicle that gets Klassse). The "twins" are PI-III Rubbing Compound 05933 and PI-III Machine Glaze 05937. Very user-friendly. Sure nothing wrong with Meznerna though!



Use the AIO...it`s just the best prep going for KSG. It`s a quick and easy step too, probably the easiest part of the whole process.



I quit topping my KSG with carnaubas (and I use it on silver). I wouldn`t expect a carnauba topper to make your flake any better anyhow, IMO it`d be much more likely to mute it a little bit.

[1Bad81Bu]

I have some Menzerna IP and FP, my father had it, (no wonder I couldn`t find it). Never used it though. I really haven`t used my PC much at all. So what pad should I use for IP. How will I know if I need to rewash after I clay if I dry then clay? Also, for the scratches that have been touched up, use 2k grit wet sand, if the scratch is horizontal should I sand vertical? Then start polishing? Sorry for all the questions but I do appreciate it alot. You guys are awesome.

[Accumulator]

what pad should I use for IP.



Never used IP, but I`d guess a light cut/orange pad. Then a polishing pad with the FP for a follow-up.




How will I know if I need to rewash after I clay if I dry then clay?



Unless you see some clay residue on the panel you don`t have to rewash. If you *do* see something obvious then do it.




Also, for the scratches that have been touched up, use 2k grit wet sand, if the scratch is horizontal should I sand vertical? Then start polishing?.



I wouldn`t use 2K grit unless it`s Meguiar`s Unigrit stuff and FWIW I`d lean towards finishing with 3K. Paper like 3M is too uneven so getting the Unigrit is worth the hassle. Anyhow, I usually end up sanding in both directions. Try to limit how much you sand the original paint. Then polish with the IP until the sanding scratches are gone.. But I`d be careful doing this stuff. You might end up wishing you had just left the touchup unsanded.

[1Bad81Bu]

You think I should leave it alone?

[Accumulator]

Hard for me to say. I just worry that you might get in over your head (please don`t take that as a slam) and wish you`d not sanded it. I`d see how you do with the other marring first. IF you have a terrible time getting normal swirls/etc. out then you might not oughta try removing sanding scratches at this time. You can always go back and do it later ;) I`d keep things simple as can be for now. SO often, this stuff ends up being a lot tougher than people expect and I want the overall job to go as smoothly for you as possible.

[1Bad81Bu]

No offense taken at all. Yeah I will just see how well I get the marring out. I got plenty of time to learn. Thx for your time. What pads you recommend and speed settings?

[Accumulator]

What pads you recommend and speed settings?



Most any pad brand will be OK these days. I generally use Lake and Cyclo (for the 4").



I`m using orange pads more often than yellow pads for aggressive correction. You might need to go to 4" ones as I find larger pads bog down the PC too readily.



Lake white pads are often functionally "cutless" on many paints, so I dunno if you`ll even *need* any finishing pads.



Speeds: 6 for polishing (except 5 for 4" orange pads), 4-4.5 for waxing.

[1Bad81Bu]

Do you have any other suggestions for when I finish the polishing? I am thinking about not using the Klasse twins. I do have some Souveran. Should I just wax with souveran after the FPII. I should be getting started soon. Got some pads and other stuff on the way.

[onnfire]

I agree with the sanding comments. The first time i sanded, i just jumped in and left my paint in pretty bad condition. With the Pc, you could use something like meguiars #83 followed by #80 to get some of the scratches out. It depends on how bad the scratches are.

[Accumulator]

Do you have any other suggestions for when I finish the polishing? I am thinking about not using the Klasse twins. I do have some Souveran. Should I just wax with souveran after the FPII..



I`d go with Collinite wax, it looks pretty good (OK, not like Souveran, but anyhow..) and it lasts for months on end. Seems like just the ticket for the F-250. That`s what I have on my Blazer. Souveran doesn`t last *nearly* long enough for me to use it on something the size of that Super Duty.

[1Bad81Bu]

Should I start out with the FPII and a polishing pad to see if it takes out the swirls and work my way up the line. If that don`t work then try FPII and orange pad, if that don`t work, then IP with orange pad? Does that sound right?

[Accumulator]

1Bad81Bu- IMO the FPII is mighty mild to use with an orange pad. If the white polishing pad/FPII didn`t work I`d go with a more aggressive product (and also probably the orange pad). I`m used to fairly hard clear, but IMO the FP is pretty gentle stuff that doesn`t do a whole lot of correction. I get things almost-perfect before reaching for such mild stuff.