Could use a bit of help

[01TrublUGT]

Well I have been reading through these boards for the better part of a year. Usually whatever I need to find can be found through searching. Over the last 4 days I have been searching and am still scratching my head on this one.



Backround, I picked up a 2003 Explorer Black this past Monday. My daily driver is a 2003 Mach 1 but I needed something else for towing and since I am expecting a baby in a few months.



Well the Explorer was too good of a deal to pass up, even though the paint was questionable. What I have is SERIOUS swirl marks, looks almost like the previous owner used a brilo pad for washing it. I have not had any time to really fool with it but have experimented a bit with a few things I had laying around the house. For example last night I used some 3M compound, then Megs Scratch X, then Megs paint cleaner @ swirl reducer, then put some carnuba wax over it. It shines and is slick as glass but the swirls are still there. Not as visable as the untreated areas but still there. Granted all of this was done by hand on a 1`x1` but I am now begining to wonder if this is even somewhat fixable with the tools and experience I have.



I have never owned a car in this condition so I really have no idea of where to start. I have a PC but lost all my pads and backing plate, so I guess I need to start shopping for thoes again.



In the past I have always had great luck using Zaino products but I really think this one is going to require quite a bit more than that.



Any help would really be appreciated

[BigJimZ28]

get youself some pads, a BP and some HTEC

that woud be a great place to start

[imported_Jakerooni]

Dosen`t sound like you have the proper skills to tackle a job like this. Best advise take it to a solid professional detailer let them tackle it first. Then you develop your skills on upkeeping it.

[01TrublUGT]

Dosen`t sound like you have the proper skills to tackle a job like this. Best advise take it to a solid professional detailer let them tackle it first. Then you develop your skills on upkeeping it.



Well quite honestly I think I am able to handle the task. I have used PC`s detailing my own cars a fair amount, even used a rotary on multiple occasions but that was mostly on new paint finishes. My experience is more lacking in the product selction catagory as I have never dealt with swirls this bad before.



I had thought about bringing it to a professional just to get away from spending one of my days off fooling with it, but finding one here is very slim pickings, and of the few there is no way to gauge their ability other than whatever BS they try to sell themselves with.

[Showroom Shine]

How were you applying the products you used? Rotory or PC? You tried alot of things, can you tell which one gave you the most correction? I noticed that you said nothing about claying the surface first. You may have applied those products over all the contaminates already on the vehicle! Try Menzerna and a light cutting pad. A PC may not have enough power to fix it.:idea I think you can tackle it!

[a.k.a. Patrick]

Dosen`t sound like you have the proper skills to tackle a job like this. Best advise take it to a solid professional detailer let them tackle it first. Then you develop your skills on upkeeping it.

Having skills and know how, are two seperate issues. Proper detailing comes first off with knowing what the proper selection of products consists of. Naturally this will take a few bucks if your willing to bring the Explorer back to life. Not seeing what your starting off with is of huge importance before recommending a line of products. But, there are gentle products out there, that with the use of a UDM or even PC, will bring very positive results, especially vs by hand.

Some gentle starting points would obviously a PC or a step up, a UDM. Polishes like Optimum Polish (Although Im sure you need something more aggressive like the Compound, but we have to start some place), are great products to learn the functions of pads and products with, as well as a combination of pad, product, and machine.

Of course you cant even pretend you know what your doing, unless you have a nice batch of microfiber polishing towels to help remove polishes and sealants with ease.

As for bringing some depth back to the paint, you may want to consider a glaze which will help fill very light swirls (albeit temporary).

Once you get it (swirl elimination) close to what you find acceptable, we can talk about longer durability. But for now, use up that tin can of nuba!

Theres a lot to learn with detailing. Actually understanding how products react/behave with pads and speeds, is more then 1/2 the battle of detailing. Finesse will come in time, and very naturally.

You can do it! And Autopia is a great place to start learning.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/exceldetail/swirlsbefore-1.jpg

Im certain you can bring it back to life with a little instructional aides......

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/exceldetail/swirlsafter-1.jpg

[01TrublUGT]

`I was applying the products I used by hand, as I was just trying it out on a small area trying to figure out what I needed to equip myself with to get it done.\r\n\r\nI had washed the truck with Zaino car wash soap prior to trying this. I clayed the hood and that is where I did my test piece.\r\n\r\nThe only things I tried individually is in one area I did not use the compound or scratch X I just used the Megs paint cleaner/swirl remover, the other area I used compound, then scratch X then the Megs, then applied Canuba over it. That area looked better so I am guessing the Megs just does not have enough to get the job done.\r\n\r\nI have yet to try my PC on it which I might do within the next week, well as soon as my pads get here. \r\n\r\nI am thinking of trying some of XMT\`s stuff seeing as they range from #4 up to #1 and I have heard good things about the 360 from them as well.\r\n\r\nIs this the Menzerna you were refering to?\r\n\r\nMenzerna Intensive Polish (http://www.properautocare.com/meninpol.html)`

[01TrublUGT]

...Edited.....

[walnuts]

If you are going to tackle this yourself I agree with the comments above. A PC or UDM, a backing plate and some pads along with Optimum Polish and maybe Compound will get you going in the right direction. I have not used a lot of waxes or sealants...but I like Collinite 845 for it`s ease of use and durability.

[01TrublUGT]

`I washed the truck prior to testing with Zaino Z7. I clayed the hood which is where I tested. I started off with the Megs paint cleaner/swirl remover with the thought of trying the least abrasive and work backwards. The swirl remover didn\`t put a dent in it really, took a bit of hazyness out but nothing more. Next I tried the Megs scratch X alone in a different spot. Better than the Megs paint cleaner but not much. Next I tried the compound then I used the scratch X over that, then the Megs paint cleaner over that, and carnuba over all of. That was the best results but still not what I was looking for, swirls were still present however the paint did feel slick as glass and had a nice shine.



Showroom Shine. is this the Menzerna you were refering to?



Menzerna Intensive Polish (http://www.properautocare.com/meninpol.html)



I still have my PC but misplaced the backing plate and all pads, I ordered some new ones but they aren`t here yet.



What are the opinions on using the XMT products?? Seems they have #4 for heavy then I could work my way up to #1 and even use the 360 which I have been hearing good things about.



a.k.a Patrick, my truck looks a bit worst than that one did, I will try to get some pics of it up over the weekend.`

[01TrublUGT]

`Here is what I am working with. The first picture is from the right side of the hood, you can see it is quite a bit more than swirls looks like side to side strokes almost as if there was something on the paint that someone tried to scrub off.\r\n\r\nhttp://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/177/3011/206559.gif\r\n\r\nThis is off of the door, most of the truck looks like this, in the mornings and evenings you can\`t see any swirls from a few feet away it is mostly just visable when the light is directly on it.\r\n\r\nhttp://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/177/3011/206558.gif\r\n\r\nThis is another shot of the hood which is more typical of the hood and the other bad areas.\r\n\r\nhttp://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/177/3011/206557.gif`

[01TrublUGT]

Ok so here is what I have at my disposal so far and the process I plan on using. Any input/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.





Wash

Clay

SSR 2 or 3 w/CCS yellow(Is yellow too much??Could I just use orange??)

SSR 1 w/ CCS Orange

Z2 Pro w/ CCS white

Z5 x`s 2 w/ CCS Blue



I was also considering replacing the SSR products by using Optimum Hyper Compound w/ yellow pad, then Optimum Polish w/ orange pad then go back to the Z2 & Z5 accordingly.