help with a showroom shine!!

[jash7]

okay guys i`m counting on you. so i just bought a mustang (1998, my baby), and the paint was scratched all over the place. so, i took it over to maaco and had them repaint the whole thing (no real clearcoat, the clearcoat is mixed in.) after that i put on rocker panel stripes and blacked out the letters on the black bumper. i really love the way it looks. recently though, i`ve noticed small scratches on the hood. they probably came from using a rag with some kind of imperfection in it. you can only see them in direct light and you can`t feel it with your fingernail. so i bought an automatic radial buffer and some polish and went to work, but i can`t seem to get these out. any help would be appreciated. thanks.

[Joshua312]

What kind of polisher and polish are you using my guess is this is where your problem lies. Orbital polishers from AutoZone and what not really just vibrate around rather than do any correction work. Where a Porter Cable dual action polisher will have enough OPM to remove the swirls with the correct polish/pad combination.



Edit: Here is a link for you with a little more in depth explanation



Porter Cable 7424 Car Buffer, 7424 Polisher (http://www.autogeek.net/poca746varap.html)



Note: Dual Action polishers are measured in OPM (Orbits per minute) while rotary polishers are (RPM) Rotary polishers rotate in one direction only and create heat on the paint`s surface which will result in burning through the paint, with a dual action polisher it is *almost* impossible to burn the paint if you use good judgment. You really have to try to cause any damage.

[detaildoc]

okay guys i`m counting on you. so i just bought a mustang (1998, my baby), and the paint was scratched all over the place. so, i took it over to maaco and had them repaint the whole thing (no real clearcoat, the clearcoat is mixed in.) after that i put on rocker panel stripes and blacked out the letters on the black bumper. i really love the way it looks. recently though, i`ve noticed small scratches on the hood. they probably came from using a rag with some kind of imperfection in it. you can only see them in direct light and you can`t feel it with your fingernail. so i bought an automatic radial buffer and some polish and went to work, but i can`t seem to get these out. any help would be appreciated. thanks.



Got any pics?

:showpics

[jash7]

`VECTOR® WAXXPRO 10\" RANDOM-ORBIT WAXER/POLISHER - JCWhitney Sport Compact Parts (http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product?storeId=10101&Pr=p_Product.CATENTRY_ID%3A2007679&TID=800&TID=800&productId=2007679&catalogId=10101)\r\nthat is the polisher\r\n\r\nthe polish is just some generic stuff i found at pep boys`

[Setec Astronomy]

Umm...don`t expect too much from a Maaco paint job with "the clearcoat mixed in". Did you prep it or did they?

[DM101]

You could try Menzerna Power Gloss

[jash7]

well the thing is the car never changed color or anything, and despite maaco`s reputation they really did do a good job

[imported_never gone]

like they were saying, the orbital you bought doesn`t generate enough power to properly break down a polish so it can do it`s job. A quality job requires quality products. Don`t pick just any old thing off the shelf and hope it works. Do the research, learn about the products and why to use specific products to accomplish specific jobs. Otherwise you won`t get your paint looking any better and you can possibly even make it much worse.

[jash7]

the orbital was a gift, not my fault guys



but lets focus on removing those scratches okay? haha

[fergnation]

Without a DA or rotary your best bet would be Meg`s ScratchX. It might be your only chance. Removal of these scritches will be very difficult. The hand can move only so fast. Except (well we won`t go there) Ha Ha! You might be left with the option of continually hiding them with a filler of some kind. There are many on the market that promise the moon and deliver very little. But what ever decision you make just remember that the paint is very fresh and you should not be using a strong polish or compound.



Being a Mustang enthuiast, the problem with a scratch on the hoo is you have to look at it everytime you drive. They have long front ends. Anyways, try to enjoy the car!

[LanceM]

the orbital was a gift, not my fault guys



but lets focus on removing those scratches okay? haha

best thing is to get a PC/Ultimate detailing machine/Flex (the mahcine you have now most likely wont be good enough for achieving the desired showroom shine), menzerna Super intensive polish, menzerna 1066ff or Final polish and a good wax. I`d probably get some pinnacle soveran for the red.

[superblack350]

nothing is going to work unless you get a good buffer. stop wasting your money and energy with hand products.

[KnuckleBuckett]

Get a PC, UDM, or ideally a Flex.



I had a buddy that used those folks to do a repaint and it was simply uncorrectable. It finally started to crack along the "swirl" marks. Ended up selling it. Shame it was a rare car. Never seen one like it since.



However that said, it has been a few years and I would hope they shoot a better paint now. I have real concerns over "mixing in" the clear coat. Total BS.



IMO



I am glad you posted this.

[Setec Astronomy]

However that said, it has been a few years and I would hope they shoot a better paint now. I have real concerns over "mixing in" the clear coat. Total BS.



You are so trusting, KB! The paint was always decent at Maaco and Earl Scheib (no ups, no extras!), it was the prep (labor) that was non-existant. They would scuff, solvent wash the car and shoot over any dents, rust, badges, etc. You could get a good job there if you prepped the car yourself, primed, sanded, removed badges and trim. Of course, this was in the SS days, not the "mixed-in CC" days :rolleyes:

[jash7]

haha it`s actually a funny story i had them redo it like three times because i`m so picky and wouldn`t pay them until they did it right, but if you were to see the car in person theres no way you would know it was done at maaco, or even repainted at all.



well i`m getting alot of mixed answers here, so i need a straight answer on how to do this. i guess we can rule out the buffer because it apparently isn`t a good one. i`m okay with having a sore arm for a week if it gets the job done ;) i have a terry cloth rag too which is what i guess i would be using. feel free to correct me though i`m new here.