Need beginner products

[dublifecrisis]

I`m going back and forth. My selections are packages that have a PC with some polish products. So far, I am leaning towards the Optimum. Seems to be a good all around choice. Will the OP remove swirl marks on a black GMC as well as my black VW GTI?



I see the Optimum Polish can be made more effective by pad choice but I wonder if it will really get the job done without a compound. I WAS gonna go with the XMT. The XMT video had me sold there.



I`m open to suggestions.



2007 VW GTI (metallic black light swirls)

2008 Mazda 5 (black paint with just very light dealer prep imperfections)

2006 GMC Sierra HD (black with intermediate swirls)



What package would be the best to tackle all these jobs and newb friendly.



I know these types of threads are endless but looking for some personal advice...thanks

[jshillin]

Flex, LC pads (2 of each: orange, white, grey, blue), SIP and 106FF

[dublifecrisis]

why the flex? isn`t the PC and UDM cheaper and better for an amateur?



yeah I looked at the Menzerna kit too with the PC.

[Accumulator]

dublifecrisis- Welcome to Autopia!



My standard recommendation for people just starting to get serious is what I recommend for you: 1Z brand polish topped with Collinite wax.



Sources: Welcome to Exceldetail.com! (http://www.exceldetail.com/) or Aloha & Welcome to Our Oasis for All Your Auto Detailing, Auto Detailing Supplies, Auto Detailing Equipment, Auto Detailing Products, & Auto Detailing Accessories for all your Automobile Detailing (http://www.pakshak.com/index.html)



I find Optimum`s long (and I do mean *LONG*) work time to be a pain when working with non-rotary polishers (not that`s not a slam Optimum lovers, I do have and use the stuff). I also find its "pad dependent cut" nature to be better suited to rotary use.



Menzerna is great stuff, no question. But again, for somebody just starting out I`d recommend something more user friendly that also does a little concealing. If you can get, *and keep* a finish perfect, then Menzerna is a great way to go, but I just don`t consider that all that likely for most people. To be honest (and please don`t take this as a criticism), keeping black vehicle perfect in the real world (i.e., not garage-queens but rather vehicles that get driven) is virtually impossible. Products like the 1Z/Collinite combo are rather forgiving of minor imperfections, which can really be obvious with other approaches.



I still use the 1Z/Collinite approach on one of our vehicles and it works great. I`ve recommended it many times, and I can`t recall any negative feedback.

[dublifecrisis]

that makes sense. I`ll check into these. right now, I do everything by hand with OTC products. I did pick up some DG 101 but haven`t used it yet. Car Quest had an overwhelming amount of DG products. I saw just about the entire line minus the 105.



I do proper washing etc...but just wanted to add a machine to the arsenal and start improving the results.