#7/4*/#26 on `05 White STi

[WRXedUSA]

3/18/2011 ****updated, see post #32*****



4/8/10 ****updated, see below****



This is the spring detail on the car. I went with my gut, and used the Four Star sealant again topped with Megs pure carnuba. Megs mild claybar. Used a DA this time to rub in the #7, which worked great. I missed a few spots with the bar as my lighting wasn the best. Overall impressed with how the 4* held up over this horrible, horrible cold and chemical filled winter. The front bumper is getting torn up at 30,000 miles, hood is getting raw.



White is hard to photograph, but here goes:

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u248/WRXedUSA/Car2008/IMG_0772.jpg



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http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u248/WRXedUSA/Car2008/IMG_0769.jpg

[kev7706]

Sweet car and nice work.

[accordmaniac]

Did you use Meg`s #7 or some other #7?



If it was Meg`s #7 Show Car Glaze, how well does the 4* Upp bond to the paint? Also what made you choose to use a glaze instead of a polish?



It looks clean btw.

[evolutionwc3]

WRXed- the car looks great. AW on gold is far and away the best STi combo. Nebraska plates with a Swedish location tag? Where you at in NE?

[WRXedUSA]

Did you use Meg`s #7 or some other #7?



If it was Meg`s #7 Show Car Glaze, how well does the 4* Upp bond to the paint? Also what made you choose to use a glaze instead of a polish?



It looks clean btw.



It was Meguiars. I`ve always used it and I guess I`m used to it. Sometimes I use 3M Perfect It Finishing Glaze to knock out some stubborn scratches as it works in better with the DA and doesnt gum up. The #7 Show Car Glaze is the pure polish they offer. It contains silicones.



As for the 4*, it`s pure sex. Putting it on, and taking it off. Let it bond for 15min as directed, and it`s gold. I just dont like the feel of DG111.

[imported_artikxscout]

awesome, it looks great. what % is that tint?

[IppoJ]

Nice whip CC.

[WRXedUSA]

***Update***



I used the same process last fall, and again last week. After a very, very salt ridden and gritty winter with snow tires, I have to say, 4 Star UPP is a winner. If you have a subaru and hate the finicky shoddy paint job, this works.



This spring, the claying was very light and easy, not much bonded contaminants, thanks to the sealant.



This photo does not capture how much it really reflects and glows (shimmer is the word I`m looking for), but I`m really satisfied. It was worth the 6 hours of hard labor. Most of the time spent working in the #7 on a orbital and allowing the carnuba and sealant to set. I`d like the carnuba to last longer, but oh well.



http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u248/WRXedUSA/IMG_4649.jpg



Silver wheels are installed due to new tires being mounted on the golds.

[akimel]

It was Meguiars. I`ve always used it and I guess I`m used to it. Sometimes I use 3M Perfect It Finishing Glaze to knock out some stubborn scratches as it works in better with the DA and doesnt gum up. The #7 Show Car Glaze is the pure polish they offer. It contains silicones.



A minor correction: I do not believe that #7 contains silicone. It`s been around a heck of a long time and is body-shop safe. What #7 does contain are Megs` Trade Secret Oils (whatever they are).

[scooby73]

Nice work on a great looking Scooby!



Are you running RE070s and if so, how do you rate them?

[Bojo20]

I vote for a debadge

[WRXedUSA]

***Update***



I found jesus last weekend. His apparition was in the shape of a Porter Cable and he was toting 2 bottles of Meguiars.





Changed to M105-M205 with the PC 7424xp with LC Orange and Black pads. Mother`s Clay, and topped with Four Star Premiump Paint Protection Sealant.



I can`t believe I wasted my time waxing by hand/orbital before. All those years....wasted. All those sore shoulders...what a shame.



AMAZING RESULTS! ALL SCRATCHES AND SWIRLS GONE!



After the horrid winter we had, I thought my car was going to be forever trashed. Immean, it wasnt above 10* for months. I was the only passenger car on the road xmas day. It simply wasnt possible to maintenance wash.





Add in weak subaru paint, I thought it was the end. The M105 with the orange pad was flippin unbelieveable. 3 to 5 quick passes at medium pressure, bam, all gone. Even the hard parts, on the hood, the rear trunk lid that requires heavy clay to remove all the winter rust spots. It worked so well, so quick. Im a bit scared to use it more!



The M205 made it pop. I can`t believe it. I believe the Aspen White even has a hint of pearl in it after you look at it.



Quick wipe of the sealant, let it sit for a hour, wipe it off and the car looks better than new.



http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u248/WRXedUSA/Car2008/Car2010/IMG_6297.jpg?t=1270779037

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u248/WRXedUSA/Car2008/Car2010/IMG_6296.jpg

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http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u248/WRXedUSA/Car2008/Car2010/IMG_6286.jpg



http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u248/WRXedUSA/Car2008/Car2010/IMG_6280.jpg



http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u248/WRXedUSA/Car2008/Car2010/IMG_6278.jpg

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u248/WRXedUSA/Car2008/Car2010/IMG_6276.jpg

[WRXedUSA]

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u248/WRXedUSA/Car2008/Car2010/IMG_6274.jpg

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http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u248/WRXedUSA/Car2008/Car2010/IMG_6265.jpg



No before and after, but it was beat up. The Four Star makes claying easy in spring. It`s hard to take pics of white.

[Rusker]

Wow! :eek:



My paint needs some work ASAP!



So give me the breakdown on exactly what you did. I have the same PC as you know, and the same pads. I`m ordering a few products this week, and will do this job when I get back from my vacation.



What claybar did you use this time?



Looks amazing!

[WRXedUSA]

1. Take it to the power wash and wash it with one of those foam-noodle pads you find at target. Seems to work best on the paint, best, by cleaning ability and ease on the paint . Wash all the door channels, trunk channel, under hood, under side skirts, gas filler door. Anywhere that could drag in dirt, mitt down.



2. Mothers clay from the auto parts store, and whatever kind of QD. I like Mothers, it seems softer than the Meguiars Medium Clay (blue). Bad part is, it easily gets loaded iwth QD and gets tacky and stringy. Make sure you look over the entire car. It`s easy to do with the white paint. Remove every last rust speck and ingrained road grime. take your time here. Wash the car again.



3. Prime the orange LC pad with QD, just get it moist, then do the KB method and squirt some Megs 105 to fill all the pores in the pad with your finger. I just dab the nozzle on the outside edge of the pad to get it covered, rub it in. If it feels like its getting dry, just juice it up with QD. You should only use 3 quarters size worth for the whole car. With the 6" pad and weight rub the product on with the machine off. Then, Turn it on speed 3, up down, crosshatch and sideways once, maybe twice, somewhat firm. Then, turn it up to speed 6 and buzz it in with pressure of only the machine resting down on the panel. This should cut pretty damn quick, scary quick actually. This is where you see the swirls disappear. I should have taped my car (roof rails, black pillars, STi badge, mirrors), as the 105 did marr it a little, but it`s barely noticeable.



(start with the hood, especially behind the hoodscoop, where the paint is really thin and really scratchy). See your results, move to the roof, then the thicker paint on the rear fenders, doors and trunklid.



4. Wipe all the 105 off, then switch the orange out for the black LC pad. Prime it with QD. put a nickel`s worth on the pad, work it in all the pores. Go speed 6 and buzz it in, up down, left right, cross hatch. Wipe off the excess. Keep priming to make the pad moist. You dont use much 105/205 on the car.



5. Wipe on your sealant, let dry for a hour, MF towel off. . I use Four Star UPP or Duragloss 111. I usually go for a topping of #26 carnuba paste, but the paint was so level and so slick, I opted out this time.