Could someone critique my sequence?

[Mr. Vapor]

Car:



2006 BMW M3 (Carbon Black color)



Symptoms: Minor swirls and some hard water spots on the horizontal surfaces



1. Wash

2. Clay

3. Wash

4. Menzerma IP with Orange pad (PC7424)

5. Menzerma 106ff with white pad

6. Menzerma PO85rd with blue pad

7. Any need for a black pad here??!?

8. 2x IPA wipe-down

9. Purple Haze Dodo Juice (Cure 20 mins)





Thoughts? I`m still very much a novice but this seems to look like a good set up. (I hope so, because i already bought the polish!)



particular i`m concerned about the water etching on the hood......i want to attack with the orange pad, but i fear i might be getting too aggressive?





Edit: SHould this be in the Machine polish forum? if so, please remove as i`ll double post there.

[Autogeek]

I`d use PO85RD with a gray pad. Using it with a blue pad on a PC 7424 will probably present some difficulty in breaking down the polish.



Process looks good, but don`t worry about being overly aggressive. IP is a VERY mild polish. If you`re looking to remove water etching, it wouldn`t be the first polish I would reach for, but give it a shot. Multiple passes may be needed, though.



Also, you don`t HAVE to re-wash after claying. Lately, I prefer to mist a section with clay lubricant, clay the area, and wipe dry with a soft microfiber. Saves a bit of trouble IMO, but that`s just personal preference. :)

[Mr. Vapor]

Matt,

Thanks for the response.



any reccomendations to try and knock out those water etching spots that would still lend it self nicely to the line up i already have?

[Autogeek]

Matt,

Thanks for the response.



any reccomendations to try and knock out those water etching spots that would still lend it self nicely to the line up i already have?



Menzerna Super Intensive Polish will have a slight bit more cut than Intensive Polish, but it`s still fairly mild. This all really depends on how bad the water etching is, and how hard your paint is. Water etching on some cars can be removed with IP, some cars need to be wet sanded and compounded, to give you an idea of 1 extreme to the other.



I would try IP with the orange pad, speed 6, and assess from there. After that, we`ll have a better idea of what may (or may not) be needed. :)

[Mr. Vapor]

Thanks again Matt.





One final question, i`ve been reading lots on Topping and other LSP techniques.



what are your thoughts on leaving my Dodo juice purple haze as my last step? anything you could recommend to go over this to add depth/gloss?

[Autogeek]

Unless I`m going for added durability, when it comes to looks I`d rather just stick with one good wax/sealant and do 2 coats of it. After that, I don`t find much benefit in adding additional coats. I would just do 2 coats of Purple Haze 24 hours apart, sit back, and admire the finish. :)

[Mr. Vapor]

two coats it is......and the smell is enough to keep me coming back, love that lavender smell in the purple haze. Smells like a giant Hippie convention in my garage when i`m waxing hahahah! Just need some incense and patcholi!

[Accumulator]

..any reccomendations to try and knock out those water etching spots ..?



Often such etching is simply too severe/deep to be removed without wetsanding, which can thin the clear in a hurry (and require some fairly serious post-sanding correction too).



Have realistic expectations and, if necessary, accept that some flaws are best

lived with.

[Autogeek]

Often such etching is simply too severe/deep to be removed without wetsanding, which can thin the clear in a hurry (and require some fairly serious post-sanding correction too).



Have realistic expectations and, if necessary, accept that some flaws are best

lived with.



:2thumbs: battle wounds!