Procedure Approval Please

[paulisher]

I am going to spend this weekend bonding with my girlfriends neglected car. I wanted to see if any of the steps I am going to take seem wrong.



I have disposed of my original theory and went out and bought a PC last night. My CMA pad`s should arrive today.



Last weekend I put touchup paint on the spots on one side of the car following David`s book. I have been letting the touchup paint dry all week.



Step 1) Dawn Wash/Remove Tar with tar remover



Step 2) Wet Sand touchup paint with 2000-grit Meguiars Unigrit Sanding block.



Step 3) Apply 3M Perfect-It II Fine Cut rubbing compound to touchup paint spots by hand.



Step 4) Z-18 Clay Bar the entire vehicle



Step 5) 3M SMR by PC with White Pad



Step 6) If not happy with step 5 - 3M FI-II by PC with Yellow Pad followed by 3M SMR by PC with White Pad



Step 7) When happy with 3M Stuff, Dawn Wash car again



Step 8) Z5 with ZFX

Step 9) Z6

Step 10) Z5 with ZFX

Step 11) Z6

Step 12) Z5 or Z2 with ZFX

Step 13) Z6



Am I missing anything or doing anything wrong?



Thank you.

[imported_Tony]

This is just my 2 cents. I would use a stronger pad before increasing to a stronger cut polish.

[chevyguy28]

Originally posted by rightlane

This is just my 2 cents. I would use a stronger pad before increasing to a stronger cut polish.



I agree. Here are steps 5/6:

3M SMR with white pad. If not happy, step up to yellow pad. If you still need some more power, go with 3M FI-II with white. Try yellow if you need yet some more. Do your testing on one panel, then you will know which pad/polish combo to use for the rest of the car.



I think 3M SMR with a yellow pad is all that you will need, but it really depends on how bad your swirls look. If you use FI-II, IMO you should skip the SMR follow-up and use an even finer polish, one that has little chance of hazing. The same holds true if you only use SMR. Klasse AIO is a great polish to follow with and will leave the finish ready for the dawn wash, then Zaino. This is only if SMR hazes. If not, then you are ready for dawn.

[2wheelsx2]

Am I missing something here, or are you suggesting to him to use AIO, then Dawn, then Zaino? The Dawn isn`t going to remove the AIO, so the Zaino would just be wasted, as it won`t bond to the paint properly.

[chevyguy28]

Originally posted by 2wheelsx2

Am I missing something here, or are you suggesting to him to use AIO, then Dawn, then Zaino? The Dawn isn`t going to remove the AIO, so the Zaino would just be wasted, as it won`t bond to the paint properly.



Au contraire.



Yes, I am suggesting AIO, dawn, then Zaino. I called Sal Zaino and told him I had used AIO as my final polish. He told me to dawn and apply his product.

[paulisher]

Thanks for the replies....



Ok. So I will change Steps 5 and 6 to the SMR/White, SMR/Yellow, FI-II/White, FI-II/Yellow steps. The car has some pretty bad swirls (I think the last time it was waxed was 5 years ago or so). The sides are not too bad, but the truck and the hood look horrible. I was going to do my testing on the trunk to see how far down in steps I need.



JustinTRW, Since I don`t have any AIO do you have any suggestions for something else to use to following the SMR? I thought the SMR would be fine enough to be followed by the Z5, but I can use something else. Would 3M IHG or #7 do the trick? The only reason I ask is I was hoping to do this work this weekend and I can`t order AIO in time to get it here, I can pickup IHG or #7 locally. IHG and #7 get washed off by Dawn though...So I don`t know if that would work. :(



Thank you very much for the help...I appreciate it...:bow

[2wheelsx2]

Oh, that`s where I recall seeing it. You must have posted that before. Sorry, dude. Failing memory with olde age! :D



#7 and IHG would have minimal effect since they are mostly oils and fillings, unlike AIO, so I think you would be better off going straight to Zaino from the dawn wash.

[paulisher]

Mmm..ok. Would I be better off to order the AIO and put this off another weekend or should I proceed and see if the 3M SMR doesn`t haze? Unless anyone knows of local places that stock AIO?

[2wheelsx2]

I have used SMR by hand and by PC. As long as you work it in really well, there will be no problem with hazy, even by hand. By PC, I have never had a hazing problem.

[paulisher]

Thank you again for the replies. I will work the FI-II (if needed) and SMR really hard. I was going to apply with PC Speed 3-4 and work it at speed 6 until it is basically gone. I hope that prevents hazing. I am going to try Carguy`s technique he posted awhile ago.



Thank you for the help.