How to detail a non-clear coat car?

[johnson]

I just did that yesterday morning. I used MPPC with yellow pad, #7 with white pad, and #26 with grey pad. Paint came off using all three pads.



http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/33909__paint_on_yellow_pad.jpg



Im doing a friends car soon and he doesnt have a clearcoat finish. Its a 1996 Civic hatchback. What can I do so he doesnt freak out that paint is comming off?

[imported_BretFraz]

What can you do to keep him from freakin? Well, Prozac might be handy...:p



Seriously, nothing can be done because that`s the way products work to get results. When you detail a clearcoated car the same paint is removed, its just "clear" so you don`t see it hence you don`t freak. But the products and process is essentially the same.



Ya gotta tell him that the only way to make dull paint shiny is to remove the oxidation, and the only way to make scratches disappear is to remove some paint in order to remove them.

[imported_Intel486]

The process is pretty much the same. I`ve done a lot of non-cleared cars and don`t use any different methods or products. They always come out looking great!



My pad comes out the color of their car though :p



Took me a few seconds to figure out what that picture was you posted :D

[johnson]

Yep, good thing Oxyclean paste got it all out. I was on the chat last night and everyone says start at 6. What speed do you use?

[imported_Intel486]

hrmm damn, forgot about the chat...



I guess I`ll try to make tomorrow`s



I use a rotary so I can`t tell you how fast to go for sure. I think most people here use 6 on the PC for compounding/polishing.

[mrdetailer]

I have a red conventional coat -- the worst for oxidation in my opinion. Generally almost any liquid will remove color more than a carnauba paste. When I last used liquid #26 red came up in the pad. No color when I used a paste a few weeks later. Found this to be definitely true over the years.

[johnson]

Yes I used the liquid. The reason color didnt come off with your paste is because the wax before it put a protective layer on the paint. At least in my case. After I waxed, paint wouldnt come off again until I used the Dawn.

[mrdetailer]

twice a year I strip the old wax, use a clay bar, glaze and then wax. Color comes up with the glaze and liquid wax, but if I use a paste it doesn`t. This has been true with both 3M Perfect-It Show Car Wax and Meguiars #26.

[johnson]

I used #7 as a glaze.

[mrdetailer]

It`s mild especially with the foam pads. A paint cleansing lotion, like P21S Paint Cleansing Lotion is even milder and adds a nice shine.

[Andre']

Originally posted by mrdetailer

twice a year I strip the old wax, use a clay bar, glaze and then wax. Color comes up with the glaze and liquid wax, but if I use a paste it doesn`t. This has been true with both 3M Perfect-It Show Car Wax and Meguiars #26.



Paste waxes have a lower amount of solvents, therefore they don`t remove as much paint as the higher solvent liquid version.

[imported_Intermezzo]

You are getting color on your pad because non-clear coated paints are soluble. In other words, they could be wiped off with a rag soaked with lacquer thinner. In essence, you are almost doing the same thing when applying a wax or polish (which contain solvents) with a foam pad. This does not happen with clear coated paints because they are insoluble after a full cure and will not soften when exposed to solvents like thinners or gas.



But like the other posters stated, it`s nothing to worry about. Furthermore, non-clear coated paints are generally applied much thicker than clear-coated paints.