Lost my DACP virg...

[Ben Carufel]

...so today was day 2 of detailing a fellow San Diego BMW Club members` Topaz Green Metallic 1998 M Roadster.



I washed, clayed, and did a coat of 3M Finesse-It II FCRC with a CMA yellow pad yesterday. Thought I`d just follow up today with a coat of 3M SMR and be done with it, but when I looked at the car this morning I decided it just wasn`t quite swirl-free enough for me.



So off to the paint shop I went, where I bought a bottle of 3M Heavy Cut Rubbing Compound. I also picked up a gallon of Megs all-purpose cleaner/degreaser. $9 a gallon, can`t beat that. Oh, and I grabbed a new wheel well brush too. Geez that store just sucks all my money up.



So $31 later I headed back and attacked the car with the Heavy Cut Rubbing Compound and a CMA Yellow pad.



After doing a test section I was pretty pissed. All of a sudden there was a TON of clouding.



:scared



But a quick application of Klasse AIO took care of it and reassured me it wasn`t too deep. So I did the whole car with the Heavy Cut Rubbing Compound on a CMA Yellow...



...and then decided that I didn`t want to just take the clouding out with AIO. I headed BACK to the paint shop and picked up a bottle of DACP ($20! OUCH!) and proceeded to hit the car with that on a CMA White pad.



Believe it or not, BMW Topaz Green Metallic really is "green" and "metallic" under all those swirls and all that oxidation.



I spent the rest of the day putzing around on the car, jacking it up and washing the wheels individually and the wheel wells, mufflers, polishing the neglected exhaust tips, and getting the dealership`s spraywax out of the cracks and crevices :angry...



Tomorrow I`ll go with AIO on the white pad, and then some SG...then I get to work on the interior.



Oh joy! I`m hoping to be done sometime Friday afternoon.

[AMP01]

Ben,



How is it to work with the 3M Heavy Cut Rubbing Compound?



Sometimes with the PC and a cutting pad, DACP doesn`t quite cut it for removing swirls.



How long to do you work the 3M Heavy Cut Rubbing Compound in for? Do you work it like DACP?



Let me know. I just love a shiny Bimmer ! ! ! :xyxthumbs



Cheers,

[Ben Carufel]

The heavy-cut is nice. At first I wasn`t sure whether to buy the Finesse-It III Rubbing Compound or the Heavy Cut, but the Heavy Cut seemed to be gritter, and grit is what I was in the mood for.



It`s really really easy to work with, but it loaded up my pad in no time. I used two CMA Yellows on that tiny car and would have been more comfortable having a 3rd to switch near the end.



The clouding it creates is deceiving, but it comes right out with AIO/CMA White or DACP/CMA White. The finish is superb. Most of the swirls are gone -- although I personally feel that there is another level of swirl free beyond what this provides, yet before wetsanding.



I would think that could be acheived with a wool pad. I haven`t had a chance to pick one up (I know you use one) so I couldn`t tell you, but 3M recommends on the bottle that the product be used with a wool pad.



I was impressed. I`m wondering if Meguiar`s 2.0 cutting compound (which has a rating of 10 on the cutting scale IIRC) isn`t a bit more agressive.



But I digress.



DACP is a gorgeous little product. Great results, especially helpful when the owner walked into the garage and said "WOW!". I`m somewhat ticked off that they put fillers into it, so I`m not sure whether to do another wash tomorrow morning before AIO or just go with the AIO. I suppose AIO will remove any fillers left by DACP and prep the surface nicely for SG, even without washing the car first.



I kept the PC on speed 4 the *whole* time. I`ve found this to be the best speed to work any and all products I use, with the exception of polishing headlights with Flitz. I worked it just like the DACP. Once it gets to a decent haze (NOT dry) I buffed it off. I wasn`t too careful with the buffing, knowing I`d be hitting the car with the DACP and AIO later anyways.



A wool pad is still high on my list.

[Ben Carufel]

Oh, I forgot to add...



...the owner of this car also has an Estoril Blue 2000 M Coupe. I drove my beater/detail mobile 325e yesterday but left all the supplies at his house yesterday, so today I drove the Coupe.



He took a bunch of snaps of both of our coupes parked in his driveway.



I noticed about 25 people driving by doing doubletakes (this is on a quiet residential street), and the UPS guy literally GAWKED as he drove by, twice.



Not every day you see two identical M Coupes parked next to each other.

[AMP01]

Ben,



After you work DACP in for about a min., try to `bump` the PC up to 6. It has worked well for me. 6 will finish out the DACP and start the polishing/shining part. Try it and let me know what you think.



Thanks again for your input! :bow



By the way, are you coming up to BimmerFest West on the 1st of May in Santa Barbara?



Cheers,

[Ben Carufel]

That said, here are three identical M Coupes parked next to each other, though to be fair this is at a BMWCCA autocross so you`d expect to see a few out there.

[Ben Carufel]

At the moment it looks like I`m going to be in Holland on a photoshoot that week...



...but if the Government drags its feet and I don`t get my passport in time I won`t be going, so a trip to Bimmerfest might be in order!



I`ll give your DACP method a try!



What kind of wool pad are you using with the PC btw? Does it work with the standard PC velcro backing plate that came with my PC (from Coastaltool)?

[Gonzo]

You might consider Menzerna`s FP as a product for the final buffing before AIO. It burnishes the paint and really brings out the shine. It is oil/filler free, so will remove any of that that previous products may have in them. Makes the paint a mirror and provides the perfect platform for AIO & SG

[Ben Carufel]

I`ve heard not-fun things about Menzerna being tough to buff off...



...or is that another Menzerna product?

[blackntan]

Originally posted by Ben Carufel

That said, here are three identical M Coupes parked next to each other, though to be fair this is at a BMWCCA autocross so you`d expect to see a few out there.



Those cars are absolutly amazing.... A silver one with red leather will be my next car, no questions about it... I love em...



mmmm... M Coupe...... :bow :xyxthumbs :shocked

[Gonzo]

Ben, Menzerna`s FP is a breeze, just work `til dry like DACP then MF off what is left and listen to the paint squeek.