About to give up...what am I doing wrong?

[imported_fireberd350]

My truck was very badly swirled up when I got it from auto washes. Its a black truck and only 2 yrs old.



I used some 1ZPP w/ yellow pad and got I`d say about 70-75% of them out and was very happy since it was my 1st PC experience.





i figured I need something stronger b/c I gave it all I had with the 1ZPP (total of over 15 hours!). In comes the SSR2.5 today so I was anxious to go at my hood to try it out. I`ve since gotta quite a bit more swirls somehow too so I wanted them out ASAP. Anyways I`ve been going at it for over 2 hrs, my hood only, and still only 3/4 done and I`m not happy with any of it.



I started with a white pad per Steve from PB`s instructions but quickly moved up to a yellow. It did a decent job, about 85%on the first half. I also did a quick VM with a white pad and EX with a grey on it b/c I couldn`t wait;)



I`ve been workin on a quarter of the other side of the hood and its still swirled pretty good even after 2 strong phases with the SSR2.5 on a yellow and a quick pass with the VM w/ white to see if it would do anything more. My results are very dissapointing. I will take some pics as soon as I go back outside and finish up the hood but I needed to vent real quick b/c I`ve been waiting an waiting expecting a flawless finish but have since gotten mediocre results.



If I keep at this pace it will be easily another 15+ hour job. I read about people here doing these amazing transformations in 6 or so hours including the interior and everything else involved in a full detail....so I must conclude that I am doing something seriously wrong?!?!



Thanks for listening to me rant...pics to come

[autoweenie]

Sort of same experience here for a weekend warrior like me.



PC with yellow/white pads various times with 1Z, #80, etc.

Even glazed with things such as VM, NXT.



I still can see minor swirls on my dark grey paint under the bright

sun`s flare. My polishing skill just sucks. I gave up...

(and of course, I am constantly introducing new swirls with my

not-so-stellar washing/drying/qding technique).

It is hard to measure up to some of our fellow autopian`s standard. :o

[Bill D]

Do you have the 1z Ultra Polish? Maybe try that using the yellow pad, then switch to the PP then switch down to the PP again this time using the white pad.



Sounds like a situation where the PC just takes too darn long to give you the results you`re looking for.



I gave up myself for the time being recently and that was 4 hours each on hood and trunk using just about all of my polishes and all my different pads including wool! :(

[mnbv]

The only advice I can give is try a stronger polish... even though the 2.5SSR should do the trick...

[NavindraLR]

u should borrow a friends rotary... just know what you`re doing or you`ll be sorry tho.. results will come a lot quicker, and will be better... but more chance of messin up the paint...

[paco]

It`s probably time for a rotary. A PC DA is not meant to be a replacement for a rotary. For heavy repair, nothing beats a rotary. Then follow-up the PC.



The 2.5 or PP on a rotary will probably solve all your problems.



By the way, if I were you. I`d carefully look at how I was washing my vehicle. It sounds as though you may be reintroducing swirls very quickly.

[andriver]

Are you using the PC at speeds 5 or higher? Also are you applying moderate pressure on the PC?

[imported_fireberd350]

I`ve never used a rotary so I don`t want to mess around with one. If I was able to get one I have a POS I could practice on.



The 1Z I was using was just Paint Polish.



I spread it around off, then work it around at like 3, then turn it up to 5 for a pass then 6 for the rest. I apply slight pressure but not too much.



I`m never going to give up (especially since I just bought $100`s worths of stuff). It was a rush sitiuation too. Maybe I`ll spend an hour on each body part this week and hopefully be ready for the VM and first coat of EX by next weekend.



Thanks for the tips, Steve

[flyinhigh]

Hey ,dont give up !! Get the rotory going.

There is a video from Meguiar`s ,you can watch that and see how to use one,anyway you will see how he uses one and get a better idea of the proper technique .

http://www.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=31



Should give you a better insight to how to do it if youve never seen it done.

Hit the POS first and keep your black truck out of the sun and cool

[imported_YouGottaBeLeaf]

Maybe your clearcoat is just harder than normal? Perhaps you should step up to a more abrasive polish such as SSR 3? Just a suggestion.

[Accumulator]

Fireberd350- Don`t get discouraged, getting a truly flawless finish is *not* as easy as one might think from some of the posts here. Not to rain on anyone`s parade, but if you looked at most "perfect" finishes in the right lighting (and I mean really *looked*), you`d probably find that they aren`t so perfect after all.



In most cases, I truly believe that getting a flawless finish just isn`t a realistic goal. At least not unless you can *keep* it flawless. That`s probably another of my "Autopian Heresies", but I`ve *had* a flawless finish, and I kept it that way for several years, including winter dring and long trips. For a "driver", it`s very, very difficult (think three hour washes, with never *one* mistake, done every time it gets a little dirty...).



As others are saying, it`s often impossible to get things *perfect* without a rotary. And even if you *did* get it perfect, since you`re getting new swirls, it won`t stay that way for long. And if you kept removing all the marring, you`d run out of clear. The upside to all this is that since you`re not removing all the marring, you still have plenty of clear. Better imperfect paint than a repaint!



The 1Z Ultra/Extra might be something to consider, but IMHO you`re about at the upper end of PC-work with the SSR2.5. The PC can only do so much. Ditto for the Cyclo, which is a much more aggressive tool.



And yeah, those many-hour sessions are why I finally bought a rotary. And even *it* isn`t a guarantee of perfection by a long shot.

[04BlackAV]

That`s the trouble everyone thinks everyone else`s paint is perfect.HeHeHe mine`s not but it does look pretty damn good.The PC is good but as your finding out it has it`s limit.

[General Lee]

I also have come to find out the PC does not work miracles. I am in no way knocking the PC, its a great tool and produces a finish that can not be achieved by hand. But it cannot remove everything. I don`t have rotory but am considering one because the PC has done all it can do with my trucks finish.



So. fireberd maybe the rotory is your next option.

[Scottwax]

Since November (when my Dad still owned my current car), I have put about 12 hours into polishing my car. My brother owned it before my Dad and never waxed it in the nearly 2 years he had it. Swirls, scratches, paint transfers, etc. Just horrible. Even after all that work, I am still not completely happy. I probably have removed 95% of the imperfections that can be removed (a couple minor scratches into the primer) but I haven`t gotten particularly aggressive either. When I get time, I am breaking out the Meguiars cutting (burgandy) pad and some #80 Speed Glaze or maybe even DACP to get the rest, then work my way down in aggressiveness (#80 with a polishing pad, maybe a glaze before I start sealing it all up). Is it worth it? I`m not sure. Most people`s jaws drop when they see my car because in comparison to most others, the paint is practically flawless. I washed a new M3 yesterday and my customer couldn`t understand why I thought my paint still needs work. I figure if I can take 95% flawless paint to 97%, I will. ;)



You may want to solicite the opinion of others to find out how they see your paint. It may be better than you think.



I`ve gone from this:



http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/500/10991999_Mazda_before.jpg



To this:



http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/500/10991999_Mazda_after.jpg



To this (about a week or two ago). In the sun, there is still some very light cobwebbing in some areas. Ugh. The lighting is different than the first two pics so the true difference isn`t quite as dramatic as it appears....but the car definitely looks better!



http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/500/1099my_626_side.jpg

[flyinhigh]

Yep I agree with you Scott Wax...We sit there and stare at the car we know where the bad spots are and are often drawn to them whenever we look at it..

Ive been using the 83 with the orange pad ,it does a good job.and I really dont think its that agressive.took swirls right out but not big scratches(no Primer showing) went to #7 then AIO and SG topped with p21.Not bad .I think next time I will Transition down to the #7 though