Applying Optimum polish...what are my options if i dont have a PC?

[tommyortom]

This is my first post here..so ill start out my saying what ive done on my car. its a 2000 malibu that i bought this year on jan 1st. it was just a regular commuter for some guy. he didnt take special care of it...but he did wash it when it needed it like most people. im sure he used a sponge or rag and the cheapest car wash, and then dried it with whatever towel or rag he had laying around. so the paint is kinda swirled..but not too bad.



so when i got the car..i didnt really touch the paint until this summer. i clayed the entire thing and i have about 2 coats of Meguiars NXT paste wax on it that still beads very nicely. I just bought some optimum polish as recommended by Scottwax (ive watched his detailing threads on offtopic.com) and i tried to apply it today. the only buffer i have is some 6" craftsman thing that ive had laying around. i tried both of the bonnets it came with. the blue one in the picture and a regular terry cloth one. both yeilded minimal results in removing swirls and scratches. i also have a 10" da buffer. but im not even going to bother trying that out. it still looked the same as having just a few layers of NXT applied.



http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/6b/00/ed33b08e805fe315dc468b550a614c3b1-resized200.jpg



so until i get a PC for xmas....what are my best options to get this polish to work the best? any type of bonnet i should get for the buffers that i have right now? or am i pretty much SOL until i get the PC?

[sQuashed]

That buffer wont do it for you. Best option is to not waste any more OP until the PC is in hand.

[tommyortom]

That buffer wont do it for you. Best option is to not waste any more OP until the PC is in hand.

haha i was thinking that to myself earlier.



here is the color of my paint by the way. its a weird like light green/blue metallic color. i HATE metallics. this isnt my actual car in the picture.

http://www.ihostphotos.com/imgt/189528.jpg (http://www.ihostphotos.com/show.php?id=189528)



i thought it would be pretty hard to get it wet looking since its a kind of light color...but with just a couple layers of NXT...it looks pretty good...and im pretty happy with the results...but i just want to remove the swirls and scratches to see how much better it may look.

[Scottwax]

$99-109 for the PC 7336 at Lowes and a backing plate/pad kit from Excel for teh win. I agree with the others, wait on the PC.

[imported_flatstick]

If you can swing it wait and get the PC, it is well worth it . I just did a friends car the other day ( light color metallic ) and he could not believe how good it looks. :2thumbs:

[TwoStroke]

$99-109 for the PC 7336 at Lowes and a backing plate/pad kit from Excel for teh win. I agree with the others, wait on the PC.



Hmmm... WoW?

[tommyortom]

well here is how the paint is as of now. no polishing, just clayed and waxed via NXT paste by hand. i only have a decent olympus 3MP digital camera..i think with a better camera, you could see the minor swirls and scratches better.

http://www.imagecrown.com/images/tommyortom/p1010591.jpg

http://www.imagecrown.com/images/tommyortom/p1010588.jpg