A few pointers needed for an old Benz...

[-80s Benz-]

Hi all, new member here... been browsing the forum for a few weeks, and there`s definitely a ton of great info and knowledgeable folks around... so I thought I`d join and fire off a few thoughts and questions! :-)



I recently acquired a lovely 1985 MB 500 SEL, one of the nicest older 126`s I`ve seen in quite a while. The paint is "Diamond Blue" metallic, partly original and in decent shape (rare for an 80`s MB clear). The roof and trunk have been repainted at some point, probably many years ago by the looks of it. The clearcoat contains some minor to moderate swirls and spider-webbing, but is still shiny, reflective, and the depth is "pretty good" (better on the repainted areas, but definitely not a striking difference from the rest). Overall.... "not" concours, but excellent considering its age.



Defect filling/removal is somewhat secondary to preservation of the paint.



Here are the two ideas I`m seriously considering, naturally after washing and claying.



1 -- Zymol HD-Cleanse, followed by Zymol "Creme" (or possibly something a bit easier to work with after the HD-Cleanse, like S100)



2 -- Einszett PP in the areas with heavier swirls/etc followed by MP, MP only in the areas with less marring, and then a carnauba topper over everything (unless y`all think I should stick with Glanz instead of a carnauba, or possibly carnauba after both 1Z polish and Glanz)



I figure option 1 may be the most "foolproof" and easiest on the finish, plus I already have the product... BUT, going the 1Z route will probably help most with the defects, in addition to a bit more longevity. I`m just a *bit* concerned about the 1Z stuff being a bit too aggressive.



What do you guys think? Any other ideas, suggestions, etc? I`ll be doing everything by hand, if it makes any difference... ;-)



Many thanks in advance, and I promise to post a few pics of my new beauty when she`s all cleaned up!





Cheers



Damion

[Wetwerks]

I think either option will work. I see that you are going to be doing this by hand, that will make paint correction a bit more difficult, depending on the defects. I also see that you did not mention any type of clay, to get the surface super smooth I would suggest adding that in as a step also. We have done the Zymol route plenty of times using the HD-Cleanse, then topping with Zymol Concours. Prior to those 2 steps, we would prep the surface with a PC or high speed and 2 or 3 compound/polish steps....so our results will be different than yours. As for the Zymol route being the most foolproof, I agree but you are correct in saying that option 2 would be better suited for defect correction.





Walter

Co-owner

[slippy]

First of all Welcome!! I like your outlook on preservation/filling rarther than 100% defect removal,as i am in the same situation with my fathers car,try to preserve the original paint as much as possible.



The Zymol HD cleanse,followed by a heavy carnauba is a good route to take,and works very well.The Einszett polishes are second to none IMO,when working by hand,i would try the Metallic polish first,eventhough it is very mild,before using the paint polish if you need to on the more swirled/scratched areas.



I myself would probably do the Einszett MP,/PP on the worst areas,followed by HD cleanse,and then seal with several coats of the carnauba that you have,the Zymol creme will work well on that colour,but i am not a great fan of Glanz wax as a LSP.

[Accumulator]

-80s Benz- Welcome to Autopia! I`m a big fan of the W126 series Benzes and I`ve had a few of them. One had 100% original paint and I too was concerned about being too aggressive with it. So IMO you`re smart to emphasize preservation, those early Benz clearcoats are mighty fragile (and that`s a great color for that car BTW).



Having said that, I don`t think the Zymol approach will be *sufficiently* aggressive. From what I hear from most of our resident Zymol fans (Note that *I HAVE NEVER USED ZYMOL* ) you`d need better prep (than you`re likely to effect on that paint) in order to really take advantage of Zymol`s potential. I use a somewhat similar approach on some cars (Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion/Souveran wax) and I wouldn`t do that on your car. I`d rather do a *little* more correction and a *lot* more concealing.



I`d go the 1z route myself, but I`d be pretty gentle with the PP in the areas where you feel you need to use it. Don`t press hard and only use it once (live with whatever`s left after that). The MP should be great for both a follow-up to the PP and for the areas where it`s all you use. Note that 1z MP was originally developed for just your type of paint (hence its name). 1z polishes are, IMO, the easiest to use by hand too. Oh, and they work well on things like the tail lights too. The MP might even be a nice product for the interior wood, but be gentle with it (on the last W126 I did I used VM, but the MP isn`t much more aggressive).



I would *not* use Glanze because I`d worry about it compromising the fillers/wax from the MP. Note that *I HAVE NEVER USED GLANZ* but people who *have used it have confirmed that it can be tough on the stuff MP leaves behind. (Anybody with differing experiences please post something.)



I`d top it with Collinite, either their 845 Insulator Wax or their 476S paste. While these are not considered "beauty waxes", they look nice on paints like yours and they last/protect for a long time. The 845 absolutely does not stain trim, and that can be handy as you don`t have to be extremely careful when you apply it. I`d even use it on stuff like the rubber bumper trim.



I feel a little uneasy making so many comments on products that I haven`t used first-hand, but I based those comments on what I`ve heard from people whose opinions I respect. The products that I *have* recommended work very well and, with all the stuff I have on the shelf, those are exactly what I`d use on that car. Heh heh, I`ll probably buy another W126 some day (gotta go `86 or newer as I need the telescopic steering wheel), and if it has original paint I`ll be taking my own advice and using those exact products



Whichever way you go, I`ll be looking forward to the pictures.

[lbls1]

I am an avid Zymol user (right Accumulator?). As good as I feel Zymol products are, IMO it would be a dis-service to your paint if you do not attempt to address your swirling or marks issues as best as your paint will tolerate.



Contrary to popular belief, you can do a good amount of paint correction with moderate application of a paint cleaner via machine (which is considered the mildest form of polish). There may be several brands of paint cleaners that exhibit just a hint of abrasive power, that will settle light swirling without significantly cutting your clearcoat surface. I have had great success with Sonus` paint cleaner in that regard. You can go as high as you feel is necessary, in terms of aggressiveness, to correct the swirling. Swirl mark removers can also do wonders for your paint issues if you use them with care. I would recommend that you stick around on the board awhile, and take notes on the various steps and products that our members use to correct common paint problems such as swirling and marring.



Zymol carnaubas are formulated to work with non abrasive polish or chemical cleaning prep steps, but I can tell you that their carnaubas absolutely take off with a well prepped surface. You would definitely miss out on seeing ALL of Zymol`s abilites if you have a less than optimally prepped surface. Do not be afraid to compare zymol with other brands and even some other zymol models (fair warning.....zymols are good...and expensive), so as to see if you can improve on your efforts and/or whether you are satisfied with the zymol of your choice.



Good waxing!

[-80s Benz-]

Thanks guys! Lots of great advice here.



I think I`m going to go ahead with the 1Z/Collinite combo, that sounds like a great idea (cheers, Accumulator).... and maybe I`ll top that with a quick coat of S100 or Zymol Creme now and again. After taking a closer look, most of the defects are on the area with the factory paint, so I`ll likely stick to MP and just live with what remains. I`m sure it`ll look far better.



I`ll agree about the quality of most Zymol products... on my motorcycle (with relatively new/untouched paint) HD-Cleanse/Creme looks absolutely stunning. Deep and warm, and *to my eyes* nothing else I`ve tried comes close. (Gold Class paste gets a nod for "user friendliness", though.... but at 1/3 the price I don`t expect most OTC waxes to compete.) The HD-Cleanse/Zymol wax combo is also far more durable than I expected.

I feel a little uneasy making so many comments on products that I haven`t used first-hand, but I based those comments on what I`ve heard from people whose opinions I respect. The products that I *have* recommended work very well and, with all the stuff I have on the shelf, those are exactly what I`d use on that car. Heh heh, I`ll probably buy another W126 some day (gotta go `86 or newer as I need the telescopic steering wheel), and if it has original paint I`ll be taking my own advice and using those exact products



Whichever way you go, I`ll be looking forward to the pictures.

Thanks man! The telescoping wheel is nice (most people don`t even know it`s there, LOL). Another thing I miss is the ACC recirc function (gotta turn it completely off if you pull up behind a smoker). The early US headlamp setup is also pretty fugly, I`ll definitely need to find a set of "euro" lamps.



This car is in great shape, but there are a lot of little (albeit normal) mechanical issues to sort out. Aside from routine maintenace, the car appears fairly untouched, which on one hand is a great thing -- less chances for mechanical butchery. On the other hand, things like injector seals, P/S leaks, head gaskets leaking a little oil, small vacuum leaks, original shocks/ft end parts getting tired/etc... all add up to tons of time and money. It`s worth it to me, though... a medicinal hobby, LOL.



I`m also thinking about picking up a non-rusted euro 500 coupe, but THAT would be more of a long-term project, LOL.







May be a few weeks, but I`ll get a few before and after shots posted. :-)





cheers



Damion

[Accumulator]

-80s Benz- Let my know how the 1Z/Collinte approach goes. I always appreciate feedback regarding my suggestions.



Yeah, Euro lights are money well-spent :xyxthumbs and I`d forgotten about the lack of recirc on the early W126s (never spent much time in them as I can`t reach the wheel).



The repairs yours needs sound reasonable, I too would rather have one that hasn`t been "fixed" by a twit.



Yeah, the coupes are *nice*. My wife and I drove a pair of SECs before switching to Audis.



Oh, what wheels are on your sedan?

[-80s Benz-]

-80s Benz- Let my know how the 1Z/Collinte approach goes. I always appreciate feedback regarding my suggestions.



Yeah, Euro lights are money well-spent :xyxthumbs and I`d forgotten about the lack of recirc on the early W126s (never spent much time in them as I can`t reach the wheel).



The repairs yours needs sound reasonable, I too would rather have one that hasn`t been "fixed" by a twit.



Yeah, the coupes are *nice*. My wife and I drove a pair of SECs before switching to Audis.



Oh, what wheels are on your sedan?

It`s rockin` the factory-style (early 90s) 8-hole wheels, 16". I didn`t care for the look at first, but it`s grown on me a little... they`re "OK".



I actually like the old 14" alloys (standard through `85, IIRC), but I can`t handle the minor "wandering" on the freeway with the smallish tires and the typical, "slightly worn" MB steering box.



What wheels did you prefer on the W126?



(Putting in an order at "PakShak" today, they seem to stock both 1Z and Collinite products, WOOT!)





cheers