Advice on correcting 2003 Mazda Silver BC/CC thin paint

[imported_Skybax]

Hi all


I`m buying a silver 2003.5 Mazda Protege5 for my new daily driver this week and will spend the next few weeks doing a quick resto on it. As some of you already know, these cars have VERY thin paint and rusted out badly in the northern climates, Fortunately this car spent the first 4 years in FL and the next 6 years in TN, so it has only been in Pittsburgh for 1 year when I found it. It is super clean and 95% rust free. It was also garage kept by the previous owners with tinted windows, so the black cloth interior has no UV sun fade. All the paint is original, never been detailed and in good shape, but it does have 10 years of road use and improper washing, so there are plently of normal scratches, marks and flaws in the paint. The front bumper and front of the hood are heavily stone chipped, so I am repainting those and buffing the rest with a PC DA polisher.

`

Which leads me to my question... With this car having such thin paint, which product and MF pad do you recommend? (I want a one step corrector)


Plan of action...


1. Thorough cleaning

2. Clay bar
3. Paint correction (M100? M101?M105? HD? Other?) MF Pad?

4. Monthly hand polishing/waxing onward


I want a product that will clean up and correct this old paint nicely in one step, but I also don`t want it to be too aggressive or too hot, because the paint/clear is very thin on these cars. I plan on using a MF pad and would appreicate any suggestions on the level/color of aggressiveness as well. Also, I`m buffing it BEFORE the paint work, so I want to use a product that is free of oils and fillers to prevent any problems with the paint work.


Thank you.


`

[Accumulator]

My Mazda MPV had very thin paint, and the out-of-sight areas weren`t cleared (thus even thinner).` No way I`d take today`s uber-compounds to it, I`d rather live with the marring.` Which IMO you might eventually have to do anyhow.` I had mine back when I was just using mild products, before the days of M105, and I *still* had to take it very easy.` I killed one spot with just the PC/4" Cyclo green pad/3M PI-III Machine Glaze!` (Yeah, had to have that area repainted because I polished with with a mild approach that wouldn`t have amounted to anything on my other vehicles.)


`


OK, you`re an Autopian, so you`re gonna hammer it...I guess Optimum`s compoundor HD Cut, finishing with HD Polish.` And !oh man! take it easy or you`ll be repainting more than you plan to.

[pwaug]

Perhaps start with HD Polish and a green Buff & Shine pad then move up to HD Polish with an orange B&S pad before you move up to a compound like HD Cut.`` Or perhaps HD Adapt with the green then orange if the green didn`t work.`` I`ve gotten some pretty good cut out of HD Polish, but if it`s not enough for your situation Adapt would have more cut, but not as much as HD Cut and would finish down well for a one step.``All the HD products are easy to use, long working times, easy to remove as there are no heavy oils.

[imported_Skybax]

Thanks for the replys and suggestions. I like what I`ve read about HD Poilish and I think I`m going that direction for this specific vehicle. I might use a medium MF pad (white?) because I don`t think green with be agressive enough for this old tired paint and I`m afriad to start with orange pad.

[Accumulator]

Skybax- That sounds like a good plan IMO.

[pwaug]

Did you mean white FOAM pad???`` Whatever pad you choose make sure you have at least 4-6 for the entire car and clean them often.`` See my post`listing David Fermani`s suggestions for using HD Polish.

[imported_Skybax]

On the white pad yes, but I`d like to try the MF pad route. My DA has a 3.5" BP and I prefer that size because this car has narrow/tighter surfaces between the body lines. I checked my local auto detail store and they have 2 Buff & Shine MF 4" pads... one for cutting and one for finishing. I think going with the finishing pad would be a wiser and less agressive route.


`


<span>I searched for "David <span>Fermani`s" and "HD Polish" and didn`t find anything. Can you please reply with a direct link? Thanks.

[pwaug]

Regarding Foam Pads it`s in this thread:` http://www.autopia.org/forum/topic/1...d-polish-tips/


`


Using HD Polish and Cut with MF pads David stated:`
"Yes, less is more for sure & make sure to not prime your pad.....regardless of pad. 4-6 drops(not X`s) to start and 3-4 for follow up. Make sure to clean your pads after every pass. Because you`re leveling paint and lubricants are being evaporated, dust/spent paint can accumulate within your pad. Keeping them clean will not just produce more effective cutting action, but also a clearly better finish."
`
Say hello to Eric for me--we are so lucky to have Autoality in our backyard.

[imported_Skybax]

Just wanted to follow up, the HD polish and micro fiber pads worked really well.


`


I started driving it today and took a few photos...


`


http://www.pbase.com/btd/protege5


`


Thanks again for the assistance.

[Accumulator]

Ah, looks like it cleaned up very well!