Help with `97 Black BMW

**webada** · 07-01-2007, 10:33 PM

Hi,

I just got my PC and some Zaino ZPC/Z5/Z2. The was in pretty bad shape with swirls and webs. Using Meguiar`s W8006 pads with ZPC, I was able to get some web out but the deeper and larger swirls still exists. I am wonder which polish I should move on to.... or even up the aggressiveness of the pads to say W7006 with ZPC.

This is only one pass. I am wondering if I should move on to #83 from Meguiar`s or something more aggressive than that.

I`ve heard BMW paint is notoriously hard to buff. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

**Danny318** · 07-01-2007, 10:39 PM

I`ve been working on my 95 blue BMW for a while now, just got a PC too. I think your problem is the zaino, its not really meant for deep polishing, i dont think.

Ive got Optimum hyper compound, polish, poli seal, and opti seal. The hyper polish with a yellow pad (cutting) or a foamed wool pad takes out all the swirls and smaller scratches, and only leaves the big scratches.

So definatly get some stronger polish and compound, I like the optimum stuff but its all that i`ve used.

**BlackCoupe** · 07-01-2007, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by webada

Hi,

I just got my PC and some Zaino ZPC/Z5/Z2. The was in pretty bad shape with swirls and webs. Using Meguiar`s W8006 pads with ZPC, I was able to get some web out but the deeper and larger swirls still exists. I am wonder which polish I should move on to.... or even up the aggressiveness of the pads to say W7006 with ZPC.

This is only one pass. I am wondering if I should move on to #83 from Meguiar`s or something more aggressive than that.

I`ve heard BMW paint is notoriously hard to buff. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Why not try another pass or two with what you`ve got?

**webada** · 07-01-2007, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by BlackCoupe

Why not try another pass or two with what you`ve got?

I did that in one section and doesn`t seem to remove anymore, I was very tempted to use the cutting pad but am afraid of inexperience with the PC might do some harm.

Maybe I`ll need to measure my pressure and apply it alittle more....

**phamkl** · 07-01-2007, 11:55 PM

I wouldn`t be afraid of doing harm with a PC. I just got a UDM and started on my parents` car (because they`re the "who cares, so long as it`s clean" people) and really dug into it and didn`t do any harm (left no haze or deeper scratches or anything.)

I was using Menzerna`s Intensive Polish with a DASII white "Scratch Buster" pad at speed 6. These random orbitals seem to be extremely forgiving.

**Ron Harris** · 07-02-2007, 09:38 PM

I think you would benefit your buffing if you purchased an orange pad.

**Accumulator** · 07-03-2007, 12:29 PM

I`ve been working on my `97 M3 on and off for ages. The BMWs of this vintage have very hard clear and I`m encountering slow going...even with the rotaries and aggressive pads and products.

I`d step up to 4" pads and H-T EC. The H-T EC isn`t too abrasive IMO, and again, I`m using it with a rotary and cutting pads (and at pretty high RPMs too). I`m doing multiple passes with that combo, so it`s still gonna be a big, long job with a PC.

**ZeroDfx** · 07-04-2007, 08:34 PM

I also have a black `97 BMW and used the PC on it last fall for the first time and again this spring. I was very tentative the first time for fear of doing damage. However I did have an Intensive Swirl Remover and the Menzerna FPII as a finishing polish. In retrospect, I didn`t work the Intensive Polish enough as a first-time PC user. So this spring, I went back at it with the Intensive polish and a yellow pad and worked it longer, then the FPII with a white pad and it came out a whole lot better.

My suggestion is to get a slightly more aggressive polish and don`t be afraid to work it harder; then finish off w/ the Zaino and you should be good to go for your LSP.

Good luck,

Nick

**imported_artikxscout** · 07-05-2007, 04:17 PM

Accumulator, what recommendation would you think i should use on a 99 m-coupe? I have both rotary and PC, Yellow, orange pads for cutting. HTEC, OP, HTHC, and probably those are the products I`ll be using. The swirls are like the ones in the 2nd picture.

**Accumulator** · 07-05-2007, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by artikxscout

Accumulator, what recommendation would you think i should use on a 99 m-coupe? I have both rotary and PC, Yellow, orange pads for cutting. HTEC, OP, HTHC, and probably those are the products I`ll be using. The swirls are like the ones in the 2nd picture.

I`d use the rotary with yellow and/or orange with the H-T EC, then switch to the rotary and OP and see how it looks then.

But I`ve come to wish I`d gone with wool pads as that combo just takes forever to get my E36 the way I want it. And I can`t get the OP to finish out nice enough by rotary, but that`s probably my user-error.

The guy who *really* knows this stuff is Totoland Mach, you might want to look at some of his posts and see what he`s using these days.