Which polish/pad combination would you choose for this paint?

**Buster906** · 03-07-2017, 11:02 AM

For one, it`s a DD, the cost. I want to get a detailing class under my belt after I retire. Plus my truck is white and getting white to pop is difficult

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

**MattPersman** · 03-07-2017, 12:31 PM

Would do a test spot with d300 and your MF pad. I see you need pads so get perhaps a few cutting and polishing. The paint will likely be "hard" and the MF kit from megs works well as you have seen in the past. If you needed to finish with the d302 or d301 or even ultimate polish

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Accumulator** · 03-07-2017, 02:14 PM

I haven`t worked on a GM newer than the `04 Yukon XLD I had, so maybe I`m completely out-of-date here, but I`d expect that to take *MUCH* more aggressive stuff than M205 (yeah, I know some guys have done significant correction with it).

Originally Posted by Justins00ss

Have you polished this truck before? Reason I ask is some of the new black GM`S can have some really tricky paint. For these vehicles I tend to stay away from the SMAT type products such as m205/m105 etc.

Ah, ineresting! Why do you prefer diminishing-abrasive products on current GMs?

On my older ones I was all about NONdiminishing stuff, as I now am about all my vehicles. I`ll never touch another abrasive that diminishes in this lifetime as I want to have 100% control over the amount of work, not gonna keep going until something finishes breaking down if the situation calls for !stop abrading NOW! if that makes any sense.

(Influencing incident: my GOOD painter, who`s a genuine Rotary Meister, recently did permanent damage to the Jag buffing it with one of those very mild Menzerna polishes. Not something that happens to him once per decade but that car`s oe paint is problematic (five apparently separate incidents of partial repainting *during original construction* with more paintwork done before New Car Delivery). *I* only polish it for *seconds* at a time and thus usually avoid such problems, but you can`t do that very well with diminishing abrasives.)

**RaskyR1** · 03-07-2017, 03:43 PM

The newer black GM trucks have been a bit of a pain to work on IMO. A lot of the combos I tried didn`t wipe off as well as they typically would so don`t be surprised if that happens. I used M205 on MF pads to cut (KBM205MF), which worked very well and still wiped off easily. For finishing I think I used Hyper Polish with yellow BOSS pads.

This one it looks like I finished with HD 502 and BOSS yellow pads

**js4506** · 03-07-2017, 04:24 PM

Awesome thanks! Would you consider it a harder, or softer paint? I never even thought about using m205 with a MF cutting pad, I think this sounds like a great option because my paint looks similar to what you worked on. What is the KBM205MF you referred to?
Also, is there a reason you finished with Hyper polish? I`ve never used it but according to the polish chart it`s listed as a step more aggressive than m205?

Originally Posted by RaskyR1

The newer black GM trucks have been a bit of a pain to work on IMO. A lot of the combos I tried didn`t wipe off as well as they typically would so don`t be surprised if that happens. I used M205 on MF pads to cut (KBM205MF), which worked very well and still wiped off easily. For finishing I think I used Hyper Polish with yellow BOSS pads.

This one it looks like I finished with HD 502 and BOSS yellow pads

**RaskyR1** · 03-07-2017, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by js4506

Awesome thanks! Would you consider it a harder, or softer paint? I never even thought about using m205 with a MF cutting pad, I think this sounds like a great option because my paint looks similar to what you worked on. What is the KBM205MF you referred to?
Also, is there a reason you finished with Hyper polish? I`ve never used it but according to the polish chart it`s listed as a step more aggressive than m205?

I`d say hardness was about average, but that`s also very subjective. More on KBM205MF here.

M205 was leaving faint DA haze on the paint where Hyper Polish was finishing down very well, though wipe off required a little more effort. I try not to read into those polishing charts too much as there are so many variables involved.

Note: Utilizing Kevin Brown`s M205/water finishing method likely would have yielded a very good result, but using M205 like a standard polish was leaving faint DA haze for me.

**js4506** · 03-07-2017, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by RaskyR1

I`d say hardness was about average, but that`s also very subjective. More on KBM205MF here.

M205 was leaving faint DA haze on the paint where Hyper Polish was finishing down very well, though wipe off required a little more effort. I try not to read into those polishing charts too much as there are so many variables involved.

Note: Utilizing Kevin Brown`s M205/water finishing method likely would have yielded a very good result, but using M205 like a standard polish was leaving faint DA haze for me.

That makes sense, I think I`ll give this exact method a try. The article states that you can use either microfiber cutting pads or finishing pads, which did you choose to use? Also, how many pads did you go through? My last polish job I admittedly didnt get enough and way overused my pads. Since I will be coating afterwards, do you think it would be worthwhile to follow up with something like po85rd and a black pad?

**jrock645** · 03-07-2017, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by js4506

That makes sense, I think I`ll give this exact method a try. The article states that you can use either microfiber cutting pads or finishing pads, which did you choose to use? Also, how many pads did you go through? My last polish job I admittedly didnt get enough and way overused my pads. Since I will be coating afterwards, do you think it would be worthwhile to follow up with something like po85rd and a black pad?

PO85rd and black LC pad is an excellent finishing combo. Used it on my Honda, I`d def recommend it.

**danlc95** · 03-08-2017, 07:20 AM

Depends on the tool.

I use either a PC7424, or a Duetto/Mini combo. With the PC, I would probably start with M205 on a Lake Country Tangerine Hydrotech. I`m guessing that I`d end up with M205 on a Megs microfiber finishing pad though.

If I was using the Rupes, I`m confident that the Keramik Polish with the yellow microfiber pad would take care of it.

**RaskyR1** · 03-08-2017, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by js4506

That makes sense, I think I`ll give this exact method a try. The article states that you can use either microfiber cutting pads or finishing pads, which did you choose to use? Also, how many pads did you go through? My last polish job I admittedly didnt get enough and way overused my pads. Since I will be coating afterwards, do you think it would be worthwhile to follow up with something like po85rd and a black pad?

I`ve been using the Griot`s BOSS MF pads for a while now but preferred the Megs Finishing when I was using them. They have plenty of cut and finished down a little better. For a truck like that you`d want 4-6 pads. PO85RD is a great finishing polish but I`d want to be sure it has enough cut to remove the DA haze left behind by the preceding step. Be sure to do a few solvent wipe-downs on your test spot if you do go that route. I`d probably opt for a pad with a little more cut like the crimson LC hydro pad over the black though.

**js4506** · 03-09-2017, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by RaskyR1

I`ve been using the Griot`s BOSS MF pads for a while now but preferred the Megs Finishing when I was using them. They have plenty of cut and finished down a little better. For a truck like that you`d want 4-6 pads. PO85RD is a great finishing polish but I`d want to be sure it has enough cut to remove the DA haze left behind by the preceding step. Be sure to do a few solvent wipe-downs on your test spot if you do go that route. I`d probably opt for a pad with a little more cut like the crimson LC hydro pad over the black though.

Thanks! I made the order for everything. Did you also polish the bottom of the fenders/running boards where they are in that coated material?

**RaskyR1** · 03-09-2017, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by js4506

Thanks! I made the order for everything. Did you also polish the bottom of the fenders/running boards where they are in that coated material?

I did coated the black plastic trim, including the pads on the running boards with Opti-Trim, but the metal was left alone.

**js4506** · 03-09-2017, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by RaskyR1

I did coated the black plastic trim, including the pads on the running boards with Opti-Trim, but the metal was left alone.

Oops, I meant rocker panels not running boards. My truck (I assume all from the factory?) are coated with some sort of protective coating on the rocker panels and the very bottom of the fenders. Its an orange peel looking clear coat. I assume it can be polished just the same because mine have the same light swirl marks throughout them

**Accumulator** · 03-09-2017, 01:38 PM

js4506- I`d be careful abrading the Paint Protection Film as sometimes PPF`s UV-stability is a fragile thing dependent on the original thickness.

**RaskyR1** · 03-09-2017, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by js4506

Oops, I meant rocker panels not running boards. My truck (I assume all from the factory?) are coated with some sort of protective coating on the rocker panels and the very bottom of the fenders. Its an orange peel looking clear coat. I assume it can be polished just the same because mine have the same light swirl marks throughout them

That would be the factory chip guard. It like a rubberized coating of some sort that is then painted over. I polished them and coated them too.