Another newbie here

[Tc808]

Aloha,



I've downloaded the Autopia ebook and have tried a number of searches and have learned a lot (this is such a great site). I'm still a little unclear on what pad/polish I should use. I have a black '05 tC which came with swirl marks which a detailer said was called webbing. I also have a few light scratches on the hood from my son dry dusting (luckily i stopped him after only a couple of wipes).



My questions are:



1. I ordered the PC kit from Autopia so which pad should I start with? Is the white pad that comes with the PC a good one to use?



2. I was going to use the Meguiars #9 Swirl Remover but have read conflicting opinions on whether it will remove swirls or just fill them in. Should I use a more abbrasive polish?



Thanks in advance for your help. :xyxthumbs

 

[JasonD]

:welcome



Okay, well you are already off to a better start than most because 1) you have done your research and have already downloaded the ebook, and 2) you've already ordered a PC.



As far as your issue, the best thing to do is post pics of your car after being washed and dried so we can all take a look at it and try to get a better handle on what needs to be done. Since it's a brand new car, I don't think you will need anything too aggressive, BUT swirls can be pretty tough to get out sometimes. Since you didn't post any pics, I will fly blind a little bit here and hope to give you the answer you are looking for.



First, your SMR is nothing more than a filler and will not get rid of the swirl marks you have, but will just hide them for a while. If you want to use this, apply it with the white polishing pad and go right on top of it with a nice wax, your choice.



On the other hand, if you want to actually correct your problem, you will need something more aggressive. I personally, like the 1Z line. They make three polishes, UPP, PP, and MP. UPP is very aggressive and is not "recommended" for clearcoat finishes even though a lot of us do anyway and have great results doing so. You always want to try to use the least aggressive method to accomplish your task as possible. Assuming you go with the 1Z line, I would start off with the PP and a white polishing pad. Don't get frustrated if this doesn't work because this is just a starting point and a mild one at that. If this doesn't work, try the cutting pad that comes with your kit and go over it. If I were doing a car with swirl marks I would jump right into the cutting pad but since this is your first, start off mild. If after polishing with PP and the cutting pad, you still see swirls and scratches, go with the UPP and a white pad, and then a cutting pad if that doesn't work. Do you see the process here? Start off with the mildest pad/polish combo and slowly work your way more aggressive until you get to where you want to be.



Now, that being said, you can use a multitude of products for this process. Other products I like are the 3M products which you can find locally. 3M PI III RC is a great compound for removing blemishes, swirls, and scratches (cutting or polishing pad). You can follow up with 3M PI MG (white pad), and then your cleaner/wax or just wax (depending on how it looks). Another Autopia favorite is Meg's #83 DACP (comparable to the 3M RC) or the #80 which is a little milder.



I hope this helps out a little, but if you have anymore questions feel free to ask. While you are waiting for your PC to come in, think about what products you are going to go with and let us know because we can be a lot more specific on the how-to questions/answers if we know what products you are using.