I've been lurking here for a few weeks and this weekend I finally went and put some of what I learned to use. I bought a PC 7336 and the CMA pad kit. Here's what I planned:
1) wash
2) clay
3) PI-III MG
4) PI-III FG
5) 3M liquid wax
Washed w/ my normal Meguiars soap I usually use. I wanted to use 3M clay, but my store didn't carry it. So I had to pick up what they had because it was last minute. Martin Senour is what I ended up with. It was very hard to work with and only did a decent job with a good amount of work. Won't get that stuff again. I used the yellow pad with the MG and although I spent as much time cleaning the pad (I only have one, and no clearcoat) as applying the MG. The MG went on quite easily and I can't see a difference in the sections done at 4-4.5 and 6. The FG I only used on the hood. I must have been applying it incorrectly as it never worked itself out very well. After buffing it all off the hood didn't look any better than just the MG so I stopped there. The 3M wax went on extremely easily with the grey pad and buffed off just as easily with a terry cloth. Waxing took 30 min. tops!
Anyway, the car looks great. It was dull and just needed a bit of revitalizing. Some of the dullness was heavy enough that I couldn't make any progress by hand, so that's why I chose yellow/MG. I'm going to try FG and the liquid wax as the routine ritual. Definitely need some MF buffer pads.
I would have posted before's and after's, only I couldn't get the condition to really show through in the camera. Actually due to the time of day I think the before's actually look better!
Question: My overall impression of the CMA pads isn't that great. They just don't have a very hiqh quality look and feel to me. The velcro backing wasn't centered on any of my pads and they don't cover the backing plate at all. Has anyone tried the 6.5" 3M pads? They are contoured like the CMA pads, only convex, they have the egg-crate foam design, and the backing plate is recessed into the pad. And I think the velcro was glued and sewn into the foam
. I saw these in the store while my CMA pads were in route, so maybe this is why I'm semi-disappointed in the CMAs. I can't find a link to them on the web site, only seen them in my store. But they are the same part no.'s that are on the instruction for the MG/FG. Anyone used these before? How did they work?
Anyway, sorry for the long post. And thank you guys for all the knowledge! :bow
matt.
-------
'98 VW GTI VR6 - Ginster Yellow
1) wash
2) clay
3) PI-III MG
4) PI-III FG
5) 3M liquid wax
Washed w/ my normal Meguiars soap I usually use. I wanted to use 3M clay, but my store didn't carry it. So I had to pick up what they had because it was last minute. Martin Senour is what I ended up with. It was very hard to work with and only did a decent job with a good amount of work. Won't get that stuff again. I used the yellow pad with the MG and although I spent as much time cleaning the pad (I only have one, and no clearcoat) as applying the MG. The MG went on quite easily and I can't see a difference in the sections done at 4-4.5 and 6. The FG I only used on the hood. I must have been applying it incorrectly as it never worked itself out very well. After buffing it all off the hood didn't look any better than just the MG so I stopped there. The 3M wax went on extremely easily with the grey pad and buffed off just as easily with a terry cloth. Waxing took 30 min. tops!
Anyway, the car looks great. It was dull and just needed a bit of revitalizing. Some of the dullness was heavy enough that I couldn't make any progress by hand, so that's why I chose yellow/MG. I'm going to try FG and the liquid wax as the routine ritual. Definitely need some MF buffer pads.
I would have posted before's and after's, only I couldn't get the condition to really show through in the camera. Actually due to the time of day I think the before's actually look better!
Question: My overall impression of the CMA pads isn't that great. They just don't have a very hiqh quality look and feel to me. The velcro backing wasn't centered on any of my pads and they don't cover the backing plate at all. Has anyone tried the 6.5" 3M pads? They are contoured like the CMA pads, only convex, they have the egg-crate foam design, and the backing plate is recessed into the pad. And I think the velcro was glued and sewn into the foam
. I saw these in the store while my CMA pads were in route, so maybe this is why I'm semi-disappointed in the CMAs. I can't find a link to them on the web site, only seen them in my store. But they are the same part no.'s that are on the instruction for the MG/FG. Anyone used these before? How did they work?Anyway, sorry for the long post. And thank you guys for all the knowledge! :bow
matt.
-------
'98 VW GTI VR6 - Ginster Yellow
