Minor paint swirls and webbing...What compound & polish?

M

Mr Big Bass

New member
I have a BMW 01 M3 and there are some light scratches and swirl marks. I plan on claying, AIO, 3X SG, and then topped with P21s. What steps should I take before applying the AIO? Should claying be the first step I take after washing? I do plan on purchasing a the PC 7424 but I dont want to use anything that is too aggresive that I can chance ruining my paint. I've searched a lot and people say that DACP and be a little hard to work with and may be to aggresive for my paint. I have heard some good things about Meguiars #9 or #80. Can you guys please help me out? Sorry in advance for all the newbie questions... I've tried to sue the search but I decided a direct post would be more helpful to me.
 
I would:

Wash, while car is still wet, use car wash and clay, then rinse the car off and use Meguiars 9, if that does not take care of the marring/swirls, step up to DACP. After the polishing steps, you should wash again. Then use AIO and then SG.
 
(1)I've also heard some good things about Menzerna PP and FP... would those be a better choice for a newb such as myself. Bear in mind that the swirls and scratches are fairly light.



(2)I also was wondering when the times comes to do this all over should I wash with Dawn or can i just go straight into the washing, clay followed by the Meguiars or Menzerna, then AIO SG.



(3) Lastly what should be applied by hand and what should be applied with PC? I know SG is by hand but what about the AIO, FP, PP amd #9
 
Welcome to Autopia. Note that my responses here are just *my* opinions and everyone has their favorite products and techniques.



Mr Big Bass said:
(1)I've also heard some good things about Menzerna PP and FP... would those be a better choice for a newb such as myself. Bear in mind that the swirls and scratches are fairly light.
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If you're working by hand, the Menzerna polishes might be a bit of work. I'd maybe try Meg's #80 instead or stuff from the 1Z line. 3M's PI-III MG (05937) works OK by hand too.



Note that although you consider your marring to be "light", most people underestimate how difficult it is to remove such stuff. The PC will make this *much* easier.



(2)I also was wondering when the times comes to do this all over should I wash with Dawn or can i just go straight into the washing, clay followed by the Meguiars or Menzerna, then AIO SG.
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No need to use Dawn. It's probably not as hard on things as some of us make it out to be, but you'll be fine with regular car shampoo.



(3) Lastly what should be applied by hand and what should be applied with PC? I know SG is by hand but what about the AIO, FP, PP amd #9
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I'd do everything except the SG by PC. I sometimes even do the SG by machine. Generally, anything that can be done by hand can also be done by PC (and vice-versa). The PC almost always proves to be easier and more effective.
 
On your experience with #80 do you notice and ill-effects? I heard people saying that it lives some residue behind. So of the three whats the best all around of the compounds? By best all around I mean ease of use vs. results. 1Z, Menzerna, or Meguiars?
 
I never had any problems with the #80. No residue, that's for sure.



All-in-all, *IMO* the 1z polishes are the way to go. VERY user-friendly, good results. But they leave wax behind, and the jury's sorta still out on whether or not that's a problem when using stuff like Klasse. You can always use an rubbing alchol spritzer to remove the 1Z's waxes, or trust the AIO to do it. That's the only potential problem I can think of.



When I'm using Klasse, I use 3M or Menzerna polishes, but I'm working by machine and I'm rather familiar with those products. If you want to look into the 3M route, the product I'd recommend is their PI-III Machine Glaze (pn 05937). The 05937 works OK by hand, but I'd stick with machine application for the Menzerna stuff.
 
Accumulator and I can tell you our Audi paint is a MAJOR PITA to polish. I just got done attacking some micromarring than can been seen most clearly under 1000watt halogens. This is the formula I've been using : with 4" white LC pads, 1z PP, 1z MP, Menzerna FP . Sometimes if you're real lucky you can get by without the PP, so I always use either the FP or MP first by itself, but that is almost always futile for me. In fact, I had to use the PP with a 4" orange pad to level the micromarring and the orange pad will leave behind its own micromarring, looks like thousands of feather scratches, so you must follow with the other 2 polishes by white pad



My last step products are AIO and SG
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. I think I have decided to use Bill D's method. I do have another newbie questions though... It it ok to constantly use these compounds month in and month out? Eventually won't our paint just wear away seeing how it is that we keep cutting away at it with the coumpunds?
 
Mr. Big Bass,



I hope my approach works for you. Hopefully once the paint defects are gone it can stay that way so there won't be a need to constantly polish out the paint so much. This is where the real Autopia OCD kicks in, extreme and regular washing, qding with only the finest mfs, etc, etc will help prevent notable marring that would require regular involved polishing steps. If us Autopians can help it, aggressive compounding will only be necesary in disaster situation and with a bit of l;uck your paint will outlast you ;)
 
Thanks Bill D. All you guys here at Autopia have been a life saver for me and my car. I just purchased it less than a month ago and I have already spent more in car care products in this time than 10 people would in their lifetime! I will post pictures as soon as I can start over and do all the things I have learned from you. But... I do have one more question... In between what steps must I wash my car? Before applying the AIO? After claying and before using the compunds? If someone could PLEASE give me the detailed steps from start to finish using Bill D's method it would be much appreciated... if not... ill continue searching!:)
 
Oh yeah... One other thing... I have already clayed, AIO, SG 3x, but now I want to start over because I never took care of the micromarring. Do I just wash with Dawn to start over? If so does it matter what kind of Dawn? Thanks in advance guys!
 
There is NO reason to use DAWN.......using DAWN is so overated, it is now an urban legend:D



As Accumulator wrote, use a regular car wash and a claying session will most likely remove anything on the paint, especially if combined with a paint cleaner/polish application.



If you wish to clean and polish your paint once a month then try using just the FP. Work it in slow, use a finishing pad first and to minimize your light scratches be mindful of your washing and drying technique.



Anthony
 
Do I have to wash in between compunds? Also what do you do about the areas where the PC can't reach? Do i use a hand applied compound and step down to the Meguairs #80 or something or do i continue to use the same stuff but just apply it by hand?
 
Mr Big Bass said:
Do I have to wash in between compunds? [/quote



No. Just be sure to remove all the residue before going to the next polish.



Also what do you do about the areas where the PC can't reach? Do i use a hand applied compound and step down to the Meguairs #80 or something or do i continue to use the same stuff but just apply it by hand?
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Yeah, do the tight spots by hand, using whatever you would've used with the PC. Any product you can use by PC and be used by hand (it's just harder).



I dunno if the clay will strip your SG (it doesn't strip mine). I'd use straight rubbing alcohol. It works well and never caused any problems for me.
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One more question and I think I am good to go...Since I have already applied AIO and a couple coats of SG do i need to remove them first before I start over using the compounds and claying? If so should I just use Dawn or what other products can I use?
 
I just remove with a dry MF, but others do it differently.



If claying removes all of your SG, you're doing something wrong. I spot clay with every wash and my SG lasts, well, it's going on eleven months on the family beater.



If you have marring you want to get rid of (with polishes, compounds, etc.) *I* would remove the SG first even though the poslishes/compounds will cut through it anyhow. If you don't remove it, it can sorta gum up your pads. I do it both ways, so it's not a biggie whichever you do.



Dawn won't remove SG (it doesn't really even remove wax all that well). Use rubbing alcohol, it works great for me.
 
First thing....get the Dawn thing out of your head....it's not needed. The whole Dawn thing started with the preperation for applying the Zaino polish.



My hood had some spots that got a little bad from my recent track day (in which I blew the motor:mad: ). My last detail done in early spring consisted of IP, FP, AIO, SGx2 and P21S. The car was clean, so I just started right back at the IP level last night. The only thing I noticed is that it did gum up the pad a little since it was removing the old wax and polish. I just did the hood, out of boredom and to practice a little. I'm not doing anymore since the cars going into the shop next week and will be returned with 8" of dust on it:eek:



I will detail it again from headlight to taillight at that time.

I'm a big fan of the Menzerna twins for removing light scratches and such. SG gives a great reflection, and P21S leaves the car looking wet.



Good luck
 
So the best way would be to remove the SG w/ rubbing alcohol using MF towels. Somehow that makes me nervous using rubbing alcohol on my paint surface, but you guys are the Pros so i trust you. Just out of curiosity is there a product out there that would remove the SG?
 
You could use Prepsol or something similar (available at auto paint/body supply places) or Griot's Paint Prep. But those are even stronger solvents than the alcohol. So many people (myself included) have used the alcohol that IMO there's really nothing to fear there.
 
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