Neglected Black Car - Help Me Plan My Attack

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imported_phareous

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car1.jpg


car2.jpg




I bought my Honda in 98 and fell in love with the black...it was so smooth it was like a mirror. Well after going through interstate widening, lots of evil trees, neighbor's fireworks, acid rain, lots of cats, etc. my paint is looking awful. I've tried lots of stuff in the past but nothing ever worked...so I decided to start getting serious about this.



I've got the typical swirls, lots of fine scratches (cats and the like), and some etching from acid rain and sap. :sosad



Now my plan is this:

1. Fix all the paint chips (I'll probably try langka for the new stuff but I got a couple bad patches I guess I'll have to wet sand). I'm going to do this before anything else - I'll use the langka cleaner on the spots before I start

2. Use dawn to take off all the wax, cheap car wash stuff, etc.

3. Wash the car throughly...I got some Super Shampoo from TOL and also some Zaino. Probably put it on with super sudzer hose nozzle, scrub with microfiber, and dry with the absorber and koala towels

4. Use a zaino claybar (and use some zaino car wash for lubricant)

5. Use some water spot remover on all the glass (DUR505 from toyotaparts4u.com)

6. Use the CMA glass polishing kit and PC Ultimate Detailing Machine on the windshield



7. Now at this point I need to polish and smooth the paint...here's what I got..what order should I do and what should I use?

Hi-Tep Extreme Cut Power Leveler

Hi-Temp Light Cut Swirl Remover

Hi-Temp Perfection Glaze Swirl Remover and Sealant

Hi-Temp Midnight Express Swirl Remover and Wax (prob. won't use this since I got blackfire and souveran)

Meguiars Dual Action Cleaner Polish

Also I'm a little confused on the pads - I got two of the Detailing Accessory Package from CMA



8. Use Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish

9. Use Blackfire All Finish Paint Protection

10. Finish off with Souveran Wax (paste not liquid)
 
You may not be able to remove the scratches you can feel with your hand, but you can polish them to make them much less noticeable.



Be very careful when you wet sand, you can easily remove to much clear coat.



When polishing always remember to use the least aggressive polish first, if it doesn't work you can always use a more aggressive product.



HIGH TEMPS GLAZE SWIRL REMOVER & SEALANT, and EXPRESS SWIRL REMOVER & WAX are not layer-able. If you apply the sealant polish over the wax product, the sealant-polish will remove the wax product, and vice-versa, so using both products is pointless. You can use one of them if you like, but i would just skip the High temp polish & wax products, and just use the Blackfire polish or any other non wax swirl remover after the light cut swirl remover.



Generally speaking you should use your wool polishing pad with compounds, your yellow compounding pad with compounds and swirl removers, your white polishing with swirl removers and glazes, the grey polishing pad should be used to apply waxes and sealants.



Good luck. :)
 
Hmm ok so I should start probably with the light cut remover, move up to the extreme cut remover if needed, then go to DACP, and then Blackfire. Seeing how bad my paint is I'm tempted to start with the extreme cut but you are right...I might not need it...especially since many of the bad acid rain spots are going to have to be sanded and touched up anyways which would just leave the swirl marks to deal with. Thanks for the help.
 
If your using a PC I would skip any type of Swirl Remover and go straight for the DACP.



Just my experience .. SMR's hardly touch paint when used with a PC.
 
Well the swirls are pretty bad and were put there by a rotary (i.e. friend's walmart special). Tthe camera kept focusing on the reflection so I couldn' t get any good pics of the swirls. I have a PC at my disposal as well as a mikita rotary (though I am not that experienced). Everything I have read says the PC is not going to get hot enough/have enough friction to do much with the swirls? I was thinking of using the rotary with the swirl remover on the main sections and then using the PC on the edges/curved parts
 
K .. lemme explain.



I posted this in another thread but cant seem to find it.



So.





Scenario :



Crappy old '91 Geo Tracker.



Before :



rotarymarks.jpg






After :



rotaryafter.jpg






Done with a PC and DACP/Diamond Cut.



It took prolly 3 or 4 passes to get all the marks out, and they were BAD.
 
You've only posted 400+ times...I don't see why it would be so hard to find it :D



So do you think Diamond Cut would be superior to the stuff I was planning on using? (Light Cut Swirl Remover, etc.).



And you think a PC will work fine rather than taking the risk with the rotary?
 
Ya ... but with a PC even heavy duty abrasives seem to be pretty mild.



I would most definately give it a go with the PC first, you might be surprised at your success.



If you go straight for the rotary you might be horrified at the damage........
 
Ok then my only other question is if I need another polish. If I use Diamond Cut, and then DACP, and then Blackfire I am wonderinfg if I need anything in between any of these steps, and if I should try to use the Light Cut or not. Also since the PC is pretty mild I should use the most agressive pad right (yellow or orange)?
 
DACP will buffer down to a SMR-like polish. After it you should not need another polish. You can go directly to Blackfire. But let the results be the guide.
 
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