New Guy Needs Help

M

mbdfahrer

New member
Hey guys, I'm new to the board. My name is Jason and I've been on autopia for well over a year just exploring and learning new stuff. Well I finally decided to become a member and here's my question. I have a 82 Mercedes, the paint was resprayed before I acquired it back in 2004. The problem is that it was my dad's car and him + vehicle cosmetics go together like water and oil. Anyways, I got the car back just last year and it hasn't been washed since 2004 :goodjob . The paint is hazed over now and I'm wondering what I can do to possibly bring some life back into it. Its a non clearcoat finish. I'll snap a picture of it tomorrow. I also have a picture of it from when we first got it.
 
I would prefer seeing you getting the paint cleaned prior to any swirl removal concerns. A good paint cleaner, followed by a sealant or wax (More temp) until you can decide on additional steps and length of process. Theres always a PC/UDM which will obviously have huge benefits vs any work performed by hand.
 
I agree, washing the car and using a paint cleaner is the way to go. If you don't want to order stuff, ColorX is a fantastic paint cleaner (it offers a little bit of paint protection too) that can be had at almost any Auto Parts store. After that you can decide how bad the paint is and get what you need.
 
Alright, grabbed a few shots this morning.



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I polished that rear bumper with Turtle Wax Chrome Polish. I don't know if I contributed the swirls into it or not (can the swirling be removed?)

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And finally one of the wheels :help:



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The pics seem to show some neglect, but IMO it can be safely brought back to life with a thorough wash and clay followed by a good paint cleanser like Klasse All-In-One or Sonus Paintwork Cleanser (by hand or PC) to remove the oxidation. While the cleansers won't really work to remove defects, light swirls are generally less visible on silver anyway so you may just be O.K.
 
She was washed on Monday, and I clayed a small area just to see what difference it'll make (according to a friend, he suggested I do not use claybar on non-clearcoat finish). And with my eyes, I couldn't see a difference although I could feel a difference.
 
I'd definitely do a thorough claying, then go from there. If you don't have a good quality buffer it will takes lots of elbow grease, but it can be done. Use ColorX or a good AIO and plan to take your time. No need to rush through the whole car in one sitting, the results will be worth it.
 
I'll grab some ColorX (would like to do as much with OTC as possible). Its good to know that there's still hope for the car :)
 
Well, got a bottle of ColorX, using Zymol QD spray and Meguiar's claybar, I tried it out on a small area, and even at night, what a difference.
 
Hey man don't get too carried away, now you gotta post pics!:D Just remember, it's the neglected cars that always make the most dramatic improvements:) Now you've caught the Autopia fever bwahahaha
 
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