Prior to this I have given two cars a coat of LSP using the GG RO and done a few test areas with UNO, but this is my first full polishing so be gentle, but I do appreciate comments particularly anything I can do to improve my technique, etc.
This was a full detail including the engine, interior etc, but I’ll concentrate on the HD Speed review from a beginners perspective. (The review of the RWWB is farther down in the post)
Car is a 2007 VW Passat in Granite Green delivered in the summer of 2006 and has never been polished by machine or hand. However, it was never prepped by the dealer, has never been through an automatic car wash and always protected by a sealant so the paint had a few deeper scratches and mostly just light marring from routine hand washing with DG901 or ONR. Probably should have polished first with UNO, but since this was my first decided to use the less aggressive HD Speed for the sake of safety.
PREP: Washed with CG/Dawn mix X 2--blow dry with modified leaf blower--clayed with GG clay using ONR as lube--lower body cladding, roof rails and chrome taped (probably went overboard in the interest of safety)
POLISHING: GG RO with 5” and 3.5” BPs, Buff & Shine 5.5” and 4” Orange and Green pads. Primed pads with 4 or 5 pea sized drops of HD Speed then added 2 or 3 less than pea sized drops for following sections. Rotated between 2 sets of each pad--after 3 sections would clean the pad (towel and brush), put it aside, continue with another pad for 3 sections, clean (towel and brush), switch to the original pad so used a total of 4 5.5” orange pads for the whole car.
Tried a test section with the Green pad--6 passes with moderate pressure, slow arm speed, speed 6 on the GG RO then two passes with light pressure--not much correction for the work involved. Moved up to an Orange pad--6 passes with moderate pressure, slow arm speed, speed 6 on the GG RO and two passes at light pressure produced the results I was looking for. Checked these sections after IPA wipe.
Head lights and Tail lights - 3 or 4 passes with 4" green pad on speed 4. Black bits by hand with a green pad.
LSP: Was planning on doing a durability test of the Speed, but couldn’t help myself and gave it a coat of POXY the next morning with a Red pad.
EXPECTATIONS: I never expected the HD Speed to remove the 2 or3 deeper scratches, but had hoped it would remove all of the light marring.
RESULTS AND IMPRESSIONS
Paint: Would estimate I was able to remove 90-95% of the marring with the Speed and Orange B&S pad--perhaps with more experience or a Yellow pad I would have done better. Of course no one else will ever be able to find the remaining light marring. Based on other Speed reviews posted recently I may have been using more product than needed.
However, the gloss and depth after the HD Speed was really much more than I expected or had ever seen with just normal application of DG 105 or Zaino Z2. And after POXY the depth and “glow” is really outstanding.
Working Time: After six passes with pressure and two light passes the Speed was still plenty wet.
Lights: Speed did an excellent job removing all scratches on the head lights and tail lights with just a few passes on speed 4 with a green pad.
Black Bits and Chrome: Went over B and C pillars, roof racks and plastic chrome bumper with a green pad and speed by hand with great results.
Product Removal: Initially I was wiping off after every section to check my work and Speed removed very easily with no oils or smearing with a few wipes with a MF. After I gained a little confidence I would just let it dry while I polished a few more sections and then it came off unbelievably easy with just a light wipe with a MF.
Pad Cleaning: Pads cleaned up easily--soaked in light Dawn mix until finished then a couple sprays of Dawn Power Dissolver and they were good as new.
Final Thoughts: If I can get the results I achieved with Speed anyone can and those of you who know what you’re doing should really be able to blow people away. While I’ve always appreciated the results you “Pros” produce, I have a new appreciation for how hard you work for the superb results you display here on Autopia.org. Can't wait to start on my wife's 97 Escort with UNO and HD Polish.
I’ve attempted to show the level of marring and the results with HD Speed with the following pictures but as I’m sure you know it’s difficult to show dramatic improvement on lighter colors. The pictures don't really do it justice.
I welcome any comments about how I might improve as I move forward!!!
Thanks to 3D for the opportunity to use this great product!!!
(RWWB review follows pictures)
RWWB(Radical Wheel Well Brush) Review: My VW has the optional factory Sport Suspension that lowers the car approximately 1” from the stock suspension. While this isn’t a dramatic drop, I’ve always had problems cleaning the wheel wells with the standard long handled detailing brushes as it gets jammed and stuck between the tire and wheel well. So I engineered a radical new design that works very well and I can provide them to anyone interested for $24.99 including shipping----:lie::lie::lie:
This was a full detail including the engine, interior etc, but I’ll concentrate on the HD Speed review from a beginners perspective. (The review of the RWWB is farther down in the post)
Car is a 2007 VW Passat in Granite Green delivered in the summer of 2006 and has never been polished by machine or hand. However, it was never prepped by the dealer, has never been through an automatic car wash and always protected by a sealant so the paint had a few deeper scratches and mostly just light marring from routine hand washing with DG901 or ONR. Probably should have polished first with UNO, but since this was my first decided to use the less aggressive HD Speed for the sake of safety.
PREP: Washed with CG/Dawn mix X 2--blow dry with modified leaf blower--clayed with GG clay using ONR as lube--lower body cladding, roof rails and chrome taped (probably went overboard in the interest of safety)
POLISHING: GG RO with 5” and 3.5” BPs, Buff & Shine 5.5” and 4” Orange and Green pads. Primed pads with 4 or 5 pea sized drops of HD Speed then added 2 or 3 less than pea sized drops for following sections. Rotated between 2 sets of each pad--after 3 sections would clean the pad (towel and brush), put it aside, continue with another pad for 3 sections, clean (towel and brush), switch to the original pad so used a total of 4 5.5” orange pads for the whole car.
Tried a test section with the Green pad--6 passes with moderate pressure, slow arm speed, speed 6 on the GG RO then two passes with light pressure--not much correction for the work involved. Moved up to an Orange pad--6 passes with moderate pressure, slow arm speed, speed 6 on the GG RO and two passes at light pressure produced the results I was looking for. Checked these sections after IPA wipe.
Head lights and Tail lights - 3 or 4 passes with 4" green pad on speed 4. Black bits by hand with a green pad.
LSP: Was planning on doing a durability test of the Speed, but couldn’t help myself and gave it a coat of POXY the next morning with a Red pad.
EXPECTATIONS: I never expected the HD Speed to remove the 2 or3 deeper scratches, but had hoped it would remove all of the light marring.
RESULTS AND IMPRESSIONS
Paint: Would estimate I was able to remove 90-95% of the marring with the Speed and Orange B&S pad--perhaps with more experience or a Yellow pad I would have done better. Of course no one else will ever be able to find the remaining light marring. Based on other Speed reviews posted recently I may have been using more product than needed.
However, the gloss and depth after the HD Speed was really much more than I expected or had ever seen with just normal application of DG 105 or Zaino Z2. And after POXY the depth and “glow” is really outstanding.
Working Time: After six passes with pressure and two light passes the Speed was still plenty wet.
Lights: Speed did an excellent job removing all scratches on the head lights and tail lights with just a few passes on speed 4 with a green pad.
Black Bits and Chrome: Went over B and C pillars, roof racks and plastic chrome bumper with a green pad and speed by hand with great results.
Product Removal: Initially I was wiping off after every section to check my work and Speed removed very easily with no oils or smearing with a few wipes with a MF. After I gained a little confidence I would just let it dry while I polished a few more sections and then it came off unbelievably easy with just a light wipe with a MF.
Pad Cleaning: Pads cleaned up easily--soaked in light Dawn mix until finished then a couple sprays of Dawn Power Dissolver and they were good as new.
Final Thoughts: If I can get the results I achieved with Speed anyone can and those of you who know what you’re doing should really be able to blow people away. While I’ve always appreciated the results you “Pros” produce, I have a new appreciation for how hard you work for the superb results you display here on Autopia.org. Can't wait to start on my wife's 97 Escort with UNO and HD Polish.
I’ve attempted to show the level of marring and the results with HD Speed with the following pictures but as I’m sure you know it’s difficult to show dramatic improvement on lighter colors. The pictures don't really do it justice.
I welcome any comments about how I might improve as I move forward!!!
Thanks to 3D for the opportunity to use this great product!!!
(RWWB review follows pictures)
RWWB(Radical Wheel Well Brush) Review: My VW has the optional factory Sport Suspension that lowers the car approximately 1” from the stock suspension. While this isn’t a dramatic drop, I’ve always had problems cleaning the wheel wells with the standard long handled detailing brushes as it gets jammed and stuck between the tire and wheel well. So I engineered a radical new design that works very well and I can provide them to anyone interested for $24.99 including shipping----:lie::lie::lie:
On another note -- How do you like the Subaru? Thinking of replacing my wife's 97 Escort (I guess it's about time, but her attitude toward cars is much the same as a toaster) with the new Impreza Hatchback.
