Hi,
Have lurked around the site for about a year and would classify myself as having enough knowledge to be dangerous and not enough to boldly go after my paint damage.
Recent purchase of a black car has pushed me to getting the PC 7424 and a collection of pads and products.
I purchased a very low mile, current year car that went through one winter with its previous owner (a BMW Executive). Clearly the guy didn't have a garage and wasn't too concerned about the paint. There are snow brush scratches everywhere. The fact that the car is black makes it infinately worse.
My first run at it I started with the Sonus Polish that came with the PC in the Autopia kit (A great Value BTW). I used the PC on 3 with the poliching pad.
The polish cleaned up the swirl marks a bit but really didn't put a dent in the scratches.
Next I tried some Zymol cleaner wax (based on previous good experience). It helped a bit but the deeper scratches are still there. I again used the PC but on 2 with the #1 pad.
In the meantime some j@ck@$$ decided that my car was too nice and used a pen knife to cut the leading edge of the hood in an x pattern above each set of headlights.
So knowing that the products I have aren't going to address the scratches much less the cuts, I went and bought some McGuire's Medium Cut Polish. But I'm afraid to use it as it is pretty far up the abrasive scale (7 out of 10) and I don't want to trash my paint further. I've hand worked the cuts and they are not as noticeable but I don't think they'll ever go away.
Any advice as to whether I should use a harder pad or softer one, what speed and how long to work the product? The car is scratched now but I certainly don't want to make it worse.
Another thing I've noticed is that I'm getting fine scratches from my microfibre towels as well between polishing and waxing. Too much product maybe?
This car is going to drive me nuts. I'm feeling I should have held out for a grey one.
Have lurked around the site for about a year and would classify myself as having enough knowledge to be dangerous and not enough to boldly go after my paint damage.
Recent purchase of a black car has pushed me to getting the PC 7424 and a collection of pads and products.
I purchased a very low mile, current year car that went through one winter with its previous owner (a BMW Executive). Clearly the guy didn't have a garage and wasn't too concerned about the paint. There are snow brush scratches everywhere. The fact that the car is black makes it infinately worse.
My first run at it I started with the Sonus Polish that came with the PC in the Autopia kit (A great Value BTW). I used the PC on 3 with the poliching pad.
The polish cleaned up the swirl marks a bit but really didn't put a dent in the scratches.
Next I tried some Zymol cleaner wax (based on previous good experience). It helped a bit but the deeper scratches are still there. I again used the PC but on 2 with the #1 pad.
In the meantime some j@ck@$$ decided that my car was too nice and used a pen knife to cut the leading edge of the hood in an x pattern above each set of headlights.
So knowing that the products I have aren't going to address the scratches much less the cuts, I went and bought some McGuire's Medium Cut Polish. But I'm afraid to use it as it is pretty far up the abrasive scale (7 out of 10) and I don't want to trash my paint further. I've hand worked the cuts and they are not as noticeable but I don't think they'll ever go away.
Any advice as to whether I should use a harder pad or softer one, what speed and how long to work the product? The car is scratched now but I certainly don't want to make it worse.
Another thing I've noticed is that I'm getting fine scratches from my microfibre towels as well between polishing and waxing. Too much product maybe?
This car is going to drive me nuts. I'm feeling I should have held out for a grey one.
