Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

[Top Gear]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

Thanks, Michael! From my extended reading on MOL, as well as so much work with the previous pads, I had a reasonable belief the paint was hard. I'm sure you've worked harder paints, but this one is pretty difficult to cut. In a way, this saves me from screwing it up, but it also means some defects are very difficult to correct - I've even considered a rotary for selected work Sometimes, I felt like I was getting medieval on this paint, and then I'd wipe and see I barely made an impact other than gloss. Yet, a grain of sand at interstate speeds can chip it right off, apparently. Good grief.

Anyway, here are some promised shots, most in harsh light, starting with the roof panel:

Cool stealthy reflection:

I've worked the hood so far with 7 compound "passes", 3 polish, and counting (as I've defined):

Trunk face was also quite swirly:

Welcome to the South:

No harsh glossing from swirls or haze:

Here's one ironically in an abandoned washeria:

As predicted, the rain last night was hard enough it washed off a fair amount of wax, or at least it seems that way, but for these shots, I've only shampooed and touched up one or two small areas with GC QW.

So, here you have it. I hope to get a few more new shots in afternoon/evening light during the week...

[davey g-force]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

^^ That looks great. I like a happy ending!

[Jarhead0754]

Now don't u feel so accomplished? Ready to take on any car now.

[Top Gear]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

Thanks to you - all of you. I really owe it to this forum. I hope this thread helps someone else, as well.

[Eldorado2k]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

[Top Gear]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

So, it's been less than two weeks with this new level of "The Sickness" (as Eldorado put it). I thought I'd update you with a couple of tricks I've learned. There were a few lingering areas where I wasn't 100%, despite all those passes. You can't see these issues in the pictures, and indeed, it was nearly impossible to see them even in full Sun. That LED light I mentioned has turned out to be The Bomb!!

1. Now, I was doing 4 or more pass/loads using Xtra Cut/D300 on this unyielding hard paint. I've almost ordered the Ungrit 3000 pad(s) and interface for the DA to do some damp sanding to fix some of the tough areas in one go. However, I had some UC left over from my previous setup. I've read on MOL that many people think Ultimate Compound is less aggressive than D300. Somehow it just isn't. I've found that UC on an Xtra Cut MF at speed 5-6 with very slow arm motion cuts very nicely and safely on this hard paint, leaving a very mild haze. I followed the UC pass/load with touch-ups, and then with a pass/load of Xtra Cut/D300 at speed 5. This got me to an LSP-ready finish, although I could do the D302 step as well for grins

2. Other areas of the car that were perfect started look mildly swirly again. Oh no! At first, I was afraid I'd have to do the whole deal again, but I then reasoned these were just "love touches" from using QD/QW and the duster, as well as micro-scratches from driving. So, I decided to try nothing more than D301 on a Finishing MF to re-wax. Instead of just spreading wax, I imagined I was doing more of a polish step, so I worked the liquid a bit more at speeds 3.5-4.5 with slow motion. This resulted in a perfect finish again

[davey g-force]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

Nice one....

[Eldorado2k]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

Ok nice one... But could you Please put down the QD/QW for just a sec. and force yourself into the nearest store and get a bottle of Ultimate Wash & Wax Anywhere to try out in place of QD/QW which has always landed you in the same place...

You're starting to scare us. Lol.

[Top Gear]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

Thanks for your sense of fun, Eldo!

Well, I've been telling you about the major humidity swings here, the biblical rain sometimes, the nightly condensation cycle even on the driest days, and the dust, pollen and so on. This is NOT Los Angeles, guys (although the past week has been relatively cool and dry). I've already slapped my hand several times over these past couple of weeks in reaching for one of the QD/QW bottles and/or the duster, telling myself to just leave it dusty or even slightly dirty until there's an appropriate break in the weather to do a real wash. That has helped tremendously.

So, bring it. Tell me how a waterless wash product is going to be any different from the problems I've had with Quik products. If I have to wipe something off, and if it streaks only a tiny amount, then it's the same difference. Also, keep in mind that I'm ga-ga about the carnauba thing, but - I hate to admit it - Gold Class wax is FAR more durable, like orders of magnitude more durable, than D301. That was the whole point in using Gold Class Quik Detailer and Gold Class Quik Wax, to match the GC carnauba look (with DAMF they don't seem to interfere with the D30x "blue" look, though). Yet, D301 wax is gone faster even than GC...so, that's why I'm okay to simply re-wax more often via #2 above.

I know I sound defensive, because GC QD/QW are awesome products...but all that said, they streak and cloud like MAD! It doesn't matter how "misty" I get with them or how fresh out of the washer and dryer my MF towels are. So, I'm open to a new method of maintenance. I've looked at the Synthetic Xpress Spray Wax, for the wax-boosting side, but paused because it's not carnauba-enriched - should I switch to that, at least??

[davey g-force]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

In a nutshell - 'yes' to your last question IMO.

[Top Gear]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

Well, isn't it the same as UQW (I don't want to last touch with Ultimate after carnauba), and don't some on MOL also have issues with UQW streaking and clouding, etc? I don't want to order a gallon of D156 and find out I have the same problem, because I think the main issue is not the products but the weather. It's also not carnauba, as there's no carnauba in GC QD. Indeed, I just don't know why Gold Class products get such a short shrift on this site.

Put simply, if you can look outside and see no condensation on surfaces at 2am every night, then you are in a dry climate with very little daily humidity transfer and consequently have no idea of what I'm talking about (which is why I sense a "huh?" when I talk about this on MOL). At some 80 inches annually, I'm dealing with twice the rainfall or more over Sydney AU or Portland OR, and about 8 times or more rainfall than Los Angeles/SoCal, 20 times more than Las Vegas. Imagine dealing with bonded contaminants on your paint every single day. Feel me now?

I'm sticking with easily available and quite premium-quality GC QD/QW until I hear or read from someone in the Southeast US on their experiences. Because of the widely variable weather here, I think it just comes down to having to wash, wax, and touch up more frequently. I've tried to explain this many times as best I can.

[davey g-force]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

As a wise man once said:

"Find something you like and use it often"

[Eldorado2k]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

Autodetailingsolutions sells 32oz. sampler size of D115 for only $19.99. You should get a sampler of it. It's a great price on that and it works amazing. You can fine tune the dillutions to fit your weather situation. Mix with distilled water to help please the OCD. Thank me later

[Top Gear]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

Thanks Davey. I like carnauba, so I guess I'll be using it often whether I want to or not

Thanks Eldo. I'd forgotten about D115. I also just re-read Michael (Guz) saying in another thread that the wax in D115 "Wash and Wax" is carnauba-based, unlike D156. If that is right, I may have found a solution - looks like it can replace both QD & QW? Have any of you tested it in the humid conditions I'm harping on??

[Eldorado2k]

Re: Need Pad Recommendations for PC 7436SP

I don't know about super humid conditions... All I know is that D115 works. I've never had it streak on me, and after using it every 4-5 days or so, the paint on the Kia is still as smooth as the day I clayed & waxed it a couple months back.

You can buy that sampler and it'll yield 8 gallons @6:1. Or you can continue with your Gold Class which brings you the same results you've always had, and pay over $20 for 1 16oz. bottle of GCQW and 1 24oz. bottle of GCQD...
8 gallons>40oz.

But even with my cat yelling at you to step your game up, you probably still won't do it. Lol.



Good luck with that quik detailer...