****Newbie with a few questions****

[mtldetail]

Hey Guys,

I've been doing LOTS of reading and learning about detailing on this forum as a guest. I think its a fantastic forum!!

After doing lots of searching and reading I do have a few questions.

First off I have an '03 Mercedes-Benz SL500 with quite a bit of swirl marks and 1 area in particular that need some more serious attention. It seems as though the previous owner used very agressive rubbing compound/or a rough applicator on the roof its an area of about 4inches x 4inches.
These are the products I Have purchased;

1- Scratch X
2- Meg's clay kit
3- Deep crystal step 1 (cleaner)
4- Deep crystal step 2 (polish)
5- Meg's Gold class wax.

I also have a random orbital buffer (3200orbits/min.)

Here are my questions;

1-that particular area on the roof, Its almost like a concentrated areas of scratches. I wonder if I'm able to fix it? If so, can you pros. give me some tips? Can scratchX help?

2- Regarding all the swirls, I know that DC polish is a non-abrasive and will not help with the swirls and light scrateches, but will the DC Cleaner help or take care of the swirls and scrathes? Or have I wasted my $$$ buying the DC step 1&2 and should have bought a dual action cleaner polish, or an abrasive polish?

3- Which products can I apply with my orbital buffer with a terry cloth bonnet? My orbital buffer came with 2 types of bonnets, terry cloth, and some other really soft material. Can ScratchX only be applied with a foam pad?

Thanks sooo much for your help guys? I hope I can get some info soon as I am anxious to detail my benz.

If you guys need a pic of the roof let me know I'll take one tonight and post it.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ****Newbie with a few questions****

Here are my questions;

1-that particular area on the roof, Its almost like a concentrated areas of scratches. I wonder if I'm able to fix it? If so, can you pros. give me some tips? Can scratchX help?

Compared to our new products coming out ScratchX is pretty gentle and most people that have used it know it takes multiple applications to correct any kind of serious problems in the paint like you describe.

It will be faster for you to wait until our new Ultimate Compound or ScratchX 2.0 becomes available and then try one of these new products.

You can apply multiple applications of the ScratchX that you already have but keep in mind that in order to remove swirls and scratches out of the paint you need to remove paint and that's where you're going to need some muscle

2- Regarding all the swirls, I know that DC polish is a non-abrasive and will not help with the swirls and light scrateches, but will the DC Cleaner help or take care of the swirls and scrathes? Or have I wasted my $$$ buying the DC step 1&2 and should have bought a dual action cleaner polish, or an abrasive polish?

Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner is a tick less aggressive than the version of ScratchX you have so you would be better off to use the ScratchX over the entire car.

Again, these two new products would work much faster with less work on your part. (Click on the pictures for more information)


Meguiar's New Swirl and Scratch Removers

3- Which products can I apply with my orbital buffer with a terry cloth bonnet? My orbital buffer came with 2 types of bonnets, terry cloth, and some other really soft material. Can ScratchX only be applied with a foam pad?

All of our Consumer Paint Care Products can be applied with an orbital buffer but orbital buffers are pretty much useless for removing swirls and scratches because orbital buffers are pretty much useless for removing paint.

See these articles and for what it's worth, for the opposite reason orbital buffers are useless for removing swirls, or removing paint, the DA Polisher like our G110 are very popular because they offer more power with a smaller size buffing pad.

What it means to remove a scratch out of anything...


This will explain the difference between the different types of machines and why traditional orbital buffers are not effective at removing swirls...

Rotary vs DA Polisher vs Traditional Orbital Buffer

From your description of the severity of the swirls, maybe you can locate a true professional detailer and have them do the grunt work of removing the swirls and they you can just maintain the finish.

We have a forum for requesting a professional detailer.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=143

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ****Newbie with a few questions****

This one is also very good...

Please explain Pros/Cons between Rotary and Orbital Buffers

[mtldetail]

Re: ****Newbie with a few questions****

So these 2 new products have the same result? Or do you suggest I use 1 over the for my situation?

Are you suggesting that I do all applications by hand, and just use "more passion" when removing scratches and swirls?

Thanks

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ****Newbie with a few questions****

Ultimate Compound is much more aggressive than ScratchX 2.0

You use the least aggressive product to get the job done and by doing this you leave the most amount of clear paint on the car, which is the goal. Paint is thin to start with.

The size of the pad/bonnet on a most traditional orbital buffer is so large and the oscillating speed is so slow that they are not effective at removing paint, so they are not effective at removing swirls.

I think the above is the jist of the links I gave you to read.

You 4 fingers pushing down on some kind of application material can exert more force than a traditional orbital buffer and thus it is more effective at removing paint. (That means your 4 fingers are more effective at removing swirls)

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ****Newbie with a few questions****

The Popular Tags Box

On the forum homepage in the right hand column there is a box titled,

Popular Tags - (This is a link to the actual tags in the box)





Sometimes you can find information on a hot or popular topic by looking for keywords in this box.

Comes in real handy...

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ****Newbie with a few questions****

If you look in the Popular Tags box for the word exert it will take you to threads that discuss in detail how your 4 fingers can exert more pressure than most orbital buffers and thus be more effective at removing swirls.

Exert links

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/tags.php?tag=exert

No one like to learn about how much work is involved in removing swirls out of clear coat paint and in fact our new products will make this easier than ever, but it's still going to be work whether you do it by hand or invest in a DA Polisher to take some of the work out of the cleaning step.

Remember, we don't make the paints, car manufactures order paint from paint manufactures with a list of benefits and features and I don't they include this one item...

• Must be easy for the average person to work on.

[mtldetail]

Re: ****Newbie with a few questions****

Ultimate Compound is much more aggressive than ScratchX 2.0

You use the least aggressive product to get the job done and by doing this you leave the most amount of clear paint on the car, which is the goal. Paint is thin to start with.

The size of the pad/bonnet on a most traditional orbital buffer is so large and the oscillating speed is so slow that they are not effective at removing paint, so they are not effective at removing swirls.

I think the above is the jist of the links I gave you to read.

You 4 fingers pushing down on some kind of application material can exert more force than a traditional orbital buffer and thus it is more effective at removing paint. (That means your 4 fingers are more effective at removing swirls)

Ok I understand regarding the buffer.

Ok so correct me if I'm wrong. I'll wash the car, clay, clean (with DC-1), then if the swirls r not removed to my satisfaction, I pull out the scratchX, then polish an wax?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ****Newbie with a few questions****

Close

Wash
Clay
Do a test spot with any paint cleaner you use.

Make sure you can make a small are look good before investing your time going over the entire car.

If you can't make a small area look good with your product of choice and your skill level in applying the product, working it over the paint then you'll be glad you didn't go over the entire car.

Then post back here what you see if you're not getting the results you want.

Again, I already posted that ScratchX is more aggressive than Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner and it will in most cases take multiple applications to remove enough paint to see a visible difference.

Most people that don't have experience doing this are surprised at how hard it is to remove swirls by hand, our forum is full of threads by people making this comment.

Remember... we don't make the paints... and it's hard to make products that are aggressive that don't at the same time instill scratches.

Our new products coming out are a HUGE improvement due to new technology just developed.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ****Newbie with a few questions****

Test Spot Threads

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/tags.php?tag=Test-Spot

[mtldetail]

Re: ****Newbie with a few questions****

Close

Wash
Clay
Do a test spot with any paint cleaner you use.

Make sure you can make a small are look good before investing your time going over the entire car.

If you can't make a small area look good with your product of choice and your skill level in applying the product, working it over the paint then you'll be glad you didn't go over the entire car.

Then post back here what you see if you're not getting the results you want.

Again, I already posted that ScratchX is more aggressive than Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner and it will in most cases take multiple applications to remove enough paint to see a visible difference.

Most people that don't have experience doing this are surprised at how hard it is to remove swirls by hand, our forum is full of threads by people making this comment.

Remember... we don't make the paints... and it's hard to make products that are aggressive that don't at the same time instill scratches.

Our new products coming out are a HUGE improvement due to new technology just developed.

Ok, I understand.

Since the new products are not out yet, I'll try my luck with the products that I have. I'm far from lazy anyhow, I take pride in working on my cars and enjoy it, even if it required lots of time, energy and "passion"

If it still doesn't work, I guess I'll wait for the new products to come out

Mike, thank you so much for all your time and info, its greatly appreciated!!! You are certainly a great asset to this forum and all automitive enthusiasts!!

Nick

[Mike Phillips]

Re: ****Newbie with a few questions****

Remember this tip when working by hand with a paint cleaner.

The deeper the defect, the harder the paint, the smaller the area you want to work at one time.

In most cases a foot squared is to large when removing swirls out of a clear coat using current ScratchX formulas and/or Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner. You can experiment however as some paints are more polishable than others.

After the defects are removed to your satisfaction then you can work as large a sections as your comfortable with when applying a pure polish or a finishing wax. At this point you're really only try to spread a product out, not remove paint.