Critique my process please

[Coldrunner]

Next week i will attempt my first ever detail with my PC 7424. Here are the products that i will be using and the process that i have planned. I will be using Meguiars (MG) products since my local dealer sells them at a good price. Thanks for the advise.

Car: MY 02 Grand Cherokee (deep green)

My Goal: remove oxidation, light swirl marks and scratches. Since this is my first time i do not want to start with alot of cutting. I want to play it safe and increase the cut with experience.

I will be using the 7424 with a 6" backing plate.

1. Full wash from the bottom up.

2. Clay bar the entire car with MG clay bar and final inspection.

3. Using MG's polishing pad and MG 83 cleaner. Remove with mirofiber towels.

4. This is the step that seems to be redundant to me. You tell me. Is this step a waste of time? Use a new finishing pad and MG 82, swirl free polish. remove with micro towels.

5. apply by hand MG sealer. Is this the best final step for protection and shine?

Those are the simplified steps. Thanks for the input.

[Murr1525]

Re: Critique my process please

1. Wash - Wheels first, then top down. 2 buckets, + 1 for wheels, Grit Guards, good quality sponge/towels, etc.

2. Good

3. Yeah, though I have heard some say #80 is easier to learn with. Havent had to use #83 on my car yet, so cant compare. Also, you should do a test spot with #80 anyway. Might not even need #83.

4. #80 would also be a nice place to finish.

5. Wax - Which wax did you have in mind? Nxt 2.0 or #21 2.0 are good choices. 2 thin coats of course. You can apply by hand or machine, and I think removing by machine (cutting pad with MF bonnets) leaves a nice look.

6. Maintain - UQD or #135 after future washes.

[Megafast13]

Re: Critique my process please

All looks pretty good.

4. Most people use M80 here, not M82.

You can either do the wheels first or last. I usually do them last...

[Coldrunner]

Re: Critique my process please

1. Wash - Wheels first, then top down. 2 buckets, + 1 for wheels, Grit Guards, good quality sponge/towels, etc.

2. Good

3. Yeah, though I have heard some say #80 is easier to learn with. Havent had to use #83 on my car yet, so cant compare. Also, you should do a test spot with #80 anyway. Might not even need #83.

4. #80 would also be a nice place to finish.

5. Wax - Which wax did you have in mind? Nxt 2.0 or #21 2.0 are good choices. 2 thin coats of course. You can apply by hand or machine, and I think removing by machine (cutting pad with MF bonnets) leaves a nice look.

6. Maintain - UQD or #135 after future washes.

thanks for the advise.

Would you recommended just using #80. Maybe doing two passes then putting a wax? Do i need to use # 83, then 82?

for wax i was going to use MG's professional hand sealer. Is this a good choice?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Critique my process please

M80 is typically easier to use than M83 so if you're new to machine cleaning and polishing it's a lot more friendly to learn with.

It will also tackle about 90% of the paint systems on the market and remove the majority of the light swirls and scratches out of your Jeep's finish which is completely acceptable for a daily driver as removing deeper scratches we call RIDS requires removing more and more paint and factory paints are thin so for daily drivers this usually isn't necessary.

The most important thing to do is a Test Spot.

Test out your pad, product and "your skill level" to one small spot on the hood and see what you get. Make sure you can make one small area look good with your process before going over the entire car.

If you're not getting the results you want from your test spot you can come back here and tell us what you're seeing and we'll do our best to help you tweak your technique until we see you through to success....

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Critique my process please

If you haven't already, read this, study this, know this information inside and out before even walking out into your garage.

If you're moving up to machine polishing, be sure to read the below thread before starting...
Tips & Techniques for using the G110, G100, G220 and the PC Dual Action Polisher
(These are all similar tools)

[Coldrunner]

Re: Critique my process please

Mike

Do you see a problem with using a 6" backing plate. That was all the dealer had.

Whats pad should i use with the 80?

Thanks for the helpful link and advise

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Critique my process please

Yes.

If you're not careful you'll touch the edge of the backing plate into the paint or some component on the car and either scratch the paint or mar or scuff the component.

How important is your car to you?

How strong are you as far as being able to always be in control of the polisher as to not ram the backing plate into anything?

You're call, use what you have and be careful and accept any risk or wait till you can get the right size backing plate.

[akimel]

Re: Critique my process please

Welcome, Coldrunner. Here are some additional links you may find helpful:

Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line

How to apply product to the face of your foam buffing pads

Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

List O' Links

[Coldrunner]

Re: Critique my process please

The jeep is our primary car that we like to keep looking nice.

I am a pretty strong guy, but i have never used a buffer before.

What steps would you recommend me with the given information? Would you only wash, clay, wash, 80, wax? Or something else? Am i missing a step?

[Coldrunner]

Re: Critique my process please

Welcome, Coldrunner. Here are some additional links you may find helpful:

Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line

How to apply product to the face of your foam buffing pads

Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

List O' Links

thanks

[Murr1525]

Re: Critique my process please

Maybe you can order a proper backing plat online.. better safe than sorry for a couple bucks.

1. Wash
2. Clay
3. #80 Test Spot - Hopefully that does it all, and you can repeat over the entire car.
4. Wax
5. Wax

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Critique my process please

Matt's right, the safe thing to do is to wait till you can get the right backing plate for the pads.

Take a pad and place it against the backing plate and see how much foam pad is sticking out past the backing plate if any.

On flat panels you will be okay as long as you don't tip the polisher and always hold it flat. Even on vertical panels you will be okay as long as you don't tilt the buffer and run the backing plate into the paint or run the edge of your buffing pad/backing plate into a component like a mirror.

It's just a lot safer to use the right sized backing plate so you don't run the risk of running the backing plate into paint or components.

Can you take the 6" backing plate back and order the right backing plate?

[akimel]

Re: Critique my process please

What steps would you recommend me with the given information? Would you only wash, clay, wash, 80, wax? Or something else? Am i missing a step?

As you can see, #80 is the consensual MOL choice as the Meguiar's go-to polish for the PC. It typically leaves the surface ready-for-wax. After polishing with #80, there usually isn't any need to use #82. (I wonder how many MOL members actually own a bottle of the stuff.) But as Mike P. has emphasized, you need to do a test spot to see if #80 is going to achieve sufficient removal of swirls and scratches. Hopefully it will. If it doesn't, then you need to step up to #83, followed by #80 (or #82). What you don't want to do is to polish the entire car with #80 and then realize that you are unhappy with the result.

Also, what pads do you have? Be sure to use the right pads with the right products!

As far as your choice of waxes or sealants, that is totally up to you. There are so many good products out there. Here on MOL, NXT is the most popular choice.

Cheers,
Al

[explicitshine]

Re: Critique my process please

would i use #3 with a polishing pad or a finishing pad or a polishing/finishing pad.???