Help me get my black paint nice again!

[finebykris]

Hello, Im new to this forum... and new to detailing...

The exterior Meguiar's products that I have purchased are:

Deep Crystal Car Wash
NXT Wax 2.0 Liquid
Ultimate Quick Detailer
Trim Detailer (lots of faded plastic on Bimmers)
Hot Shine Tire Foam

Now Ive got a 93 BMW 325i... Its black and loaded with swirls, scratches, etc.
Here are some pics:





As you can see, its pretty bad.
Ive already spent quite a bit of money on stuff and I would like to keep it low. And im sure I cant afford a DA Polisher... If i was able to get anything it would probably end up being orbital due to the low price.

Anyways, How would you recommend I get my paint into some nicer condition?

[WhiteLX]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

I'd start with clay and Swirl X. If the finish is so bad that swirl X can't do the job, then you may have to go with the Ultimate compound then follow with swirl X. Get lots of the foam applicators if you are working by hand and set aside an entire weekend. Some Deep Crystal #2 polish or M07 would make the black really look great after swirl X and before NXT 2.0.

A D/A polisher would really make things much easier and quicker. If you can't afford the D/A, don't bother with an orbital, they just don't have the power needed for paint correction. Just do it by hand and save up for the D/A. In the end you'll just end up ditching the orbital for the D/A anyway.

[roushstage2]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

Just to sort of get you started in the right direction:

A great link to read:

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2409

Products for each of the steps in the above thread:

1st step:
Quik Clay
C-2000 Mild Professional Clay

2nd step:
M80
M83
SwirlX
Ultimate Compound
M105
M205

3rd step:
M07
M05
M81
M03

4th step:
M21
NXT 2.0 Gold Class
Color X
M66
M06
M20
M26

5th step:
UQD
NXT Detailer
Quik Detailer

*New 6th step*
Ultimate Quik Wax

[Murr1525]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

Always best to do a test spot with SwirLX first.

1. to see if it will do the job.

2. to get the hang of it. Best to get the hang of the product before doing everything.

[Silverado12]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

Spend some time on these forums reading threads about swirl removal and you can learn tons of information and helpful tips. Check out this thread first:

How To Remove Swirls By Hand

NOTE: It's an older thread and Meguiars now has new products that can work better and faster than ScratchX.

I'm writing this expecting that you have no prior experience with swirl removal. First thing you NEED to buy is the Meguiars Smooth Surface Clay Bar Kit. This is a NECESSITY, especially on a fifteen year old car. This will remove all above surface bonded contaminents and has to be done in order to prepare your paint for defect removal. You'll also need to buy some standard Meguiar's Quik Detailer; Ultimate Quik Detailer is not recommended for claying.

Also, I'm guessing you already own some high quality microfibers and nice foam applicators??? If not, you'll need to buy a good quantity of Meguiars Supreme Shine microfibers and Meguiars Hi-Tech Foam Applicators. Autodetailingsolutions.com has packages of each that save you a lot of money. You'll learn that you can never have too many of either, lol.

Now, your BMW has some serious scratches and it will be VERY HARD work doing this by hand; don't go into the project expecting 100% scratch removal because it might not happen by hand. Now, the NXT wax that you bought has no cleaning ability, which means it will not remove any scratches or swirls by itself. That means more products to buy.

Before I even start, I have six words for you: TEST SPOT, TEST SPOT, TEST SPOT!!!!! Always start with a 16" x 16" area and test your product combinations to see if they produce good results before you attempt the entire car. Let's continue.

Meguiars always teaches to start with the least aggressive product first. A great starting point is using products like SwirlX or ScratchX 2.0. Read the above thread for good technique, but ALWAYS REMEMBER to do a test spot of about 16" x 16", work small areas, alternate your passes, keep even pressure on the pad, and always use good technique. I won't go into too much detail because there are tons of threads on here with great information, but remember that you are trying to remove a thin layer of clear coat to eliminate the defects.

Based on the condition of your paint, I personally don't think SwirlX or ScratchX 2.0 are going to be strong enough by hand. Definitely test for yourself first and check your before and after results, but you might consider buying some Ultimate Compound or M105 Ultra Cut Compound. They will apply just like SwirlX & ScratchX 2.0, but will cut much faster and will likely be more effective in your case. NOTE: On some finishes, compounds can leave minor hazing and minor swirls of their own. Don't worry, cleaner polishes will clean it right up; if that happens, you need to learn it on your TEST SPOT!!!

If you go with the compound, you should follow it up with a cleaner polish to restore natural oils to the finish and prepare for your wax. Some of the favorites for that task are M80 Speed Glaze or the new M205 Ultra Finishing Polish. Apply it just like the compound and use good technique. This is one of the most inspiring steps because that black finsih will really start to pop once those polishing oils go into the paint.

After this, if you're happy with the results, you can go straight to a wax. But if you want to take your finish to the extreme, use a pure polish like M07 Show Car Glaze or DC2 Polish. It's an optional step, but the results are unbeatable on a black finish.

After that, your finish should be ready to accept the NXT Tech Wax. Applying a wax is much easier than working a compound or cleaner polish. Spread a thin coat of wax across the entire car, let dry to a haze and make sure it passes the swipe test, and then remove with a microfiber. After that, apply a second coat, repeating the same procedure. Now, pull your car into the sunlight and prepare to stare for hours.

It's so hard to cover every step of the process in perfect detail. I tried to cover the basics, but if you look around on this site some more, you'll find tons of information.

Hope this helps a little.

[finebykris]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

Thanks for all of the help. I do have some fairly quality microfibers. I will however need more foam applicators as I only have the one that came with my NXT wax.

If it would help me alot, I think I can convince myself to purchase one of the cheaper orbital buffers... or would I be better off with a rotary? As far as I can tell DA is out of my budget unless there's a very cost effective alternative to the Meguiars'

Now as far as the compounds and polishes go...
You give me a few recommendations for each which is helpful, but then I have to look around and figure out which one is better. For example, could you maybe tell me the differences between "Ultimate Compound" and "M105 Ultra Cut Compound" also, which cleaner polish would work better with them?

From what I've gathered, i need:
Applicators
Clay Bar (and Quick Detailer, but can you go into a little more detail about why I need these?)
Cuttting Compound
Cleaner Polish
Optional Pure Polish

[Eddystone]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

Check this video out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6PyXbrNbsE&feature=channel_page

[finebykris]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

I noticed that he sanded... is that really necessary?

[Murr1525]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

Wet sanding and rotaries are not something for most beginers, and the cheap buffers wont help you much.

Start off simple.

Wash and clay the whole car.

Then get some SwirlX, and do a test spot or panel. See how you do.

[Silverado12]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

Thanks for all of the help. I do have some fairly quality microfibers. I will however need more foam applicators as I only have the one that came with my NXT wax.

If it would help me alot, I think I can convince myself to purchase one of the cheaper orbital buffers... or would I be better off with a rotary? As far as I can tell DA is out of my budget unless there's a very cost effective alternative to the Meguiars'

Now as far as the compounds and polishes go...
You give me a few recommendations for each which is helpful, but then I have to look around and figure out which one is better. For example, could you maybe tell me the differences between "Ultimate Compound" and "M105 Ultra Cut Compound" also, which cleaner polish would work better with them?

From what I've gathered, i need:
Applicators
Clay Bar (and Quick Detailer, but can you go into a little more detail about why I need these?)
Cuttting Compound
Cleaner Polish
Optional Pure Polish

Cheap microfibers are not the place to skimp; you want high quality towels and nothing else. You can polish a car to perfection, removing every swirl imaginable, but if you wipe it down with a sub-par microfiber, it could potentially scratch it again. Everyone has different opinions on this, but I only trust high quality towels. Remember with applicators, always use a fresh applicator for each separate product.

Orbital buffers are just fine for spreading waxes, but are absolutely worthless when it comes to swirl and scratch removal. They lack the power and torque to effectively break down a cleaner polish or compound and will never remove scratches. Your bare hands are a better, cheaper alternative. The only machine that will work better, faster, and more effectively than your hands is a true DA polisher.

Before you even mention the word rotary, have you EVER used any type of machine buffer to polish a car? If the answer is no, there is no way you are ready for a rotary. Rotary buffers are extremely dangerous in inexperienced hands and can ruin a paint job in seconds. They're a great tool, but you must master a DA polisher before you even consider the rotary.

Now, product selection. Check this out first:

Aggressiveness Order for New Consumer Products - This will surprise you!

The great thing about Meguiar's is they offer something for everyone; everybody has their own personal favorites, even if two products can produce an equal end result. Meguiars has their professional 'M' line of products aimed at professionals and sell those products in bulk quantities. They also offer somewhat equivilent, smaller quantity products in the consumer line that are aimed at the everyday consumer.

Ultimate Compound and M105 Ultra Cut Compound are perfect examples of this. Ultimate Compound comes in 16oz. while M105 only comes in 32oz. Naturally, Ultimate Compound is more affordable to a person like yourself. While they are different formulas, they produce similar results, although M105 is a bit more aggressive. (Remember, compounds are only to be used if a cleaner polish doesn't remove your paint defects to your satisfaction.)

There are a bunch of cleaner polishes out there to choose from. The classics are M80 Speed Glaze (my fave), M82 Swirl Free Polish, M83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish, and M09 Swirl Remover. Now, there are new products like ScratchX 2.0, SwirlX, M205 Ultra Finishing Polish that use new Meguiar's micro-abrasive technologies. They all vary in aggression and cutting power; you choose based on your needs. For you, ScratchX 2.0 or SwirlX would be great.

As 'Murr' said, keep it simple. After claying, start with a cleaner polish like SwirlX and ScratchX and work your way up from there.

EDIT: Just saw your question about claying. The Smooth Surface Kit comes with clay, 1 microfiber, and quik detailer; everything you'll need. As to why you need to clay, cars exposed to our environment collect a filth of contaminents on the paint. After you wash your car, run your bare hand along your hood; you'll feel bumps and it'll be rough to the touch. These are above surface bonded contaminents that are essentially stuck to your paint. The only safe way to remove these is to clay it. Trust us, it's a vital step if you want to bring your paint back to life. You'll be amazed at all the contaminents that'll come off your paint; the clay bar will turn black.



Here's my list of what you need to get started:

• Meguiars Smooth Surface Clay Kit ($20)
• SwirlX or ScratchX 2.0 ($9-$11)
• Ultimate Compound [if needed ($10)]
• Four 2-packs of Meg's Hi Tech Applicators [($8) You'll want replacements while polishing, trust me. As you polish, your pad becomes clogged with product, which will lose it's polishing ability over time; switching to a clean pad increases your swirl removal effectiveness]
• Four-Five 3-packs of Meg's Supreme Shine Microfiber towels [($28-$35) A great investment in the long run for maintenence and will ensure you don't scratch your finish.]
• M07 Show Car Glaze or DC2 Polish [completely optional, but on a neglected black finish, highly recommended ($7-$10)]

[finebykris]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

looks like im going shopping for clay and swirlx tomorrow...

I wish I lived closer to a walmart because I think I remember these being pretty cheap. (comparatively anyways)

[02zx9r]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

Good advice given by all

[akimel]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

I suspect you will need both SwirlX and Ultimate Compound. If I'm right that your test spot will reveal that UC is more effective in removing your swirls, then you will probably need to follow-up with SwirlX to remove any micro-marring that the compound has left and to intensify the gloss of the surface even more. With the SwirlX/UC combination, you will not need to get any other cleaner/polishes. SwirlX will finish down just fine for you.

This is going to be a hard and long job, so be sure to carve out a couple of days for it. You may find that you will only want to work on one or two panels at a time, thus spreading out the work over a week or two or longer. Don't rush yourself. Just concentrate on getting the panel you are working on looking better.

And as others have mentioned, don't waste your money on the cheap orbital buffers. Save up your pennies and get yourself a dual action polisher--either the G110 or Porter Cable or perhaps a used G100 (which comes with a life-time warranty) or a used PC.

[Murr1525]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

Yes, there would be nothing wrong with buying both SwirlX and Ultimate Compound while you are there...

[finebykris]

Re: Help me get my black paint nice again!

Looks like im going to be waiting on getting all of the stuff I need. In the meanwhile, Is there any reason I should buy some different products than the ones I already have? (It's not too late to return them)