Help me choose - Products to use for Good Condition Paint

[dwaleke]

Well I just finished up detailing my SRT4 and it turned out great (post in show off forum). My mom stopped by and saw the results and wanted me to clean up her newer 2008 Jeep Liberty. Her Liberty is black, 1 year old, and has never been hand washed, clayed, or waxed. The paint is in good condition and doesn't need any correction for swirls, etc.

I have a Flex and would prefer to use it instead of applying a product by hand (except LSP).

I want to make the Black Jeep look great for her. New paint should 'WOW' everyone that looks at it.

I already have a lot of M205, D151, M20. I was thinking I could get away with just a good AIO cleaner wax like ColorX (for it's chemical cleaners), but since I have all this other stuff what would you recommend?

I was thinking this:

(1) Wash
(2) Clay with Mild or Smooth Surface Clay

Option #1:

(3) D151 with W9207 Black Finishing Pad (Flex on Low Speed - 2-4?)
(4) One coat of M20 for additional protection and looks.

Option #2:

(3) M205 with W9207 Black Finishing Pad (Flex on Low Speed - 2-4?)
(4) Two coats of M20 for solid protection and looks.

Option #3:

(3) ColorX with W9207 Black Finishing Pad (Flex on Low Speed - 2-4?)
(4) One coat of M20 for additional protection and looks.


I was thinking Option #1 with D151 vs Option #3 since I have it.

I read a few threads on how important a paint cleaner is for the clearcoat (white esp, but all colors). Am I getting stuck on the whole paint cleaner thing?

Does M205 contain any chemical paint cleaners or just SMAT mechanical abrasives?

Is D151 too strong for what I want to accomplish? I know it's design intention, but figured it would be the best AIO cleaner wax to have in my arsenal.


What do you think will produce the best results?


Thanks,
Dan

[Murr1525]

Re: Help me choose - Products to use for Good Condition Paint

M205 is definatley a paint cleaner, and a very good one.

Personally, I would want:
#205
Nxt 2.0
Nxt 2.0
but thats just me, and you dont mind the 3 steps.

D151 is probably a bit strong for your needs, if you want to keep it at 2 steps, ColorX or #66 is probably better. Then top with a wax.

[BarryK]

Re: Help me choose - Products to use for Good Condition Paint

I would do this:
Wash
clay
M205
M20

If you want to make it less steps than do:
Wash
clay
D151

M205 and D151 are very close in "cut" although a review by another member (I forget who know and I didn't look it up for you) showed that while the two were close in cut aggressiveness M205 seems to do a bit more paint correction than D151 but again it was pretty close.
Since you have both M205 and D151 and the paint is black you may want to do the extra step with the M205 just to get the very best results possible for your mom ALTHOUGH if the paint really only needs the bare minimum the D151 could be perfect. As always for a final decision do a test spot between the two.
M205 aand D151 are really close enough in polishing abilities and results that it's a tough call between them. I use both a lot but tend to use D151 more since it's my standard "go-to" products on most of my details for paying customers that aren't getting a full multi-step paint correction done.

On either M205 or D151 I use speed 5 usually on my Flex 3401. I use the LC CCS pads and use either the green or the white pads for both products so I can't tell you how to adjust accordingly for the Megs black pads since I've never used them

[BrianPow84]

Re: Help me choose - Products to use for Good Condition Paint

Its your mom do the extra steps and give her the best she didnt skip out on steps when she had you and raised you did she.

[Tuck91]

Re: Help me choose - Products to use for Good Condition Paint

Option 3 would be a bit redundant.

[Poki]

Re: Help me choose - Products to use for Good Condition Paint

I'm just wondering here....a year old, black, never been hand washed, clayed or waxed and it needs NO paint correction?? I'm thinking step up to the yellow polishing pad first then the finishing pad for your LSP.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Help me choose - Products to use for Good Condition Paint

I'm just wondering here....a year old, black, never been hand washed, clayed or waxed and it needs NO paint correction?? I'm thinking step up to the yellow polishing pad first then the finishing pad for your LSP.

It is very odd to think a year old black vehicle needs no paint correction, but from your SRT4 write up you obviously know what swirls and other defects look like!

As for the whole "paint cleaner" thing, you might be over thinking it a bit. We define paint cleaning as the removal of below surface defects so most any product that accomplishes this task would be classed as a "paint cleaner". Some are pure paint cleaners, like Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner was and ScratchX 2.0 is, others are cleaner/polishes like SwirlX, M80 and M83, and others still add some protection to the mix - D151, ColorX.

Which of your options you choose depends a bit on what your overall expectations are:

Its your mom do the extra steps and give her the best she didnt skip out on steps when she had you and raised you did she.

Hmmmm, this may mean you aim pretty high!

Depending on your critical evaluation of this black Jeep you may want to step up the speed of the machine, or even move from the finishing pad to a polishing pad to correct some isolated defects - odds are there are going to be at least some areas that need correcting. But what you want and like vs what someone else wants and likes could be quite different. Why not try this: do two test spots side by side on the hood, D151 vs M205 side by side and see which spot you and your mom like best. There's your answer.

And from all this by now you've probably guessed that you will not be buying any ColorX - you've got what you need as it is.







Now I'm off to explain why I just cost Meguiar's an $8.99 sale

[dwaleke]

Re: Help me choose - Products to use for Good Condition Paint

Its your mom do the extra steps and give her the best she didnt skip out on steps when she had you and raised you did she.

I agree. That's why I wanted to shoot for the best possible results with the least intrusive method - not necessarily the least amount of work. The Jeep is a lease, but I can see this one getting bought. I want the paint to be around for a long time to come seeing as it is black and will probably develop a lot more defects over time.

I am considering a M07/M21 combo instead of the M20 after the M205 just for that extra 'wow'. It is mom after all.

I'm just wondering here....a year old, black, never been hand washed, clayed or waxed and it needs NO paint correction?? I'm thinking step up to the yellow polishing pad first then the finishing pad for your LSP.

It's probably more like 6-9 months, but this is a good point. Last Saturday both my mom's black 2008 Jeep and my Dad's black 2007 Ram were in my driveway. You could see all the defects in the Ram's paint - swirls, rids, everything (another job to do right before lease turn-in or they'll charge him $140). The Jeep looked brand new, but dull. I was really surprised at what I saw. The Jeep is only driven 10 miles to work and back 5 days a week and garage kept the rest of the time. I honestly didn't shine the 1000 watt lights at the Jeep so I will definitely do a closer inspection.

It is very odd to think a year old black vehicle needs no paint correction, but from your SRT4 write up you obviously know what swirls and other defects look like!

As for the whole "paint cleaner" thing, you might be over thinking it a bit. We define paint cleaning as the removal of below surface defects so most any product that accomplishes this task would be classed as a "paint cleaner". Some are pure paint cleaners, like Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner was and ScratchX 2.0 is, others are cleaner/polishes like SwirlX, M80 and M83, and others still add some protection to the mix - D151, ColorX.

Thanks. This one has been bothering me. I keep thinking I need to clean the paint with a chemical cleaner to brighten the color, etc.

Which of your options you choose depends a bit on what your overall expectations are:
Hmmmm, this may mean you aim pretty high!

Depending on your critical evaluation of this black Jeep you may want to step up the speed of the machine, or even move from the finishing pad to a polishing pad to correct some isolated defects - odds are there are going to be at least some areas that need correcting. But what you want and like vs what someone else wants and likes could be quite different. Why not try this: do two test spots side by side on the hood, D151 vs M205 side by side and see which spot you and your mom like best. There's your answer.

And from all this by now you've probably guessed that you will not be buying any ColorX - you've got what you need as it is.

I figured by going with a finishing pad and slower speed I would get less cut (to preserve paint) and a nicer overall finish (with either D151 or M205). So instead of buying a lower cut product I would just change my technique with the products that I already have.

I can always hit it with M205 on speed 5 and a polishing pad.

When doing a test spot do you switch pads when switching product? Like prime and use one Yellow pad for D151 and then prime and use one Yellow pad for M205? Or do you just switch to the different product and have at it with the same pad?


I guess one of the other reasons I was considering D151 was because of this chart in this post:

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36459

I have seen conflicting results. Some folks claim D151 cuts more aggressively than M83 (6 on the bottle) and others say less than M205 (4 on the bottle)? Is this because folks are using a rotary vs DA or possibly different cut based on pad?

Now I'm off to explain why I just cost Meguiar's an $8.99 sale

You and I both know they'll get it back somewhere else.

[dwaleke]

Re: Help me choose - Products to use for Good Condition Paint

I use the LC CCS pads and use either the green or the white pads for both products so I can't tell you how to adjust accordingly for the Megs black pads since I've never used them

Here is a chart I ran across on another forum that compares the aggressiveness of Lake Country pads vs Meguiar's for anyone that might be interested.

http://truthindetailing.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=1626

[dwaleke]

Re: Help me choose - Products to use for Good Condition Paint

Here are the results of my detail with some comments on the products I used to get the job done:

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37768

[the_invisible]

Re: Help me choose - Products to use for Good Condition Paint

Here are the results of my detail with some comments on the products I used to get the job done:

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37768

Those were the products I've recently used, except with a few differences in pads and methods. Looks good man.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Help me choose - Products to use for Good Condition Paint

I would:
Wash
clay
151
21