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Having trouble with first detailing attempt.

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  • #1

    Having trouble with first detailing attempt.

    I washed my car and clayed it with good success and was feeling good about going into the 3rd step.

    The car is a 2004 Toyota Solara that hasn't been detailed since it was bought. My g.f just does the 7 buck quick wash when ever she has time.

    The hood has alot of water mark etching (I think they are Type II), and scratches. I decide to just go aggressive and use UC and foam pad (Doing it by hand since I have no machines). I did a 2 x 2 test spot and saw no changes. There was still scratches and water marks. I went over it again applying more elbow grease and smaller tighter circles. Wiped it off and still looked the same. I spent about ~2 minutes circling the same spot and saw zero results. The pad wasn't black so it seems to have a clear coat.

    I will try to add pictures but for now does it sound like I will need to use something like a G110V2 to actually get results from the car? I feel disappointed that it turned out this bad.

    Thank you for your time reading my post.
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  • #2
    Re: Having trouble with first detailing attempt.

    Hey, You should definitely be able to get some results using UC by hand.

    How much product (UC) are you using each time?

    Also, try using a Terry or Microfiber Pad for polishing. Foam is very delicate.

    Make sure you shake UC very well and work the product in until it breaks down.
    Matt

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    • #3
      Re: Having trouble with first detailing attempt.

      I put about a grape-size bead onto the foam pad.

      Here is a picture of the water marks im talking about. It was really hard to get a descent picture.

      Web Page Blocked
      http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6391/p5023553.jpg

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      • #4
        Re: Having trouble with first detailing attempt.

        It also looks like you have some nice swirls going on in that paint. UC is a great product, and is my go to product for heavier swirls and water spots (as it is for many people). However, I recently bought a G110V2 and will never go back to hand polishing.

        First off, stay with the foam applicator as it is the least aggressive and the most forgiving applicator. Remember "polishing paint is not a grinding process, it is an art" (Mike Phillips) and it requires patience and a bit a perseverence. It could take 4-5 well-worked in applications of UC. By well-worked, I mean until the product starts to dry and leaves a clear film on the surface. Gently wipe the surface with a good quality microfiber and inspect the results.

        Give this a read through before going at the car again: http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30910
        Tedrow's Detailing
        845-642-1698
        Treat Yourself to that New Car Feeling

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        • #5
          Re: Having trouble with first detailing attempt.

          I did everything in that Tips for removing swirls. Iv spend a good month reading these forums and buying the products. I went back and gave it a well-worked 5 polishes and they seems to remove nothing. I am really confused on how its not working. Its not even 50% better.

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          • #6
            Re: Having trouble with first detailing attempt.

            Paint hardness and defect severity play a huge role in how easy, or difficult, it is to bring up the kind of shine you want. There are some paints out there that are so delicate that almost looking at them hard will mar the surface, while the opposite end of the spectrum gives you paint that is frustratingly hard, and therefore hard to correct.

            It is a bit surprising to hear of a Toyota having such crazy hard paint but it also just proves our point that you can't make broad generalizations about hardness of paint on a given make and model. Still, we'd love to see some before and after images to get a better idea of just what's going on here. You mention that it's "not even 50% better", but you are making some progress, right? You aren't seeing it as a trading of one set of defects for another, are you? That would be an indication of a too aggressive process on very delicate paint. But a true improvement in clarity, even a small one, means you're at least on the right path.

            But there are limitations to everything, and it could be that you're at or near the limits of what you can accomplish by hand and that a D/A may be in your future.
            Michael Stoops
            Senior Global Product & Training Specialist | Meguiar's Inc.

            Remember, this hobby is supposed to be your therapy, not the reason you need therapy.

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            • #7
              Re: Having trouble with first detailing attempt.

              Thank you Michael for stopping in my thread.

              While I did say 50%, that was a mistake on my end. I saw zero improvement using UC with a foam applicator and made no prgoress. I bought a microfiber pad to try to add some more cut and will try that next.

              I will try to get some before and after pictures but my camera isn't the greatest so i'll keep trying.

              Claying did work great though! It was really ruff and after 4 clay bars it felt like glass! Once I figure out this problem with the etching and swirls i'll be one happy camper

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