is this overkill?

[oc detailer]

would u say this is overkill at the least?

wash with DC wash
DC-1-applied by 10 inch orbital-terry bonnet
#80- applied by 10 inch orbital-foam bonnet
DC-2- applied by 10 inch orbital-microfiber bonnet
NXT x2- applied by hand
#26- applied by hand

car is an 05 mazda axela
color is titanium grey, a light charcoal, with metalic flakes
l
ive been trying all different methods/combos to get the metallic flakes to pop/jump out at me more...

heres a pic of the car

[Murr1525]

Well, the only real overkill is the DC#1 followed by #80. I would just stick with the #80 if you prefer the machine application.

Have you been happy with the results at all? The only other things to try are claying the car, and perhaps #7 or #81 instead of DC#2. Different polish could give a different look. I have heard that Nxt is the best for metalic flakes, but you could always try a different wax as well.

[oc detailer]

well ive clayed the car about 3 months ago , thats the ony reason i left that step out, i"ll do it again after the winter months..

ive been decently satified with the results, but im not getting the metallic to pop like i want.. i havent used that whole process yet on my car, only some of the steps:

#80,
dc-2
#26 x2..

isnt dc-1 and #80 for 2 different uses, one to clean the paint via chemicals the other to clean and remove light surface scrstches/swirls etc..

it shines like crazy, has decent depth to the paint, super reflective, but cant seem to get the flakes to pop..

i"ll pick up som #7 soon and see where that gets me..

i"ll try #80, nxt x2 and top it with #26 and see how i like that

this sunday i have a big mazda meet to attend, and im getting up early sunday to get to detailing, im just trying to find what has worked for others so that i dont have to constantly be trying new things on my car..i dont mind doing it all the time, but the misses sure does, lol...

[Murr1525]

Yeah, hopefully someone else can give their combo for that color...

As far as DC#1 and #80, it is more like DC#1 is very mild because it is only chemical, and #80 is a little stonger because it is Chemical + Diminishing abrasives. And then it is the abrasives that remove the swirls. Turning down the speed of your polisher will make the #80 milder as well.

[oc detailer]

ahh if my random orbital where any slower, i might as well do it by hand, lol..

so dc-1 is just a cleaner
#80 is a cleaner polish correct..
i see that there has been a lot of talk/confusion behind #80 on the form lately..

[Xtreme99_s-Dime]

If you have a "slow" orbital, you may want to stick with the DC 1 by hand. Your buffer may not generate the heat necessary to break down any diminishing abrasives that are in #80.

I have used DC 1 before DC 2 for several years and have been very impressed with how well they work together. I also like your choice of waxes. I always "chase" my synthetic wax (NXT) with a natural one (I use DC 3). Gives the beautiful reflections of NXT some color depth and warmth. Looks wonderful on a dark vehicle, and the DC 2 does a good job of making the metal flake "pop" like you want (don't we all?).

Hope this helps a little.

[Murr1525]

Yes, DC#1 is a cleaner, and DC#2 is a cleaner/polish.

I am not sure what confusion you mean, there is always lots of talk about the 80-series. Perhaps the fact that there is no cleaner/polish in the consumer line is what is confusing.

[Don]

Originally posted by Xtreme99_s-Dime
If you have a "slow" orbital, you may want to stick with the DC 1 by hand. Your buffer may not generate the heat necessary to break down any diminishing abrasives that are in #80.

His orbital can't be any slower than the GEM unit I started with. As long as he uses a bit of pressure and keeps his arm speed down (how fast you move the buffer across the surface of the car), the buffer will work for him for lighter paint problems.

[oc detailer]

thanks everyone for your tips thus far, its really appreciated..

with the 10' orbital, would u suggest i use the foam bonnet for dc-1/ #80 / and a terry or mf bonnet for nxt and #26..

or basicly what do u guys suggest as for what type of bonnet for what product, out of those i listed, and this is a 10' orbital, not a pc which would only use foam pads for applying...

[Accumulator]

I dunno if I'd use #26 if you want the flakes to pop. I use a different approach when I'm after this- #26 is something I'd think of for colors where I want dark/rich/deep and that's not the way I'd approach the "metallic pop effect". Not sure which Meguiar's LSP I'd recommend now that #16 isn't around, but if you get the prep right you might want to just stick with the NXT. IMO the best way to get the flakes to really show up is to concentrate on prep, IMO when light gets refracted by (even very light) marring it keeps the flakes from really dazzling you.

I don't use terry on our Mazda. The clear is pretty tough but I stick with foam and MF just to be on the safe side.

[mike_svt]

Mazda axela? Did Mazda change the name from the Mazda 3, or is that what it's called in other countries?

[oc detailer]

the axela is the jdm version of the 3,with a few differences ,that i made already to convert it to a jdm axela, minus the steering wheel on the opposite side...

so stay away from terry cloth bonnets on the mazda? ive read that the the naps of the terry are better for pulling contaminents out the paint/clear coat...

[Don]

Originally posted by oc detailer


so stay away from terry cloth bonnets on the mazda? ive read that the the naps of the terry are better for pulling contaminents out the paint/clear coat...

I used strictly terry bonnets with the GEM buffer I had. Terry is good for adding some 'bite' to the cleaning process, but I think the foam is better for finishing with.

[Accumulator]

Originally posted by oc detailer
.. stay away from terry cloth bonnets on the mazda? ive read that the the naps of the terry are better for pulling contaminents out the paint/clear coat...

I've never found anything really "pulls contaminants out". Even clay works by a shearing-type of abrasion. With chemical cleaners I try to be very careful as far as what I use to touch the paint lest I introduce some abrasive factor. Also, I don't put much stock in the supposed protective abilities of long nap ("stuff gets caught up in the nap away from your paint") I'd rather keep switching to a clean area of the towel/etc. I use plush MFs for this sort of thing and I try to use as plush a MF as I can find.

Once quality MF came out, I retired my terry and never looked back, even with products like #7 and #16 where terry is the usual way to go. Since then I've had far less micromarring and I'd sure hate for you to get to the final stages of your detail and somehow inflict some new marring.

Not saying "nobody should use terry", just speaking from my first-hand experience.

[oc detailer]

ok well i did like i said i was going to do this sunday..
washed with deep crystal wash, cleaned with dc-1,hit the hoot and roof with #80(where i always see those fine lsp scratches), then polised with #7, 2 coats of nxt liquid,and topped it with #26..the 26 did in fact take some of the metalic pop out that i had before applying it, can i use nxt again on top of the #26 or will i need to strip it al back down and start all over...

i dont know what gives but everytime im finished with my car, i still see those slight scratches/micro marring in direct sunlight, i cant get rid of them, which leads me to beleive im inflicting them in some way along the process..

btw used terry bonnet for dc-1, foam for #80, terry for #7, and everything else by hand with foam applicator and removed with mf bonnet on my 10' orbital..

edit here a pic from this sunday...oem wheels back on..