Advice on polishing old car!

[Wesleyrpg]

G'day all, this is my first post so please be gentle!

I need help on restoring the paint on a 1990 VN Calais. The problem is the paint is in fairly good condition on MOST of the car....except for the roof.

The paintwork on the roof is VERY dull compared to the rest of the car and it appears to have a few watermarks imbedded in the paint.

I just purchased some NXT tech wax to polish the rest of the car but im afraid that its not going to be able to restore the roof to an acceptable condition.

Would i be better off to use some Deep Crystal System Polish before hand?

Does the car need to be coated in Carnauba Wax after using NXT?

Thanks

Adam

[roushstage2]

If you can get a hold of some clay, use that first. I'm assuming your working by hand ???, so I would try some ScratchX, followed by a paint cleaner (DC1) before polishing and waxing.

[Five Star]

you can also try colorx after claying

http://www.meguiars.com/?liquid-car-waxes/COLORx®

[Murr1525]

I think you find only gentle people here...

I think you may find it good to just go at the whole car, since you arent in a big hurry I assume..

To do it best, you would do something like what was mentioned roush and fivestar.

1. Wash - Wash with Gold Class Wash, using good quality sponges, towels, and two-bucket system.

2. Clay - Clay car with QuickClay.

3. Clean - Use ScratchX, worked in with some terry cloth, on whole car. Just do a section at a time, so not to kill yourself. Be sure to read the How-To section on ScratchX, and Removing scratches/swirls.

4. Polish - Deep Crystal System Polish (DC#2), is a great polish, easy to use.

5. Wax - Apply 2 thin coats of Nxt Wax. Yo ucan save a carnuba wax till later, once you see if you liek the look of Nxt wax. That is the only difference, looks, and durabilty.

If this is too many steps, you can substitute ColorX, which is also a fantastic one-step product. Generaly, individual steps will give better results, but this quite well.

[Wesleyrpg]

Whoa there people!

Meguiars products are VERY expensive here in Australia!!! (about 4 or 5 times the equivalent US price!)

I can't afford all those products mentioned, but i do already have the following products

Deep Crystal System Polish

NXT Wax

Carnuaba Wax,

Is it really necessary to use Scratch X, Color X, and quick clay....im not sure even if these products are available out here anways!

I'll take some photos of these unusual blotches on the paintwork, and post them here.

thanks

Adam

[grover]

If you already have the products listed, I would recommend the ScratchX then. While claying is definitely good, I think ScratchX will help accomplish what you want to do better than clay.

So, you'd:
1. Wash
2. ScratchX with terrycloth
3. DC2
4. NXT

[SprintKing]

if your worried about the price of product over here you can do as i do an dpurchase it from the US websites and wait about 5-7 working days for freight OR goto https://rsp-secure.com/netwarehouse/ they reside in SA and are pretty good for when i want stuff in a rush

[Wesleyrpg]

ok, i got more info for you guys on the car,

i went to a panel beaters today, and he said that the paint on the roof is fine, but that its got 15 years worth of road grime on it, and thats why its so dull. (it feels like rough sandpaper when you run your hand along the roof)

He also said the polishing would take some of the grime off but i was better off to use a paint cleaner product first.

My questions is now whats better for removing all that nasty grime....deep crystal system paint cleaner or auto detailing clay?

Thanks

Adam

P.S. Supercheapauto has 20% everything tomorrow, so i might get a few meguiars products tomorrow!

[Jeff Smith]

Originally posted by Wesleyrpg
ok, i got more info for you guys on the car,

i went to a panel beaters today, and he said that the paint on the roof is fine, but that its got 15 years worth of road grime on it, and thats why its so dull. (it feels like rough sandpaper when you run your hand along the roof)

He also said the polishing would take some of the grime off but i was better off to use a paint cleaner product first.

My questions is now whats better for removing all that nasty grime....deep crystal system paint cleaner or auto detailing clay?

Thanks

Adam

P.S. Supercheapauto has 20% everything tomorrow, so i might get a few meguiars products tomorrow!

I am not speaking from experience here but I have seen posts from others about sometimes there is a need to clean prior to claying by using a paint cleaner. I will attempt to locate a few threads for you.


Editing here. I spent about 15 minutes trying to find a few threads for you regarding special circumstances where a paint cleaner might be recommended prior to claying. I can't find one. Brain isn't working well enough to put proper search term parameters together. I am sure someone else who has experience will chime in.

[Murr1525]

Well, if you dont want to buy too many products, ColorX is about the best product then, since you can use it to try and restore the finish, and maintain all of it as well.

As Jeff mentioned, you can either use clay first, then use ColorX, or if it is real bad, you could do ColorX, then Clay, then more ColorX.

[roushstage2]

Either way, I would clay it if you can get some. Clay should remove all (or at least most) of that rough feeling and make it feel a lot smoother.