Micro marring with 80

[plates300]

Hello everyone. This is my first time posting on this forum but I have been on here reading for the past couple of months. I have used the PC to detail my car on multiple occassions so its not my first time.

I'm having trouble detailing a friends black g35 coupe. The car was just bought about a month ago, so the paint is relatively new. This is after the clay bar treatment



So I started off with the least aggressive product I have, #80 with a white lake country polishing pad. This is what I got after 2 passes.



From far, it looks pretty good, but under a xenon light, you can see very fine and small scratches. Should I order #82 and give it a try or what should I do? This is my first black car and I have to say it shows everything! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[RDVT4ME]

Re: Micro marring with 80

Try M80 with a finishing pad. That should improve things. That's what I usually do, especially on a black car.

[plates300]

Re: Micro marring with 80

Try M80 with a finishing pad. That should improve things. That's what I usually do, especially on a black car.

I actually just came back from trying that combo...even the black finishing pad with #80 wouldn't help. How much pressure do you apply if you're using the finishing pad?

It looks to me like the white finishing pad was marring the surface. Seems to me like the paint on this g35 is extremely soft. I switched to all new pads and still the same results. Should I step down to #82 or what other options are there?

[BlueZero]

Re: Micro marring with 80

I remember reading somewhere that the clear coat on the G35's is very soft. I would give the #82 a try. Let us know how it works out.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Micro marring with 80

Looks like a dramatic improvement from where you started.


So many times people forget where they started from and their expectations are so high, nothing wrong with high expectations but you have to remember there are always going to be variables that you have no control over and polishing paint is a process, a process that doesn't end after the application of a cleaner/polish. If the process ended after the cleaner/polish there there would be no need for pure polishes and waxes and all the cars at the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance would be finished off with M83 or M80 instead of a pure polish or wax. (but they're not)


Do this: Try either M82 or M09, or M66, or ColorX on the 4.0 to 4.5 setting with a finishing pad.


Get the paint, i.e. get your results as good as you can with one of the above product/pad combinations and then apply your wax and then check your results. Some paints don't polish out as well as others, (blame the car manufacture for not picking a GREAT paint to start with, don't blame polish companies), in some cases/with some paint types, you're going to have to depend upon the wax to make up for the paint's deficiencies in polishability.

Remember, polishing paint is a process, you're not finished until you do the last step, i.e. apply the LSP, i.e. the last step product.

You're inspecting results and expecting "finished" results when you have not finished.


Welcome to the world of variables.


The other biggest factor in results is technique and and skill based upon experience, because it can be done with the chemicals you're using, we can't vouch from first hand experience for the pads you're using. As they say on their website, there is a difference.


Before


After

[plates300]

Re: Micro marring with 80

thanks for the advice Mike. Just the man I wanted to hear from I am waiting for the 82 to arrive in the next couple of days and I will see what results I get from that. I plan on doing a layer of #7, 2 layers of nxt, and then a final layer of #26. Thanks to everyone for the advice.

[Coupe]

Re: Micro marring with 80

Sounds like you had the same problem i had on my car. The paint is so soft that #80 is actually to aggressive.

This is why i recomend having a finishing polish and a finishing pad on hand, i dont care from what company, just have one on hand. You never know what you will run into.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Micro marring with 80

This is why i recomend having a finishing polish and a finishing pad on hand,

It's vital to have a collection of "tools" in your arsenal so you're prepared for whatever comes along, especially when you detail for money. This is also the purpose of a Test Spot, the idea being to have enough products and pads to dial in a system during your Test Spot so that after you figure out what works best you can then duplicate this over the entire car.

[plates300]

Re: Micro marring with 80

I actually have 3 pads of each - white polishing, black finishing, the blue final finishing pad. I just didn't have #82 at the time. It's coming this Friday so as soon as I have some time, I will get to work on it and post up new pictures. Thanks for all the help!

[SkeeterJD]

Re: Micro marring with 80

I had this exact same problem with my 01' black Corvette. I chalked my experience up to technique. I wasn't using near the pressure I was suppose to and I wasn't polishing it long enough. So I would guess that the 80 just didn't have enough time to break down and left some marring. After using a lot more pressure and polishing longer I got great results. I'll see if I can find the thread that I posted.

Good luck.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13913

Check the third page where it all came together.

[plates300]

Re: Micro marring with 80

update - finally got the 82 in and started that with a black finishing pad. Here are the results:

Test spot


After 1 pass of 82



I'm pleased with the results but still have some questions. It seems to me like no matter what I do or how I polish, I see scratching (big and small) on the paint even after polishing. Is this normal for black paint or am I just being anal? The front end alone took me a good 6 hours

On a side note, I have to say that the paint on this particular g35 ***** - its only a month old and it has orange peel ALL OVER the car. I don't know if its just this car or Inifiniti in general.

[veedub Mike]

Re: Micro marring with 80

It seems to me like no matter what I do or how I polish, I see scratching (big and small) on the paint even after polishing. Is this normal for black paint or am I just being anal?

These may have started as deeper scratches that couldn't be removed by the #80.
Two options:
1. Try an application of #83 on the deeper scratches.
2. Let it be and live with it because the rest of the paint looks so much better now.

You most probably won't be able to remove each and every single scratch that's somewhere on the car. So option "2" may be the way to go.

Also pay attention to always having a clean uncontaminated towel when wiping off the residue of the polishes.
If you don't, you may wipe some scratches back in right after removing.

[SkeeterJD]

Re: Micro marring with 80

Black will drive you nuts. If that paint was white, you'd be praising the polishing gods for such a great job. Unfortunately, black shows everything. If I breathe wrong on my car it scratches and swirls. I tend to be a perfectionist, but black has humbled me a bit. I learn to do my best and move on.

[ronniejay]

Re: Micro marring with 80

Plates...,
Texas is a big state. What city are you in? There is in-store Meg's stuff in Houston at AJ Foyt.

[plates300]

Re: Micro marring with 80

Plates...,
Texas is a big state. What city are you in? There is in-store Meg's stuff in Houston at AJ Foyt.

I'm actually in Houston. Where is the AJ Foyt in Houston?