Which pads and products for a Honda?

[bad425rt]

I just picked up a 2009 Honda Civic in Polished Metal Metallic (gray/graphite type color). There are some swirls from dealer prep that I'd like to fix. I've read about Honda paint being soft, so I want to be careful. Just wondering which combination of pads and products I should use. Here's what I have:

LC 4" pads in yellow, orange, white, green, red, and black

Megs 105, 80, 83, 7, NXT.

I'll be using a PC7424. I can get some pics of the swirls tomorrow, but they're pretty minor. Thanks!

[maxepr1]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

Dave, I have a 06 gray and have done an 08 gray with 105/205 with no problems. Since its new I would think you should be able to get away with just 205. I use a flex by the way. The paint on Hondas is sick soft!!!!

[imacarnut]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

I just picked up a 2009 Honda Civic in Polished Metal Metallic (gray/graphite type color). There are some swirls from dealer prep that I'd like to fix. I've read about Honda paint being soft, so I want to be careful. Just wondering which combination of pads and products I should use. Here's what I have:

LC 4" pads in yellow, orange, white, green, red, and black

Megs 105, 80, 83, 7, NXT.

I'll be using a PC7424. I can get some pics of the swirls tomorrow, but they're pretty minor. Thanks!

With what you got, do a test spot with the #80 and white pad and see where that gets you.

[bad425rt]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

Dave, I have a 06 gray and have done an 08 gray with 105/205 with no problems. Since its new I would think you should be able to get away with just 205. I use a flex by the way. The paint on Hondas is sick soft!!!!

Thanks! Since it's so soft should I just start with a finishing pad (red/black), or maybe white or green? Looking at LC's chart, I guess the black is actually gray.

I'm not familiar with 205, is that less agressive than 105?

[bad425rt]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

With what you got, do a test spot with the #80 and white pad and see where that gets you.

Thanks, I'll give that a shot.

[the_invisible]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

I just picked up a 2009 Honda Civic in Polished Metal Metallic (gray/graphite type color). There are some swirls from dealer prep that I'd like to fix. I've read about Honda paint being soft, so I want to be careful. Just wondering which combination of pads and products I should use. Here's what I have:

LC 4" pads in yellow, orange, white, green, red, and black

Megs 105, 80, 83, 7, NXT.

I'll be using a PC7424. I can get some pics of the swirls tomorrow, but they're pretty minor. Thanks!

I believe you can skip 105, or simply replace it with 205.

I like light cutting pads in yellow on new paint.

[bad425rt]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

I believe you can skip 105, or simply replace it with 205.

I like light cutting pads in yellow on new paint.

Yellow on LC's scale is the most aggressive pad, I was thinking I should start lighter, like with white or green?

[maxepr1]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

To answer your question 205 is less agressive than 105. I have finished 205 down to the point where it doesn't need anything but a wax or sealer!! I would start out with LC white and go up from there. I use a FLEX like I said so I am able to get better results with a not so agressive pad. Forced rotation makes a big difference on results and time! Test spots are for sure the only way to find out what your dealing with( on vert. panels and horiz. panels)! Test with 80 since you have it first. Make sure you do plenty of IPA wipedowns between steps. Finish with 7 since you have that also. 7 is a good filler for deeper RIDS if your affraid of going farther with your compounding. Black, White, Orange pads (LC) is my usual ammo. Hope that helps!!!

[cardriver]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

I'm about to get to work on the mild swirling on my 09 Civic which I've had for almost seven months now, and I plan to use the polishing pad with 205, then the finishing pad with 205. I think 105 might be a bit abrasive/unneeded for my newer paint. gl

[bad425rt]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

To answer your question 205 is less agressive than 105. I have finished 205 down to the point where it doesn't need anything but a wax or sealer!! I would start out with LC white and go up from there. I use a FLEX like I said so I am able to get better results with a not so agressive pad. Forced rotation makes a big difference on results and time! Test spots are for sure the only way to find out what your dealing with( on vert. panels and horiz. panels)! Test with 80 since you have it first. Make sure you do plenty of IPA wipedowns between steps. Finish with 7 since you have that also. 7 is a good filler for deeper RIDS if your affraid of going farther with your compounding. Black, White, Orange pads (LC) is my usual ammo. Hope that helps!!!

Thanks again. So if I finish with 7, I'll want to do NXT over that, right? If I read correctly 7 is just for show, doesn't have any protection, so I'd need wax over that. Hopefully the rain will stop and I'll get to try it out tomorrow.

[maxepr1]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

Yes, you could use NXT over the 7. You will get better deeper shine with a wax over 7. Although I have seen 7 buy itself look pretty good(GTI). It beads up for months!! My .02$

[Fischer]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

I must say, after working on a 06 Honda, All I had to use was 205 on a polishing pad. While some areas were touched up with 105, you could just use 205 over all, or in your case M80.

Just remember, the paint is stupid soft so start light.



Only 1 pass of 205 on the Flex on setting 4.

[bad425rt]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

Yes, you could use NXT over the 7. You will get better deeper shine with a wax over 7. Although I have seen 7 buy itself look pretty good(GTI). It beads up for months!! My .02$

Glad to hear it. I'm hoping that in addition to fixing the swirls I can just make the paint look better, it could just be Honda's paint, but I'm not terribly impressed with the shine, especially on the sides of the car. But hopefully a good detail will fix that.

I must say, after working on a 06 Honda, All I had to use was 205 on a polishing pad. While some areas were touched up with 105, you could just use 205 over all, or in your case M80.

Just remember, the paint is stupid soft so start light.

Only 1 pass of 205 on the Flex on setting 4.

I'm gonna have to pick up some 205 and try it. But I still have 32oz of 80 that I haven't used, so I'll give that a shot first. Thanks.

It's gonna have to wait till next week tho. I'll try to get some good before and after shots.

[cardriver]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

For the record, I have a 2009 EX sedan in polished metal metallic and have noticed no benefits of added depth or luster from using #7 before applying 2 light coats of NXT. People need to stop spreading these rumors about #7.

As much as I'd like to benefit from #7, it just sits at the bottom of my "fail" bucket now. It's so wonderfully easy to remove, too, as I'm sure you will find and report back to us!

I've basically the same situation and vehicle and color as you; I know. When I do my first correction work sometime soon, I'm sure all I'll need is m205 on the Yellow SB2.0 pad, then m205 on the black finisher.

Or the CCS/orange pads etc if you prefer .

[bad425rt]

Re: Which pads and products for a Honda?

I haven't used the #7 yet, I'll do a section with it and a section without and see if I notice any difference over the NXT by itself. I love NXT, I've always had great results with it on my Dakota.