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...nor what to use to correct it. I recently had my first experience using a random orbital (GG6 I received for Christmas) and overall I'm very pleased with the results....except for the hood of the car. The car in question is a black 1990 Pontiac Firebird that has had paint work done as needed with the hood being the most recent(November 2007) and that's where I'm having my issues. My first session was with UC on a yellow Soft Buff 7" pad at speed 3. When I pulled the car out into the sun I saw many defects (swirls and other marring) which I chocked up to the d/a revealing them from under the previous coats of wax. My second session a week later went much like the first except I bumped the speed up to 5 and lowered my arm speed to increase the working of the compound. After 2 complete sessions (applying/working the product and then removal) I pulled the car out into the sun again to see the results. What I saw has me confused, I don't know what I'm looking at! The marring and swirls from the first session are gone but what's there now doesn't match anything I've seen on this site. The paint has a high gloss both inside and outside my shop building but there appear to be some form of swirls uniformly across the hood but they have an almost hologram look to them but they look like no hologram picture I've seen here. My best description would be that someone put a d/a with a pad the size of the entire hood on the car and turned it on and held it in place, it's that even. I wish I had a picture of it and will try to get one posted ASAP but this has left me wondering if UC could be either too aggressive or not enough to handle the problem. Do I need to step up to a 105/205 combo? Should I step down to SwirlX? Is UC really meant to leave a fully corrected finish or is a follow-up product needed (i.e. the 105/205 combo)? From what I've seen and read in the TNOG and Saturday class threads led me to think UC was pretty much a "handle it all" product within reason. I guess what I'm asking is what's my next course of action? Do I keep working it with UC? get more aggressive or step it down?
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Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
Re-paint can be softer than original paint.
Trying SwirlX/#205 next would be a good idea.2017 Subaru WRX Premium - WR Blue -
Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
A while ago I had a simular issue and Mr Stoops came up with a good idea if you get marring which is what it sounds like.
My own car pearl black and was covered in swirls and holograms. I refined the finish to what can only be described as holograms but not really. I hope that makes sense
Heavy use of U/C as VW paint is very hard 
I switched to using swirl x on a yellow pad. Then refined it even further as Mr Stoops had said using swirl x on a finishing pad.
Topped this with a polish DC02 personal choice.
And finished with 2 coats of nxt yech wax 2.0
The results can only be described as flawless
Hth's
Rappy.Comment
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Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
It looks like you're dealing with a soft paint.
You could do some test spots with SwirlX or Ultimate Polish on both yellow polishing pad and black finishing pad to see which end results look better.
I remember Mike Stoops being successful on some super soft paints even with something as mild as ColorX in couple cases.Comment
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Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
Thanks for the input guys. Your recommendations lead me to another question, why change from a polishing to finishing pad with the SwirlX? If defect removal is the goal wouldn't the finishing pad hinder that?Comment
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Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
As always Meguiars rule of thumb use the least agressive product to get the job done. Always do a test area first and see how the paint reacts.Originally posted by Mongoose View Post
I always go over a car with a paint depth gauge prior to machine polishing as Murr mentioned the re paint could be different to the original. With a paint depth gauge this would be highlighted and a test area would be done on both areas and paint depths noted.
With ref to swirl X on a finishing pad may be Mr Stoops can explain
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I would imagine it would refine the finish with a lighter cut than a polishing pad. I may be wrong
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Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
Generally finishing pads offer high gloss but much less cut when working with cleaner polishes. Polishing pad of course have much more cut ability.Originally posted by Mongoose View Post
Because we have a case of a pretty soft paint I thought to use both pads to see how the paint reacts to both treatments. We may discover that SwirlX on yellow pad is still too aggressive.
Just my opinion.Comment
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Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
I did the test spot and the initial appearance showed great results but unfortunately due to the differences in flourescent lighting and sun light I couldn't see the true results thanks to the recent inclement weather we've had (snow/ice/freezing temps) that kept me from checking the results until last weekend.Comment
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Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
buy a halogen lamp for 35 bucks in home depot. I use thatfor see the swirls, Here the sun is hot so polishing in the sun not is a good idea.Comment
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Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
I have one but it doesn't show the problems like direct sunlight. I'm gonna go looking for one of those Brinkmann spotlights this afternoon.Comment
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Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
I have a brinkmann dual xenon and its excellentComment
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Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
Also better idea
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Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
Back on topic, considering that SwirlX can be a bear to wipe off sometimes would I be better off going with 205 or something else?Comment
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Re: Not sure what I'm looking at...
M205 would be good if you like it. Similar aggressiveness to SwirlX and it's also a cleaner polish.Comment
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