Bought XMT polish #4...M105 is on BO, what should I expect?

[Klasse Act]

So I detailed my g/f's Dad's 96' Grand Marquis yesterday and I knew it needed alot of work but I thought my Griot's machine polish #2.5 (number 2 mixed with some #3, LOL) would do the trick and it did....got out about 80-85% of the swirls. I have the Griot's RO and used the speed setting of 5-5.5 along with their orange pad. He was very happy with the results but I wasn't, I wanted them all out. I originally wanted to order M105 from here but its on BO so I decided to step up and try the Pinnacle XMT #4 and also bought some Optimum MF cutting pads to go along with it. My questions are:

1. Has anyone used the XMT #4?

2. Will the Optimum MF cutting pads work well with this product?

This is my first purchase of a more aggressive product for removing really bad swirls and although I don't see needing to use this set up very often, any tips you guys would like to pass along would be greatly appreciated, trust me, I'm trying to be a sponge here

[SRTSean]

Do you have an Autozone in your area? They carry M105.

[Klasse Act]

Originally Posted by SRTSean

Do you have an Autozone in your area? They carry M105.

To quote Edd China from "Wheeler Dealers", thanks for the TOP TIP

Now that I've got the XMT, what should I expect from this stuff? Is this still a polish or is a polish that's more of a compound or does it do the same thing as a compound? Sorry for all the questons and how I'm asking them, just wanted to try something inplace of the M105 and it seems like this is a pretty good and new product, even saw it on tv, LOL.

[Mike.Phillips@Autogeek]

The XMT #4 is like liquid sandpaper, it's a true and very aggressive compound. It will cut fast so be careful with it. After using it you will have to follow up with less aggressive polishes.

[Klasse Act]

Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Autogeek

The XMT #4 is like liquid sandpaper, it's a true and very aggressive compound. It will cut fast so be careful with it. After using it you will have to follow up with less aggressive polishes.

Mike, thanks for answering my question here, I'm sure your VERY busy and I've got one more for you or someone else who may see this. When you say "becareful with it", do you mean to reduce the speed on my Griot's RO and/or don't go over the section too many times? The last thing I wanna do is ruin someone's paint when trying to help out. I don't see needing to use this too often, so any advice inparticular I get here is MUCH appreciated BTW, the Optimum MF cutting pads, those are the ones to use for this XMT #4, right?

I checked the vids on the site and didn't see anything pertaining to the XMT #4, so anything will be of some help for the next time I come up against something as bad as that 96' Grand Marquis.

[Mike.Phillips@Autogeek]

Originally Posted by Klasse Act

Mike, thanks for answering my question here, I'm sure your VERY busy and I've got one more for you or someone else who may see this. When you say "be careful with it", do you mean to reduce the speed on my Griot's RO and/


or don't go over the section too many times?

Only buff long enough to remove the defects. It's a very aggressive compound, pour some out and feel it between your fingers and you can feel the abrasives. These abrasives are going to do just what they are intended to do and that is cut the paint.


I just posted the below to this thread and since it fits here as well I'll copy and paste my remarks...

Finally have a car worthy to Detail

Originally Posted by Mike Phillips

I would caution you however since you live in Florida that the sun is not your friends as it relates to your car's paint, the more paint you remove the less UV protection you have in the clear layer to protect the basecoat or colored layer.


See this article,

RIDS - The Definition of RIDS and the story behind the term...

Originally Posted by Klasse Act

BTW, the Optimum MF cutting pads, those are the ones to use for this XMT #4, right?

I checked the vids on the site and didn't see anything pertaining to the XMT #4, so anything will be of some help for the next time I come up against something as bad as that 96' Grand Marquis.

I've never used XMT with #4, only wool pads on rotary buffers and foam pads on DA Polishers.

You'll be experimenting with Microfiber Discs.

[Klasse Act]

THANKS MIKE!

It looks like I'll be doing a very small section of the trunk or hood of that Grand Marquis with my Optimum MF cutting pad and the XMT #4 and follow it up with my Griot's #2.5 machine polish to follow that up to see how it goes. Honestly, this car is perfect for practicing on for sure but I will be careful anyways.

Thanks again!

[Mike.Phillips@Autogeek]

Do the horizontal surfaces show any sign of clearcoat failure?

A 1996 Grand Marquis would be 16 years old, that's a pretty old clear coat you're working on.

The UV inhibitors in modern clear coats have a half life of 5 years, that means in 2001 half of the original UV protection "inside" the clear layer of paint was gone.

So be careful...

[Klasse Act]

^^ I'm not sure what the signs are but it doesn't have that white discoloration you see on those cars, the paint on the top side actually didn't look that bad. FWIW the car was garage kept and has actually been bumped into by the same garage, LOL. The paint on the sides still has a pretty good shine IMO, so any input about the top side is appreciated Mike. This thread should help others out down the road, seeing this such a new product.

While I'm at it, do you suggest an XMT that's similar to M105? Also, you stated that I'd be experimenting with the Opti MF cutting pads, I take it that's not the route to go? I thought that because the product was so aggressive that a cutting pad was the way to go, oh well, the products I ordered are on their way, can't do anything about it now.