The Definitive How-To Article for Removing Swirls, Scratches and Water Spots Using a Porter Cable 7424XP, G110v2 or Griot's Garage Polisher

[Chris27182]

Well im sure I speak for most when I say us Flex 3401 users are for some E(O)M pictures!

[Newport Viper]

Nice write up Mike!

Since I don't do detaling for a living, it's always nice to have a guide to go back to as a refresher course!

[turbos17]

Wow, since being away from AG forums for a while boy have I forgotten some of the basics. Thanks for the awesome write up Mike you are truly the "Pro."

[Mike Phillips]

***Update***

YouTube Video Interface added

[tommypenguin]

Thank you so much for putting out this thread, just read it, very well written. It will be instrumental when I start using my PC this weekend. Thanks for putting the time and sharing the knowledge.

[jhkunkel]

Mike,
I'm a day late and a dollar short, in reading this article, but wanted to let you know, it's a better than outstanding article!
Thanks,
Jim

[Mike Phillips]

Mike,
I'm a day late and a dollar short, in reading this article, but wanted to let you know, it's a better than outstanding article!
Thanks,
Jim

Thanks Jim,

A person is never too late to reply to any thread nor to any of my articles. I have articles that are now over 10 years old floating around on discussion forums and for the most part, everything I've written is just as applicable today as it was when it was written. I practice two styles when I write,

• Defensive writing - If I put it up, I can defend it.

• Writing for the future - I know people will be reading what I write years and now decades into the future.

I have two passions as they relate to the auto industry...

1. I love to detail cars, specifically polish the paint...
2. I love to show others how to detail cars, specifically how to polish the paint

Having a career where I get to enjoy and practice my passion is truly a blessing...


The first time I met Barry Meguiar it was after he asked me to send him 3-4 chapters of my first how to book, "The art of polishing paint".

He flew me down to Irvine, California for a meeting. Towards the end of my stay, minutes before I had to leave for the airport I finally was able to meet with him as he's a very busy guy as are most CEO's, (including Max).

As he entered the room he put out his hand and said,

"I love your writing"

I expected him to say,

"Hi, my name is Barry, nice to meet you"


Or something like the above but he shook my hand and said, I love your writing, would you like to come to work for me as a writer? I of course said "yes" and from 2002 to 2003 my official title at Meguiar's was,

Corporate Writer


And I pretty much took over all the writing for the company. It was and still is an honor to have been asked to do that job and then to have done the job. That year I also started teaching detailing classes in their garage at the corporate office and at the end of 2003 they asked me to write my own job description, which I did, and my title changed to

Internet Technical Specialist

At that point I started teaching all of the detailing classes at Meguiar's with Mike Pennington's oversight and in 2004 I brought up the MeguiarsOnline.com discussion forum. I left Meguiar's in 2009 to work for Autogeek and a big reason for that was because Max offered me pretty much the identical job I had at Meguiar's PLUS the opportunity for my own TV show and Max has been true to his word and the second season of our TV show debut's on April 1st.

Besides our own TV show I have had the opportunity to work on,

• My Classic Car
• Two Guys Garage
• TruckU
• Motorhead Garage

Lots of writing, teaching and detailing cars... and getting paid for it... so I've truly been blessed in my life and the best part is all the friends I make on forums like this practicing a very simple philosophy I borrowed from Zig Ziglar...

"You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want"

-Zig Ziglar

I"m glad you liked this article, I'm always happy to do whatever I can to help others...

[jhkunkel]

Mike,

I've read several of your articles when you were with Meguiar's and was always impressed with your writing style and the fact that you treated everyone the same. You never treat anyone or any question in a condscending manner. And you never knock any product. A quality that is becoming harder to find today.

I became a fan of Meguiar's products from the impression I got of the kind of person Barry Meguiar was deep down inside. (Of course they also make some really great products.)

I always told my kids when they were growing up, that if you really loved what you were doing for a living, it really wasn't a job, and you would always be a success in what you did.

You are blessed in that respect, and the fact that you love what you do, and help others is obvious in your writings.

Jim

[Buggy Bath]

Mike, would you mind posting pictures of the product that goes with the level of correction needed? Meaning, I know what swirls are and I always start off with the least aggressive product first but a 'trained eye' would be able to tell that swirl remover might not work.

I get frustrated when I start with a swirl remover and do several section passes and there are still imperfections. I am using a Flex dual action polisher with Smart Pads. Maybe there is problem with my technique but I think if my eyes were trained I would have just gone with a more aggressive product first. I just get concerned about adding more work for myself by having to buff out the marks made from aggressive product.

I know all paints are different but it would be nice to see pics of the scratches/imperfections the products are made for correcting.

Thanks you!

Mitchell

[Mike Phillips]

Mike,

I've read several of your articles when you were with Meguiar's and was always impressed with your writing style and the fact that you treated everyone the same. You never treat anyone or any question in a condescending manner. And you never knock any product. A quality that is becoming harder to find today.

I became a fan of Meguiar's products from the impression I got of the kind of person Barry Meguiar was deep down inside. (Of course they also make some really great products.)

I always told my kids when they were growing up, that if you really loved what you were doing for a living, it really wasn't a job, and you would always be a success in what you did.

You are blessed in that respect, and the fact that you love what you do, and help others is obvious in your writings.

Jim

Hi Jim,

Thank you for the kind words... I just now discovered your post to this thread about a month and a half after you made it.


I cut my teeth on the Usenet Newsgroups in the early days of the Internet long before discussion forum software was invented and one thing I learned was that if you get involved in a "Flame War" or a "Wax War" , (NXT vs Zaino), even if you win the war, you never really win because you let the other guy drag you down to your level.

So from the very start I learned and practiced taking the high road when posting on public forums. I'd rather help people than anything else... when it comes to car detailing it's because,

"I've been there and done that"

By this I mean at one time I was the "newbie" so I know what it feel like to have a car I really like with paint that has problems and I wanted to know how to fix it right the first time.


As for Barry Meguiar. He's just like you see him on TV or in person at a show, he's as nice and as genuine as he presents himself. He was a great employer to work for and I'll always be thankful for the opportunities he gave me.

Also just to note, Max is very much like Barry Meguiar in that he to is as nice and genuine in person as he presents himself in public and like Barry he has provided me with some of the greatest opportunities I've ever been blessed with in my life.