Help With Black Paint Final Polish

[BMack]

First time posting although I'm a long time reader and learner.

I'm going crazy trying to final polish black paint on a 2016 Dodge Challenger. Everything is fine up to this step. Two bucket wash, microfiber towel & blow dry, clay bar, 5" microfiber cutting pad with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound. Compounding leaves behind a swirl and scratch free finish with micro marks from DA cut. Then when I go for the final polish I get these faint larger circle type marks. They can only be seen when I hold the light at certain angles and do not look like the DA marks left after compound. They don't even look like scratches, more surface marring of some type. As I move the light they appear holographic/rainbow. The paint looks perfect when I hold the light a different way.

I'm using a TorqX DA and have tried various combinations of Gyeon Polish, Chem Guys V-38 and Meguiar's Ultimate Polish. I've tried foam and microfiber finishing pads. I've used speeds 3 to 6 and used proper technique according to all the info read and videos watched. Surface is clean, new microfiber towel, new pads, etc. Pads are primed with product with 3 dime size drops afterwards. Product is spread around on speed 1. I've also tried lighter and heavier foam pads with the polish. I've wiped down the area with 50/50 iso and Gyeon Prep.

Is this normal? Should the paint be perfect (as is possible) without these lines? Maybe I'm over thinking it. Maybe I need to up to a better DA polisher if the Torq is junk?

Here's the before and after. Appreciate any suggestions. Could come down to the operator, but I feel I'm doing everything correctly.

57514

[Rsurfer]

Try not priming and just use 3-4 pea size dots on a finishing pad

[Eldorado2k]

Exactly what kind of finishing pads are you using?
And yea try not priming them, just start with a normL amount of a circle around the pad w/Ultimate Polish on speed 4.5 and hopefully it turns out normL.

[BMack]

Thank you! I will try not priming.

For pads: LC Microfiber polishing pad, LC foam Hydro Tech orange and also tried blue, and the yellow Meguiar's polish pad that comes with their drill DA adapter for polish (had a new one from years ago, I'm not using that adapter).

Hopefully not priming will work.

[TMQ]

I am watching this tread.

I thought the Challenger's paint would be in the middle between hard and soft paint.

From what you're describing, it sounds as if paint is soft. Soft paints are difficult to finish out to a flawless finish.
Your DA should be ok. It's all in the abrasives and pads.

If it was me coming from a Rupes point of view---I would move to a little "harder" pad (yellow Rupes pad) and use the yellow keramik polish (fine polish.) You could
actually feel the grit between your fingers!

Guess the concept is a little more firm and harder pad, less polish on pad (not primed) and a bit more abrasives in the polish. Fine polish is more abrasive than the ultra fine.

If you figure this out---please do tell!!!! Soft paints freak me out!

Tom

[The Guz]

I would also try a firmer pad as mentioned. Give a polishing pad with one of those polishes a try and see if that solves the issue.

[BMack]

Tried a LC HydroTech orange pad un primed with 3 pea size dots of Meguiar's ultimate polish. It did seem to do a better job, but the lines are still there.

I was wondering about the hard/soft paint issue. Seems to be varying opinions about Dodge Challenger paint. I've seen it described as hard and soft. I have heard that using a harder pad on softer paint is the way to go. I don't have a Rupes yellow but I do have a LC Hydro blue. I'll try that un primed and see what happens.

I wouldn't really be so concerned about "perfection," but I'm going to put on Gyeon Mohs so I'd like it as good as possible.

[The Guz]

How did it look after ultimate compound? Any marring?

[BMack]

Best combo so far: Ultimate Compound on an un primed LC HydroTech blue foam pad. One step without polish.

I'm going to order a Rupes Yellow pad and their fine polish to see how that works.

[Rsurfer]

Best combo so far: Ultimate Compound on an un primed LC HydroTech blue foam pad. One step without polish.

I'm going to order a Rupes Yellow pad and their fine polish to see how that works.

Are the lines still there?

[BMack]

Yes, the lines are still there, but they're much more difficult to see now. I'm thinking the harder pad/polish method is the way to go on this paint since this was such an improvement. Unfortunately have to wait for an order to arrive to know for sure. Invaluable help posting here.

[TMQ]

This might offer you ideas other than just getting Rupes pads.
https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-mike-phillips-your-detailing-questions/109937-how-avoid-haze-scratching-when-working-soft-paint.html

Also give this thread a couple of days since it's a holiday weekend. I'm curious what the old hats have to say about this. I'm sure someone have had
the same problem as you.

Tom

[jangoman88]

I have a 2014 black charger and Im a complete noob to detailing. Reading this about the hard/soft paint I hope I dont mess it up because I wouldn't know how to fix it :(

[TMQ]

Another one worth reading---
https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-mike-phillips-your-detailing-questions/110201-hazy-cloudy-paint-m201.html

Sonax perfect finish sounds like it could finish out nicely on soft paint.

Jangoman: this is why I prefer to go with a complete system like the Rupes or Griots' boss systems. And even more so---power of information found here
at AutoGeek!

Tom

[BMack]

This might offer you ideas other than just getting Rupes pads.
https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-mike-phillips-your-detailing-questions/109937-how-avoid-haze-scratching-when-working-soft-paint.html

Also give this thread a couple of days since it's a holiday weekend. I'm curious what the old hats have to say about this. I'm sure someone have had
the same problem as you.

Tom

Thanks for the link. My ultimate objective is to finish off with Gyeon Mohs coating. Would that work over a cleaner/wax as suggested in the article?