How do you finish (polishing)?

[acuRAS82]

Hi all! I only get to polish a few times per year due to only being a hobby, owning only 2 cars, and leaving enough schedule open for family. With the new 3D One out, it got me wondering how forum members typically finish polishing.

I generally use a compound (PBMG or UC) with yellow foam, then finish with finishing polish (PBMG or McKee’s) on white foam for moderate swirl jobs.

For mild/minor swirled finishes, I generally use a swirl remover (PBMG brands, Meg’s, Mckees) orange foam then finishing polish white foam.

This fall I think I may switch to a single polishing round, either a good DAT swirl remover (PBMG) on white foam or a decent cutting finishing polish (PBMG or McKee’s) with orange foam. The condition of the paints will be:
1) a minor swirled 2004 Acura silver paint
2) slightly more minor swirled 2016 Audi black paint

How do you guys/ladies finish normally, including AIOs if that’s what you do? Pad and polish of choice, including whether a previous polishing step has been performed for cutting?

[PaulMys]

HD Speed: Orange LC Flat

HD Polish+: Orange LC Flat

Griot's Correcting Cream: White/Orange LC Flat

Griot's Fast Correcting Cream (which some may say is a compound, but it finishes down like a fine polish): White LC flat, and for any RIDS, Meg's MF cutting pad.


Limited menu, I realize. But I only do my own vehicles, and just to note..... The Clear on my truck and wife's Jeep are on the harder side.

[Dr Oldz]

For finish polishing my plan of attack is to not have a plan of attack. I let the paint decide what needs to be done via a test spot. Finish polishing generally includes softer foam and finer polishes but beyond that I can only advise to do a test spot to make sure the results are of your liking!

[Sonic Pilot]

Ill second the Griot's Garage products. Been using them lately on my black Cadillac and they are truly fantastic.

I would offer the following suggestion for minor/moderate swirls:

Wash the car of course, and I would recommend claying as well. It really does make a noticeable difference, particularly on black! Try it.

Then, get some Griot's Garage BOSS Fast Correcting Cream, use an orange correcting foam pad, (GG has some good ones) follow the directions on the bottle and perform a test spot and check the results. I bet you'll like what you see!

If you like what you see, continue with the rest of the car. Keep in mind that the GG BOSS Fast Correcting Cream may very well leave you with a wax/sealant ready finish. If not, hit it with their BOSS Perfecting Cream, then your LSP.

Regarding protection, my preference is always a quality carnuba based wax, especially....ESPECIALLY on black. Absolutely nothing else provides the rich, luminous and radiant glow like a quality carnuba wax on a well prepared black finish!

Then, kick-back and enjoy your beautifully glowing ride! Good stuff!

[Jon TDS]

Last two details and I'm kinda liking combo of carpro essence with Meg's mf finishing pad! Different gloss compared with hd speed! Especially that you top an SiO2 spray or coating afterwards!

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[custmsprty]

Ill second the Griot's Garage products. Been using them lately on my black Cadillac and they are truly fantastic.

I would offer the following suggestion for minor/moderate swirls:

Wash the car of course, and I would recommend claying as well. It really does make a noticeable difference, particularly on black! Try it.

Then, get some Griot's Garage BOSS Fast Correcting Cream, use an orange correcting foam pad, (GG has some good ones) follow the directions on the bottle and perform a test spot and check the results. I bet you'll like what you see!

If you like what you see, continue with the rest of the car. Keep in mind that the GG BOSS Fast Correcting Cream may very well leave you with a wax/sealant ready finish. If not, hit it with their BOSS Perfecting Cream, then your LSP.

Regarding protection, my preference is always a quality carnuba based wax, especially....ESPECIALLY on black. Absolutely nothing else provides the rich, luminous and radiant glow like a quality carnuba wax on a well prepared black finish!

Then, kick-back and enjoy your beautifully glowing ride! Good stuff!I have at least 20 different nubas and as much as I like them nothing has ever come close to Polish Angel Centurion on my Genesis Coupe and the bonus is it far outlasts nubas. I maintain it with PA Black Wilfunite.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180919/f4c1fdb1a9567a2d818017fe075d6557.jpg

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[Sonic Pilot]

I have at least 20 different nubas and as much as I like them nothing has ever come close to Polish Angel Centurion on my Genesis Coupe and the bonus is it far outlasts nubas. I maintain it with PA Black Wilfunite.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180919/f4c1fdb1a9567a2d818017fe075d6557.jpg

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Well, ok.

I've been considering some of the PA products. Hear a lot of very positive feedback on them. Just not yet convinced that for the relatively high cost, they are THAT much better. Enjoy yours though!!

[PaulMys]

I have at least 20 different nubas and as much as I like them nothing has ever come close to Polish Angel Centurion on my Genesis Coupe and the bonus is it far outlasts nubas. I maintain it with PA Black Wilfunite.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180919/f4c1fdb1a9567a2d818017fe075d6557.jpg

Sent from my SM-G950U using Autogeekonline mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=87407)

Your paints always look like shimmery liquids, Mark.

[custmsprty]

Well, ok.

I've been considering some of the PA products. Hear a lot of very positive feedback on them. Just not yet convinced that for the relatively high cost, they are THAT much better. Enjoy yours though!!Here's my white Rogue with PA Snow White. I also used PA Viking on it a few years ago and it was great too and very durable. I have yet to see any white vehicles in my area that glow like this. I haven't touched mine in 6 months as it's been hot in Tampa. It was high 90's today with feel like temps well over 100 . Dying for some cool weather!

[custmsprty]

Hi all! I only get to polish a few times per year due to only being a hobby, owning only 2 cars, and leaving enough schedule open for family. With the new 3D One out, it got me wondering how forum members typically finish polishing.

I generally use a compound (PBMG or UC) with yellow foam, then finish with finishing polish (PBMG or McKee’s) on white foam for moderate swirl jobs.

For mild/minor swirled finishes, I generally use a swirl remover (PBMG brands, Meg’s, Mckees) orange foam then finishing polish white foam.

This fall I think I may switch to a single polishing round, either a good DAT swirl remover (PBMG) on white foam or a decent cutting finishing polish (PBMG or McKee’s) with orange foam. The condition of the paints will be:
1) a minor swirled 2004 Acura silver paint
2) slightly more minor swirled 2016 Audi black paint

How do you guys/ladies finish normally, including AIOs if that’s what you do? Pad and polish of choice, including whether a previous polishing step has been performed for cutting?Other post didn't work.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180919/9599ad921984950e6e4f4eac7854b33f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180919/b2d5548bfd72f2f87e3698e85969cb7a.jpg

Sent from my SM-G950U using Autogeekonline mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=87407)

[acuRAS82]

I have at least 20 different nubas and as much as I like them nothing has ever come close to Polish Angel Centurion on my Genesis Coupe and the bonus is it far outlasts nubas. I maintain it with PA Black Wilfunite.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180919/f4c1fdb1a9567a2d818017fe075d6557.jpg

Sent from my SM-G950U using Autogeekonline mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=87407)

And worth noting for those not familiar with PA, both the products you mention have Nuba, along with the usual SiO2 and TiO2 that most PAs include. Your car looks amazing!!!

[dlc95]

M205, or Ultimate Polish on blue Buff and Shine, or Lake Country CCS or Flat pads.

Porter Cable 7424 on speed 3 or 4, sometimes even speed 2.

These polishes don't have a break down cycle, and are capable of finishing out in possibly one or two passes, which is a considerable time saver, and delivers excellent gloss.

For cleaner waxes I tend to prefer the black Buff and Shine pads and Duragloss 501 or Megs 66. Speed 4.5 - 5.

I set up all my pads the same - four dots initially, and reload with two.

[Desertnate]

I keep things pretty simple.

I will normally polish each of my vehicles once a year using a pad/polish combo that allows me to do a one-step process. On the hard paint of the VW, it's Blackfire Compound with a white LC pad or Wolfgang Swirl Remover with a white pad. On the Japanese cars with soft paint, I'll use Optimum Hyper Polish, Blackfire Polish or Meguiars Ultimate Polish. I also have a bottle of Sonax 04-06 I'm going to try out. Time is valuable to me, so finding the right combo for one-step polishing was a big win.

From there I go right to the LSP which these days is either a coating or a coating-like product like CanCoat.