D0ughB0y
05-13-2010, 11:48 PM
I've been browsing, reading, researching, and trying to decide. I've proably got $400 worth of various different OTC and ordered products that I've been testing and using over the last couple months.
Tonight, while walking back to my car, I caught a glimpse of it at an angle with a light in the parking lot and I was horrified at the amount of swirls that I saw. Overall, the car looks good. It is my daily driver, I keep it VERY clean and for the most part, it isn't that bad. I get a lot of compliments on how clean it is and how nice it looks.
That being said, after all of the reading I've done and all of the pics I've seen, it is time to buy a DA and fix the paint.
I'm looking at the following for correction. This will be used for both a huge Caddy(the dd) and a Truck(not so dd).
PC7424XP 'Perfect Starter Kit':
5" Flexible Backing plate
2 CCS White 6.5"
1 CCS Gray 6.5"
1 CCS Blue 6.5"
2 RED 5.5" (CCS?)
3.5" Flexible Backing plate
4 LC Orange 4"
2 White Cobra MF (16x16)
12oz Pinn XMT Pad Conditioner
12oz Pinn XMT Pad Cleaner
'Meguiars Swirl Free Kit':
32oz 105
32oz 205
2 Cobra MF (16x16)
2 LC Orange 5.5"
I've got Ultimate Compound, I've got #7, I've got a dozen different waxes from the Gold Series to AutoGlym(which is what I plan on using).
I've looked through all of the starter packs from the Flex to the GG to the PC. From everything I've read, I've made the decision to go with my gut on the comfort level with the PC machine. If I ever need to upgrade or have a change of heart... I can buy one of the other choices in the future.
Now, since my first victim is going to be my baby, the daily driven outdoor kept, Silver Caddy, I think that the 6.5" pads might be the way to go here. That hood, the roof, even the trunk lid and doors are HUGE. The truck isn't really that little either... lots of very long, flat real estate to cover on both.
Given the amount of reading that I've done, I do see the opinion that the 5.5s offer easier correct. Should I get the 5.5s? Will AG do a replacement for 5.5s if I request during the order rather than the 6.5s?
For the number and range of pads, I think I'm covered. With the combos available using the white/yellow pads and 105/205 and even the no-cut, I think I'm covered as far as being able to mix & match pad cut with product cut to fix the vast majority of issues that I encounter. I really don't see any need for yellow's.
I think that the yellow 4" might be good to use on the headlights and some of the smaller areas of the car/truck that are a bit too small for the bigger pads. They were really the reason I chose that kit in combo with the Meguiar's twins pack rather than just going directly with the PC MG twins pack and some additional pads.
The process that I have planned for the paint is:
Wash with Meguiar's Wash and a MF mitt.
Clay.
Test spot starting out with a white with 205, going to 105 if needed.
Wipe down and verify results.
Complete car with the process that I've determined to work best.
Wipe down & Wash
AutoGlym
I get the feeling that after all of the work to get the paint looking good, that using an OTC like AutoGlym some of you might be left scratching your head. I've got it and I like the way it makes the car look now after some manual cleaning and minor hand-polishing. I also like the endurance of it. I had a bird crap on the car overnight (parked under a tree... dumb choice) and on the drive to work in the rain, the bird crap was GONE by the time I got to my office. I have to attribute that to the AutoGlym because that wouldn't happend before.
Any opinions, comments, suggestions, or well-wishes? Is there anything I'm missing? I've got plenty of MF towels. I've got all of the tire shine, spray detailers, wheel cleaners and stuff covered. I've also got the interior products all worked out.
I see that the PSII is great for the lighter metalics as well as the Dodo Hard candy, but I'm not sure I want to drop more money on waxes when I've got a bunch of stuff that I'm looking to try out.
Tonight, while walking back to my car, I caught a glimpse of it at an angle with a light in the parking lot and I was horrified at the amount of swirls that I saw. Overall, the car looks good. It is my daily driver, I keep it VERY clean and for the most part, it isn't that bad. I get a lot of compliments on how clean it is and how nice it looks.
That being said, after all of the reading I've done and all of the pics I've seen, it is time to buy a DA and fix the paint.
I'm looking at the following for correction. This will be used for both a huge Caddy(the dd) and a Truck(not so dd).
PC7424XP 'Perfect Starter Kit':
5" Flexible Backing plate
2 CCS White 6.5"
1 CCS Gray 6.5"
1 CCS Blue 6.5"
2 RED 5.5" (CCS?)
3.5" Flexible Backing plate
4 LC Orange 4"
2 White Cobra MF (16x16)
12oz Pinn XMT Pad Conditioner
12oz Pinn XMT Pad Cleaner
'Meguiars Swirl Free Kit':
32oz 105
32oz 205
2 Cobra MF (16x16)
2 LC Orange 5.5"
I've got Ultimate Compound, I've got #7, I've got a dozen different waxes from the Gold Series to AutoGlym(which is what I plan on using).
I've looked through all of the starter packs from the Flex to the GG to the PC. From everything I've read, I've made the decision to go with my gut on the comfort level with the PC machine. If I ever need to upgrade or have a change of heart... I can buy one of the other choices in the future.
Now, since my first victim is going to be my baby, the daily driven outdoor kept, Silver Caddy, I think that the 6.5" pads might be the way to go here. That hood, the roof, even the trunk lid and doors are HUGE. The truck isn't really that little either... lots of very long, flat real estate to cover on both.
Given the amount of reading that I've done, I do see the opinion that the 5.5s offer easier correct. Should I get the 5.5s? Will AG do a replacement for 5.5s if I request during the order rather than the 6.5s?
For the number and range of pads, I think I'm covered. With the combos available using the white/yellow pads and 105/205 and even the no-cut, I think I'm covered as far as being able to mix & match pad cut with product cut to fix the vast majority of issues that I encounter. I really don't see any need for yellow's.
I think that the yellow 4" might be good to use on the headlights and some of the smaller areas of the car/truck that are a bit too small for the bigger pads. They were really the reason I chose that kit in combo with the Meguiar's twins pack rather than just going directly with the PC MG twins pack and some additional pads.
The process that I have planned for the paint is:
Wash with Meguiar's Wash and a MF mitt.
Clay.
Test spot starting out with a white with 205, going to 105 if needed.
Wipe down and verify results.
Complete car with the process that I've determined to work best.
Wipe down & Wash
AutoGlym
I get the feeling that after all of the work to get the paint looking good, that using an OTC like AutoGlym some of you might be left scratching your head. I've got it and I like the way it makes the car look now after some manual cleaning and minor hand-polishing. I also like the endurance of it. I had a bird crap on the car overnight (parked under a tree... dumb choice) and on the drive to work in the rain, the bird crap was GONE by the time I got to my office. I have to attribute that to the AutoGlym because that wouldn't happend before.
Any opinions, comments, suggestions, or well-wishes? Is there anything I'm missing? I've got plenty of MF towels. I've got all of the tire shine, spray detailers, wheel cleaners and stuff covered. I've also got the interior products all worked out.
I see that the PSII is great for the lighter metalics as well as the Dodo Hard candy, but I'm not sure I want to drop more money on waxes when I've got a bunch of stuff that I'm looking to try out.