Serious Polishing Help

[Mr. Clean WA]

Hey everyone, I need some serious help. I just got a used car, black of course (black Legacy, white STI - makes for a cool garage).

But - the paint is less than perfect. It needs serious polishing, maybe cutting in places. Should I pay to have it done or try myself? I've got the older Porter cable DA polisher and I'm pretty well versed in the standard exterior car care (I use Klasse, then sometimes NXT, topped off with Pinnacle) however I don't know if I should buy all the products I need to do this once or have it done locally (Olympia/Auburn, WA area).

Thoughts?


Thanks!


Mike

[IID]

These (2) may help you with the deeper scratches using your existing PC:
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/autogeek_2133_78193297 (javascript:changeImg('imgmainimg0',imgmainimg0lar ge,document.getElementById('imgplaceholder'));)
Surbuf R Series 5.5 Inch Buffing Pads 2 Pack, surbuf pads, microfingers pads, polishing pads (http://www.autogeek.net/surbuf-55-in-buffing-pads.html)
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/autogeek_2136_5214721 (javascript:changeImg('imgmainimg0',imgmainimg0lar ge,document.getElementById('imgplaceholder'));)


Meguiars Mirror Glaze #105 Ultra-Cut Compound, polishing compound, ultra cut compound, paint compound, car polish (http://www.autogeek.net/meguiars-105-compound-8oz.html)

Then you will want to follow up with these (2) after using the Meg's #105:

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/autogeek/ht-orange-sm.jpg
Lake Country Hydro-Tech 5 1/2 x 7/8 Inch Foam Pads , hydrotech foam pads for water-based polishes, lake country foam pads, buffing pads (http://www.autogeek.net/hydrotech-low-profile-pads.html)
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/autogeek_2136_5238549 (javascript:changeImg('imgmainimg0',imgmainimg0lar ge,document.getElementById('imgplaceholder'));)[/URL]

[URL]http://www.autogeek.net/meguiars-205-polish-8oz.html (http://www.autogeek.net/meguiars-205-polish-8oz.html)

These are just one option,there should be other replies from our forum members.
These products are relatively in-expensive.You mentioned that "your well versed in the standard exterior care",you should do fine.Just take your time and do a test section first with each combo.If your satisfied with your result's,do the targeted vehicle and move to the next combo and repeat.

[dougaross]

Start with least aggressive. So maybe orange with 205 and see if that is satisfactory. then orange with 105, then yellow with 105, finally surbuf with 105

[Dubbin1]

Start with least aggressive. So maybe orange with 205 and see if that is satisfactory. then orange with 105, then yellow with 105, finally surbuf with 105

Yellow would come before orange ;) I'm not sure I would go that far though. I'm willing to bet the orange with M105 then white with M205 would be a good place to start.

[rwright]

Surbuf pads on Subaru paint are not needed. In my experience it is a very soft paint. Unless the paint is down to metal, I can tell you from first hand experience that M105 on a Cyan Hydro Tech pad will fix any heavy issues. I would perform 3 test spots - M105/Cyan HT Pad, Menzerna PO203 (Power Finish)/Cyan HT pad, M105/Tangerine HT pad.

[ScottB]

perhaps some 5.5 inch pads, a 5 inch backing plate and Mernzerna polishes are in order.

[IID]

With whatever product you go with,5.5" pads will work best with your PC.That's what I originally recommended (5.5" pads).

[Irish]

Surbuf pads on Subaru paint are not needed. In my experience it is a very soft paint. Unless the paint is down to metal, I can tell you from first hand experience that M105 on a Cyan Hydro Tech pad will fix any heavy issues. I would perform 3 test spots - M105/Cyan HT Pad, Menzerna PO203 (Power Finish)/Cyan HT pad, M105/Tangerine HT pad.

I agree with this 100%.

I've done 3 Subarus and they've all been very, very easy to work with.

[Mr. Clean WA]

Thanks everyone! VERY helpful! I've currently got 6.5 pads, will it make that much of a difference?

So -
Would it be then in this order
Orange pad and 105
Red pad and 205
hand Klasse
Blue cross cut Cobra with Pinnace Sovereign

???

These would go in the cart...
lake country 5 inch backing plate, 5 inch backin plate, 5 inch hook and loop backing plate (http://www.autogeek.net/lc43125.html)
Meguiars Mirror Glaze #105 Ultra-Cut Compound, polishing compound, ultra cut compound, paint compound, car polish (http://www.autogeek.net/meguiars-105-compound-8oz.html)
Meguiars Mirror Glaze #205 Ultra Finishing Polish, final polish, car polish, M205, Meguires (http://www.autogeek.net/meguiars-205-polish-8oz.html)
One orange 5.5 pad
One red 5.5 pad

[Dubbin1]

You will need more then 1 of each pad. Do you not have any white pads?

Maybe look at getting the pads that wright mentioned, he knows what hes talking about ;)

[dougaross]

Yellow would come before orange ;) I'm not sure I would go that far though. I'm willing to bet the orange with M105 then white with M205 would be a good place to start.
yellow is more aggressive than orange. so going with least aggressive first, orange then yellow.

I wasn't suggesting an order of finishing. I was suggesting testing to find out how aggressive the starting point should be.

[Dubbin1]

yellow is more aggressive than orange. so going with least aggressive first, orange then yellow.

I wasn't suggesting an order of finishing. I was suggesting testing to find out how aggressive the starting point should be.

I understand now that you point it out. They way you stated it makes it sound like the order you would go. I'll take you off the idiot list :D

[Mr. Clean WA]

You will need more then 1 of each pad. Do you not have any white pads?

Maybe look at getting the pads that wright mentioned, he knows what hes talking about ;)
More than one, check. No white pads though. The blue Cobras have worked very well.

I hear ya there, but that's multiple products to "test". There's got to be a better way.

[tuscarora dave]

What brand and color of pads do you have? Megs Ultimate Compound will take care of that Subaru paint with no problem.

[slickooz]

Yeah def get 5.5 inch pads. Huge improvement over 6.5 inch pads.