Saying hello from Sacramento, CA

[jotarou1]

Hello everyone from Sacramento, CA (actually Rancho Cordova but most people probably never heard of it),

I've been browsing these forums for the past 2 months and have been amazed at the quality of work people do. It is amazing what many of you can do! I hope to one day be able to do some of the things I see on this forum. But AGO I am not sure if I should hate you or love you!

The problem is now every time I walk by our cars I see how horrible they look! Especially on dark colors (dark blue and black) not as bad on silver. Our Subaru (dark blue) has 164,000 miles and looks terrible so does our black SUV. Our 350z is probably just as bad, but much harder to see the problems because it is silver.

This past year I finally learned about the 2BM of washing so I have been washing my car for the previous 9 years incorrectly (great...). I will post pictures this weekend of all the swirls, scratches, etc... It probably has been waxed 4 times in 10 years, never polished.

I should be taken outside and beaten for the way I have treated my Subaru. I plan to change that this weekend. I will be trying out my new Griot's Garage RO along with a bunch of products I purchased from Autogeek these past couple weeks.

AGO thanks for showing me the light. Browsing these forums, reading the tips, watching Mike's videos, etc... have all given me the confidence to try and tackle this myself. I can't wait! And thanks everyone for being just plain friendly. I never seen a forum with such friendly folks.

Juan

[ROMEO]

:welcome: to AGO, as you have seen, lots of great info here, and even better people always ready to help!

Don't feel bad about the way your cars look now, be glad that now you will have lots of fun getting them to look their best, and be thankful that you have the weather to do it!!!

What kind of products will you be using?

[dad07]

:welcome:

[Mike Phillips]

Welcome to Autogeek Online! :welcome:



Hello everyone from Sacramento, CA (actually Rancho Cordova but most people probably never heard of it),


I use to live up the hill just a little ways...


The hill is the Cajon Pass which is the mountain you drive up when you leave the lower elevations of SoCal to go up to the High California Desert, the Mojave Desert.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Cajon_Pass%2C_wide_angle.jpg/800px-Cajon_Pass%2C_wide_angle.jpg


http://www.gbcnet.com/ushighways/us_pix/395_pics/395_91-cajon_pass_cover.jpg


In June of 2009 I stepped down from my position at Meguiar's and joined the Autogeek Team. :xyxthumbs:

[/quote]






I should be taken outside and beaten for the way I have treated my Subaru. I plan to change that this weekend. I will be trying out my new Griot's Garage RO along with a bunch of products I purchased from Autogeek these past couple weeks.


Buffed out a Toyota Highlander the other night ago using the GG ROP and as I've posted in the past and will today, it and the PC 7424 with 5.5" pads are like a safe version of a Rotary Buffer... with the right pads, products and technique you can do some amazing work!





AGO thanks for showing me the light. Browsing these forums, reading the tips, watching Mike's videos, etc... have all given me the confidence to try and tackle this myself. I can't wait! And thanks everyone for being just plain friendly. I never seen a forum with such friendly folks.

Juan

Cool.

That's one of our goals here at Autogeek and that's to increase your confidence level to "start" and after you start and get some experience you'll be posting success pictures like you see others post...

:dblthumb2:

[Mike Phillips]

Also, I'm spreading the word that we have our own TV show starting in 2011 and they're looking for cars and cool car stories for the show so if you have one or know of someone that does then here's a thread that talks about it...

1931 Ford Sedan - Restoration Project for Dad (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/off-topic/30316-1931-ford-sedan-restoration-project-dad.html)



"What's in the Garage" - Press Release (http://www.masterstv.com/story-092410-AutoGeeksWhatsInTheGarage.html)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/WITG-logo-2.jpg



TV Airing Schedule
The thirteen (13) week series will debut on Fox Sports Network (FSN) National in the second
quarter of 2011.

It will be televised on Sunday’s at 11:30 A.M. Eastern Time and will repeat on Monday’s at 4:30 P.M. Eastern Time nationwide.


:xyxthumbs:

[Fly bye]

I use to live up the hill just a little ways...


The mountain you drive up when you leave the lower elevations of SoCal to go up to the High California Desert, the Mojave Desert.





Mike...The OP lives in Sac, you're prolly thinking Rancho Cucamonga, instead of Rancho Cordova http://www.elaneman.com/cms/data/emoticons/whisper.gif


http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[Meghan]

:welcome:

[jotarou1]

:welcome: to AGO, as you have seen, lots of great info here, and even better people always ready to help!

Don't feel bad about the way your cars look now, be glad that now you will have lots of fun getting them to look their best, and be thankful that you have the weather to do it!!!

What kind of products will you be using?

ROMEO, thanks for the welcome. I will be using Meguiar's #105, #205, and #21 and some Lake County 6.5" CCS Pads.



:welcome:

dad07, thanks!



Welcome to Autogeek Online! :welcome:
I use to live up the hill just a little ways...

The hill is the Cajon Pass which is the mountain you drive up when you leave the lower elevations of SoCal to go up to the High California Desert, the Mojave Desert.

I am up in Northern California so it's a long way from where you used to be. I am near some hills though, about 90 minutes from Lake Tahoe.




Buffed out a Toyota Highlander the other night ago using the GG ROP and as I've posted in the past and will today, it and the PC 7424 with 5.5" pads are like a safe version of a Rotary Buffer... with the right pads, products and technique you can do some amazing work!

Cool.

That's one of our goals here at Autogeek and that's to increase your confidence level to "start" and after you start and get some experience you'll be posting success pictures like you see others post...

:dblthumb2:

I will be working with Lake County 6.5" CCS pads because I got those during AG's Black Friday specials. Hopefully they work out ok. Mike your video's definiately increased my confidence in being able to tackle this job. I will start with my Subaru (dark blue) first, then move up to the Nissan (silver), and finally try to deal with our SUV (black).




Mike...The OP lives in Sac, you're prolly thinking Rancho Cucamonga, instead of Rancho Cordova http://www.elaneman.com/cms/data/emoticons/whisper.gif

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif


I think you are right I looked up Cajon Pass and it was nowhere near me.



:welcome:
Meghan, thanks.

I can't wait to get started and I will need to remember to take as many before/after pictures.

[Mike Phillips]

Mike...The OP lives in Sac, you're prolly thinking Rancho Cucamonga, instead of Rancho Cordova http://www.elaneman.com/cms/data/emoticons/whisper.gif


http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif






Yep, my mistake... was working on pictures for a thread at the same time...


:bolt:

[jotarou1]

Here are some hood shots (I don't know how you all take such great shots but here are my best shots).

I have both the full shot and then a cropped version of the same shot to show a closeup. This is my first try. These are the same car, but the lighting made it look darker in some shots. The car is a 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS color Blue Ridge Pearl. This is hard work. Also I know understand when everyone says that all the small imperfections show even more now. Oh well...

Meguiar's Quik Detailer with Meguiar's clay
105 with a 6.5 LC CCS yellow
205 with a 6.5 LC CCS white
21 with a 6.5 LC CCS black



http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.hood.1.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.hood.1.1.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.hood.2.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.hood.2.2.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.hood.3.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.hood.3.3.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.hood.4.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.hood.4.4.JPG

[Mike Phillips]

Here are some hood shots (I don't know how you all take such great shots but here are my best shots).


Actually your shots look great and it looks like you're using a penny to give your camera something to focus on so the surface is in focus. Good technique...

How-To capture swirls, scratches, etchings and other surface defects with your camera (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tips-techniques-how-articles-interacting-discussion-forums/26917-how-capture-swirls-scratches-etchings-other-surface-defects-your-camera.html)






I have both the full shot and then a cropped version of the same shot to show a closeup. This is my first try.


Excellent results for your first try with your Griot's Garage 6" ROP :xyxthumbs:




Also I know understand when everyone says that all the small imperfections show even more now. Oh well...


No problems, this happens to all of us, you remove all the shallow defects and then the deeper defects show up like a sore thumb. There's usually nothing you can do about it, I wrote an article that talks about this...

"Taking your car's paint to it's maximum potential" (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/27081-taking-your-car-s-paint-s-maximum-potential.html)







Meguiar's Quik Detailer with Meguiar's clay
105 with a 6.5 LC CCS yellow
205 with a 6.5 LC CCS white
21 with a 6.5 LC CCS black



The 6.5" pads rotate just fine with the Griot's polisher, would you say that was your experience?


:)

[jotarou1]

Excellent results for your first try with your Griot's Garage 6" ROP :xyxthumbs:


Thanks Mike. I tried my test spot first and it looked ok so then I came back online here at AGO and went through your videos again. Then went and attacked the rest of the car. Overall I am very happy. I will post up pictures tomorrow. I tried taking some today but it was cloudy so the pictures didn't come out that well.




The 6.5" pads rotate just fine with the Griot's polisher, would you say that was your experience?

:)

Yes I would agree that the GG ROP can handle those 6.5" pads without issue especially at 5 or 6 which is what I used for #105 and #205. When I lowered it to 4 for #21 it worked well, but 3 would stop rotating often if I hit curved sections (since the pad would no longer be flat). It would stop on 4 sometimes but not as often.

Overall I am glad I found this site. There was so much information here that helped me see what kind of results were possible. I still have some RIDS and it is not perfect, but I am happy with the way my Subaru turned out.

[jotarou1]

Like we all say, TTIWWOP.

Here are some of the pictures I took. I will try to take better ones later (especially in the sun). There are still some RIDS that I was unable to remove. There is alot of bird etchings in the paint as well. I now know how clear coat gets if bird droppings are not cleaned.


Clay after doing 1/2 of the roof (and it's a small roof!!!):

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.clay.1.JPG


Driver side quarter panel:

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.2.b.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.2.a1.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.2.a2.JPG


Driver side roof:

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.4.b.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.4.a.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.5.JPG


Driver's side door handle:

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.6.b.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.6.a.JPG


Driver's side door:

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.7.b1.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.7.b2.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.7.a1.JPG


Driver's side fender:

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.8.b.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.8.a1.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.8.a2.JPG


Roof:

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.9.JPG


Rear Bumper:

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.3.a1.JPG

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.3.a2.JPG


Finally done, not too bad considering my Subaru has 164,000+ miles (1500 track miles), was washed with the 1BM for the first 155,000+ miles :), has had three waxes done by hand (ever) and never been polished, and this is my first time polishing/waxing with a ROP. I am more than happy with the way it turned out.

http://www.gottrackdays.com/photos/autogeek/small.subaru.1.JPG

[Flash Gordon]

Aloha, hello, welcome, salutations and greetings from Graceland :dblthumb2:

[Mike Phillips]

Nice work for your first time... :xyxthumbs:

Machine polishing sure beats hand polishing hands-down any day...


:D