What's the Limit of DA Correction with 105?

[TheEngineer]

Hello. I'm on my fourth detail, having done three '01s (two Grand Ams, one BMZ Z3M), and am working on my '07 BMW M Coupe. I was really happy with my routine on the '01s -- Megs 105, then 205, then a Megs machine glaze, p21s, all with a PC. People who have seen my cars have literally asked if they could touch them after. Of course there were some scratches and defects I didn't correct, but on ten-year old cars I expect that.

My '07 is a different story. It seems like there are so many scratches the 105 (using Lake Country Orange pads) is not getting out in two passes (never used more than one pass before). What can I do? Research seems to indicate I either: a) use more passes, b) go to Tuf Buf wool pads, c) get someone with a rotary, d) wetsand.

Attached are some images, the first after 105, the second on the car's unpolished finish. Sorry the pics are poor, after seeing this site I see how I ought to take them.

Thanks much,
Jason

[Flannigan]

Surbuf and/or Meguiars mf pads should help remove deeper defects. IME the orange pad is not suited for compounding.

[CEE DOG]

I would step to surbuff or cyan HT pads if a rotary isnt available.

[Kristopher1129]

There's many ways to approach it. I know for me...I don't rely completely on a DA for a full correction. IMO a rotary and a wool pad with 105 will do things a DA can never do. A DA may eventually get it done...but you're gonna have to pass quite a few times.

[Kurt_s]

Surbufs and M105 kicked the swirls butt on my friend's VW convertable. I used M105 with Cyan HT's with good luck on a C class Mercedes the day before with good luck too. The Surbufs were rather incredible.

I have not used the Meg MF pads yet but used CG's MF pads with succcess. I would guess that the Megs MF's will do a great job too.

[SonOfOC]

There's many ways to approach it. I know for me...I don't rely completely on a DA for a full correction. IMO a rotary and a wool pad with 105 will do things a DA can never do. A DA may eventually get it done...but you're gonna have to pass quite a few times.


I totally agree with Kirisopher1129. On balance, a rotary is significantly quicker than a DA. Some say the holograms and trials left by a rotary will need to be fixed with a DA.
Combining the time and effort of both tools and some just stay with the DA only.

For myself, I use the rotary 95% of the time for any corrections. With a mix of pads and product there is NO holograms or trails.

I use the DA primarily for wax,sealant, and jeweling. You do this long enough and you'll eventually run into paint that even gives a rotary a hard time.

To answer your question, in my opinion, the limitation with DA +105 is lower effectiveness with a wool pad. There are some great pads for the DA, but they will not cut like a rotary with a wool pad. Hope that helps.

[gmck]

If you only have a DA, then I'd suggest swapping to a smaller backing plate and trying a yellow pad. The smaller the pad the more aggressive the DA, which is the opposite with a rotary. The smaller pad means you can concentrate on the smaller area of the scratches without removing an unnecessary amount of clear that you would with a larger pad.

Try it first with an orange and if you need more correction then go to the yellow. The DA will get there you just need to do more passes.

If the yellow doesn't do it then you'd go to the surbuff. If all that fails then wetsand. I presume you can't catch a finger nail in any of these scratches.

Re the third photo, I reckon you could maybe try again, because it is really hard to see from that photo what you are dealing with. Looks like it is out of focus.

[VISITOR]

here's a great read if one hasn't seen it yet, google... " Rotary Compounding – Is It Dead? "

[shoeless89]

I would try more passes first to see if that will work. Narrow down your possibilities

[dtuna42]

What exactly are you seeing after 105? Any change at all? In my (quite limited) experience with M105, I have found a few people think the M105 isn't working, when it is actually just leaving a haze that needs another step (such as 205) to see any improvement. Kind of a "it may look worse before it looks better" type of situation. Maybe a small test spot going through several steps (105-->205-->a glaze or polish if you wish-->a wax or sealant) will give you a better idea of how much it is helping...

[TheEngineer]

Thanks for all the replies -- this forum moves pretty fast!

Looks like I will go for the Sur Buf. To be clear, are most people recommending their wool or MF pads for this application?

dtuna, after the 105 pass I am seeing a lot of curved, deep scratches that do not catch a nail -- seemingly what is reffered to here as RIDS, except only that there are a lot of them! Say, 90% of the square inches of my hood have at least one. There was one of Mike's tutorials on here (there are so many and I can't find the one I refer to), which shows some scratches that look very, very like them, labeled as from a prior botched detail. Possible, I'm not the first owner.

I know 105 is pretty aggressive, so I can expect a little hazing until the 205 pass, but this is more than that.

Thanks again!

[truckbutt]

Just for my own information as the OP is using a PC; What about an LC Purple Foam Wool Pad on a Flex?

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Don't underestimate the power of MF/M105. It can rival the level ability of a rotary and wool pad.

[dtuna42]

"after the 105 pass I am seeing a lot of curved, deep scratches that do not catch a nail -- seemingly what is reffered to here as RIDS, except only that there are a lot of them! Say, 90% of the square inches of my hood have at least one. There was one of Mike's tutorials on here (there are so many and I can't find the one I refer to), which shows some scratches that look very, very like them, labeled as from a prior botched detail. Possible, I'm not the first owner."
-->You should post your own pics if possible - these guys on here could give you much more precise advice..