New to detailing....HELP

[mjc189]

Hello all I been reading a searching for the last week.

I plan on buying a PC and LC pads. I know I need a wide selection and that paired with different cuts of compound will give different results. My car has minor swirls (almost have to look for them) and I would like to get them out. . I need help making some selections as I want everything but don't have that kind of cash..lol

I was reading about poorboys SSR 2.5 but think that might be too aggressive for the whole car. It is a 2002 acura rsx and I want to save as much clear as possible. I was thinking about SSR1 or PwS or Pro polish. I just don't know which one would be aggressive enough to get the swirls out but leave a glass finish that is completely swirl free (I know sometimes this takes stepping down products I just read all these are similar and hope I won't have to) .

I also know they have 4oz samples. I read on a forum somebody said they use about an ounce of product when doing a car. Somebody else told me 4 oz is nowhere near enough to do a car. I also hear to make an "X" on your pad on each new section you work on. I read you only use a nickel size. I also heard I have "prime" my pad with extra product. Ideally I would like to seal the car before I wax. So PwS would be awesome if it would work, but i'm not against going with a different product for the swirls because I could get a sample of the wolfgang sealant and do that in another step.

If 4oz is enough it would solve my problem because I could by all of them and see what works.

Also today I was working megs swirlx by hand. On heavier scratches it did ok but I buffed it out with a MF and when I applied my wax it seemed like didn't really haze where the megs was ( the wax is old armor all wax but I just removed the seal today lol ) was it crappy wax or has anybody else experienced this? I know I could do 50/50 alcohol and water to remove fillers but I thought swirl x didn't have any. Sorry for the super long post but I been reading all week and have TONS of quesions!

[embolism]

the armor all probably didn't haze b/c it was mixing with the oils in the swirlx.

I do know that you couldn't pay me enough to polish a car by hand.

use what you have for now and save up to get a machine. It will make whatever polishes you are using work 10x better...

[nadroj]

I am in a similar situation to you and I went with the 4oz bottles of SSR. From what I have read (I do not have any actual experience on this yet) most people typically use between 1-2oz of product per vehicle. I ended up getting the sample kit which includes SSR1, SSR2, SSR2.5, and SS3.

Poorboy's World Super Swirl Removers Kit, Poorboys super swirl removers, Poorboys polishes, sample kit, polish sample kit (http://www.autogeek.net/poorboys-swirl-remover-kit.html)

[mjc189]

embolism I was testing a spot.....and yea......I wouldn't do a whole car by hand lol

nadroj......that was the kit I was going to get along with some PwS and pro polish to see what would work best.....until I heard it wasn't enough....anybody else think somebody who never used a DA polisher could get by with using 1-2 ounces of product?

[tunicwriter]

embolism I was testing a spot.....and yea......I wouldn't do a whole car by hand lol

nadroj......that was the kit I was going to get along with some PwS and pro polish to see what would work best.....until I heard it wasn't enough....anybody else think somebody who never used a DA polisher could get by with using 1-2 ounces of product?

If it helps, I recently detailed a Pontiac G6 Coupe and only used about 1.5 oz of Pro Polish.

[mjc189]

that does help.....so you just apply an X on the pad?....lets say I start out with SSR1 and realise it is too mild can I go up to 2.5 on the same pad without cleaning it?

[embolism]

pad needs to be primed, meaning give the dry pad a spray of some clay lube, then put an X or circle or whatever on the pad then start spreading it around until the entire face of the pad has product on it but you can still see the pores of the foam. Then put your pea sized amounts on and give 'er

[shoeless89]

Just add product to the pad and spread around to prime then use 2-3 pea sized amounts from then on. I don't see why you couldn't move from a less aggressive product to a more aggressive. But I'm sure it's always better use a new pad

[kimtyson]

:welcome: to AG. That's a fine car you got there. I'd say do some reading and view as many vids as you can. Look for Mike Phillips posts. He is the master guru, here. If you wait a couple of weeks and read\view, you will thank me later. That way you can make a more informed decision and get what you really want. You will also be armed with the knowledge you need to do a really good job on the car. Just my 2 cents.

[nadroj]

pad needs to be primed, meaning give the dry pad a spray of some clay lube, then put an X or circle or whatever on the pad then start spreading it around until the entire face of the pad has product on it but you can still see the pores of the foam. Then put your pea sized amounts on and give 'er

I have read that it is better to use the SSR line on a dry pad. Some reviews say that it causes excessive dusting if you wet the pad first.

[mjc189]

Thanks for all the info! I will continue to read/ watch videos....there is sooo much to learn!!! I just wish I could make up my mind on what products to get, I want them all lol