Black Lexus Restoration-Help experts !

[MaxTL]

Hey Everyone,

I have been a long time lurker but finally a poster ! I have been polishing my own (and friends cars) for years but now I have a project in need some advice from the experts on !

I picked up a used 2007 Lexus IS350 in my favorite color black, the paint on it is in spots OK but in need of some help. Here are a few pics of what I am dealing with:

Hood
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG_4362.JPG

Front Bumper
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG_4364.JPG

Rock chip
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG_4363.JPG

Rear Bumper
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG_4366.JPG


Issues:
-rear bumper, scratches from automatic carwash (the car spent its life in one it seems)
-lots of rock chips
-peppered looking road rashed front bumper
-swirls throughout paint

Here is my plan, and where I need input/advice !
1. wash with Dawn soap
2. clay bar
3. IPA wipe down
4. Fill stone chips (Dr.Color Chip and regular touch-up paint). I am hoping the Meg 105 will blend some of the filled chips in.
5. Meguiars 105 over entire car with Porter Cable 7424XP
6. Wolfgang 3.0 swirl remover over entire car Porter Cable 7424XP
7. Wolfgang finishing glaze over entire car Porter Cable 7424XP
8. Zaino sealant (Z2 and Z5 multiple coats) - by hand

Questions:
-On step #5 would you go with Lake Country white CCS pad ?
-On step #6 would you go with a Lake Country black CCS pad ?
-On step #7 would you go with a Lake Country blue CCS pad ?
-Any advice on how to restore a peppered road rashed bumper - should I just get it painted ?

Thanks for any and all advice !!
Barry

[Setec Astronomy]

I would go with an orange pad for step 5, a white pad for step 6, and a black pad for step 7.

[embolism]

you do not need step 3. In fact, you shouldn't use ipa anywhere around fresh touchup paint.

if you go with Dr. C, then you're supposed to do it after the polishing steps, then wait 7 days to wax. I'd probably go with the dealer touchup pen though. Use a pointy toothpick to fill the chips and depending on how fancy you want to get, you can wetsand them (105 won't level them), then do your compounding the next day.

That rear bumper looks like someone took a brillo pad to it. Be careful not to overheat the paint when compounding or you might get twisting. Also make sure you tape the crevices on the side mirrors and the edges of any clear film on the car.

I tried dr. C on my front bumper using the road rash method and was not impressed. Ended up taking it all off. Not sure how it would even work with metallic black. If you really don't want to live with the chips then get the front bumper resprayed then add a clearbra after 30 days.

I'd wash the car after step 7 to get rid of all the polishing oils/dust

Setec's got you covered on the pads

[Joe@Superior Shine]

Here is a car I did like yours. I used 105, 205, sealed with Meguiars #21.

I used all meguiar pads. The paint is on the soft side. It is really easy to polish out.

SHINE my IS350, 19 hours later....... (http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?36967-SHINE-my-IS350-19-hours-later)

[MaxTL]

Wow thanks a lot for everyones input !

Joe, AMAZING job, so you just used 105, 205 then 21 ?

[Rix6]

Here is a car I did like yours. I used 105, 205, sealed with Meguiars #21.

I used all meguiar pads. The paint is on the soft side. It is really easy to polish out.

SHINE my IS350, 19 hours later....... (http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?36967-SHINE-my-IS350-19-hours-later)

Wow Joe, the work you did on that IS350 is an inspiration! :urtheman:

The pic that Kevin Brown quoted is my favorite as well.

At the end of the thread you mentioned that you used the Meguiar's microfiber correction system on that car but couldn't mention it earlier because it was prior to the system's release. So were you using the MF with 105 and 205 only? Using those with a DA and then switching to a rotary to jewel the paint with 205? Your final results make that car look more like an 80K car rather than a 40K car! :urtheman:


-Rick

[embolism]

Your final results make that car look more like an 80K car rather than a 40K car!


those lippy rims and fat tires don't hurt either...

I think some kind of foam with DAT had to be used for final polishing. Didn't think 205 (especially on MF polishing pads) could finish down mar free on black lexus paint

[opie_7afe]

one word of advice, DO NOT USE DUPLICOLOR/RUSTOLEUM TOUCH UP PAINT USE OEM!!!! those touch up paints do not match correct 95% of the time i tried both duplicolor and rustoleum and both where an off white cream color for toyota super white they cannot match paint worth anything so use oem or dr.colorchip. but i would suggest dr.colorchip. but in all honesty i would just get the hood repainted, let it cure(see if they can bake it like oem as it can be removed) then get paint protection film added. that would be your best option. just for a hood repaint it should only cost about 2-300$ but then again at that price minds well just go to a junkyard and find same color hood and see if you can pay a fee+swap out your hood as its fine just has the sand blasted effect. unless the flake is making it look way worse then it is which could be a possibility... when will OEM realize you need more flexible paint on the front end or PPF on every vehicle. and those scratches on rear bumper should be remove with ease using m105 on orange. and 205 is not for jeweling its too abrasive unless you have my paint where m105 acts like m205 then well m205 could be used LOL...but with that lexus black being soft im thinking it may need a third step to remove the haze from m205..good luck hope you get her looking great

[MaxTL]

Thanks everyone, I will get a quote on getting parts of it painted as I think it can't be saved. Some of you are mentioning flake in the paint but its not flaked those are stone chips :-(

[embolism]

what's your paint code?

that can't be 212 obsidian...

[MaxTL]

yup its 212 obsidian..

[embolism]

damn, I could have sworn it was metallic black