Before and after Pics, Big difference but still Need Help..

[ROVERHSE06]

Hello,
Newbie first time trying to polish my Black 06 Range Rover. Huge difference, very pleased with results, but still not to the level I like it to be. It's amazing what a PC can do.

Here's the products I used and process.
2 applications using LC Orange pad(Light cut) with Poorboys ssr2.5, followed with 2 applications using LC White pad(polishing pad) with Menzerna FPII. 3.5 hours per panel. Topped it with 2 coats of RMG and 1 coat of S100 wax.

I really worked the polish in and made sure it was broken done, maybe slighty too much. Usually about 4 passes per application. The more aggressive polish would allways finish with the entire surface hazed. I have a very soft CC.

I'm still left with a car that has those pezty micro scracthes when looked at in direct sunlight and it seems like the car is not as black as it use to be. It is kinda glazy or more greyish

Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

The first side of the car I used Poorboy SSR2.5 but on the other side I used Optimum Compond and LC Yellow pad(cut). Poorboys SSR2.5 seemed to be a little more abrasive so that's the reason I jumped to the yellow pad with OC.


The left side of the car came out better than the right side with less micro scratches, however I was left with 1 bad side effect holograms. OOCH. On further inspection I can see the left side has very fine buffer scratches over the entire surface and as you move your eyes around the left side of the car you see lines of mini-micro scratches, which i believe causes the holograms
Since I used a more aggressive pad on the left side I plan on stepping down to the polishing pad with OC before moving to polishing pad with Menzerna FPII.

First 2 pics are befores and the next 2 are there matching after pics.
The next 4 are from the left side.
The last pic is the hood, which was done by a professional and the pic was taken right after he finished, however after I washed it a day later it look no better than what I had accomplished. I topped it with RMG and S100 which did not put it back in the condition he had it. He said he top it with 4 coats of Zymol Cleaner Wax.
Befores from right side of car.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t263/rover06/IMG_2635.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t263/rover06/IMG_2631.jpg

[ROVERHSE06]

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t263/rover06/IMG_2687.jpg

[ROVERHSE06]

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t263/rover06/IMG_2677.jpg

[ROVERHSE06]

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t263/rover06/IMG_2697.jpg

[ROVERHSE06]

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t263/rover06/IMG_2700.jpg

[ROVERHSE06]

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t263/rover06/IMG_2661.jpg

[Bags]

I'm not a pro but if the clear coat is so soft then why the yellow pad and OC? I wonder what a white pad and the 2.0 would look like. If it's still hazy you may need to work it in a little longer. Or how fast are you moving the PC? Nice and slow for the best correction. I would watch the videos again. After I spent 8 hours on my Durango with an orange pad and OPT polish... I was beat. I watched the videos again and realized I was using way too much polish. Moved on to my Finial Finishing polish and it turned out great in about a 1/4 of the time. Just my thoughts.

[nick19]

This "professional" who uses 4 coats of CLEANER wax, dump him.

Second, take a look at the second topic in this thread.


http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-university/4984-new-users-pc-7424-users-must-read.html


You always want to start out with the least aggressive product/pad combination possible. I would have started with the orange pad and 2.0.

It seems you didn't work the product long enough and that's why you're seeing these "micro" scratches or micro-marring. I would go over it with the lightest polish you have, maybe like SSR 1.0.

I just used FPII on my car, and this is some wicked polish. I love it! But do you have a polish with a LITTLE more bite? I would try that, and a finishing glaze. After using abrasive polishes, you're supposed to follow up with a very light cutting polish or finishing glaze to replenish the lost oils and such from polishing.

Take a look at that thread. You want to move about 1" a second and apply 10-20lbs of pressure to the head of the machine.



Did you use a QD or "prep" the paid before using PB's? What speed where you on when you were using OC and PB's?






-Nick :cheers:

[Surfer]

Yeh 1st, dump your detailer that uses 4 coats of a cleaner wax LOL, that's like saying I put 4 coats on of Klasse AIO...multiple coats of a cleaning product is like an oxymoron:D

2nd, RMG or something like CG EZ Creme Glaze should have helped on a finishing pad as they have very slight abrassive quality (less so then a finishing polish). How did you work RMG?

[ROVERHSE06]

thanks for the replies. I actually re-looked at the car at a later time in the day instead of 12:30 when I originally looked at it. It actually looks pretty amazing. Under the gas station lights it looks flawless. I had a guy ask me if I just bought the car.

Here's exactly what i did. SSR2.5 on LC Orange (light cut). I worked it through the stages, first it looked wet, then you see the polish turning to a haze and then it seems to go to a slighty clearer haze. At this last stage I still probably did 2 passes before stopping. I always set it a speed 5 and went very, very slow. About on average 5 passes (first pass side-to-side, up-down, diagonal, side-to-side, up-down)

Repeated the above step twice.

Pulled out the Polishing pad and Menzerna FPII and set it at speed 4 and moved slightly faster.

Applied 2 coats of RMG with a foam pad and wiped it off before it was dry with a MF towel.

The left side of the car, procedure was simplier except I used a yellow pad and OC. the left side looks slighty better (removed more scratches) except it left me with light holograms.


i think i kinda worked it too much.

Maybe if you could answer these questions it might help me perfect the finish.


On a 18"x18" section, how many passes do you normal do before the polish is broken down?

I can see how the polish moves from wet to haze and I think I see how it goes from haze to somewhat clearer. is there another stage. Do I stop once i see it go to the clear stage?

[Bags]

Most say go 2 ft x 2ft. I have only used the DP brand for a finial finishing. I used mine at about 4.5 and worked it until it just started to dust. Once I saw the first sign of dust I stopped. Its just not easy to say do 4 passes and ur done. Too many variables, tempature, humidity, preassure, etc. I have never used Menzerna polishes but I understand there is a learning curve. How much polish are you putting on the pad? I thought the pic in the garage looked pretty good. Hope some of this helps.

[ROVERHSE06]

i'm putting about a qtr size of polish on the pad. I hear that a lot. Worked it until just before it starts to dust. How can you see the polish is dusting?

[orngez]

when the polish goes from haze to "clear haze" (on speed 4-5) the polish is broken down as far as ssr 2.5 is concerned...so after the pass that clears out the ssr 2.5 is when you should turn the speed up to 6 on the pc and do a final pass...it takes a little practice on how fast to move the polisher in this final pass, i would say i usually move from 1" per second to about 3" per second. you will find the ssr2.5 will finish lsp ready...it will vary based on how much pressure you use and the atmospheric conditions ie humidity/temp/etc...this is one of many techniques you can use but it has worked for me on many cars....as you get beeter at using ssr2.5 you can get down to about one dime sized squirt...as far as dusting is concerned you will see product begin to flake off the pad and end up on other panels of the car...when the product dusts to much and you continue to polish you are actually reintroducing swirls/holograms/haze to the car...as far as how much product to use drop down to about two dime sized squirts on two spots of the pad and you should be good...as you get beeter at using ssr2.5 you can get down to about one dime sized squirt...