Cleaned up my Miata

[add lightness]

Well, after about a month of reading this forum, I was finally able to try my hand at detailing for the first time and get my Miata looking almost as good as I've wanted her to. I love this car and am trying to make her as perfect as possible. She's a '91 with just 50k original miles and in great condition, with factory single stage to boot! However the finish felt very rough and was kind of dull, and that's what brought me here!

Here's what I used:
-Pinnacle ultra poly clay (could've used something more aggressive for the first time)
-Harbor freight DA with a 5" backing plate from AG
-Megs Ultimate Compound on LC orange
-Megs Ultimate Polish on LC white
-Megs #7 glaze on LC black (let it sit for 3 hours, but not sure it did anything...)
-Collinite 845 (2 coats!)
-303 AP on top and engine rubber

The UC/orange didn't really get the cut I was looking for, there's still a ton of little tiny pits/etchings (??) and the deeper scratches didn't come out very much, but hey, there's plenty of paint left! Regardless, it shined up nice and went from a 10 ft job to a 3 footer!
PICS!

First I did my dad's beater hyundai to practice my technique. This is with just a polish/compund on the hood and roof and a coat of 845. Also cleaned up headlight haze with UC, not too shabby.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/h.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59232)

Before:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/1105.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59213)
WATER SPOTS!!!
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/454.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59215)

After compunding (yea, not much to see)
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_42501.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59216)

AFTER!

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_4293.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59217)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_4299.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59218)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_4315.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59219)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_4327.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59222)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_4328.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59223)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_4336.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59225)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_4342.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59227)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_4353.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59230)

And my favorite shot:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_4334.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/59224)

And that's it! It's not perfect, but I'm happy.

Quick question: what's this old waxy substance all over my engine bay?

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG_4358.JPG

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG_4365.JPG

[Pureshine]

Great job looks good :)

[WRXINXS]

Good looking Mazda! I love the pic of your car behind the tree.

[GenesisCoupe]

Car looks great, the paint was definitely dull at first. You really brought out the color.

What did you think of the Pinnacle Clay, and what made you choose that over the competition?

And why do Hyundai's always get the guinea pig treatment?? lol jk

Great work!

[banzaitoyota]

Nice job, the waxy substance is cosmoline

[Evan.J]

Very nice job that looks great. I like the car hiding behind the tree photo too.

[add lightness]

Car looks great, the paint was definitely dull at first. You really brought out the color.

What did you think of the Pinnacle Clay, and what made you choose that over the competition?

And why do Hyundai's always get the guinea pig treatment?? lol jk

Great work!

My bad! I actually used Sonus SFX ultra-fine clay. The Sonus and Pinnacle were my final two choices, but I chose the Sonus because it was 200g for $22 versus $35 for 200g of pinnacle. I didn't put a ton of research into it and for my purposes they were close enough to go by price. Both are about the finest you can get, and from my limited knowledge I'd agree that both are best as maintence clay- I should've gotten something more aggressive to make claying these cars for the first time easier. It got the job done though.

I used generously concentrated mothers California Gold car was as lube and was pleased that the clay didn't degrade at all with that mixture - and I tried using Mothers quick detailer for lube with no difference in performance.

Again, first-timer's impressions here.

[add lightness]

Nice job, the waxy substance is cosmoline

Rust proofing, huh? Makes sense, the car also has a non-factory rubbery undercoating. I'll have to figure of how to get it off, I looks awful on the rubbers and Plastics. The car never sees salt anyway.

[Vegas Transplant]

I love it when a plan comes together. You did your homework and put theory into practice. Kudos!
I believe that you have let the genie out of the bottle. Looking forward to future threads and posts.