Compounding and Polishing a 2017 Mustang

[FrankS]

Mike, when working with factory paint, in general, how aggressive would you recommend going with sanding...2000?

[LSNAutoDetailing]

I'd recommend getting one product that will either troubleshoot what the problem is and/or fix the problem and that is the Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover.


Get it, use it and if it doesn't fix the problem I'll send you your money back.


Get some new clean pads to use with the Pinnacle so you're not cross contaminating the abrasive technology in the 3M products with your new favorite polish. Get 6 of these to start fresh on your "toys"


White Lake Country 5 1/2 Inch Flat Foam Pad

Scott, PM me. Send me an *new and improved* Autogeek 8 OZ bottle, and I'll send you a sample of Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover. Mike is right, the entire Pinnacle lineup (IMO) is my got-to.

[Mike Phillips]

Mike, when working with factory paint, in general, how aggressive would you recommend going with sanding...2000?

If you want to be safe, the car in question is outside during the day, that is not a garage queen, then #3000

The reason why is because it's not JUST about removing defects via sanding without making a mistake, just as important is having enough paint or enough "material" over the basecoat to hold up over time.

I know lots of guys are talented enough to sand the factory clearcoat and not burn through or buff through the clearcoat, the problem is that they will leave the clear layer so thin that it simply has no chance to hold up when exposed to both UV light from the sun OVER TIME and also wet weather. Water is a universal solvent, it dissolves things. Add sunshine, water and wear-n-tear plus time and you have 4 things trying to break your car's already precious thin layer of paint down.


For anyone reading this into the future, if you are interested in the topic of WET SANDING - do yourself a favor and read the below article. It puts the procedure into context.

Wetsanding - Fresh Paint vs Factory Paint



That's me hand wet sanding "The Titanic" in a parking garage in I think 1999. Note that's a CUSTOM paint job and the article I linked to above explains factor versus custom and after reading the article you'll know more than most detailers about the topic of wet sanding.l

[WillSports3]

When it comes to factory paint jobs, the best policy is not to sand.