Hey Mike...

[WRAPT C5Z06]

I tried the new Griot's ROP(speed 5), swirl X, and a Lake country CCS white pad on my silver 07 z06. Didn't "cut" it(no pun intended). There's still swirl marks. I'd like to stick with Meguiar's SMAT products. What more aggressive combo(pad and polish) would you recommend from AG?

[Mike Phillips]

Get some Ultimate Compound. Try it with a cutting pad.

Be sure to lay down a piece of painter's tape and buff on just one side while you're testing and dialing in a system as this will really help to give you feedback if you're making no progress, making a little progress or making a lot of progress.

Also be sure to do the basics,

Move the polisher slowly
Push down with about 15 pounds of pressure but make sure the pad is rotating
Only work a small section

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Get some Ultimate Compound. Try it with a cutting pad.

Be sure to lay down a piece of painter's tape and buff on just one side while you're testing and dialing in a system as this will really help to give you feedback if you're making no progress, making a little progress or making a lot of progress.

Also be sure to do the basics,

Move the polisher slowly
Push down with about 15 pounds of pressure but make sure the pad is rotating
Only work a small section

Thanks for the tips!

I'm going to order some ultimate compound and Lake Country 6.5" CCS orange cutting pads.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Will it make a difference using Swirl X with a cutting pad instead of a polishing pad? Or, will I need a polish with more bite? I can experiment, but just curious of your opinion.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

I've decided to try UC with a cutting pad like you recommended. Will UC/lake country CCS orange pad leave behind any micro swirls or marring? Or, will this combo finish good enough to not have to use a finishing polish?

[Mike Phillips]

Will it make a difference using Swirl X with a cutting pad instead of a polishing pad? Or, will I need a polish with more bite? I can experiment, but just curious of your opinion.

You can definitely use SwirlX with a cutting pad and that combination might work, it's one of those things that you'll never know until you try.

Foam cutting pads when used with DA polishers can remove defects but they can also leave the paint looking hazy due to micro-marring, so anytime you or anyone reading this thread is using a foam cutting pad with a DA style polisher it is very important to find this out by doing a test spot so you're not surprised and disappointed after buffing out an entire car.

It's not a problem if that the cutting pad leaves a haze as long as you're aware of it and your next step removes the haze. Sometimes this is what it takes to remove the defects, an aggressive pad and a second polishing step. In a perfect world you could get away with a polishing pad and on most paint systems avoid the micro-marring problem.

I've decided to try UC with a cutting pad like you recommended. Will UC/lake country CCS orange pad leave behind any micro swirls or marring? Or, will this combo finish good enough to not have to use a finishing polish?

Great question but you won't know until you do some testing and then inspecting.

the orange foam cutting pad is actually pretty aggressive and that's a good thing because it enables you to remove below surface defects more effectively. It can leave micro-marring on some paint but not all paints, that's why you have to test.

I would try the UC with a polishing pad first and see how that works.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

I would try the UC with a polishing pad first and see how that works.

You answered my next question before I had to ask!

[Matt S.]

Unfortunately, C5/C6 clear coats are so damn hard...which leads me to agree with Mike's recommendation. I've had great results with 105 and UC on these paints in removing light to moderate defects.

[ASPHALT ROCKET]

105 and 205 are your friends with corvette clear.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

I thought I read somewhere that 105 and 205 were specifically designed for rotary buffers? Also, is 105 a lot more aggressive than UC?