Can I tackle these thin sections on this Pontiac G8 GXP with the FLEX Pixie?

[Jacob Harrod AUTOCLEAN]

I am getting ready to do a two step polish and ceramic coating on this white Pontiac G8 GXP.

My plan is to of course do a test spot with 3D One and a polishing pad first, but I personally think it will take a light compounding pad and 3D One. Then I plan to finish down with the Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish and a Polishing Pad. I'd personally be surprised if the polishing pad removed the defects to a satisfactory level.

I'll be using a 5 inch 15mm free spinning DA for the larger sections.

I am going to purchace a FLEX Pixie for the thinner pannels. I currently have 6 Lake Country Light Cutting Pads, and 6 Lake Country Polishing Pads. Should I buy more for this project?

Heres a sun shot of the hood.



I don't expect nor did I promise for the deeper defects to be removed with the products, tools and pads I've acquired for this project, as this is a two step correction.

She looks pretty straight forward for the most part except for the hood and front bumper. Here's where it gets interesting. Do you think I can polish the areas where the red arrows are with the FLEX Pixie?

I am planning on taping over the hard body lines in the areas where the blue arrows indicate. Also the sun roof, trim, cover up towel on the front windshield, ETC. I'm just a beginner at polishing paint and as you've pointed out to me in one of your articles, as Benjamin Franklin said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

I'm curious if I can slightly tilt the polisher on these areas while making sure the polisher is maintaining pad rotation and use the edge so I wont be buffing on the edge or raised and taped off body line?



Also here are some other pics of the car. So any pointers I can get are much appreciated!

He said he's going to heat and roll out the fenders so the tires won't rub. I'm exited to see how that turns out!

[The Guz]

The PXE 80 is a very nice polisher. The rotary adapter and the 12mm adapter are the only two you will be using. The tool doesn't maintain pad rotation that well with the 3mm adapter.

You could actually get most of those areas with a larger tool as well and finesse the edges with a smaller tool.

[Jacob Harrod AUTOCLEAN]

The PXE 80 is a very nice polisher.

I can't wait to find out for myself! I'm very exited to try it out!

The rotary adapter and the 12mm adapter are the only two you will be using. The tool doesn't maintain pad rotation that well with the 3mm adapter.

Roger that.

You could actually get most of those areas with a larger tool as well and finesse the edges with a smaller tool.

Also roger that. "Finesse", I like the way you worded that.

I don't know why it didn't come to mind last night but the PXE 80 acutally comes with;

FLEX PXE 80 12-EC KIT

FLEX PXE 80 12-EC KIT includes:

PXE 80 12-EC

1 each of the adapters (1 rotary, 1 orbital 3mm and 1 orbital 12mm)

1 each of the backing plates (1- 1" sticky, 1- 1" Velcro and 1- 3" Velcro)

Qty of 2 - 2.5 Amp batteries


1 charger

1 Bag

So all I need to do is Buy some 1" light compounding and polishing pads

I am thinking I'll tackle those small areas that need finessing first, then hit the larger areas.

After this I will remove all tape, panel wipe, the whole car then move on to applying the coating.

[Mike Phillips]

I am getting ready to do a two step polish and ceramic coating on this white Pontiac G8 GXP.

My plan is to of course do a test spot with 3D One and a polishing pad first, but I personally think it will take a light compounding pad and 3D One.

I am going to purchase a FLEX Pixie for the thinner panels. I currently have 6 Lake Country Light Cutting Pads, and 6 Lake Country Polishing Pads. Should I buy more for this project?

Those swirls look pretty bad. Won't be a problem if the paint isn't super hard. My guess is you're going to want an aggressive foam cutting pad, maybe a microfiber pad and an aggressive compound. While the PiXiE is very good at maintaining pad rotation with the 12mm drive unit on speed 4 but to make up for a micro-tool and bad condition paint my guess is you're going to want to go aggressive for the cutting step.

These are great mf pads for PiXiE

RUPES 3.5 Inch Coarse Wool Pad

RUPES 3.5 Inch Medium Wool Pad


The new SONAX Ultimate Cut 6+ is really aggressive and also finishes out really nice.

Sonax Ultimate Cut 6+



But use what you have and see how it works.

[Mike Phillips]

For what it's worth, if I was buffing that car out, I would do the entire thing with the BEAST or the Supa BEAST.

For thin panels I would just go up on edge. Like I show here,

If you spend enough time behind any tool you can make it dance on paint -Mike Phillips







Click link - watch video

Mike Phillips - If you spend enough time behind any tool...

[Jacob Harrod AUTOCLEAN]

Those swirls look pretty bad.

Yes sir they do. As I'm looking through The Complete Guide To A Show Car Shine The paint appears to be in Condition #5
Severely Neglected

Mike Phillips' The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine Paperback Book

Page 38 -

My guess is you're going to want an aggressive foam cutting pad, maybe a microfiber pad and an aggressive compound.

Page 91 - Recommends an aggressive foam or fiber cutting pad for paint in this condition. Just as you have suggested.

Won't be a problem if the paint isn't super hard. While the PiXiE is very good at maintaining pad rotation with the 12mm drive unit on speed 4 but to make up for a micro-tool and bad condition paint my guess is you're going to want to go aggressive for the cutting step.

These are great mf pads for PiXiE

RUPES 3.5 Inch Coarse Wool Pad

RUPES 3.5 Inch Medium Wool Pad


The new SONAX Ultimate Cut 6+ is really aggressive and also finishes out really nice.

Sonax Ultimate Cut 6+

I added 6 of the RUPES 3.5 Inch Medium Wool Pads, A bottle of the Sonax Ultimate Cut 6+, and 12 of the Lake Country 5.5 Inch HDO Blue Foam Heavy Cutting Pads to my cart.

https://www.autogeek.net/lc-5inch-hdo-6pack.html

But use what you have and see how it works.

The most improtant tool I have is my brain. So I hope it works good for me when it comes time to do this man's car.

I am now planning on doing a test spot with the 3D One and the Lake Country CCS Orange Light Cutting Pad, as I can now see that the paint is in bad enough condition that a test spot with the polishing pad and 3D One wouldn't likely correct the paint to a satisfactory level. Then a test spot if necessary with the Sonax Ultimate Cut 6+ and the Lake Country 5.5 inch Blue Foam Heavy Cutting Pad.

On the page for the Sonax 6+ it says,

It is best to use Sonax Ultimate Cut 6+ with a lambswool pad on a rotary polisher or a hybrid wool pad on an orbital polisher to achieve optimal abrasion potential.

Will I still be ok to use the Blue HDO Foam Pads with this compound as well?

I'm assuming that if I need the Blue HDO Pads and the Sonax Ultimate Cut 6+ for the larger sections, then it's highly probable that I'll need to use the RUPES Medium Wool Pad and the Sonax Ultimate Cut 6+, and the PXE 80 on the thinner panels.

Otherwise if I had to I could do some test spots on the thinner panels with the PXE 80.

What has been your experience with the Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish and the Lake Country Orange Light Cutting Pads? Do you get better results with the light cutting pad, a polishing pad, or does it just depend on the paint?

My line of thinking is that after I've compounded I can do a test spot with the light cutting pad, and then a test spot with the polishing pad and see what works better.

In the description of the Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish it says,

For the best results, apply Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish with a light cutting pad on your dual action polisher at a speed of no greater than 5.

Thank you for any help you can provide, as I know there is a lot of info and questions here.

[Jacob Harrod AUTOCLEAN]

For what it's worth, if I was buffing that car out, I would do the entire thing with the BEAST or the Supa BEAST.

It's worth a lot coming from you mike! When I can I think I'll get The BEAST to cut my teeth on, and then I'll add the Supa BEAST to my collection! I see how much you love those polishers, so that makes me even more exited to get them!

For thin panels I would just go up on edge. Like I show here,

If you spend enough time behind any tool you can make it dance on paint -Mike Phillips

I'll definitely read the article and watch the video. Actually I've read it before, and I'll read it again! It's a great read!

Now whenever I buff out cars I'll be thinking, "I'm making my buffer dance on paint!"

What kind of music do you think polishers dance to?

Click link - watch video

Mike Phillips - If you spend enough time behind any tool...

Roger that!

[The Guz]

You will be fine with that compound and using it with a foam pad. When I was sent out that polish to test it worked nice with a polishing pad for a nice finish.

You will like the PXE 80. It is really nice.

[Jacob Harrod AUTOCLEAN]

You will be fine with that compound and using it with a foam pad.

Roger that. I kind of figured that as well. As stated;

It is best to use Sonax Ultimate Cut 6+ with a lambswool pad on a rotary polisher or a hybrid wool pad on an orbital polisher to achieve optimal abrasion potential.

A heavy cutting foam pad would be a step below "optimal" indicating that a foam pad would be one step lower. I.E. less aggressive.

When I was sent out that polish to test it worked nice with a polishing pad for a nice finish.

I was thinking a polishing pad as well. Do you have a link or pictures to your results? I would like to see!

You will like the PXE 80. It is really nice.

Oh, I am very exited as well. I cant wait to experience for myself!

[Mike Phillips]

On the page for the Sonax 6+ it says,

It is best to use Sonax Ultimate Cut 6+ with a lambswool pad on a rotary polisher or a hybrid wool pad on an orbital polisher to achieve optimal abrasion potential.


Will I still be ok to use the Blue HDO Foam P

Will I still be ok to use the Blue HDO Foam Pads with this compound as well?

Sure. The Blue HDO foam is a nice foam. You always get MORE cut with FIBER pads because fibers are a form of abrasives - That said - until you do some testing to find out how hard or soft the paint is you won't know what you can do and thus what pads/product combo will work best in your situation.

I'm assuming that if I need the Blue HDO Pads and the Sonax Ultimate Cut 6+ for the larger sections, then it's highly probable that I'll need to use the RUPES Medium Wool Pad and the Sonax Ultimate Cut 6+, and the PXE 80 on the thinner panels.

Otherwise if I had to I could do some test spots on the thinner panels with the PXE 80.

Start by testing and this will guide you as to the path to follow.

What has been your experience with the Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish and the Lake Country Orange Light Cutting Pads? Do you get better results with the light cutting pad, a polishing pad, or does it just depend on the paint?

I use foam polishing and finishing pads with the Pinnacle AFP. If for some reason I need or want more uct I don't use a foam cutting pad with a FINE cut polish - I use a more aggressive product.

My line of thinking is that after I've compounded I can do a test spot with the light cutting pad, and then a test spot with the polishing pad and see what works better.

In the description of the Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish it says,


For the best results, apply Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish with a light cutting pad on your dual action polisher at a speed of no greater than 5.

Those are some fairly "general" recommendations on the store page. They show Lake Country ORANGE CCS pads and Lake Country WHITE FLAT foam polishing pads being used with the Porter Cable an in this context the info is kind of accurate only if using a Porter Cable you'll want to bump the speed to the 6 max setting in order to maintain pad rotation and work effectively.

The LC orange foam formula is a very NON-aggressive cutting foam so if a person was ONLY using the polish, a PC and this pad on most car paint it would do the job - that is remove most of the shallow swirls and leave the paint looking really nice.


In the real world, if a person was actually working on neglected paint - a more aggressive polish or compound with that same pad and tool would be a LOT more effective at both removing defects as well as time efficient.

Thank you for any help you can provide, as I know there is a lot of info and questions here.

Hope the above helps....