polish pads and compounds for my old jeep?

**bradleyheathhays** · 12-15-2022, 12:10 AM

I've got a great survivor '96 Jeep Cherokee in Flame Red. I had a local professional detailer do some kind of cutting process a few years ago that really brought the bang back out of the color. Since the fender flares were looking worn I just finished repainting them with a rattle can base color and 2k clear coat process, and other than the orange peel they look really good. Actually they're upclassing my paint finish now so I need to get my body shine up to speed. I've got a griot's 6in polisher and other than that I need to be coached through what I need to get to give my paint a good simple polish. But I'm trying to do it cheap so just the minimum is perfectly fine. It's got a fair number of small scratches/blemishes that are just gonna stay, so I'm not looking to make anything close to perfect here.

Basically I need to know, what pads should I get and what product(s) should I use with them? I've seen some kits that might be good enough for an amateur like myself.

Also, if there's anything designed to work in colder weather please let me know. I don't see it getting warm around my area anytime soon.

**luckydawg** · 12-15-2022, 12:53 AM

Well since it sounds like a quality job is not a high priority for you / your goal & you dont want to sink any time or money into it also

Just go down to your local Auto zone and they will have a GREAT selection of just what you need. They will have a good selection of Griots products including pads-- pick up 3 of their Boss line of pads and a bottle of Meguiars ultimate compound ( not polish )

Then all you need to do is come up with a LSP-- sounds to me that something in a spray would fit you

Good luck

**dlc95** · 12-15-2022, 03:39 AM

I have three sets of gear. One I keep at my house, one at my gf's where I do the bulk of my personal, private work, and one I keep at my part time gig.

They all have a core compound / polish in 3D ONE. I get a lot of milage out of it.

I typically use a microfiber cutting pad in the Buff and Shine Uro-Fiber, or Lake Country HDO Microfiber, and yellow B&S Uro-Tec or orange HDO CCS. Pick one of each, add 3D ONE and you can get a LOT of territory covered.

Sometimes the microfiber pad will finish down enough to not need the foam polishing step, and sometimes the foam polishing pads cut enough to not need a microfiber cutting step.

As someone facing a wide variety of scenarios I also keep 3D ACA500 for a heavier cut, and AAT502 for ultra fine finishing.

**luckydawg** · 12-15-2022, 06:26 AM

Spend a little time on YT and watch some videos

As much as I dont like the guy- you can look up dallas paint and correction videos and he has a couple of vids on how to polish a car for beginners.

There is a lot that goes into a quality paint correction but on a "beater " like your car and the overall level of of time, effort & $$ you want / dont want to put into it--the above will get you the results you will be more than happy with. Biggest mistake folks like you will make is not keeping your pad clean. On a beater like yours with out seeing it-- twice a panel. I go thru 5-6 pads EASY on a truck paint correction thats in real good shape, maybe 4 on a car.

**2black1s** · 12-15-2022, 01:46 PM

Based on your description of expectations, I would start with a good AIO... Depending on the amount of correction you are looking for, Meg's #6 (or the consumer equivalent Cleaner Wax in the maroon bottle) or D166 are good choices. Of those three, the 166 will have the best correction ability. Use any one of them with a foam "polishing" pad (Meg's DFP5) or even a "cutting" pad (Meg's DFC5). Stay away from the soft "finishing" pads.

As for the number of pads, more is better, but there are workarounds where you could get by with less to minimize the initial cost.

**Flash Gordon** · 12-16-2022, 06:08 AM

I would tape off your freshly painted flares before polishing. Rattle can clear coat isn't polisher friendly

For pads and polish I would go with a half dozen microfiber cutting pads and mequiars 100 or 110.
You could get by with less pads if you want to break this job into doing part of it 1 day (wash pads) after they dry you can proceed to the next section.
Once done this finish will last longer if you lay down a ceramic.

**noorth** · 12-17-2022, 12:34 AM

3D one with a microfiber pad and a foam polishing pad is really good advice.

If your looking for specific's get the blue or orange microfiber from Lake Country and the orange FOAM polishing pad. I would get the orange SDO with CCS if you have a short throw polisher or the HDO if you have a longthrow. GREAT PADS. I personally feel they are considerably better than the rupes foam pads in user experience.

**bradleyheathhays** · 12-17-2022, 04:33 PM

Wow, thanks for all the great advice. This really gives me a good info base on which to start building my finishing knowledge.

**dlc95** · 12-17-2022, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by 2black1s

Based on your description of expectations, I would start with a good AIO... Depending on the amount of correction you are looking for, Meg's #6 (or the consumer equivalent Cleaner Wax in the maroon bottle) or D166 are good choices. Of those three, the 166 will have the best correction ability. Use any one of them with a foam "polishing" pad (Meg's DFP5) or even a "cutting" pad (Meg's DFC5). Stay away from the soft "finishing" pads.

As for the number of pads, more is better, but there are workarounds where you could get by with less to minimize the initial cost.

I hadn't used the D166 in a while. It works great but the scent is really off putting for me.

We cut with D300 on LC HDO MF pads, and finished with orange HDO a.d D166.

The only Meguiar's AIO I have is M06 Cleaner Wax. It's closer to M66 than the A12 maroon bottle version.

Fall of 2019 I did a friend's black Tahoe. I wanted to test out my M100 and M205 with B&S Uro-Fiber and yellow Uro-Tec pads. I ended up going around the entire vehicle with the M06 on black Buff and Shine finishing pads. That M06 did a great job eating the oxidation and lighter defects. I did that all with an old school Porter Cable 7424. I only used the M100 and M205 on the hood.

**dlc95** · 12-17-2022, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by Flash Gordon

I would tape off your freshly painted flares before polishing. Rattle can clear coat isn't polisher friendly

For pads and polish I would go with a half dozen microfiber cutting pads and mequiars 100 or 110.
You could get by with less pads if you want to break this job into doing part of it 1 day (wash pads) after they dry you can proceed to the next section.
Once done this finish will last longer if you lay down a ceramic.

I still really love those Meg's offerings.

M110 is a real winner in my book.