To buff or not to buff?? That is the question.

[mcpp66]

A friend asked if I could remove the defects out of his 2007 VW Jetta. Yesterday I took out the Defelsko and the overall paint thickness was around only 100 microns or so. Now I only measured the trunk, but for the sake of discussion lets assume that number is consistent throughout. Would you guys consider that a little too thin to work on? I'm not entirely comfortable working on that even with a PCXP. I certainly would not take a rotary to paint that thin and I'd even think twice about using a Flex. Typically I would use either the PC or the Flex with UC or 105 on an orange pad, follow that with 205 on a white pad, then finish it off with 85rd on a black pad. That combo typically gives me good results. However 100 microns is thin and I'm a little tentative because of that. I realize it would probably be fine using a PC, but still thought I'd come over here to solicit some opinions. I may just end up using ColorX on a green AIO pad with the PC and/or Flex just to get rid of of the dullness currently in his paint. What do you guys think? Almost forgot to mention, this is a daily driver that currently sits outside 24/7. Thanks.

[DetailedByPrecision]

I would just do a AOI paired with a proper pad that cuts enough, but leaves the finish LSP ready if it sits outside 24/7. Then let your friend maintain it as best as possible.

[brlukosk]

I thought around 100 was normal? Compounding should only take off a few?

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[sahrcar]

I too thought 100 was still safe to do whatever with. I was under the impression that once you start getting a reading of 80 or less then thats where you have to start worrying about pulling out the rotary or not. Take a reading from the door jams or some other area which never gets polished and that way you can get somewhat of an idea of the paints original thickness when it was brand new.

[Rsurfer]

Not true. The door jam measurement should be the lowest mics that you should cut. So if your door jam measures 80 mics that doesn't mean that the paint on your hood started out at 80 mics.

Take a reading from the door jams or some other area which never gets polished and that way you can get somewhat of an idea of the paints original thickness when it was brand new.

[truckbutt]

Most thickness guages I believe measure the base and clearcoat. To get a better sense of what the clearcoat thickness is, you take a measurement in the door jamb and subtract it from the measurement elsewhere. The reason being that the clearcoat is thinnest in the door jams.
As per Minimum paint thickness specs - Professional Detailing Business Forums

[Mike Phillips]

What was the reading in mils?

Kind of relative but I've always used the mil measurement so that's my frame of reference.

Regardless, stick with your instincts, experience and common sense. Educate your customer and maybe just use a light cleaner/wax, even something like GPS

[mcpp66]

I thought around 100 was normal? Compounding should only take off a few?

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I'm not sure there is such a thing as normal. In my experience factory paint jobs have always been at least 130 microns, this was the thinnest factory paint job I've ever measured.

[mcpp66]

What was the reading in mils?

Kind of relative but I've always used the mil measurement so that's my frame of reference.

Regardless, stick with your instincts, experience and common sense. Educate your customer and maybe just use a light cleaner/wax, even something like GPS

I didn't measure it in mils, but I think a mil is 25.4 microns so that works out to about 4 mils.

[mcpp66]

I would just do a AOI paired with a proper pad that cuts enough, but leaves the finish LSP ready if it sits outside 24/7. Then let your friend maintain it as best as possible.

My thoughts exactly.