Oops...first mistake... (Flex PE8 slipped)

**QuinGold** · 06-17-2015, 05:36 PM

It was going so well too...

I was almost done with polishing my dolphin gray-colored Miata and I got a Flex PE8 to polish the bumpers and lower side panels. I had been using it at speed 4 with no issues yesterday. Today as I was doing the lower side panel on the passenger side (the green tape is the bottom of the door in pic), I decided to bump it up to 5. Maybe because I was getting tired, but I lost control of the machine and it burned through about one inch of paint. It happened so fast, I'm not even sure which part of the machine hit the paint to cause this problem...

Question: how do I fix this? Meaning, who do I hire to fix this - would the Mazda dealer be the right choice, or a body shop?

Feeling sad...

**tedj101** · 06-17-2015, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by QuinGold

It was going so well too...

I was almost done with polishing my dolphin gray-colored Miata and I got a Flex PE8 to polish the bumpers and lower side panels. I had been using it at speed 4 with no issues yesterday. Today as I was doing the lower side panel on the passenger side (the green tape is the bottom of the door in pic), I decided to bump it up to 5. Maybe because I was getting tired, but I lost control of the machine and it burned through about one inch of paint. It happened so fast, I'm not even sure which part of the machine hit the paint to cause this problem...

Question: how do I fix this? Meaning, who do I hire to fix this - would the Mazda dealer be the right choice, or a body shop?

Feeling sad...

That will require a body shop. I would not go to the dealer (and I am a former Mazda dealer). The dealer most likely subs it out. Find a good body shop and let them do the right thing. That won't be that expensive to fix properly. It's one small panel.

<TED>

**Billy Baldone** · 06-17-2015, 06:24 PM

With Mazda paint being some of the softest on the market, you really had no business using a rotary on that car. I have had 4 Miatas and most polishes with my PC is all it has ever taken to correct them.I have a 3" backing plate and pads for the tiny areas. Wow.

**jsgntulok** · 06-17-2015, 06:42 PM

Oh my! I feel for you. A couple of weeks ago I was using a PC with 3" pad to polish the liftgate of my 2015 Subaru Outback. In a moment of inattention I bumped the metal housing of the PC against the paint. Damage is not a severe as yours, but still hurts.

If you by chance live near Tulsa OK, pm me and I can give you the name of two body shops that do work that approaches perfection.

**custmsprty** · 06-17-2015, 06:58 PM

I just got a PE8, I was doing headlight correction with it and 4 is blasting. I'll never run this machine anywhere near 5 or 6. I can only imagine how much heat that will generate with these small pads. This machine is small for a rotary but it's still the size of a GG6 and it's got a LOT of power. Use with caution.

**Evan.J** · 06-17-2015, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by Billy Baldone

With Mazda paint being some of the softest on the market, you really had no business using a rotary on that car. I have had 4 Miatas and most polishes with my PC is all it has ever taken to correct them.I have a 3" backing plate and pads for the tiny areas. Wow.

Not necessarily true. When it comes to surgical buffing/ polishing you can take a 3" pad all the way to the 1" pads to tight areas and this is where a rotary can be a great tools to have.

You can't always get a DA with a 3" pad into every spot on a car. With a rotary and an extension or 2 it makes those tight areas easy.

I agree with you that mazda has soft paint and I'm sure that areas where a DA could be used probably should have but its a tough lesson to be learned.

I will stay that surgical buffing is something that shouldn't be rush and should take extra care when doing so.

With the PE8 I wouldn't be taking it up that high in speed no real need to.

OP lesson learned and taking care when polishing is always the utmost importance. I would take it to a very reputable painter in the area.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...ing-tools.html

**QuinGold** · 06-17-2015, 08:17 PM

Thanks all. I'll find a local repair shop and see what they say.

I didn't realize Mazda had soft paint. Part of why I wanted the mini PE8 is that it not only smaller but lighter too. I didn't realize it would be so hard to control just from going from 4 to 5. I'll stick to 3 now…

I'm near Albuquerque, NM, if anyone has a recommendation.

My husband used Quanz recently to swap out a new bumper on his Ford Escape (a woman ran into him), and they were very good. Seems to be highly rated. Quanz Advanced Auto Care-Albuquerque Auto Repair Services

**Rsurfer** · 06-17-2015, 09:11 PM

It's not only Mazda, but all Japanese cars have soft clear and more so on the plastic bumpers. They use a flexing agent in the paint which makes it very soft. Be careful when doing bumpers on all makes including MB, BMW , VW and Audis.

**swanicyouth** · 06-17-2015, 09:19 PM

That doesn't look like you burnt through the paint - but it looks like the paint twisted or "paint twist". This is from heat - especially on plastic painted parts. Ammo NYC / Larry has a video on this regarding how you need to be mindful of the substrate of the surface your working on.

Bottom line - plastic or carbon fiber doesn't dissipate heat as well as metal. Be careful on parts made out of these materials.

You fix it by paying a body shop.

**VP Mark** · 06-17-2015, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by Billy Baldone

With Mazda paint being some of the softest on the market, you really had no business using a rotary on that car. I have had 4 Miatas and most polishes with my PC is all it has ever taken to correct them.I have a 3" backing plate and pads for the tiny areas. Wow.

Don't know about this. My Mazda 3 is hard as a diamond. I think it was more the surface that he was polishing than the paint itself. Plastic bumpers don't dissipate heat like metal body panels.