Going from a abrasive compound to a finishing polish

[uhohitsstevo]

Is it bad to go from a hard compound that is really abrasive right to a finish polish like po85rd or is it recommend to use something in between.

for example

M105 orange pad, followed by po85rd

or should i use

m105 - then m205 - then po85rd

when is the advantage of using the 3 step rather than the two step? If there is any holograming would the po85rd be strong enough to get it out?

also, I have a few spots on my car that might need a microfiber cutting pad to get through but the rest of the car is in good condition, can i use the microfiber cutting pads on certain parts? and then finish with the same product or will it look weird, what are your recommendations for this.

[vobro]

Most of the newer compounds finish out a lot better than old school "rocks in a bottle" compounds and yes your above combo can work. On lighter colors a one step is ok for a lot of people and they won't notice that a final polish was or wasn't used, with a proper technique. The best way to know is to do a test spot and see if it comes out to your standards.

[uhohitsstevo]

So basically will

M105 orange pad, followed by po85rd

m105 - then m205 - then po85rd

finish out the same?

and

will spot treating difficult spots with a microfiber cutting pad and doing the rest in foam and then finishing with foam finishing pad be noticeable or will it finish out the same.

[custmsprty]

Or you could go one step with FG400 or Hd Adapt and tweak your pads and save time and money.

[vobro]

I've seen guys just use M105 alone with different pads get awesome results, also M205 can also be used on scratches that you'd swear needed a compound. There's no magic answer and to many variables, do a test spot

[FUNX650]

IMO:
Performing "The Test Spot" will
provide you with the best answers.


Bob

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

For me, po85rd is only reserved when extracting the maximum amount of gloss from the panel is desired.

In your scenario you will be better served by utilizing M205 on a polishing pad to remove and clear up anything left behind from M205. After that you can utilize po85rd on a black finishing pad or finer to get that last bit of gloss.

Yes you can perform spot correction in the needed areas and then follow up with the polishing step over the entire vehicle.

[Zubair]

Or you could go one step with FG400 or Hd Adapt and tweak your pads and save time and money.

I've seen guys just use M105 alone with different pads get awesome results, also M205 can also be used on scratches that you'd swear needed a compound. There's no magic answer and to many variables, do a test spot

The above is 100% what I personally believe. Too much nonsense on the net about redundant steps that don't yield anything worth shouting about. Modern compounds can be one stepped or worst case use the same compound on a softer pad and its lsp ready. Don't fall for marketing hype and fanboy sensationalists, keep it simple.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

I rarely do 2 steps these days. Most of the time a 2nd step won't yield the results that make it worth it. Find the right combo of tool, pad and polish and get it done. Your car is black, so when using MF pads, unless the paint is super hard, you'll probably need to follow with a 2nd step in those areas. Lighter colors can be 1 stepped all day long with MF pads.

[richy]

It depends entirely on your skill level and the degree of correction you were going for in the first place. Some paint is so bloody hard, you need to get very aggressive to reach what you want to and that creates its own problems that need a 2nd and third step to get perfect. Having said that...that's very rare. I 3 stepped that AMG S55 I did last week, but if it was for another customer who wasn't a detailer himself, and also didn't want it better than new, 2 steps would have been fine. The old "test spot" as alluded to above, is paramount to determine what will work. Don't be afraid to think outside the box. I live there, LOL. Also, do your test spot on the worst area. If it works there, it will work everywhere (unless you've got sections that are re-paint or something weird like that).