New to Detailing: Advice needed.

[Estroil]

First, no need to worry. Actually, you did more good than bad - based on the results you found during inspection. Once you wash, decon and clay you removed every product that masked those swirls. The true condition of the paint is always startling. Mind you there is always a chance you can introduce marring when claying but more often than not if you were diligent in your technique those swirls were already there.

Pics would help at this point but based on what you are stating, P2500 & MUP wouldn't make much of a difference. MUP has so much polishing oils that the final outcome would mask those swirls again. The white foam pad is likely a polishing pad; which does not correct medium to heavy swirls when combined with PF2500 (a finishing polish which is 2 out of 10 on Menzerna's cutting scale). In terms of moving towards more aggressive correction products you would need a cutting pad and/or a more aggressive polish.

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You can try a cutting pad with PF2500 and see if that gets you closer to your marker for "done". If you want >95%, then you will likely need something like PG1000 or MC2400 and a cutting pad, and then you follow-up with PF2500 on white. I am sure you will see a difference. You could try Meguiars 105 or Ultimate Compound as a replacement if you need something right away that a local store in your area may have. Or call Menzerna and see if they have any local distributors in your area.

Thank you so much for the advice. Since I did not have time to wait for an online order to arrive I had to shop locally.

I picked up Ultimate Compound and tried that with my white polishing pad but it was barley making a difference. The only 5-6inch pad that the local shops had was a Meguar's DA Microfiber Cutting Pad...so I picked that up along with D300 correction compound. I did not wish to go for such an aggressive combo but I had no choice.

The results were immediately noticeable with this combo. I was able to achieve a good amount of correction (80%, I'd say). I just could not get rid of some scratch type marks. Then I followed up with Ultimate Polish on White Pads. LSP was Wolfgang Ultimate Gloss Sealant.

Car looks great in the garage. I still haven't seen it outside in the sun but I'll take some pics and post them here when the sun's out.

You are on the right track with the products and techniques. I suggest you watch a lot of youtube videos on paint correction. Using a buffer machine can cause a lot of damage if not done right. Nice car by the way!

Thanks!

Really? I thought PC 7424xp was pretty much almost guaranteed safe? I hope I did not get rid of too much clear coat.

[Bulletbling]

The results were immediately noticeable with this combo. I was able to achieve a good amount of correction (80%, I'd say).

A tip that no one has mentioned that works well if you can't get everything out with the finishing polish once you're done compounding is to make three or four section passes with the pressure you typically use, then do two additional passes with lighter pressure (maybe 15 lbs and then 5lbs on the final two). This is a good technique, especially for softer paint, that allows the paint to finish down even better.

I thought PC 7424xp was pretty much almost guaranteed safe? I hope I did not get rid of too much clear coat.

The chance of you removing too much clear coat is extremely small with a DA buffer. It is possible, but the PC7424XP is very safe and would take a long time of sitting on one spot to be dangerous.

[Estroil]

A tip that no one has mentioned that works well if you can't get everything out with the finishing polish once you're done compounding is to make three or four section passes with the pressure you typically use, then do two additional passes with lighter pressure (maybe 15 lbs and then 5lbs on the final two). This is a good technique, especially for softer paint, that allows the paint to finish down even better.



The chance of you removing too much clear coat is extremely small with a DA buffer. It is possible, but the PC7424XP is very safe and would take a long time of sitting on one spot to be dangerous.

Thanks for the tip.

Glad to hear it not super easy to damage the paint with the PC.

Some quick cellphone pics of what the finished product looks like.








Here is a pic of some marks/scratches that didn't come off.

[Bulletbling]

Thanks for the tip.

Glad to hear it not super easy to damage the paint with the PC.

Some quick cellphone pics of what the finished product looks like.








Here is a pic of some marks/scratches that didn't come off.

Looks good. Upload a side shot of the whole car.

[shagnat]

Looks GREAT.... thanks for sharing you work.

[AJS]

Does no one here just clay with soapy water after rinsing? Saw larry from ammo nyc do that and have been using that method ever since

[Paul A.]

Yes, i use that exact method and like it. Plenty of lubrication. Plus i like to fully wash after Iron X anyway and i do that before claying.

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Looking pretty good.

Any pictures of the full car?

[shagnat]

Somewhere I read the car soap will deteriorate the clay.... Dunno if it's true or no.

[AJS]

Somewhere I read the car soap will deteriorate the clay.... Dunno if it's true or no.

I'd rather have my clay disipate twice as fast than buy more products. Clays cheap