Thoughts about conservative approach i took to start polishing / sealing 2016 black 4runner

[Toolhead]

okay.. so im into the wg line of products.. just like the performance / results and imo the hard to make a mistake with the line..well worth $$.

2016 black metallic 4runners swirled out
flex3401 with force hybrid pads
wg UC
wg TSR
wg finishing glaze
wg dgps
wg perfekt finish paint prep (pfpp)
ps21 carnuba

did decon: wash, ironx, then nanaskin rub down.. buttery smooth paint afterwards.

after doing a test spot with finishing glaze..still have too many swirls for my preference.

went to the TSR and got the finish i was looking for..still have some swirls but eyeballing 80 % corrrection.

then went to finishing glaze polish

then cleaned with pfpp

then applied dgps

then topped with ps21 following 12 hour cure

i still have some remnants of swirls..but i really have to look for them.. eyeballing from foot away and the paint looks near flawless

i could have done UC to improve the correction but figured.. its soft paint. itll swirl even with me handwashing based on other readers postings about this model/ paint code..(thank you OP of that thread..this was very helpful with me deciding to sidestep UC immediately)..

figured i am getting the correction which makes the paint get into top 1% of paint condition for a DD..

conserving Clearcoat

better to save the clearcoat required for a UC process several years down the road...as i tend to keep my cars for well past a decade...

thoughts about this conservative correction process??

[Setec Astronomy]

Sounds fine to me.

[Don M]

Keeping it simple and going at the finish lightly. A winning combination.

[idriveblackcars]

I don't see any issues with getting them all out or at least attempt to make 100% perfect at least once. Then maintain the paint as best as possible during maintenance washing. I would save the conservative corrections for annual details or if needed.

But what you did is fine too.

[Toolhead]

I don't see any issues with getting them all out or at least attempt to make 100% perfect at least once. Then maintain the paint as best as possible during maintenance washing. I would save the conservative corrections for annual details or if needed.

But what you did is fine too.

agreed.. maybe what i didn't convey well in my posting was that im looking to save that portion of clearcoat for UC compounding several years down the line, where there will be more wear/ tear/ swirls and scratches in the paint..

[Desertnate]

*snip*

better to save the clearcoat required for a UC process several years down the road...as i tend to keep my cars for well past a decade...

thoughts about this conservative correction process??

You statement right there, shows your doing it right. For a daily driver, I don't think it's worth pursuing a 100% solution and it's better to keep the long term future in mind.

If you're careful, you may never need to use a compound on anything other than a few really bad spots life might throw your way. I only use a mild compound/swirl remover on one of my cars, but that is simply because the paint is so hard a finishing polish won't work. The rest all get a finishing polish as a paint refresh. No need for agressive finishing of the paint.

One thing you might try the next time around is a slightly more aggressive pad with the Finishing Glaze. It might not offer any difference from your current approach, but you never know.

[Toolhead]

You statement right there, shows your doing it right. For a daily driver, I don't think it's worth pursuing a 100% solution and it's better to keep the long term future in mind.

If you're careful, you may never need to use a compound on anything other than a few really bad spots life might throw your way. I only use a mild compound/swirl remover on one of my cars, but that is simply because the paint is so hard a finishing polish won't work. The rest all get a finishing polish as a paint refresh. No need for agressive finishing of the paint.

One thing you might try the next time around is a slightly more aggressive pad with the Finishing Glaze. It might not offer any difference from your current approach, but you never know.

thanks.. i went with orange for TSR and then White with Finishing Glaze.. were you suggesting something diff..

i wanted to jewel the paint as much as possible for the finishing glaze so i went with the white pad for the final polish..

[Desertnate]

Something to try out might be either the TSR on white or Finishing glaze on orange. Either one might yield the results you're after in a single step with that approach.

I don't know how the paint's compare, but I can easily correct my wife's 2013 Highlander with crimson pearl using nothing but a white flat pad and Meguiars Ultimate Polish. The paint is really soft and I'm able to get it gleaming in a single polishing step.