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  1. #1
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    Fully Detailed Vehicle But Defects Remain...Need Advice

    Hi All,

    I've been detailing my vehicles (plus some friends and family) for many years. Perhaps the last five years or so I've taken a serious approach to detailing exterior/interior with a Porter Cable DA but because I only do it 2-3x per year I would still classify myself as novice. Last fall my wife got an excellent used 2019 Ford Escape with 10,000 miles. It is a titanium edition and fully loaded with every option. We normally don't buy used but it is certified by Ford (upgraded warranty) and the price was amazing. However, we did have hesitation because the dealer disclosed that the vehicle was a rental car out of Florida. Immediately Florida man came to mind and beating the hell out of the vehicle lol. Anyways, the paint looked fine (as did rest of the vehicle) and unfortunately each time we visited the vehicle it was raining...so I didn't get to examine the paint under perfect conditions.

    Fast forward to a few weeks ago and I'm starting to prepare to do a full interior and exterior detail on the vehicle since the weather is in the 70's now. I see swirls and such and decide I will try a more radical approach (I've never used the yellow pad) then what I am used to doing. I decided to use Meguiars Mirror Glaze #2 Fine Cut Cleaner with a yellow Lake County pad. When I did the detail (took 7 hours from top to bottom) everything looked exceptional. Then I took it in the sunlight and everything still looked exceptional except two areas. A few areas of the roof and majority of the hood looked okay. Still nice to 90% of people but I could see the defects. I can only see the defects when looking at an angle in the light. Anyways, below are the steps I performed and a sample picture of the upper hood defects that remain. My next question is how should I tackle these defects next full detail?

    1. Wash with foam gun
    2. Iron-X and wash
    3. Meguirs clay bar
    4. Wash with foam gun
    5. Yellow pad with Meguirs #2 Fine Cut Cleaner on hood and roof. The rest of the vehicle was white pad with Meguirs #2.
    6. Entire vehicle with white pad andMeguiars Mirror Glaze #9 Swirl Remover 2.0.
    7. Entire vehicle with white pad and
    Meguiars Mirror Glaze #7 Show Car Glaze.
    8. Entire vehicle with Klasse sealant (two coats)
    9. Entire vehicle with Chemical Guys Butter Wax (one coat)
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Fully Detailed Vehicle But Defects Remain...Need Advice-img-9096-jpg  

  2. #2
    Super Member 2black1s's Avatar
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    Re: Fully Detailed Vehicle But Defects Remain...Need Advice

    I'm not familiar with the products you used... Maybe they were simply not aggressive enough to achieve the correction level you desire, or you just need to get more aggressive with your process, i.e., more passes, more pressure, etc.

    Typically if the product/pad combination you are using isn't aggressive enough, you can compensate (to some extent) by doing additional passes. It will take longer, but you can usually reach the desired result (within reason).

    In any case, looking at the picture you attached, you need to get more aggressive... Either with pad and product, or with your process, and possibly all.

    Your situation is also a great testimonial for doing a test spot to dial-in your process before proceeding with the entire car. If you would have done that first, then the seven hours you just spent could have been used more efficiently.

  3. Likes fly07sti, PaulMys liked this post
  4. #3
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    Re: Fully Detailed Vehicle But Defects Remain...Need Advice

    Look into your procedure also. I have a few friends that after I saw how they used a polisher, I corrected them and had them move the polisher much slower, they were using it like they use a paintbrush back-and-forth fairly quickly and that doesn’t give the products or the pad time to work. So count to four seconds when you’re moving across in a 2 x 2 section give everything time to work.
    Glen -

  5. #4
    Super Member opie's Avatar
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    Re: Fully Detailed Vehicle But Defects Remain...Need Advice

    with 2black1s and glen e

  6. #5
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    Re: Fully Detailed Vehicle But Defects Remain...Need Advice

    What size are your pads? Mike recommends using a 5" backing plate and pads with the PC.

  7. #6
    Super Member vobro's Avatar
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    Re: Fully Detailed Vehicle But Defects Remain...Need Advice

    Not knowing your technique I’d say the chemicals you used aren’t helping. Also next time do a test spot, better to see these blemishes in a 2’x2’ area right away instead of seein them 7 hours later. Since the 2 problem areas are the roof and hood which the sun hits at a different angle than the sides I’d bet the sides will also look the same if the light hits it

  8. #7
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    Re: Fully Detailed Vehicle But Defects Remain...Need Advice

    And be careful as I bought a used car with several bird etchings and I wasn’t able to get them out. Well, I was able to get the ones out on the trunk lid but I was into the color layer afterwards. I knew that was a possibility which is why I used the trunk lid that is harder to see normally and if it gets worse I’ll get it repainted. Note, I used wet sandpaper to get them out as I had exhausted all other normal polishing and compounding steps. So the major etching above my passenger side rear door and on my hood will stay as they can’t be removed, which is a possibility for you. Sometimes the fix can be worse than the initial flaw.

  9. #8
    Super Member oneheadlite's Avatar
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    Re: Fully Detailed Vehicle But Defects Remain...Need Advice

    One other thing to check on your approach - are you only using one of each color pad to do the whole car for each step?

  10. #9
    Super Member fly07sti's Avatar
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    Re: Fully Detailed Vehicle But Defects Remain...Need Advice

    Lots of helpful info here. I will say that what you used basically just removed the road film. If you want to get rid of the swirls and marring I’d recommend the Meg’s MF cutting discs with D300 for your Porter Cable to remove the defects. Then get Meg’s M210 or Meg’s Ultimate Polish to use with your yellow polishing pads to clear the have left from the compounding.

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  12. #10
    Super Member PaulMys's Avatar
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    Re: Fully Detailed Vehicle But Defects Remain...Need Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by fly07sti View Post
    Lots of helpful info here. I will say that what you used basically just removed the road film. If you want to get rid of the swirls and marring I’d recommend the Meg’s MF cutting discs with D300 for your Porter Cable to remove the defects. Then get Meg’s M210 or Meg’s Ultimate Polish to use with your yellow polishing pads to clear the have left from the compounding.
    Working for a Ford dealer, and dealing with the local body shop for dings/dents in newer models, the guys at the body shop have repeatedly told me that Ford clear coat has been on the harder side for quite a few years now.

    Any finishing polish (especially with a PC) isn't likely to do much for removing swirls.

    As already mentioned above, use a 5" backing plate. And use thinner 5.5" pads with a more aggressive product. (Griot's Fast Correcting Cream is a great one).

    And keep the PC cranked up to "Ludicrous Speed". (Speed 6).
    It is no coincidence that man's best friend cannot talk.

  13. Likes Paul A., fly07sti liked this post
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