Need product and pad recommendations

[Phalcon51]

I just bought a 92 Mercedes 300E with black single stage paint. It's pretty badly badly swirled from years of automatic car washes and I'd like to bring it back to pristine shape. I've got a PC 7424 with the Edge pad system (unused as of yet) and I'd like to get some recommendations. Is there a line of products I can use in direct sunlight? (I'm in So. CA where we really don't have winter) I have no garage or sun tent available. I figured I'd start early in the morning and take a break during the hottest parts of the day and then continue in the mid afternoon. I seem to recall reading once about a line of products that were ok to use in direct sun, maybe DP or Poor Boys or one of the others.
Am I likely to have to use a couple of products to get rid of the heavy swirls and then finish off the micro swirls? What pads should I use with which product?

Also, for anyone familiar with Mercedes, can I use the PC to polish the grey lower cladding, which I think is plastic? Not sure if it's painted or color impregnated.

Thanks for any help

[Lone_Star]

Phalcon51, if I remember correctly you can use the optimum or XMT product in sunlight. Here is a link to a discussion on it. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...&highlight=xmt. Hope this helps

[Kelso]

yea xmt is going to be perfect for what your doing i think, but watch the videos, they halp you understand the products more so check it out and have some fun with it

[Matt S.]

Hi Phalcon51,

The Pinnacle XMT products can be used in the direct sunlight and work great with the PC 7424 and the Edge 2000 pads.

As a general rule of thumb you should start with the least aggressive approach and only go as aggressive as you need to remove the paint defects. XMT offers 3 Swirl Removers, Ultra Fine, Fine and Intermediate.

Each XMT item page on the Autogeek site suggests which pad to use with each product.

I'm not 100% sure about the lower cladding on the Mercedes so hopefully someone else can help out with that question.

[Lone_Star]

Phalcon51--sorry I did not see about the plastic. More then likely it is color impregnated, as paint on plastic has more of a tendancy to chip, flake, or peal.

[Truls]

XMT 1, 2 and 3 + glaze works fine. Great stuff

The lower parts i do think is colored plastic (no paint on top?) im not sure about polish on them. depends on the surface.

[nick19]

I would recommend the Edge pads, and either OP, XMT, or DP Super Swirl and Mild Swirl remover. DP stuff is on sale for $10 a peice. You can't go wrong with this stuff. PB's 1,2,2.5 are also good swirl removers too.




-Nick
5-Star Auto Detailing

[FloridaNative]

Another vote for XMT. I love this stuff and it can be used in the heat of the day in direct sunlight on a black car (I've tested it. ) Poorboy's polishes can also be used in the sun but they dust more. Still good though.

[Phalcon51]

Thanks for all the replies! I think I'm going to try the XMT line.
With the degree of swirling that I have, I suspect I'm going to have to start with the Intermediate Swirl Remover and probably an Edge orange pad., though I'll try something less aggressive first just to make sure.

Do I need to work my way down through all 3 grades of swirl removers, or can I go from the Intermediate to the Ultra-Fine?

Here's what I have to work with:

[FloridaNative]

Thanks for all the replies! I think I'm going to try the XMT line.
With the degree of swirling that I have, I suspect I'm going to have to start with the Intermediate Swirl Remover and probably an Edge orange pad., though I'll try something less aggressive first just to make sure.

Do I need to work my way down through all 3 grades of swirl removers, or can I go from the Intermediate to the Ultra-Fine?

Here's what I have to work with:

It's really good stuff. I think you will love it. It also has awesome cleaners in it.