XMT 360 Fail??

[galaxy]

So my dad is a huge 360 fan; rants and raves about it all the time. I did some research and found pretty positive feedbacks on it. Well, ended up getting a brand new bottle cause my dad had extra. Couldn't wait to give it a go.

This morning, I had a couple of spots to touch up. Fixed the areas I needed fixing and finished that off with 205, leaving a perfect surface. Decides to try the 360 over this and see the results.

Well, lo and behold, I was not impressed. I noticed I was leaving swirls everywhere as I went along. This was with a black LC pad on my Flex with a speed of 4. Couldn't believe it was leaving that. Thinking it may be the pad, I swapped to a white pad. It was leaving swirls just slightly worse than the black pad!! I didn't really play around with the speeds after this as I was done, but I can't imagine speed would have much of a significant effect considering how soft the black pad is. I had to go back over my test areas with 205 to repair what had occurred.

So, question...###?? What are you guys that like 360 doing to achieved great results?? What's your application method and pad/speed combos?

[Jaretr1]

I had no such issues with 360 on my dad's pearl white Acura. Although that color hides swirls very well. 360 has very little to no correcting ability in my opinion, just a good all around cleaner / sealant thats relatively easy to use and pretty easy on the wallet.

[mwoolfso]

Anytime you are instilling swirls in the paint it is rarely due to the product itself. Based on your explanation, it seems that you did not establish a process and approach that would meet your expectations on a test spot, either. I could be off on a few things (don't mind being wrong), so clarify where you see fit.

In my opinion, if the surface was perfect after 205, a finishing polish, then moving to an AIO is taking a step backwards in my way of thinking. What were you looking to accomplish with 360 after perfecting the paint with 205?

Back to your question. I use a white or green pad speed setting 4 - 5, and perform a number of section passes with some pressure (but not too much) to activate the abrasives. As I end the polishing cycle I will reduce the amount of pressure to moves towards polishing. If the paint is soft then I would consider a green pad moreso than white.

[mg6045]

you might want to look into something going on in your process other than the product. I've used this product before and IME it does not have the cleaning power to leave its own swirls. If 205 is finishing perfect, i dont see how 360 would not.

Try using firm pressure the entire time while buffing with 360 until you stop. A lot of AIO's use non-diminishing abrasives and its always best to use pressure throughout the entire buffing cycle. But again, if your having no issue's with 205, then you obviously understand this already.

strange. I found Blackfire's AIO to haze soft paint as well, but it did not leave swirls.

[rider9195]

My guess is that 205 filled in some of those swirls and then when you used XMT 360 it cleaned the paint of the 205 therefore revealing the swirls.

[mg6045]

Also a picture would be great.

Are the swirls very uniform ? Or are they only a couple in a circular pattern ? This will tell the true story. Products that leave there own swirls because of sharp abrasives, do so in a very uniform pattern like a wool pad would do. If your only seeing a few and there uneven in distribution its likely something your doing wrong. ie: not working clean.

[BorisC]

I've never experienced that. I use either a LC orange, white or sometimes green (CCS or flat depending on what I have). I usually set the speed around 5-5.5 either on the PC (1st gen) or the Flex 3401.

[galaxy]

My goal with the 360 was for that "in-between" super light swirl touch up from normal daily use/washing plus the sealant quality. Figured this'd be the perfect product to use under my XMT 180 that I like. It was just a coincidence that I was using it on top of the 205 today, but like I said, that was following some touch up spots today. My intent would be to use it I between polishing normally, not on top of.

[galaxy]

Yes, swirls are very uniform, indicating (to me at least) the results of the product or the pad.

205 on a white pad immediately and easily took the swirling right away.

[weekendwarrior]

Did you re-wash the vehicle after using 205 to remove any possible dust/residue that was dried and pushed around by the 360?