Dark Charcoal Grey Metallic Jeep

**Alfrazier3** · 08-25-2015, 11:29 PM

Hi guys, I bought my first Jeep last week. It is a 2011 Grand Cherokee, the paint is a Dark Charcoal Metallic. The paint is decent has some light scratches and usual wear and tear. The dealer ran it through their detail shop but they didn't do a great job.

I'd like to do it on my own. I have a Makita buffer with buffing / polishing pad. In my current mix I have Meguiars Black Wax, Ultimate paste, cleaner wax, nxt, showcar 7, yellow wax, and meguiars clay bar. I'm not opposed to trying new product but I'm looking for some direction. First dark colored car I have detailed and first with some flake to it.

Any help would be appreciated.

**davey g-force** · 08-26-2015, 12:29 AM

Sounds like the Makita you have is a rotary, correct?

Do you know how to use it / have you used it before?

Other than that, most of the products you have are good but they're all waxes or glazes. You will need some sort of compound / polish to get rid of the scratches.

I'd suggest Meguiars Ultimate Compound and M205.

**Alfrazier3** · 08-26-2015, 07:09 AM

I do know how to use the buffer. Should I compound, clay bar, wax?

**Souldetailer** · 08-26-2015, 07:24 AM

Originally Posted by Alfrazier3

I do know how to use the buffer. Should I compound, clay bar, wax?

Wash, claybar, wipe clean or rinse or wash again, compound, polish (will add extra shine), then wax. Good luck.

Peace,

Darrin

**Billy Baldone** · 08-26-2015, 07:29 AM

I don't mean to come off like a bit of a jerk but you said that you know how to use your rotary buffer but yet you have nothing listed that really goes with the buffer that you have. and this is the 1st dark color vehicle that you've ever done??? What products have you used with your buffer? and what vehicle did you use it on before?

**davey g-force** · 08-26-2015, 02:19 PM

^^ exactly what I was thinking.

How can you know how to use a rotary but not know about (or even own) any compounds or polishes?

Not having a go at you OP, just trying to find out your level of experience so we can help. If you've never compounded with a rotary before, I'd be wary of doing it for the first time on a car you care about. It's easy to do permanent damage to paint with a rotary in inexperienced hands.

**Alfrazier3** · 08-27-2015, 07:33 AM

My previous vehicles were silver. So I have used the buffer on them before with the ultimate compound and I was pleased with the results. I also have compounded and waxed fiberglass hulls on boats before. So I think I'm decent with the Makita. Was just looking for some tips or tricks.

I'll see if I can dig up some pictures from when I did.

**Billy Baldone** · 08-27-2015, 07:40 AM

Ok. We are just trying to help you.

Mike Phillips · 08-27-2015, 08:14 AM

Originally Posted by Alfrazier3

I do know how to use the buffer. Should I compound, clay bar, wax?

Wash
Clay
Compound
POLISH
Wax

When you go to polish, if you're a Meguiar's guy get some M205 for the last polishing step. Also get some really good soft foam pads to avoid holograms in the paint.

Since Jeeps are actually somewhat of an intricate body design to buff out wit a lot of thin panels I'd recommend getting the below,

4" Rotary Buffer Backing Plate

5 Inch Hybrid Power Finish Orange Pad

Inch Hybrid Power Finish White Pad

5 Inch Hybrid Power Finish Black Pad

Meguiars M205 Ultra Finishing Polish 8 oz

If you have more cars to buff out then get the 32 ounce bottle.

Meguiars M205 Ultra Finishing Polish 32 oz

Also get a 12 pack of the Gold Plush Jr. Microfiber Towels and a pair of Microfiber Gloves.

12 like towels means you can make a small wash load with ONLY these towels and then dry them together then get a dedicated plastic storage bin to store them in when they are clean. Take my word for it, having a nice collection of some quality towels just for you Jeep will be a real blessing and then TAKE CARE of them.

From this thread,

1971 Dodge Charger R/T - 1940 Oldsmobile Streetrod shine by Pinnacle

Personal recomendation...
For all the compounding, polishing and future application and removal of the Pinnacle Crystal Mist Detail Spray you really need at least a dozen high quality microfiber towels like the Gold Plus Jr. microfiber towels.

Take my word for it these are nice towels and we go through a LOT of them for projects like these and to take care of just one car for a project like these a dozen would be the minimum amount. If you want to be stocked up so you never run out of clean towels in the middle of the project then get 2 dozen.

The other benefit is you only want to wash like towels with like towels, with a dozen or two it makes it practical to run your towels through either a small or medium size wash load all by themselves. Treat your high quality towels like any of your prized tool by taking care of them and in return they will take care of your car's finish.

Gold Plush Jr. Microfiber Towels 12 Pack

Mike Phillips · 08-27-2015, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by Alfrazier3

So I think I'm decent with the Makita. Was just looking for some tips or tricks.

I think I'm decent with a Makita, here's a picture of mine. It no longer works as I think I buffed out too many cars with it and gears no longer mesh.

Most important tip is to clean your pads often as you work around the car.

Why it's important to clean your pads often...

When you're buffing out a car it's important to clean your pads often. By cleaning your pad often you will work faster and you will enable your pad and product to work more effectively. Be sure to have both clean terry cloth towels on hand and also a nylon pad cleaning brush. It's also a good idea to have plenty of pads so as a pad becomes wet with product you can switch over to a clean dry pad. Dry pads work better than wet pads.

ANYTIME you're abrading the surface whether you're using an aggressive cutting compound of an ultra fine polish, you have two things building up on the face of your buffing pad...

Spent product
Removed paint

You need to remove both of these substances from the face of the pad and the panel you're working on before you apply fresh product. If you don't,

You increase your chances of leaving micro-marring in the paint.
Adding fresh product to spent product and removed paint adulterates the fresh product, it also dilutes it.
Buffing with a dirty pad will be more difficult.
The product will cake-up on the face of the pad.
The product will become gummy on the paint and hard to wipe off.

How to clean your pad with a nylon brush
Here's how to clean a pad with a nylon brush.

NOTE: you do this with the polisher turned OFF.

Congrats on the Jeep!