More aggressive pad? Or more aggressive compound?

[davidc]

I do not even waste my time with those issues, I use the rotary, a 6" B&S backing plate and one of the B&S wool pads. Starting with the least aggressive (Low speed and least aggressive pad) then if need be finish with a DA. Of course I was born in 54 and learned on a rotary as that was all we had.

Dave

[cardaddy]

Paging Tony AKA cardaddy. He is located south of Atlanta. Maybe he could help out.

Uhhhh... ME?

OP, I agree with the other post that the orange pad us likely *plenty* agressive enough.

OTOH... the 6.5" pads are both too big, as well as too heavy to be efficient with the Porter Cable. Well.... that and it cost a lot more to equip yourself with enough pads to get the job done than if you were using 5.5" pads.

You said you did not have any other compounds?

It could be that you just need to reach that fine line with aggressiveness (both pads and compounds) to remove the water spots and that is were playing around with various choices will help.

I have *at least* five or six different ones from both Meguiars and Menzerna, but generally... D300 or FG400 will fix anything. Plus over 100 pads and GG, Rupes amd Flex buffers to choose from.

Are you sure the water spots are still on the surface? IOW's they haven't etched below surface into the base coat? (This is where the comment about "you may have to live with them" comes into play.) Sorry.

Also were they caused from rain, or washing the truck? (Although both tend to be soft water around here... especially down here where our pH is awesome for washing.) Or God forbid were they caused by well and/or sprinkler water? Although here around Atlanta sprinkler water is the same as drinking water so that's usually not a problem.

I just say that because the worst water spots I've ever SEEN were caused on several of our vehicles in St Augustine by sprinkler water (well water from Hell) that was the hardest, most lime and calcium ridden water I've ever seen in my life!!!!!

Both of those vehicles had to be re polished (one with a compound AND polish) to remove the coating(s) and recoat, because of the damage from the stupid well water! Arrrrrgggghhh

I would be glad to look at it for you and we could experiment if you want. You will need to come to me though. I'm literally 35 minutes south of the heart of downtown, I know that because I have to visit my back doctor every month and it takes me about 30 to 35 minutes to get there from my house.

Left at Eagles Landing, 4 turns and 10 or so miles later your in front of my house.

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[tone357]

Very cool, thank you guys. Cardaddy, PM coming your way.

[Kamakaz1961]

Might I suggest something that may assist you in getting rid of the water spots. Try Carpro Iron X or some brand equivalent. That alone may take care of your problem. I have been using an equivalent brand and it removes water spots with ease. If that doesn't work then use the advise of everyone here.

[cardaddy]

Very cool, thank you guys. Cardaddy, PM coming your way.

Spunds like a plan!

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[Mike Honcho]

I'll bring the beer!

[expdetailing]

Might I suggest something that may assist you in getting rid of the water spots. Try Carpro Iron X or some brand equivalent. That alone may take care of your problem. I have been using an equivalent brand and it removes water spots with ease. If that doesn't work then use the advise of everyone here.

I trust your word, however I'm intrigued why iron x would do so? Maybe Funx650 knows?

[cardaddy]

I'll bring the beer!

Well Mike... we missed ya'.

Tony......

Hope you didn't get into trouble with 'mama' when you go home. We just didn't have enough time to get into all the various problems and/or solutions. Too many products... not enough time or money to explore them all.

Yours was wanting you home for dinner, and CarMomma was wanting me to fire up the grill. Had the big end of a 22 pound prime rib I'd saved (before cooking) to make us 3 HUGE 1½"+ ribeyes. DUDE... cracked open a 2002 bottle of (Stags Leap District) 'cab', and tore into those suckers.... both the wine and the steaks were SOOOOOOOO good!


Enough of that.....
Gotta' admit, love that color on your RAM.

Hopefully the quick once over on SMAT vs DAT made sense.

Basically one cuts quick, but may not finish as well, (although on some paints it surely will) and the other cuts less overall (although a bit more on first pass) but once you work it down it generally will finish better.

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzeeeee do me a favor though. Throw that 'water blade' away!

Remember the drying towels I showed you, the Guzzler (the only one from AG), as well as the Korean Drying Towel (from a provider we can't mention, at a place we can't talk about, which charges a fraction of 'some' places.... is where MOST of the 300 or so towels you saw came from ) are both GREAT drying towels.

We didn't get to talk about drying with a blower. Of course if you have the money to spend, the Metro Master Blaster (at ONLY $350) is da' bomb. But at well under a hundred bucks you can find a 12 amp electric blower that'll do a great job. When looking at those, don't look at MPH figures, instead look at the highest CFM figure with the highest MPH you can find. Toro makes some nice ones around $75 that last and last and last.

I've thought about pairing two of the Toro units, then running a flex hose and drying with that. I'm betting it'd put out a CHIT-load of air! It'd be pretty easy to do, mount them on a board that'd fit your detailing cart, then plumb with a bit of PVC, then a long flex hose like a vacuum hose you find at the car wash.

Once you get a good LSP on your vehicles, you'll find that drying them takes literally minutes with a blower. You'll be able to get 99% of the water off with the blower, then with a touch of Auqawax and a good quality towel you'll be able to remove all the rest without a hint of those dreaded "water spots".

Glad that I was able to address your water spot problem. I've seen worse, actually a LOT worse. Yours are all still on the surface, (thankfully) and didn't seem to have etched into the clear, much less the base coat.


Just to recap on how we got to where we finished at.
Meguiars DA Microfiber Correction System 5 Inch Starter Kit, paint correction kit, dual action polishing kit

This is what I used that you liked the best.



D300 with the cutting pad.
The other side was Menzerna FG400 with an orange Lake Country CCS pad (to use pads that you've been used to).

Followed with D302 (not the D301 "Finishing Wax" that comes in the 'kit').
Although... I'm willing to bet I could have used it with the microfiber finishing pads to finish it out. It's pretty neat stuff!
*** I didn't however because I wanted to top it with a true sealant.***

Meguiars D30216 DA Microfiber Polish

Then at the end I put a quick round of Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 on the 'corrected' part.
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant delivers a deep, wet, liquid shimmer unlike anything you can imagine.

WGDGPS 3.0 isn't cheap... but its a REALLY good sealant! CarDaddy approved!
Next most similar would be Menzerna Power Lock.

Another good one, and a LOT more affordable is Meguiar's M21 2.0 Paint Sealant. It is a great sealant, that I use a lot... one that I've used since the "1.0" days.

The REAL surprise for you I think though..... was just how good of a product Duragloss 951 Aquawax is.

Remember... I mentioned that Duragloss has this weird nomenclature where their gallons add a number, where 951 now becomes "952" (and so forth).
128 oz. Duragloss Aquawax (AW) #952

The fact that you can use Aquawax for a drying aid makes it cool enough. But that you can use it as a stand alone spray wax/sealant is pretty darned cool! The look, gloss, and feel/slickness is truly amazing. Then add that it is SUCH an affordable product and it's a win-win. The longevity is an absolute bonus!

If you'll pick up Duragloss Fast Clean & Shine you'll really like it as a QD spray, (WITH SOME GOOD TOWELS).
128 oz. Duragloss Fast Clean & Shine Detail Spray #923

But it's when you mix it 75/25 with Aquawax you end up with an astoundingly good product!
(Which is what I'm thinking the new "waterless" product is pretty darned close to.)


The one thing I forgot to mention to you was to go ahead and order at least half a dozen Meguiar's spray bottles (if not a dozen) from Autogeek. They are BY FAR the best quality, at the best prices you'll find in a spray bottle. Plus being able to get some that are pre-printed with the product you're using, then the generic bottles have even been printed with a label that takes magic marker writing and holds it well.
Meguiar's Detailing Spray Bottles 6 Pack- Your Choice!
WOW... they've jumped up to $25 for six I see. (All the ones I have were more like $16.)





Now when you get ready to do that C6.... I could be talked into a 'training day'.
Although... it'd be a CHORE to get that thing done, start to finish, in a single day. She's a prime candidate for a coating, but that means a VERY thorough buffing first. Just no need to coat paint that hasn't been at least 95% corrected. Especially a garage queen like that beauty! Now if you were to have it decontaminated, like with IRON-X, washed and cleaned, then in a long day you could probably get most of it done. Just takes a ton of time to prep and tape.

Going at it with a couple buffers it'd still be a 2 day job most likely. Just depends on where it's at, and where it needs to be. Stuff like tight areas, in and around the taillights, door handles, side gills, etc. Well... that and whether or not it'd need a multi-step correction.

I can say though that were it *mine*..... it'd get at least D300 followed by FF4000. Then there may be something in between on critical areas.

Could save the wheels for later. Those you'd want to pull off and coat for SURE.
Once you coat your wheels you'll wonder why you never did it before.

[Mike Honcho]

cardaddy for the WIN!!!

[Eldorado2k]

The one thing I forgot to mention to you was to go ahead and order at least half a dozen Meguiar's spray bottles (if not a dozen) from Autogeek. They are BY FAR the best quality, at the best prices you'll find in a spray bottle. Plus being able to get some that are pre-printed with the product you're using, then the generic bottles have even been printed with a label that takes magic marker writing and holds it well.
Meguiar's Detailing Spray Bottles 6 Pack- Your Choice!
WOW... they've jumped up to $25 for six I see. (All the ones I have were more like $16.)

Yup😉👍🏽