Scenario: What would you do in this paint correction situation??

[Whitethunder46]

Scenario: Average paint condition as far as hard/soft goes.

Swirls: average amount for say a... 4 year car.

What combo would you grab first and why?
What combo should you grab first if you were going by the "textbook."

The polishes would be either Optimum line or XMT 1-4.
Edge pads (or LC pads that are similar in cut).

Would you grab for a yellow Edge pad and XMT 3 or green pad and XMT4?
Would you grab yelllow pad and OC or green edge pad and OHC?

Get the game?



I basically want to know what is going to give the results the best and be the "smarter choice?".

For instance... yellow pad and OC should get everything out, but you're almost guaranteed some micromarring from the heavy cut pad which you would have to go over with a lighter polish/light pad and really take the time to get out the marring.

OR you could use OHC and green pad BUT you may not get all the swirls out, so you would have to take the time to step up (which is somewhat of time wasted). If it did get all the swirls out, you would more than likely have hazing from the OHC which you would then go over w/ a light polish/pad but could do this step quicker than the finishing polish w/ the scenario above.

EDIT: would your choices vary depending if it was w/ the PC or a Rotary?

[budman3]

You should always use the least aggressive approach. My go-to polish and pad combo is SSR2.5 and an LC white polishing pad. There is no need at all to use anything more aggressive than a light cut pad (LC orange). If there are still swirls after my initial polishing with the 2.5, I'll follow up with SSR1 and be done with the swirl removers. If there are still swirls left, which would be minimal, I believe that it is best to leave them be and enjoy a 95% swirl free car without risking going too far. All of the above is with the PC.

Now with the rotary, nothing changes. Stick with polishing or finishing pads. They'll be less evasive and much easier to control vs. cutting pads. On extreme cases I've used OHC and LC oragne pads followed with OP and a white pad and was almost swirl free.... but the finishes were really shot and with a 4 yo car, you shouldn't need aggressive pads.

[D]

Edge green pad and XMT 2?

[Mike T]

Whats going to be your LSP?
I'd say go with a light cutting pad and a medium abbr. polish. Pretty much anything you use on that car with make a great improvement. Four years is a long time of neglect. The shine left after polishing would take the eye away from the imperfection.

[JBs]

cover the car in gasoline, light it on fire, put it out w/ mr clean soap, stand in awe at how it dries w/ no spots, use a rotary at 3000rpms w/ xmt4, light on fire one more time and you should be set.