I'm a beginner and need some advise

**kiwi007** · 03-31-2017, 05:02 AM

Hope I'm posting this in the right section

I picked up a '98 BMW with a lot of scratches in the paintwork, mostly on the sides, below is a photo of what it looks like

I'm a beginner and need some advise-img_1022-jpg

I'm a beginner and need some advise-img_1021-jpg

This is a closer look

I'm a beginner and need some advise-img_1015-jpg

And this is a close look at a section after three passes using a DA polisher and Wolfgang total swirl remover, as you can see there are still some scratches present.

I'm a beginner and need some advise-img_1014-jpg

I could do with some help in choosing a good compound and pad to get better and perhaps faster results?

Sorry just realised the photos are upside down..................Thanks

**Setec Astronomy** · 03-31-2017, 05:36 AM

I don't know what kind of magnification/scale that last picture is at, but those would appear to be RIDS (Random Isolated Deep Scratches) and common sense would tell us that if you try to remove them you risk thinning the clearcoat too much. How does that section look from 5 feet away?

**GSKR** · 03-31-2017, 06:12 AM

I just did a 1932 cadillac single stage and very thin soft paint.I used sonax cutmax and the polish 04 06 came out beautiful with some thin pro cutting foam pads.just like setec said you can't chase every scratch just make it shine safely.Check out my FB page St lucie auto spa.The cadillac is posted on there.

**GSKR** · 03-31-2017, 06:15 AM

Is it single stage meaning do you get paint on your pads from the fender you are polishing?

**WRAPT C5Z06** · 03-31-2017, 08:00 AM

What pad and polisher did you use with TSR?

Mike Phillips · 03-31-2017, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by kiwi007

Hope I'm posting this in the right section

I picked up a '98 BMW with a lot of scratches in the paintwork, mostly on the sides, below is a photo of what it looks like

And this is a close look at a section after three passes using a DA polisher and Wolfgang total swirl remover, as you can see there are still some scratches present.

I could do with some help in choosing a good compound and pad to get better and perhaps faster results?

The Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover is a medium cut polish.

You need a TRUE compound. The Wolfgang Uber Compound is a true compound. You could go with that or like Jeff recommended and also a great compound, the SONAX CutMax.

You also what to be using a cutting pad on your DA polisher.

Mike Phillips · 03-31-2017, 08:54 AM

I just posted the below in another thread but it applies to you too...

Also, if you have not marked the back of your backing plate to make it easy for your eyes to see pad rotation then do so.

The pad MUST ROTATE in order to remove anything. There's a bunch of detailing gurus in the blogosphere that have tried to tell me they can remove swirls while a pad is stalling or simply ONLY vibrating against the paint but I never believe them and better yet... no one has ever proved it.

Read these two articles....

Mark Your Backing Plate - Makes it easy to see Pad Rotation

DA Polisher Trouble Shooting Guide

Watch this video...

In most cases I'd say the Hex Logic pads are,

1: Too thick

2: Too large in diameter

My guess is the TorqX is going to struggle to maintain pad rotation. You might be better off getting THIN pads to use this too.

Check out the thinness of these pads as compared to what you're trying to turn and churn...

5.5" SUPER THIN FOAM PAD OPTIONS for your Dual Action Polisher

Super thin 5.5" foam buffing pads

**WRAPT C5Z06** · 03-31-2017, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by Mike Phillips

The pad MUST ROTATE in order to remove anything. There's a bunch of detailing gurus in the blogosphere that have tried to tell me they can remove swirls while a pad is stalling or simply ONLY vibrating against the paint but I never believe them and better yet... no one has ever proved it.

Are you referring to long throw machines as well? Even with those, I don't see how just vibrating against the paint could still correct. Some say they will.

**kiwi007** · 03-31-2017, 04:53 PM

I was using a Meguiars G220 V2 DA polisher with the Meguiars backing pad and the soft buff 2.0 cutting pad.
The magnification in the last couple of photos was quite high and taken inside, while the RIDS are quite hard to see but when caught in the right ligt show up quite easily.

The first two photos show what it was like before I started and the third photo show the before under a bit of magnification, while the last photo shows it under a bit of magnification afte using the TSR.
The first pass removed quite a lot of the scratches and the following 2 remove quite a few of the RIDS but there are still some left.

All the scratches are on both sides of the car from the front doors back, the front guards don't have any of the RIDS, just swirls, the same as the hood trunk and roof only seem to have swirls. It's like the sides have been continuously brushing against something.

Most products that available online here are not easy to come by in New Zealand

A couple of places I can by product
https://detaildepot.co.nz/brand/meguiars/
https://smitsgroup.co.nz/Products

**shinny car** · 03-31-2017, 09:58 PM

Hi like you I live in New Zealand. Good car cleaning products are hard to come by or they cost a #### load of money.
if you ant the good stuff shop on Amazon or Waxit in Ozy that is where i get all my stuff from. if you are after a Rupes Polisher get it from Wyatt machines in NZ. New Zealand gets ripped of in this country big time on everything
good luck with your car