1995 Brilliant Black Mazda paint woes

[Jumbosrule]

Hi all - I'm a newb to the forum and a relative newb to detailing. Got my PC and full array of products & pads about a year ago and have spent a lot of hours reading and developing my skill. I own two cars which I care for and wash myself - a 1995 Brilliant Black Mazda Miata and a 2004 Laser Red Infiniti FX35.

I guess the first thing I really should clear up is the type of paint and what products work best. From everything I have learned, the Brilliant Black paint is single stage with no clear coat. Just about every flaw possible exists on the black paint. Chips, scratches, etching, swirls, holograms... it's all there. Here's a photo after a wash and clay - no reflection at all.



After about four hours on just the hood with products and polishing only, here's where she stands today. There's actually a reflection now, but I have spots that I believe are chips.



I have actually attempted wet-sanding on the front fenders with limited success. The problem I have is that the heavy cut polishes I am using don't seem to be removing the 2000 grit sanding marks completely. I have to go over the same panel four or five times with the most aggressive combinations I have - and it is still not removing the sanding marks.

Could use some advice for an agressive heavy cut polish and pad combination for my single stage paint. Was interested in 3M products, but it seems they have specific usages, "for new clear coat finishes, etc".

[Jons6.7]

Can you give a little more info. what pads (make,color,size etc) and what products you have used with them.

This will make it much easier to see where you are and what will be more aggressive for you.

[mjlinane]

Surbuf + Megs M105 = a combo that works well for me for correction. Probably would start with Megs or Optimum MF pads first, though.

[Jumbosrule]

Can you give a little more info. what pads (make,color,size etc) and what products you have used with them.

This will make it much easier to see where you are and what will be more aggressive for you.

XMT aggressive cut with CCS 5" yellow pad

Sonus SF-1, 2 & 4 with CCS 6.5" orange, white, red

Happy with the Sonus products for finishing, just need advice on the wet sanding transition to machine polish compound. Open to anything but interested in 3M.

[Jumbosrule]

Bump. Any suggestions for 3M compounds?

[Jumbosrule]

So I attacked the hood for a wetsanding session this past weekend.

As I was working to smooth out what I thought was bird dropping etchings, I ended up uncovering bondo. Had no idea it was there or that the hood had been repainted, but there's no doubt now. After I smoothed it out, I had to use some touch up paint on the area. Still need to wetsand the repair.

Wetsanding the fenders gave me a white grit run-off, which I now understand was clearcoat. On the hood it was black grit run-off, which is a single stage paint. On the positive side, I'm surprised the color matches so well. I thought the entire car was single stage.

After wetsanding the hood, it polished out very nicely. The fenders on the other hand still show wetsanding marks and I've used my most agressive pads & polishes a half dozen times without success.

I found a 3M rubbing compound here on AG, so I'm just going to give it a try based on the reading I've done.

[embolism]

I've never wetsanded but maybe you can get rid of the 2000 grit marks with 3000 grit and then your compound will have an easier time getting those marks out.

[TLMitchell]

I've never wetsanded but maybe you can get rid of the 2000 grit marks with 3000 grit and then your compound will have an easier time getting those marks out.

TL

[Jumbosrule]

That's the plan! Picked up 3M 3000 grit paper this week and I ordered the 3M heavy cut rubbing compound. I may try the 3000 grit paper with the products I already have at home if the compound doesn't arrive by this weekend.

I also bought a lambswool leveling pad and microfiber bonnets to add to my detailing arsenal. Going to try using them in combination for buffing, instead of removing wax by hand. Hoping it speeds up the process.

[embolism]

I prefer to remove my wax by hand. Gone are the days of tonnes of chalky residue (read turtle wax), especially if you put on a thin coat of wax by machine to start.

with a MF folded in half twice, you have 8 clean sides with which to remove wax residue. Once the bonnet gets filled up with residue, you'll have to stop, possibly turn it inside out, or put on a fresh one otherwise your ability to remove wax will be diminished.

just grabbing a fresh mf and refolding it is faster imo.