Jim - 03S8

and didn't get the expected results. Although my 2000 A8L looked much improved, after 3m imperial hand glaze with porter cable, I had 500 watt halogens beaming down and saw significant swirls marks that were not removed by the porter cable and glaze.

I think I should use a polish first, please advise...

Jkay

... then you NEED to use a very dangerous rotary buffer and professional cutting compound. The clear coat on our cars is only rated to have this done ONE TIME, after which it will become too thin, and eventually fail.

My advice: either let the deep swirls go, or bring it to a professional.

You could try Meguiar's Scratch-X and see if that helps any before you give up. It's actually a clearcoat filler.

Lastly, there is a special Detailer's Forum here on AudiWorld! The people who are there have waxed more cars than you've had hot meals. So they may be able to help.

ex-a8drifter

Oh, about that Mequires Scratch X.....didnt do a damn thing on my S2K....not even a nice wax.

Acceler8

1. wash car
2. Clay bar
3. Deep polish
4. finishing polish
5. Glaze
6. Wax
7. drink a beer and smile at your accomplishment


also, check the revolutions on your buffer, certain products will recommend appropriate speeds for there products.


I actually did something similar last weekend, but thats due to my curiosty of random older products.

Jkay

1> Wash and Dry

2> Clay Bar

3> Scratch-X

4> Wax

Under shop lights, you can and will see an improvement after Scratch-X. I attended a Meguiar's detailing seminar, and after every step we examined the results under the shop lights.

As I mentioned to the original poster, it's important to recognise which scratches are simply too deep for a random orbital buffer and over the counter products.

I know this isn't a common household item anymore, but cellophane cigarette pack wrappers amplify surface "feel" for your fingers, so laying down a piece on your paint and touching it with your fingers gives you an excellent idea of the surface condition.

Do it after you wash and it'll feel like HELL, with a billion microscopic pieces of grit imbedded in your paint surface.

After you clay bar, and Scratch-X, it's smoother than silk and visibly less swirled.

Then you're ready for a top coat of wax.

Kimchee

is a good polishing pad and a good cutting polish.

I recommend the following.. and you can buy this from www.properautocare.com.


I hope you have the "backing plate" for the porter cable.

Get a yellow cutting pad, a white polishing pad, a black finishing pad and a red finishing pad.

Then pick up some Menzerna Intensive Polish, Final Polish II, Glaze and FMJ.

The yellow foam pad is the most abrasive and should be paired with the Menzerna Intensive polish. Work 2 x 2' sections for 2 minutes.

Do that across the entire car.

Then, use the white pad with the Menzerna Final Polish II to clean up any micro marring.

Then use the black/grey pad to apply the glaze (glazes are used as gloss enhancers and filler agents).

Then use the red pad to apply the FMJ (this is a sealant).

Not all scratches will come out. It's really dependant on the maintainence and products/techniques used to "correct" the paint.

If you really really want a scratch free finish... hire a very good professional to "level" the clearcoat.

A good detailer will be able to minimize the scratches and bring it back to a beautiful finish.

Email me if you have more questions.

Jkay

quote:
<i>hire a very good professional to "level" the clearcoat.</i>

Is levelling an overpaint process or an abrasive thing?

Kimchee

you're essentially "cutting" down the clearcoat evenly across the car in order to remove most scratches. Scratches, swirls, marring and uneven clearcoat is what prevents a mile deep shine. The clearcoat is super fine, so a really good detailer will take a paint depth gauge and measure all the clearcoat so that he/she knows how much to work with.