Chuck A6 4.2

I detailed the top of the car this weekend (hood, roof, trunk). My earlier posts mentioned spots on the clearcoat that wouldn't come out. Well, they are still there, but with the car detailed, they are much less noticeable in the sun. They are mostly noticeable under the fluorescent lights in the garage.

Step 1. Griots clay with Griots Speed Shine applied by hand.

Step 2. 3M Perfect-It Foam Polishing Pad Glaze Swirl Mark Remover applied with a Meguiars foam pad on a Porter Cable 7424. The swirl remover is hard to buff out if it begins to dry. I had to over apply the remover to keep the work area from drying too quickly. Also, it seems to leave the paint slightly cloudy. It did a nice job removing the swirls, though it didn't get all the scratches. I decided to live with the latter for now. The Meguiars foam pad started to rip slightly. I don't recommend it.

Step 3. 3M Imperial Hand Glaze applied with Griots polishing pad on the 7424. IHG brightened up the paint considerably. But, like the swirl remover, it was hard to buff out if it dried before I finished buffing.

Step 4. P21S Gloss Enhancing Paintwork Cleanser applied with Griots polishing pad on the 7424. GEPC went a step farther than the IHG in glossing the paint. It was very easy to buff out.

Step 5. P21S Carnuaba Wax applied with the supplied foam applicator. This stuff is a dream to work with. Easy on, very easy to buff off. I put on two coats. This product is great.

I used Griots microfiber polish and wax towels throughout.

Before I settled on this process, I compared the IGH and the GEPC side by side. The GEPC did a better job of cleaning up the spots than IHG. I decided to use them both in sequence because I wanted to work the paint as much as possible.

I'll post pix after I do the sides next weekend. I will also add a couple more coats of wax to the top sides.

RaudiA7

agree with your observations - P21s is a cleaner+polish, IHG is pure glaze, IMHO

Ted K

don't see how that is possible using a Porta Cable rotary buffer. Also, P21S wax says to allow 24 hours between coats to allow the wax to "fully Cure". Putting on two coats in the same day is unfortunately, just waisting your wax and your energies.

If you want to get the spots out of your clear coat, try this (and it's done by hand only):

Mix a dolop of P21S Multi Surface Finish Restorer with 3M IHG. Do this twice, with a foam applicator applying moderate pressure in circles (glaze is the only thing applied and removed in circles). Then follow up with one coat straight IHG, then GEPC, and wax. If it doesn't get it totally out, wait 7 days and repeat. That will give the IHG a chance to set up in the surface of the paint before the next application. Works for me to get etching from bird droppings out of the paint.

Chuck A6 4.2

most explain that it is to avoid swirl marks. Since the 7424 doesn't cause swirl marks, I figured there would be no problem using the 7424.

Thanks for the wax tip. My container of P21S wax did not mention anywhere about waiting 24 hours between coats. I reread the back of the container and the instruction leaflet after reading your email. I still didn't see anything about that. It makes sense to wait, though.

I did consider using the finish restorer, but I have spent way too much time with the car in the last couple weekends. Life has to go on. But, I will check that out when it comes time for the fall cleaning.

Seattle Scott

what's the difference? One might be more noticable but visible scratches are visible scratches.

You want to make a surface smooth you either fill it or sand/polish it with progressivly smaller sized abasives till the scratches are small enough.

I'd venture to guess instructions that state to use a back and forth motion are because most people can't do a rotating figure eight like a machine can.

Maybe I'm missing something.