A complimentary Finishing Product....

[lugNutz]

I have literally spent the last 6 hours reading through thread, after thread, after thread. My brain and eyeballs hurt now. lol.

Moving on, I plan to do my yearly detail, trying some new products, and i'm looking for your opinions. Even though I read so many posts/threads I know some products compliment others, which is why i'm hoping someone has used the same combo and is happy with the results. The route I plan to take is...

1)Harbor Freight pad (orange) with Meguires 105.
2)Harbor Freight pad (orange) with Meguires 205.
3)?? (fill in your favorite finishing touch here).

As a side note, I do not own a DA, rather just a rotary polisher/buffer. I have used this many times before, but never with these pads. Are these pads okay to use on a non-DA polisher?

 

[gofast182]

I think for a wax it's pretty safe to say there's a general consensus Collinite 845 is a top choice. It's not so clear which paint sealant is best but a few folks here really like Menzerna Power Lock.

 

[qwertydude]

If you're not experienced foam on a rotary is pretty tough to master. They really tend to hop a lot and can make the polished surface quite hot. Plus M105 in particular flashes off very fast with rotary and foam. To the point where professionals were cutting it with mineral oil in order to extend the work time.

When it comes to compounding with rotary and M105, wool is definitely a better choice. Not only does it keep your paint cooler so you run far less risk of burning paint, it levels paint better for better deep swirl removal and I find a wool pad lasts longer than foam when it comes to compounding and polishing. It also tends to use less polish than conventional open cell foams like HF's cheap pads. Plus if you're two step polishing even if you're not a wool/rotary pro you'll get rid of any hologramming on the finishing polish. And M105 holograms much much less even on wool and with a little practice no hologramming at all.

You might be better served with Meguiars Ultimate Compound for the cutting step. It has much more lubrication so is easier to use when working with rotary.

 

[The Critic]

Well first of all, how is the condition of your paint? Is this a daily driver?

At least to me, it makes little sense to correct daily drivers to 90-100% perfection. In fact, even 80% is probably not worth it, IMO. Daily drivers are going to get scratches and marring from heavy use and constant car washes.

Your vehicle has a finite amount of paint, so I would go with the least aggressive method that makes sense. Usually on daily drivers I look for an improvement as opposed to perfection -- which often means doing a 1-step polish with a medium polish like M205 or PF2500.

The Nissan paints that I've worked with so far are fairly soft. I would try M205 on a Uber or Buff & Shine green pad and see what results you get. If it is a darker color, and especially if it is soft paint, you may want to go back over each panel with M205 on a black pad to maximize gloss.

I think a lot of people do not realize this - but Meguiars M205 has a lot of cut for a finishing polish. From my experience, it cuts significantly more than HD Polish or Menzerna SF4000.

Rotaries are difficult to finish hologram-free on, so more power to ya if you are able to finish hologram-free. I would definitely strip the paint using an IPA mix before applying your sealant to confirm that the oils are not covering up any holograms.

 

[lugNutz]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
I would definitely strip the paint using an IPA mix before applying your sealant to confirm that the oils are not covering up any holograms.

IPA mix?...

My car is a DD but I like to keep it looking sharp as it is the only one I own lol.

So what you are saying really is that I can use the 205 then move on to the Collinite 845 with no issues or steps in between? I'm assuming to apply the 845 a panel at a time?

FWIW, I forgot to mention that I will be doing the Nanoskin autoscrub to get a years worth of [censored] off my car.

 

[The Critic]

IPA = Isopropyl Alcohol. I usually get the 91% version from Walgreens and mix it 1:3. After each panel, soak the panel with this mix to break-down/remove the oils that may be covering up any holograms.

M205 is a good starting point if all you have are light wash-induced swirls or marring. It's hard to say without a picture of your paint's condition. But remember that compounding does remove a decent amount of clear, so if you plan to do this on a regular basis, using the least-aggressive method (that makes sense) is the way to go.

I used to do the whole car with 845 before removing. It's been a while since I've used that stuff as there's better stuff out there, IMO.

 

[lugNutz]

Thanks for the advice, it is much appreciated. You say there is better stuff out there.. Anything you would recommend that is good quality, but also good value, that would last an extended period of time? You talked me out of doing both the 105 and 205, but I still plan to do the nanoscrub and 205, just need a decent top coat for our harsh salt up here.

 

[The Critic]

845 works fine, I just find Menzerna PowerLock to be easier to use.

Like it said, it's hard to say what you need without being there in person, but if you can post up some pictures, some of us may be able to give you some direction.

Also, I hope that you'll be using the 2-bucket method for washing and only using the cleanest/softest mf towels and wool wash mitts...