very fine scratches , how to cover ?

[nicholas]

Hey
Im wondering what product you guys would reccomend to cover up alot of very fine scratches. In direct sunlight it looks like spider webs over the car., So I think they are in the clear coat.

I am wondering if I should clay bar the paint- but honestly I dont really know what a clay bar does ?

The paint is a dark blue color .

I have waxed in the past with NuFinish, but the fine scratches come back after a couple of weeks.

Any suggestions would be great .
thanks

 

[XS650]

A claybar only takes off stuff sticking above the level of the paint. It's should be sliding on a layer of water/soap type lube so that it isn't actually touching the paint. It won't touch the spider webbing.

It sounds like you need a good polish job by someone who know what they are doing, it's real easy to go right through clear coat and ruin your paint job.

Zaino has a hand applied product that does a limited job of filling and hiding minor spider webbing. Others may too.

Just don't get happy with a power buffer and remove your clear coat.

 

[blackcherry06]

I bought a Porter Cable 7424 and some waxes / polishes and foam pads from AutoGeek and I've never been happier with how my car looks. I had spiderwebbing and some fine scratches that are now gone. My paint literally looks showroom new. I'm only sorry I waited this long to start caring for my paint in this way. Polishing out imperfections by hand....well, it s*cks to be honest and IMO doesn't yield nearly the results of a good orbital buffer. What I like most about it is that it's impossible to mess up your paint with one, as opposed to a rotary buffer which can quickly burn paint if you don't know exactly what you're doing. My first experience with an orbital was a complete success, so if I can do it, anyone can.

 

[Saturn_Fan]

Because of your post i am finally going to take the plunge on the Porter 7424. I had always been afraid of doing damage, but I am sick of 4-6 hour cleaning/sealant/carnauba wax sessions. Especially with three vehicles now.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Saturn_Fan
Because of your post i am finally going to take the plunge on the Porter 7424. I had always been afraid of doing damage, but I am sick of 4-6 hour cleaning/sealant/carnauba wax sessions. Especially with three vehicles now.

I will 2nd the PC 74xx recommendation. They are pretty much fool resistant. I think mine is a 7436, the same thing with different attachments.

I mentioned the 74xx options because I found a good deal on my 7436 at Lowes a couple of years ago.

 

[blackcherry06]

Hope this helps..basically my shopping list from AutoGeek. I opted for orange pad with an ultra-fine polish to get rid of the scratches. IMO it's better to start with a very conservative approach to see if it nets you the desired result. Heavier polishing than necessary is just a waste of clearcoat. If you find the lighter stuff doesn't go deep enough for you, move to the next, more aggressive product. The stuff on this list is exactly what my paint needed, but your results may vary.

If this is your first time doing anything like this, be sure to watch AutoGeek's instructional videos. It really helps take out the guesswork.

 

[Saturn_Fan]

You guys have me really excited. Can't wait to get one! I am stoked. My hands and wrist will be happy too.

 

[Saturn_Fan]

I will have to study up on the pad choices. I get confused by the differences with polishing, cutting, glazing, buffing, etc on the pad types. I am going to use the 7424 on a brand new car and it doesn't have much in the way of fine scratches yet.

Any input on the differences in pad types? All I really want to do is do the following:

1. Apply Meguiar's NXT 2.0

2. Apply Meguiar's #26 Brazilian yellow carnauba wax over that NXT.

Thanks for posting your order on there. That was helpful.

 

[Gillsy]

Originally Posted By: nicholas
Hey
Im wondering what product you guys would reccomend to cover up alot of very fine scratches. In direct sunlight it looks like spider webs over the car., So I think they are in the clear coat.

I am wondering if I should clay bar the paint- but honestly I dont really know what a clay bar does ?

The paint is a dark blue color .

I have waxed in the past with NuFinish, but the fine scratches come back after a couple of weeks.

Any suggestions would be great .
thanks
If my memory serves me correct, NuFinish is very abrasive, and may be adding to if not the source of your troubles. After 30 years of hand rubbing, and buffing I bought a Porter Cable 7424 and I wonder what the heck took me so long to get one. It is a random orbital polisher. They are very easy on finishes. The rotary polishers are what the pros use, but without practice, you can easily burn paint. I am particular, and this is what I consider the best compromise of many different products. Porter Cable 7424, Pinnacle XMT 360, and a Lake Country Green CCS pad. XMT products were designed for the 7424, and similar polishers. It is great stuff. It cleans, corrects, and seals. Properly applied, it buffs and disappears. Probably 95% of all residue is gone. Simply wipe remaining residue off with a clean microfiber cloth. It doesn't get any easier. You can go to youtube.com and search 7424, and Pinnacle. That is where I learned about both products, and got the courage to purchase both. You'll wonder what took you so long. The XMT 360 goes through upstate New York winters, and is still doing the job. I've not used anything as durable.

 

[blackcherry06]

I forgot to mention that I top it all off with a thin coat of AutoMagic pure carnauba paste wax. It spreads on the red pad like butter on hot toast and it really lasts.

If you're at all confused, watch the videos on AutoGeek..they tell you what pads and products to use together, the order to use them, how to use them, and what they do. They really leave nothing out. I did change their recommendations a little by downgrading the abrasiveness of the polish. I didn't need heavy swirl remover.

 

[Saturn_Fan]

Thank BC06! Appreciate the comments.

 

[MKZman]

Originally Posted By: Saturn_Fan
I will have to study up on the pad choices. I get confused by the differences with polishing, cutting, glazing, buffing, etc on the pad types. I am going to use the 7424 on a brand new car and it doesn't have much in the way of fine scratches yet.

Any input on the differences in pad types? All I really want to do is do the following:

1. Apply Meguiar's NXT 2.0

2. Apply Meguiar's #26 Brazilian yellow carnauba wax over that NXT.

Thanks for posting your order on there. That was helpful.

For applying sealants and LSP's as you use, you would use the black (LC colors) pads. I would also suggest getting some white polishing pads if you ever use a pre-wax cleaner or pure polish.
There is not any significant difference between black (aka gray) and blue. Not many use red.

White: polish/pre-wax cleaner
Black: Glazes, cleaner wax, pure wax.
Blue: pure wax (like #26)

 

[Saturn_Fan]

Thanks MKZman. Ordering the white black and blue with the 7424. Can't wait to try it out. Let's see how deep of a shine I can get from the Black Sand Pearl of the Corolla!

BTW, what exactly does a "cutting" pad do?

 

[JHZR2]

Id put a glaze and then use a non-cleaner wax for a few coats.

JMH

 

[bretfraz]

Originally Posted By: Saturn_Fan
BTW, what exactly does a "cutting" pad do?


Cutting pads are much firmer and more dense than the others. They "bite" into the paint and work very well with medium polishes designed to remove oxidation and more serious paint defects. They require more hand pressure on the machine in order for them to work properly. They're the first step in restoring neglected paint finishes and typically must be followed with a softer pad and lighter polishes to maximize shine and gloss.

 

[RTexasF]

Saturn fan -

By only ordering pads to apply waxes you are missing out completely on polishing/paint correction. With the correct pads & polish you can remove the spiderwebs/marring/light scratches as opposed to simply covering them up with NXT 2.0 which is full of fillers. Fillers hide the imperfections but do not remove them. A few washes and there they are!

Among others, Lake Country orange pads are made (with the correct polish) for removing such marks leaving a perfect polished surface. From there you apply a sealant or wax. There is also a yellow pad for removing bad/stubborn marring that the orange can't. It may leave marks of its own and require polishing again with a white pad. The yellow isn't required often though.

A cheapo Sears buffer will apply wax/sealant but doesn't have the muscle for paint correction. Consider looking at the complete packages that many detail sites offer with the PC 7224 or 7336. They are the same machine with different counterweights.
They offer an assortment of pads, polish, and sometimes microfiber towels which are a must. Pay the money for the better towels and you will need more than you think. Depending on the job I'll go through 12-15 easily. Buy plenty, buy quality.

 

[MKZman]

I think the pad selection (especially using yellow) is based upon the polish chosen and paint (soft, hard). There is no need to unnecessarily mar a paint if orange or green with the correct polish is used. Start conservative and go to more aggressive steps. White to green to orange. As you say, if you use yellow or orange, you will likely need to go back with white and a finishing polish to remove the marring.

Since one will likely mail order LC pads, you might as well by a green, orange, yellow pad just to have them. I have been using the 5-in LC CCS pads.