What to order?

[LAfirefytr]

I need some help figuring out what I need to oreder. I'm trying to figure out if there is a major difference between consumer line and professional line. I am about to place an order and need to find out what product/product line I need. I have scratches on my truck from edge of small limbs scraping down the side. I also have some Dealer Installed Swirl Marks that came free of charge when I purchased my truck! I got SCRATCH X and used it the last 2 days. I was able w/ much "PASSION" as Mike would say, to get most of the smaller scratches out but some of them are still visible when you look at an angle. I also have a long white colored rub that goes across both passenger side doors(crew cab). The X minimized/lightened it but was unable to remove it. It was the deeper of all scratches/rubs. It isn't deep enough to feel edges though.
I do not know what products I need and need some suggestions. I can get some of the consumer line here locally but if there is a big difference in performance I would like to go w/ profeesional line. I am getting a G100 when I buy the products. What is the best way/products to get out remaining scratches and swirl marks (the swirls are the cobweb type when you look in proper light at an angle on the truck)
Should I use 83, then 80, followed by 21 or NXT wax
Or is there a better product or sequence to remove scratches and cobwebs?
The vehicle is a 2004 Nissan Titan Crew Cab so the paint is in new condition overall other than scratches/swirls.
THANKS FOR ANY ADVICE--------

[Magic]

Should I use 83, then 80, followed by 21 or NXT wax

If working with a PC, start with the 80 first, then move up to 83. But if one coat of 80 works great, try a 2nd coat of 80 and you might be able to skip the 83 step. But if you not getting anywhere with the 80 move up to the 83. Don't forget if you use the 83, you'll need to work you way back down to 80 before you poplish/wax.

Are the scratches deep? Can you feel them catch with your fingernail?

[Mike Phillips]

Feathersanding

Hi LAfirefytr,

Removing random, isolated deeper scratches cannot always be done, it is completely dependent upon how deep the scratches are, how thick the clear coat is and your ability to carefully either massage the clear coat surrounding the scratches off the surface or to make a judgment call and determine the scratches are too deep and to live with them.

In your case, probably the best thing to do would be to go with the M83 and the M80 with the G100 polisher.

If after buffing the scratches using the M83 does not remove them, then you will probably have to live with them.

Assuming there is plenty of clear coat on the panel and the scratches are not to deep, then it is possible to remove them but the preferred method for individual, random deeper scratches is by first sanding the scratch out and then removing your sanding marks using a rotary buffer. Neither of these two procedures are for the faint of heart.



Here's something I posted to a similar thread here,

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=28013

Originally posted by red vette
thanks Mike,
My mistake,yes I have been using scratch X for awhile now on all my vehicles,not having any luck though removing a couple light scratches,cannot be felt with finger nail,but repeated tries with ScratchX still has not removed them,any idea's?

John

Hi John,

If repeated applications of ScratchX is not removing the scratches in your finish, this tell me two things.

• Your paint is very hard
• It will require a machine applied Professional Line product to remove the scratches.

The way I usually remove is with an advanced technique that I call Feathersanding, which requires the use of Meguiar's Unigrit Finishing Papers and a rotary buffer.



Experience helps a little too! Below are some pictures from a Side-by-side, before & after demonstration I did for the 2002 Bimmerfest in Santa Barbara. First I used a rotary buffer to buff out one half of the car and remove all of the light scratches. Next, I took little postage size stamps of Nikken Finishing Paper and sanded each individual scratch till it had been removed. Next, I used a compound to remove my sanding marks. The results were a scratch-free flawless finish on a 1991 e34 BMW M5.

How To Remove Random Isolated Deeper Scratches using the Feather Sanding Technique

Before



I compounded the entire finish before starting the below process to remove the shallow scratches and expose the deep scratches.


Process


























Random, Isolated, Deeper Scratches, (RIDS), can be removed, but it is an advanced technique that takes skill, patience and the right products to accomplish successfully. (A little luck helps too!)

Do you own a rotary buffer and do you know how to use it?

Mike

[LAfirefytr]

83 & 80

No, the scratches are not deep enought to feel any edge. I got most of the smaller ones out w/ X but like I said, if you get at an angle and look down the side of the truck, you can still see where they were along w/ faint cobweb swirl marks. If you look straight on at the truck you can't find either of them (minor scratches or cobwebbing). The Scratch X actually did a phenominal (sp?) job cleaning up a lot of the scratches from the bushes rubbing alongside the truck. I just want to do it right and get what I can out to make it look right. The one spot I have left is not what I would call a scratch. It may be but I call it more of a rub. It is like a long white mark (4 ft long, 1/4" high) not deep, almost like it's a clear coat scrape?? It looks as if a blunt ended stick run down the side of both doors. It didn't really dig in just rubbed along the side. The X lightened it up so I thing a DA w/ 83 or 80 will buff it out.

No, I am not versed in a rotary at all so I will not be doing any sanding nor will I be using a rotary. I feel comfortable using a DA w/ some products though. I have a pretty high aptitude for picking things up so I've been spending alot of time on here trying to learn/pick up tips. I realize that I will learn a lot from hands on but I don't have that luxury at this point. I'm going to try to get my hands on some parts from a local junk yard here and "practice" before I get on my truck. I want to sort of get the feel for the G100 and product application beforehand.

Mike thanks for the reply, as I know you have a lot going on and don't have a lot of time to respond to all posts. I appreciate your time and expertise. I only wish you were closer to where I live to do some seminars here. I have a few quick questions though.

Do I apply #83 just to just the remaining scratches/rub or the entire truck? #80 --same question.
I need to try #80 first, correct? Maybe two applications, then 83 if needed?
After #83- follow w/ #80. Then a few coats of wax.
Wax- Should I use #21, NXT next generation, or something else. I don't know what the difference is between them? Just personal preference?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: 83 & 80

Originally posted by LAfirefytr

Do I apply #83 just to just the remaining scratches/rub or the entire truck? #80 --same question.

In your situation, you may want to first focus on going after the deep scratches first and fixing this problem. Afterwards, if it were my truck I would probably want to go over the entire thing with the M80 Speed Glaze by machine because experience has proven and demonstrated time and time again that the human hand cannot duplicate the results you can produce by machine.

I need to try #80 first, correct? Maybe two applications, then 83 if needed?

As for the order in which to try/use these products...

"Always use the least aggressive product to get the job done"

Meguiar's teaches the philosophy of using the least aggressive product to get the job done, for this reason you should try the M80 first and if it doesn't do the job you can always substitute the M83 Dual Action Cleaner/Polish.

What it kind of comes down to is this,

"You never know what you can do until you try"

So you don't know if the M80 will work until you try it. If the paint is workable, then it might just be the ticket, if the paint is very hard it may not have much effect but you won't know until you try.

After #83- follow w/ #80. Then a few coats of wax.

Yes.

Wax- Should I use #21, NXT next generation, or something else. I don't know what the difference is between them? Just personal preference?

Both the NXT Tech Wax and the M21 Synthetic Sealant work very well, either wax will give you great results, the problem with the M21 is that you have to purchase an entire half gallon as that's all it's available in.

[tgfhatch]

Unless you order a sample of #21

which is all i have right now

[LAfirefytr]

THANKS VERY MUCH GUYS....I really appreciate all the info. I'll be getting my order together today or tomorrow and getting busy. Someone has my digital camera at the time but I'll be getting it back soon. If I had it, I could have sent you some pics of everything and it would have been easier. But you all helped me nontheless. I will try to take some before and after pics.