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Hello all, just joined yesterday. Happened to find this while browsing autopia.
-Have washed and hand waxed using mostly cleaner waxes as I did not know that there was soooo much more than just washing and waxing. The girlfriend got me a PC 7424 and pad kit for xmas. So I am ready to get started learning and hopefully doing some correction work.
-Only Meguires products I have so far is the claying kit, yellow #26 paste and the Ultimate detailer. I have several products from the Pinnacle xmt line (carnuba finishing glaze, 360, intermediate swirl remover, ultra fine swirl remover, pad cleaner and prep spray, 180 wax) but I am looking at the new Ultimate compound. I used the 3M rubbing compound but it did not do squat for me, but I am sure it is from my inexperience with the product and the machine and working times etc...
-The xmt ultra swirl did a decent job of making the hood on my girlfriends explorer look shinier and glossier, then I just followed that with 2 coats of 180 wax and it was super slick and clear reflections. Just played around with it for a little bit a couple days after xmas and it was too cold to do anymore. My plan is while my g/f is in FL next week to take it to our warehouse at work and do a thorough detail of it before she trades it in on a new tahoe. It has a lot of scratches from her lab jumping up and putting its paws on the side of it and from being 3 years old from normal daily driving and not being washed or waxed in the three years she has had it.
-I was going to try the M105 but after reading multiple forums it seems like something I want to steer clear of for right now until I get some experience. I will go with the ultimate compound for now.
My goal is not to turn pro or make profit, just to keep my cars and friends and family cars looking pretty good and hopefully make them look much better over time as my learning curve gets better.
A question I do have, I believe I have read several places that I should probably use smaller pads if I want a fighting chance at doing some serious corrections. Should I either see if I can return some of my 6.5" (i think) pads for the smaller 4" ones? I think right now I have 1 big orange pad, 2 slightly smaller orange pads, 3 big white pads, 4 black big pads, and 1 blue big pad. I guess I can just work with what I have for now and just learn and see where I stand. Although like I said what I have and used on her black explorer worked great in my opinion, Im sure a pro would think differently.
My overall aresonal includes:
Pinnacle XMT:
360
finishing glaze
interm swirl remover
ultra fine swirl remover
wolfgang 3.0 sealant
duragloss pre-cleaner
duragloss 601 i believe (the polish bonding agent)
duragloss 105 total perform polish (which i know understand is a sealant rather than a polish. I was told to think about what the product does rather than what the name says)
3 tins of collinite 476s (got on closeout at harbor freight for $7 a piece (awesome stuff I think)
megs yellow #26
poorboys ex-p sealant
probably a couple other things. I was also told to try and not get too many like things. To experiment with different things but ultimately I will always reach for a couple of products I will always use. I now know I have too many like products, but I guess that is how you learn.,
Sorry about the long book for my first post.
Mike
-Have washed and hand waxed using mostly cleaner waxes as I did not know that there was soooo much more than just washing and waxing. The girlfriend got me a PC 7424 and pad kit for xmas. So I am ready to get started learning and hopefully doing some correction work.
-Only Meguires products I have so far is the claying kit, yellow #26 paste and the Ultimate detailer. I have several products from the Pinnacle xmt line (carnuba finishing glaze, 360, intermediate swirl remover, ultra fine swirl remover, pad cleaner and prep spray, 180 wax) but I am looking at the new Ultimate compound. I used the 3M rubbing compound but it did not do squat for me, but I am sure it is from my inexperience with the product and the machine and working times etc...
-The xmt ultra swirl did a decent job of making the hood on my girlfriends explorer look shinier and glossier, then I just followed that with 2 coats of 180 wax and it was super slick and clear reflections. Just played around with it for a little bit a couple days after xmas and it was too cold to do anymore. My plan is while my g/f is in FL next week to take it to our warehouse at work and do a thorough detail of it before she trades it in on a new tahoe. It has a lot of scratches from her lab jumping up and putting its paws on the side of it and from being 3 years old from normal daily driving and not being washed or waxed in the three years she has had it.
-I was going to try the M105 but after reading multiple forums it seems like something I want to steer clear of for right now until I get some experience. I will go with the ultimate compound for now.
My goal is not to turn pro or make profit, just to keep my cars and friends and family cars looking pretty good and hopefully make them look much better over time as my learning curve gets better.
A question I do have, I believe I have read several places that I should probably use smaller pads if I want a fighting chance at doing some serious corrections. Should I either see if I can return some of my 6.5" (i think) pads for the smaller 4" ones? I think right now I have 1 big orange pad, 2 slightly smaller orange pads, 3 big white pads, 4 black big pads, and 1 blue big pad. I guess I can just work with what I have for now and just learn and see where I stand. Although like I said what I have and used on her black explorer worked great in my opinion, Im sure a pro would think differently.
My overall aresonal includes:
Pinnacle XMT:
360
finishing glaze
interm swirl remover
ultra fine swirl remover
wolfgang 3.0 sealant
duragloss pre-cleaner
duragloss 601 i believe (the polish bonding agent)
duragloss 105 total perform polish (which i know understand is a sealant rather than a polish. I was told to think about what the product does rather than what the name says)
3 tins of collinite 476s (got on closeout at harbor freight for $7 a piece (awesome stuff I think)
megs yellow #26
poorboys ex-p sealant
probably a couple other things. I was also told to try and not get too many like things. To experiment with different things but ultimately I will always reach for a couple of products I will always use. I now know I have too many like products, but I guess that is how you learn.,
Sorry about the long book for my first post.
Mike
to MOL!
Hello and welcome to mol.
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