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Hello all, looking for some product advice.
TL;DR: 18-year-old, mostly garaged hard clearcoat paint, DA with foamed wool and Ultimate Compound cleared swirls, didn't get rid of fine scratches or bird dropping etching, but left a mild haze that M80 and a white B&F polishing pad didn't clear. UC and yellow cutting pad cleared haze, some more of the fine scratches. Now out of UC, lots of M80 left. Step up to M105 (foam pad) or stick with UC and accept etching? M80 likely to clear any haze M105 + yellow/orange pad leave?
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Dealing with a 2001 Japan-built Lexus IS in Spectra Blue Mica (dark metallic). Purchased with 150,000 kilometres (~95,000 miles) and far as I can tell the prior owner never polished the paint. Judging by the clumps of wax left in crevices, sealants were probably pretty haphazard as well.
Paint is covered in swirls, scratches -- some of which can be felt with a fingernail -- various RIDS, and one bird dropping etching.
Equipment includes a PC DA, Lake Country 5.5" purple foamed synthetic wool, 5.5" Buff & Shine Euro yellow cutting, orange medium cut and white polish foam pads, and a Meguiar's W9006 finishing pad. Underground parking garage, so widely spaced fluorescents for lighting.
After claying, I tried UC on the orange at speed 5 and, well, fairly certain that the car sniggered after four slow passes at 15 pounds or more of pressure. Swirls unaffected.
Stepped it up to UC on the purple foamed wool at 5, then 5.5 to ensure the pad kept spinning. Produced a LOT of dust (used up a towel just clearing dust) and got rid of the swirl marks and some of the scratches. Still plenty that I can either barely feel with a fingernail or not at all. Got rid of a batch of overspray from prior owner's dent repairs, but did nothing to deeper scratches.
No direct sun (smoke from forest fires) or adequate handheld light to reveal the finer scratches remaining. So, followed the UC+wool with M80+white (minimum 2x2 passes at speed 4 until transparent), just to give the 18-year-old paint the polishing oils.
Finally got a sunny day to see the fine scratches and decided to try UC + yellow at speed 5.5, hoping it would work better than the foamed wool. Cleared more, but not all, of the fine scratches and despite concentrated effort made no progress on the etching. Only now, by comparing, could I notice a haze on the areas that haven't been hit with the UC+yellow.
I'm now out of UC, so am debating how to proceed. Keep in mind I'm in Canada so options are either limited, or attached to shipping that costs more than the products (sometimes several times more). I can't find most Mirror Glaze chemicals locally, or Detailer line pretty much at all.
More UC and accept the etching and fine scratches? Step up to M105? I know it's roughly rated at twice the cutting power of UC, all else being equal. Follow the M105 with M80 (have half a 32-ounce bottle left)? I understand M80 and M205 have the same rated cut, albeit DAT/SMAT variants. If M105 leaves a haze, would M80 be able to clear it, using a more aggressive pad than the white?
I know nobody will be able to say for certain about my car's particular paint, but any input is welcome
Thank you
TL;DR: 18-year-old, mostly garaged hard clearcoat paint, DA with foamed wool and Ultimate Compound cleared swirls, didn't get rid of fine scratches or bird dropping etching, but left a mild haze that M80 and a white B&F polishing pad didn't clear. UC and yellow cutting pad cleared haze, some more of the fine scratches. Now out of UC, lots of M80 left. Step up to M105 (foam pad) or stick with UC and accept etching? M80 likely to clear any haze M105 + yellow/orange pad leave?
_________________
Dealing with a 2001 Japan-built Lexus IS in Spectra Blue Mica (dark metallic). Purchased with 150,000 kilometres (~95,000 miles) and far as I can tell the prior owner never polished the paint. Judging by the clumps of wax left in crevices, sealants were probably pretty haphazard as well.
Paint is covered in swirls, scratches -- some of which can be felt with a fingernail -- various RIDS, and one bird dropping etching.
Equipment includes a PC DA, Lake Country 5.5" purple foamed synthetic wool, 5.5" Buff & Shine Euro yellow cutting, orange medium cut and white polish foam pads, and a Meguiar's W9006 finishing pad. Underground parking garage, so widely spaced fluorescents for lighting.
After claying, I tried UC on the orange at speed 5 and, well, fairly certain that the car sniggered after four slow passes at 15 pounds or more of pressure. Swirls unaffected.
Stepped it up to UC on the purple foamed wool at 5, then 5.5 to ensure the pad kept spinning. Produced a LOT of dust (used up a towel just clearing dust) and got rid of the swirl marks and some of the scratches. Still plenty that I can either barely feel with a fingernail or not at all. Got rid of a batch of overspray from prior owner's dent repairs, but did nothing to deeper scratches.
No direct sun (smoke from forest fires) or adequate handheld light to reveal the finer scratches remaining. So, followed the UC+wool with M80+white (minimum 2x2 passes at speed 4 until transparent), just to give the 18-year-old paint the polishing oils.
Finally got a sunny day to see the fine scratches and decided to try UC + yellow at speed 5.5, hoping it would work better than the foamed wool. Cleared more, but not all, of the fine scratches and despite concentrated effort made no progress on the etching. Only now, by comparing, could I notice a haze on the areas that haven't been hit with the UC+yellow.
I'm now out of UC, so am debating how to proceed. Keep in mind I'm in Canada so options are either limited, or attached to shipping that costs more than the products (sometimes several times more). I can't find most Mirror Glaze chemicals locally, or Detailer line pretty much at all.
More UC and accept the etching and fine scratches? Step up to M105? I know it's roughly rated at twice the cutting power of UC, all else being equal. Follow the M105 with M80 (have half a 32-ounce bottle left)? I understand M80 and M205 have the same rated cut, albeit DAT/SMAT variants. If M105 leaves a haze, would M80 be able to clear it, using a more aggressive pad than the white?
I know nobody will be able to say for certain about my car's particular paint, but any input is welcome
Thank you
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