vetteguy75

I have a Porter Cable 724 polisher and love it! I started to use Meguiar's Ultimate Compound and IT REALLY WORKS!! The paint really looks deep and has an excellent shine. Here's the question....On my door, I saw that I had ALOT of tiny scratches...all going in the same direction. It looks like it has gone through an automatic car wash (AND IT NEVER HAS!) and the side brushes just played hell with the paint. That's what the scratches look like.

When I used Meguiar's Ultimate Compound, those scratches disappeared (and I looked at it with a paint light and then the sunlight...scratches gone)...UNTIL I started to put a coat of wax on the door and they all became visable again!. I must have compounded that door at least 5 more times and applied the wax afterwards and got the same results....all the scratches disappeared and then become visable!


What would cause this and how would I correct it? I know the door looks good now, but I would like to put a coat of wax. The rest of the car looks great after I apply the wax...it's just door where I'm having this problem. I even tried 3 different waxes...same results.

HELP!

Frogday

Depending on how deep the scratches are, you may need to wet sand the area or just get a more aggressive cutting compound. You might want to practice on something else before attempting it for your first time on the car. There are plenty of you tube videos that can give you some pointers on how this is done.

I usually end with 2000 wet sanding and then move to the PC 7424 and finish it with some cutting compound - depending on how much of a scratch I am working on.

vetteguy75

They're not deep at all. In fact, when I run my fingernail across the scratched area, I don't feel any of the scratches....

Frogday

Not familiar with their ultimate compound or where it falls in their line. They usually have a number to let you know how harsh the cutting is. Get some of their medium cut and then follow up with what you have been using. I use medium cut and follow that with mirror glaze and then wax.

Street Rat

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...Abrasive-Chart

Here is a chart on the abrasive qualities of polishing/compounding products. It looks like what you have is pretty aggressive but you may need to go to the M105 to get those pesky scratches out.

BKarol

What color of pad and brand? what speed?

I usually can use the Meg's #83, 5.5 inch orange pad, setting on 6 to remove most marks. Then follow up with finishing polish, then wax. I dropped down to a compound only once and that was to remove scratches left when branches fell on a car.

You might want to post your question on the "car care discussion forum".
Post your process & pics. Stop putting wax on it since you will need to remove it.

7T1vette

NEVER take any car (that you care about, anyway) through an automatic car wash using nylon or stiff fiber bristles. If you want to use a drive-through car wash, select one with slow moving carpet strip washers or, better yet, one with rotating nozzles that never touch the paint.

BPHORSEGUY

Have you tried hand waxing the door w/ just straight strokes. It takes a real pro to handle a buffer especialy w/ the coarser compounds and darker colors. What color is your car? I would proceed w/ caution, its very easy to make this worse, the advice to practice on something else is very wise !

Scott Marzahl

Since the rest of the car does not have this problem, is it possible this door has been repainted and you are seeing sandpaper scratches in the primer?

bobs77vet

is that porter cable a random orbital polisher? if you use the meguiars Glaze in the brown/tan bottle with the finest foam pad you will not see any white residue left any where and it doesn't dry white. i dont even use anything other then a spray wax that you wipe on and wipe off after using the glaze. the glaze is really good stuff and for many years i just used that with no wax. the glaze makes it look so good that i saw no need for the wax ( it does spend alot of time in doors anyways)