When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Curious if anybody reading has bought/experienced the HARBOR FREIGHT version of the PORTER CABLE 7424XP Orbital??
I already have the PC and it has done well for me.There are occasions when it would be handy to have to not change pads
as often, so Im thinking to buy the HF version for $50.00 (with coupon)
I've bought my large collection of misc colored LAKE COUNTRY pads at www.detailedimage.com but Lake Country pads are
also sold elsewhere ???
Check out this guy on youtube. He certainly talks a lot, but for us newbs I find it very informative.
I paid $400.00 a couple of years back for a black car paint correction.
That WAS a Great deal back in the day. I bet it's more now!
Originally Posted by Corvette_Ed
Get yourself a Porter Cable 7424XP then. It's literally impossible to screw up your paint with one unless you turn it over and beat the car with it. Use it with Meguiar's 105 and 205 polish, and white and orange 6" hexagon pads. You'll also need to get the 6" disc to replace the 5" the polisher comes with. When it's all said and done, you'll have spent about the same as you would to have someone else do it for you once, and you'll be set to keep your car looking great without having to pay anyone to do it again.
If you really like detailing, you'll spend more in products than getting it done. But you'll have those products for years to come, and can be used on other cars too. ...Just 2 cents.
I have the Porter Cable form my C5 days (7 years ago). I did re-stock all the other products recently ($500 +), including a pressure washer, foam canon, pads, polishes (incl micro polish), iron cleaner, wax remover, Ach alcohol, Rinseless Wash, Ragtop kit for the Vert, Wheel cleaner, pack of microfiber towels, AND Carpro Ceramic coating. I haven't done any detail work to my "new" C6, cuz taking a few trips soon. Will do it after the trips.
I plan to break mine in on my son's motorcycle gas tank this week, then progress to my Corvette.[/QUOTE]
Good idea. I have a 2014 Jetta, its in fairly new condition, I'll be experimenting on that ...
Based off of this thread I believe I'll do a professional paint correction and ceramic coat to get to a good starting point. And I'll buy the recommended products to maintain moving forward.
I finally clayed the car this weekend & while it is now super smooth, under florescent lights you can see all the imperfections, swirls, fine scratches, etc. It seriously looks like it was washed & dried with sandpaper. Luckily in the sun you don’t notice it as much, but I want to get that fixed & then ceramic coated. What is a typical/fair price for paint correction? Pics for attention - thanks!
This is the nature of the beast with clay. No matter how much lube you use, if your paint is contaminated and you clay you WILL induce swirling and scratching. Clay should always be the first step in detailing, not a standalone process. BTW, grab the Mother's SpeedClay 2.0 it is leaps and bounds ahead of traditional 'clay'.
If you are so inclined, pick up an inexpensive orbital polisher, or spend a buck or two and get a Porter Cable 7424, or go nuts and get a Rupes. Then grab a polishing pad and some Meguiar's Ultimate Compound. You will get all of those clay scratches out. Finish with wax and you will be amazed at the results. FWIW, my PC 7424 has been a workhorse for me for 12 years and I've done dozens of cars.
To answer your question, while it's impossible to quote what it will cost you because we don't know the exact condition of your car, I would say exterior polish and wax only should be somewhere around $150 - mind you this isn't slapping on some concealer and Turtle Wax; this is a proper detailing shop correcting your paint. I picked up detailing about a dozen years ago and not much more in my life is more therapeutic - to see fouled paint turn into liquid metal.
On that note, here's a Jeep Wrangler I recently did: 8 years of neglect + 2 passes with clay on the right...on the left, the result with a PC and Meg's Ultimate Compound.
You have to step down as you go. Aggressive polishes make swirls of their own so you have to step down in degrees of polish until you get to the finishing polish or you won't get the mirror finish.
Not necessarily correct; modern polishes have diminishing abrasives so they actually finish as a 'polish' rather than a compound. Meguiar's Ultimate Compound (Professionally known as Meg's 105) will finish down brilliantly with a polishing pad. If you are using a cutting pad, then maybe you need Meg's 205 but this is rarely ever the case, and I've done some fucked up cars.
This is the nature of the beast with clay. No matter how much lube you use, if your paint is contaminated and you clay you WILL induce swirling and scratching. Clay should always be the first step in detailing, not a standalone process. BTW, grab the Mother's SpeedClay 2.0 it is leaps and bounds ahead of traditional 'clay'.
If you are so inclined, pick up an inexpensive orbital polisher, or spend a buck or two and get a Porter Cable 7424, or go nuts and get a Rupes. Then grab a polishing pad and some Meguiar's Ultimate Compound. You will get all of those clay scratches out. Finish with wax and you will be amazed at the results. FWIW, my PC 7424 has been a workhorse for me for 12 years and I've done dozens of cars.
To answer your question, while it's impossible to quote what it will cost you because we don't know the exact condition of your car, I would say exterior polish and wax only should be somewhere around $150 - mind you this isn't slapping on some concealer and Turtle Wax; this is a proper detailing shop correcting your paint. I picked up detailing about a dozen years ago and not much more in my life is more therapeutic - to see fouled paint turn into liquid metal.
On that note, here's a Jeep Wrangler I recently did: 8 years of neglect + 2 passes with clay on the right...on the left, the result with a PC and Meg's Ultimate Compound.
Thanks for the additional info it is helpful. With regards to the swirls & fine scratches, I’m pretty sure most, if not all, were there well before I clayed the car. I would guess from the condition of the engine bay, undercarriage, wheel wells, etc. this car was probably never hand washed by the previous owner(s). I’ve clayed my other two cars & not ended up with any swirls or fine scratches, but I also bought both brand new an take care of them meticulously. Trying to get the GS back to my standards
A lot of people seem to want a spend all the time and labor of getting every last swirl mark out of their paint....most of which you can't see anyway unless under the perfect lighting. Hopefully we all understand (don't we) that after one good wash job that a lot of the swirl marks will be right back ??
A lot of people seem to want a spend all the time and labor of getting every last swirl mark out of their paint....most of which you can't see anyway unless under the perfect lighting. Hopefully we all understand (don't we) that after one good wash job that a lot of the swirl marks will be right back ??
I think that is point of adding ceramic coating so they don’t come back. I don’t mind spending the time & money detailing it then coating it to protect the paint. This car will never be sold, so I want it looking good for the long haul.
A lot of people seem to want a spend all the time and labor of getting every last swirl mark out of their paint....most of which you can't see anyway unless under the perfect lighting. Hopefully we all understand (don't we) that after one good wash job that a lot of the swirl marks will be right back ??
My car went the entire show season last year without the swirls coming back. It's all in how you "wash" the car. Mine is never washed with water, and I use only clean microfiber cloths. The only thing putting swirls in my paint is my car cover.
A lot of people seem to want a spend all the time and labor of getting every last swirl mark out of their paint....most of which you can't see anyway unless under the perfect lighting. Hopefully we all understand (don't we) that after one good wash job that a lot of the swirl marks will be right back ??
After a true paint correction, the swirls do not come back after a single wash. Now you might introduce new swirls if you have a poor washing method or not the best washing mitt. Also depends if you used a real polish or a glaze which just fills in the swirls. Those swirls will come back after a couple of washes.
I did a full paint correction on my 2013 GS when I first bought it. Wash, clay, 2 stage polish with my Flex, and seal. Now in 2018, my GS has reached the point where I can tell it may need correcting again. Just haven’t done it yet because (1) I am being lazy and (2) it is hard to see the swirls from 5+ feet away. You really have to get close to the paint to see the swirls.
Here are some pics from 2013 right after I did the paint correction.
If your truly trying to level the paint, or at least get it as level as the paint will allow, you'll need a block and sand paper. Ive used Dura-Block in various shapes but there are tons of others to be had. Then there's the sand paper. The most aggressive ive used on a factory clear is 2000, but i would start with something with a little less bite and a touch of liquid detergent in the water your using to sand with. You might also need a wool pad to address the sanded areas. 3M "perfect-It" 3 stage system works really well from wool to final foam pad but its not cheap. Using the polisher and pads already mentioned you can get amazing results.
A lot of people seem to want a spend all the time and labor of getting every last swirl mark out of their paint....most of which you can't see anyway unless under the perfect lighting. Hopefully we all understand (don't we) that after one good wash job that a lot of the swirl marks will be right back ??
You are misinformed and slightly ignorant...proper swirl removal and proper washing/drying thereafter will keep swirls away. For many people, surface care is a hobby, an obsession; a cathartic experience. Sure you can't see swirls in all lighting conditions, but something about paint restoration is so rewarding. It's like with anything - put in the work and you will see results.
At the risk of repeating myself all I can say is do yourself a favor and try this product out instead of clay
After just a little use with these I threw my clay away, honestly, they are great and very fast, easy to use with better results IMHO.
Plus you can clean them with just plain water for reuse. Nanoskin Autoscrub Sponge
NSF
At the risk of repeating myself all I can say is do yourself a favor and try this product out instead of clay
After just a little use with these I threw my clay away, honestly, they are great and very fast, easy to use with better results IMHO.
Plus you can clean them with just plain water for reuse. Nanoskin Autoscrub Sponge
NSF https://www.amazon.com/Nanoskin-AS-0...toscrub+sponge
I LOVE my Nanoskin. I still refer to it as "clay" when I talk about my detail work but I haven't used an actual clay bar since 2013 after the first time I used the Nanoskin. Works so much better and so much faster.
You are misinformed and slightly ignorant...proper swirl removal and proper washing/drying thereafter will keep swirls away. For many people, surface care is a hobby, an obsession; a cathartic experience. Sure you can't see swirls in all lighting conditions, but something about paint restoration is so rewarding. It's like with anything - put in the work and you will see results.
LOL....and hold on there Skippy. You seem to be suggesting that I am ripping anyone who spends time working on their paint. Your confused. I spend time working on my paint also, but I tend to be a little more of a realest when it comes to it. After many years of practice I know how to use a high speed buffer and all the proper sauces to get the paint looking like it just came out of the booth, and I still will have swirl marks in it down the road after a washing or two....and if one drives their ride often that road ain't very long. If you get any dirt at all on your paint....it will cause swirl marks when it's given a good bath, regardless of how it is washed....it's almost the laws of physics. Now there may be a very few ways of keeping the marks to a minimum, but unless your ride is never driven and stored in a D/D paint booth keeping swirl marks off of it is next to impossible. Anyone who dispute this fact is simply in denial......
I LOVE my Nanoskin. I still refer to it as "clay" when I talk about my detail work but I haven't used an actual clay bar since 2013 after the first time I used the Nanoskin. Works so much better and so much faster.
I also would like to suggest (at the Junkmans recommendation) the Eagle Microfiber cloth, Korean made edgeless towel, they are the best absolutely although a tad pricey but you will understand when you get them.
NSF https://www.theragcompany.com/value-...-towel-5-pack/
If you really like detailing, you'll spend more in products than getting it done. But you'll have those products for years to come, and can be used on other cars too. ...Just 2 cents.
...
Nanoskin Autoscrub Sponge
