I know everyone has a favorite product. I purchased this Vette late last year and yes it's BLACK. How do I get the swirl marks out! I have used a few products and I still see them. The last owner must have used a rough towel to wipe it off after he washed it. I have a few on the fenders and back but not over the whole car. Looking for some advice.

Cos

 

porter cable 7424 xp (or similar type) buffer
menzerna Super Intensive Polish
Menzerna Nano polish (106fa)
three orange light cutting pads
three white polishing pads
wax/sealant of choice

 

Been using Menzerna for a year now on lots of different colored Vettes, impressed with the results and I finish with Menzerna Sealer and the next day with a topping of Wolfgang Fuzion Wax to bring out the shine even more

 

What is the purpose of the three orange light cutting pads? I've never heard of those. I have a porter cable and use a grey pad for polishing and white pad for waxing. Why 3 polishing pads also? 3 coats?

 

 

Check out autogeek.com. The orange pads offer more "cut" as they call it, to help level out the clear coat and get rid of the marks. I think three pads are suggested so that you will always be working with a clean pad while trying to correct things. A respected detailer in my area told me to get 5 of each to do my blk vette. Good luck! Also I heard very good things about Meg's 205 and 105 polishes as well as above recommendations.

 

If you post this over in the Car Care forum you will get a ton of information and recommendations. Very helpful folks there including a number of vendors who can supply detailed procedures and videos to demonstrate how to go about it.

 

I have a bunch of Menz products for sale, Lmk.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/car-...ducts-f-s.html

 

Meguiars 105 is about the only thing I've found worthwhile on vette clear coat. Even then, it's a lot of work. I had better results with 105 than with menzerna.

I use a DA similar to the 7424.

The surbuf pads from autogeek.net are fantastic for the initial cutting. Slightly less cut but easier to clean are the purple pads with the scored surface, I forget the name.

You can actually finish on a 5.5" 7/8 cyan hydrotech pad with 105, but I also like to follow it up with the red pad and 205 to really get that final shine.


You will want to have a few pads because they get clogged up with paint and polish and lose effectiveness until they are cleaned.

 

Its actually www.autogeek.NET (smiles)

Polishing the Vettes harder coating can be a real challenge especially when using the safer Random Orbital Buffer like a PC, Flex, Megs G110, or Griots machine. We have found that three polish combo's really work best. Menzerna Ceramiclears SIP and 085rd, Megs 105 and 205, and our Wolfgang TSR and FG polishes.

You will also need to consider the correct pads. With these machines the newer Hydro-tech pads work extremely well and I still often use flat pads. Try using a 5 inch backing plate and 5.5 inch pads as possible. Your gonna use a little pressure and the machine on high but dont worry, these buffers (above) dont transfer heat and cut the way a circular will. You will need some patience by the rewards are great.

As youve offered above, washing and drying techniques are the best way to avoid swirls and the need for polishing. With the right moves you can normally use a paint cleansing lotion only 1-2 times per year instead as an option. They chemically strip and prep paint for new waxes.

If you need more help, just look us up or call us. We will earn your business the right way and work with you before, during, and after any sale. We even offer our own forum (see toolbar on our site) to help with all the product lines we carry. Give us a chance to make you sparkle !!

 

saw the mercedes kit with the flex....would this work on the vette finish? Do you offer a vette package w/ the flex?

 

vette and mercedes clear coats are similar so the mercedes kit will work fantastic on the vette

 

the three orange pads are for the initial correction they cut more than the white pads so your able to get the deep swirl marks, i said three so you can switch them out and work with a clean pad (cuts better and leaves a better finish)

depending on who made your pads i bet you'd have better luck polishing with the white and waxing with the gray as the whites are more aggressive than the grays on lake county pads

 

I have a Flex and the Wolfgang Swirl Remover Kit (Swirl Remover, Polish, and Sealant). It did wonders on the swirl marks and oxidation on the Vette. It looks fantastic.
Used 2 orange pads for the swirl removal, 2 white pads for the polish, and one red for the sealant.

 

As offered the ceramiclear polishes by Menzerna work extemely well on the Vette, infact its the combo I use personally. I like at least 2 pads for each color and CCS pads included in kit are fine. When ready for more pads consider the Hydro Tech offerings.

 

Okay...I was going to return to this subject but, I see someone else did so, let me join the conversation.

1) The PC7424 xp is an orbital buffer and would not put swirl marks in the paint? I ask because if that is the case why are you not supposed to put wash or wax by hand in a circular motion?
2) If I bought the above pc with the correct pads it would take away my swirl marks? They are really light and when I feel the paint gently with my hand/fingers...you can not feel them.
3) What, if anything, will pinnacle paint cleansing lotion do for my case?
4) if I send you pics of what I have can you make suggestions as to what I need to do?

Thanks!

 

1. The PC indeed a random orbital and oscilates off axis. Using the correct pads and polishes can help reduce and remove swirls in the paint. I suppose you could add more marring and swirls if you used the wrong pad and a much more abrasive (compound) polish. You always want to start with the lightest pad and polish and move more abrasive only as needed.

I dont personally recommend washing or drying in circular motions, so that if some sand or particles land on paint you dont grind them in as circles are much easier to see versus a small/light straight line.

2. As offered above the PC/Polish/Pads when used in correct order can reduce or remove light swirls. You need some patience and some pressure but will see results. Time and practice will yield even better results.

3. Our Pinnacle Paintwork Lotion is designed as a chemical based cleaner to prep surface for new wax or sealant. It is often suggested and used for those that dont polish paint by machine. It removes old waxes and some oxidation chemically not abrasively.

4. You can certainly call us and send us pics or join our forum (see toolbar on our site) to see many many happy results. The combo's for Vettes are rather simple, consider 1 of 3 two steps. You might only need the lightest polish and pad but wont want to stop and reorder otherwise.

1. Menzerna SIP and 085rd
2. Megs 105 and 205
3. Wolfgang TSR and FG 3.0 polishes

 

In bold...the part that makes me nervous. I don't really wa to practice on the vette. I mean what I have I don't like but, can live with for now. Worse done by me and a buffer would make me cry. So..I'll try what I got...try to find some detail classes...and go fro there. Pc, pads and product I'll buy after I am sure I know what I am doing.

Thanks!

 

Autogeek has lots of great videos to watch and learn from. I was nervous to try the new polisher on the vette, but got over it fairly quickly once I started. It's about being patient, not rushing and following directions/advice from people on this site. It's almost impossible to damage the finish on your car with the PC because it's a random orbit machine.

 

your gonna wish you did it sooner, so dont give up. Take the time to review videos, visit our forum, and ask questions. You'll find alot of our clients are new and hobbist like you and make the jump to paint polishing and wont look back. Care and patience are needed and Random Orbitals leave some extra safety due to their design, just dont throw the machine at the car and you'll do fine