Paint Correction(?)

Body kits, spoilers, lights, and anything on the exterior of the vehicle
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odysseus4
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2020 1:57 pm
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Paint Correction(?)

Post by odysseus4 »

This one will be a doozy

I'm hoping to compound/polish/wax my vibe soonish, was actually told by my neighbour that I had a touch of orange peel, he was barely able to see it though so I couldn't see it. Also have a bunch of minor swirl marks and such, hoping to get that taken care of. Luckily, Delilah's salsa paint still looks red as ever, so I'm not too worried about bringing back the deep red seeing as it hasn't gone yet. On that same note, any recommendations on keeping her like that for as long as possible?

Anyways, what products do you guys use and recommend? Same brand for compound, polish, and wax? What about applicator pads? Would neutral shoe polish work? Any really big success with 3in1 products? What about clay bars?

I'm new to this, so I might do it by hand or get help from aforementioned neighbor.

Keep in mind I live in a city with a bylaw against washing your own car in the street/driveway/anywhere without a designated drainage thing with anything other than water, and I prefer not losing 500 bucks on something I didn't necessarily have to do.

TIA
Account change

2003 Salsa Base 4 speed, 161k kilometers, JVC KW-X840BTS
Caretaker

Re: Paint Correction(?)

Post by Caretaker »

I've always been partial to and very satisfied with Barry Meguier's product line. I've also done the clay bar thing and was astonished how well it worked. However, now my car washes consist of going out in my bathing suit during a heavy Florida downpour and washing it for free. I seriously doubt that our Vibes will ever become a collector's item so with most of our Vibes valued at under $4,000, I don't bother with looks any more. I just make sure the salt water is off all the windows before driving off for the day. Living in "the big city", it is just a matter of time before some loser dings or keys your car out of spite, jealousy or drunken-ness. I personally would not draw any attention to the car by cleaning/polishing it in plain sight and just let your car blend in with the rest.
dcjredline
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2019 1:54 pm

Re: Paint Correction(?)

Post by dcjredline »

Meguiars lol. So many people misspell it.

I personally and professionally use lots of Meguiars products. I use the Detailer line that are only available in gallons but for the consumer brand I would use the Ultimate line. Its available at Walmart and just about any auto store.

As for the actual actions of detailing its going to be WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY too much to explain. I suggest going to Autogeek.net and or search google for Mike Phillips detailing videos. He is VERY thorough.
jolt
Posts: 945
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:07 am
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota

Re: Paint Correction(?)

Post by jolt »

You said swirls marks. Do you mean like light swirl scratches from an automatic car wash? The Vibe paint is soft and will always get scratched from automatic car washes. If you use automatic drive through car washes, polishing and waxing is a waste of time. The car wash will just scratch the paint again and the soap used in the auto car wash will strip the wax off the paint because it is so strong and concentrated.

That being said, here is what I am doing after trying many types of products:
1) Wash car
2) Clay bar [Meguiars clay bar kit works fine]
3) 3M Finesse-it or Chemical Guys P40 polish+ to remove swirl marks. This contain NO waxs or silicones. Use with orange pad 5 inch dia. on DA polisher
4) Chemical Guys Deep Reflections XP wax and glaze. Glazing compounds fill in very small swirl marks and add oils to paint to bring the depth of the color back to the paint.
5) Collinite No. 845 Insulator wax.

Go to the Auto Geeks web site as they have a lot of info and tips about using products. DA polisher with 5" pad and backing plate. Orange pad for polish and black pad for glaze/wax. Collinite, or any good carnauba based wax, will "white stain" plastic so do not get on plastic parts. This last the longest of anything I have used. Layering up on the wax helps it last longer. Wait 8 to 12 hours before adding the Collinite on top of the Deep Reflections XP. This last me through the winter salt season up here.

If you want quick and easy ( and does not last as long as the above ),then stick to the Meguiar product Ultimate line for wax and polish and clay bar.

https://www.autogeek.net/carwax.html

https://www.youtube.com/user/Junkman2000
dcjredline
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2019 1:54 pm

Re: Paint Correction(?)

Post by dcjredline »

Bah ha ha ha ha ha! Yer recommending Chemical Guys over Meguiars for longevity? Chemical guys are some of the worst products on the market. Secondly the Collinite products are good the only problem with what you suggest is you are putting good on top of crap.
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