Hello:
I`m about to come into possession "in the family" of a 2014 Honda Fit in R81 Milano Red w/ 175,000km in the Toronto area (i.e. salt and very rapidly running out of weather to do anything to it). I believe it`s spent a bunch of its time parked facing the sun (damaged top of steering wheel, moderately hazed headlights, some fading of the paint, rear of the car looks unfaded by comparison, and decent-but-not-nauseating swirls all over. I didn`t notice any clear coat failure. Pictures may follow, but I don`t have the car yet. Just trying to have a plan...
I mostly just detail stuff for me and my family and (sadly??) most of my stuff stays damage-free and just needs decon and LSP, or perhaps a quick round with something like Menzerna SF4000 on white once every year or two to make it pop then LSP. I have less restoration experience than I`d like.
I have read that R81 is 3 step. I have read that R81 is one step. Both can`t be true. Is it on the soft or hard side? Special concerns working with a 3 step? Would it even be faded a little pink if it had clear on it?
Tools at my disposal:
I would be thankful for any WWYD stories or any specific comments about working on R81. I do understand `start mild, check, and work your way up`, but I`d end up using more than I`d like of each small bottle of my compound just priming all the various combinations of pads to give it a whirl on 1 sq ft. If I had a little experienced advice, I might save a little bit of trial and error finding a starting point.
I really don`t have a good feel for how much polishing aggressiveness comes from pad and what comes from compound. I have way more machine time using diminishing abrasive Menzerna as opposed to non-diminishing 105/205.
My first thought was 105 or SI1500 on orange? Or green and work to orange if needed? Maybe yellow if the hood is really bad?
Followed by either 205 or SF3500 on white?
Or if I hear R81 is soft, PF2500 on green or white one step?
Thanks!
I`m about to come into possession "in the family" of a 2014 Honda Fit in R81 Milano Red w/ 175,000km in the Toronto area (i.e. salt and very rapidly running out of weather to do anything to it). I believe it`s spent a bunch of its time parked facing the sun (damaged top of steering wheel, moderately hazed headlights, some fading of the paint, rear of the car looks unfaded by comparison, and decent-but-not-nauseating swirls all over. I didn`t notice any clear coat failure. Pictures may follow, but I don`t have the car yet. Just trying to have a plan...
I mostly just detail stuff for me and my family and (sadly??) most of my stuff stays damage-free and just needs decon and LSP, or perhaps a quick round with something like Menzerna SF4000 on white once every year or two to make it pop then LSP. I have less restoration experience than I`d like.
I have read that R81 is 3 step. I have read that R81 is one step. Both can`t be true. Is it on the soft or hard side? Special concerns working with a 3 step? Would it even be faded a little pink if it had clear on it?
Tools at my disposal:
- PC ROB
- drill hook/loop pad holder (don`t expect to use this on anything but the headlights)
- LC 3" and 5" pads in: yellow, orange, green, white, blue
- Meguiars 105 and 205
- Menzerna SI1500, PF2500, SF4000 (all a few years old) plus newer Heavy Cut (Fast Gloss?) 400 and SF3500 (new formula)
I would be thankful for any WWYD stories or any specific comments about working on R81. I do understand `start mild, check, and work your way up`, but I`d end up using more than I`d like of each small bottle of my compound just priming all the various combinations of pads to give it a whirl on 1 sq ft. If I had a little experienced advice, I might save a little bit of trial and error finding a starting point.
I really don`t have a good feel for how much polishing aggressiveness comes from pad and what comes from compound. I have way more machine time using diminishing abrasive Menzerna as opposed to non-diminishing 105/205.
My first thought was 105 or SI1500 on orange? Or green and work to orange if needed? Maybe yellow if the hood is really bad?
Followed by either 205 or SF3500 on white?
Or if I hear R81 is soft, PF2500 on green or white one step?
Thanks!
