From a distance, the car looked ok, but get close up in the light and very severe swirls were clear to see, this car was a car-wash regular...
The car was washed using Meguiars Hyper Wash and a Meguiars Lambswool mitt, and then clayed using Meguiars Detailer Clay mild (yellow) and Megs Last Touch as the lubricant. By this time the light was starting to fade, so it was time to go for a test part (one half of the bonnet) to trial the paint. A Brinkmann will be arriving with me soon, but for the time being my car halogen searchlight was used to highlight the swirls in the bonnet...
First of all, I decided to try Menzerna Intesive Polish, using a 4" LC Yellow cutting pad and the slow-cut method that L200 Steve told me about. While this did make a dent in the milder swirling and haze, then severe swirls were left virtually untouched - yep, Audi paint is hard!! :lol:
Next up, out with the Menzerna Power Glodd compound, working on a 1' by 1' square area at a time, using the slow-cut technique. I used the PC on speed 3 with no pressure, and made about five or six passes over the area before stopping the machine and spraying the pad with a little water. Then another five or six passes over the area at speed 3, until the polish went clear again. The spary some water, up to speed 5 this time with no pressure and another four of five passes this time. Then one final spray with water, up to speed 6 and add pressure this time to finish. Wiping off revealed the majority of the swirls gone, with only the odd few left over. I therefore used PGC again, this time the fast-cut method of speed 3 to spread, speed 5 with pressure for one pass then speed 6 with pressure for a couple of finishing passes. Wipe away residue and there was micromarring a plenty, but the swirls had gone.
Only very deep scratches were left over...
To remove the micromarring from the area, IP was used on a 4" LC Orange light cutting pad using the fast-cut method, this brought the finish up a treat with all marring removed and the finish most certainly LSP ready. So it was topped off with Chemical Guys EZ-Creme Glaze with Acryllic Shine II, using the 7" DAS Green pad and the residue removed. With the sun down by now (took an hour and a half to do half of the bonnet...
), I used my searlight to check the area, here's the best half and half pic I could muster with the light...
That was it for the evening, the size of the task in hand clear - the process of 1 go of PGC slow-cut, followed by PGC fast-cut, followed by IP fast-cut to remove micromarring and topped with CG EZ Glaze was decided on... Starting on Day 2!
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