Cadillac detail

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longms

New member
I am going to be detailing an '06 Black CTS here in a few weeks and was wondering if there were any tips or things to look out for on these cars?



How hard/soft is the paint? Are there any products one might suggest over another for this color/car combo?



I have menzerna products and plan on using those. Orange LC with Menzerna SIP and white LC with Menzerna 106FA. I will also be using a PC with this detail.



Thanks in advance.
 
If i'm not mistaken Cadillac paints/clears are hard to correct. It will all depend on how severe the defects are and how much you plan to correct.



You might need a Purple Foamed Wool Pad or something like M105.
 
I just completed a collection of Escalades and found the paint to be pretty soft. D151 and an orange pad cleared up the light paint.
 
But I forgot to read where you will be using Menzerna....so maybe something like orange with IP or FPII would work?? I don't know. Do what I do, take your arsenal and try a couple combos when you get there. start with the less aggro first.
 
Well if it is your daily then I think you might have some pretty specific first-hand experience with it. I will start with a white pad with 106FA and go from there. I do think I will be picking up some M105 for my M3 soon though. Waterspots are my nightmare through the summer months while I am in Alabama.
 
longms said:
Well if it is your daily then I think you might have some pretty specific first-hand experience with it. I will start with a white pad with 106FA and go from there. I do think I will be picking up some M105 for my M3 soon though. Waterspots are my nightmare through the summer months while I am in Alabama.
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yes, i do have specific experience. might not help though. this car is garage kept and only has been driven 19,000 miles in 3.5 years - rairly in bad weather. all i've ever used is 3M finesse-it II topped with IW 845. it has never needed "full" correction but you are on the right track with products IMO.
 
Well I have not gotten specifics from the client but am just trying to do some homework so I don't speak with them blindly. I will be able to better assess the nature of the paint once I find out how the vehicle is used.



I am hoping this is, also, not a daily driver and I can really pay attention to making the paint "pop" rather than mainly protecting it. I have heard that M105 is rather user friendly so I may pick some up before just to have it?



This is for anyone who knows but do the foamed wool pads work like a wool pad on a rotary? Would this be the most extreme pad I could use with a PC? I mainly use the orange and white LC pads. I only have 5.5" sizes and need to get some 4" pads as well.
 
Last year I did a CTS and found the clear to be very similar to that of my GM truck. Hard, but not German hard, if that makes sense. :D I was using Menzerna stuff at the time, applying by PC with LC pads. I ended up mixing SIP in with IP roughly 50/50 w/ orange pads...the IP gave me a lot more working time and the combo actually finished pretty well. I made a second pass with FPII/white. Good luck...
 
VroomVroom- Yea I think I understand what you mean about being hard but not german hard. Glad to hear menzerna products worked out for that clear.



Stadium Detail- Ok hopefully you get the business and am looking forward to your feedback.



Thanks fellas
 
VroomVroom said:
Last year I did a CTS and found the clear to be very similar to that of my GM truck. Hard, but not German hard, if that makes sense. :D I was using Menzerna stuff at the time, applying by PC with LC pads. I ended up mixing SIP in with IP roughly 50/50 w/ orange pads...the IP gave me a lot more working time and the combo actually finished pretty well. I made a second pass with FPII/white. Good luck...
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I just did a CTS-V a month or so ago and would agree with this. I found Menzerna to finish down very well on the car too.



http://www.autopia.org/forum/pro-details-before-after/125278-black-cts-v-paint-correction.html
 
Looks like some very nice work. I saw your thread a while ago but did not see what products you used. I think that my trusty menzerna products are going to be good.



I have some 106 but was looking at po85rd. Does one product finish down better than the other? Seeing as how I will be dealing with a black car I want this car to be looking real slick to get this client coming back for more.



Thanks
 
longms said:
Looks like some very nice work. I saw your thread a while ago but did not see what products you used. I think that my trusty menzerna products are going to be good.



I have some 106 but was looking at po85rd. Does one product finish down better than the other? Seeing as how I will be dealing with a black car I want this car to be looking real slick to get this client coming back for more.



Thanks
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Difference would be minimal IMO.



If the customer is willing to pay for a 3-step then SIP orange, 106ff white, po86rd blue would give you more gloss than just SIP orange, 106ff white.
 
That is what i figured. I have heard great stuff about it and always wanted to try that polish. Would there be a difference in using a grey or a blue pad with the po85rd? I have grey pads already and would like to keep my expenses down for now/
 
longms said:
That is what i figured. I have heard great stuff about it and always wanted to try that polish. Would there be a difference in using a grey or a blue pad with the po85rd? I have grey pads already and would like to keep my expenses down for now/
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Not on harder paints. If it were soft Honda paint the blue would likely finish down a little better.
 
Ok I see what you are saying. So the caddy is somewhere in the middle? Or is it more on the harder side? I guess my question is will I be ok with the grey pad with the CTS?
 
longms said:
Ok I see what you are saying. So the caddy is somewhere in the middle? Or is it more on the harder side? I guess my question is will I be ok with the grey pad with the CTS?
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I'd say it's on the harder side and the black should be more than fine. ;)
 
I detailed a black 2004 DTS a while ago. Since the detail was essentially free of charge, I didn't use any exotic products. The car was extremely swirled up, but SwirlX and a white polishing pad and DA-XP took care of 90% of the defects. In other words, the paint is actually very soft, in my opinion.



But then I have two black German Sports cars with ceramic clear coats, so any other paint is soft to me...
 
My avatar 2002 Cadillac EXT has very soft clear. I've detailed 08's and 09's and the clear is soft too. IMO they are easy to correct and made to look good. Take your time ,clean or change pads often. Menzerna,and a good sealant and wax. I like WGDGPS and Souveran as a lsp!
 
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