Help! Will I remove all of the scratches and swirls with WG TSR?

[Spike73]

Hey everyone, I am now in the process of polishing my first car with a flex 3401. I have WG TSR, FG, and DGPS. I have performed my test spot on the trunk lid, and I have gone over the area like 3 times with a CCS orange pad, at about 5 mins total buffing time on speed 5 each time, with slow hand movements and overlapping passes, and I can't get all of the scratches and swirls out!! Do I need something stronger, like Megs 105/205? I guess my main question is, what can I expect from the TSR? I am getting some very clear paint, and it's really looking nice, but there are some scratches that aren't coming out. Does the TSR get most of them, then the FG gets the rest?



It's a 1999 Toyota Camry XLE in sage grey paint color. It's so hard to take pics of the swirls! I can't seem to capture them. But, I guess y'all know what swirls look like...the TSR is getting most of the swirls, just not all of the scratches. I think they are RIDS. I thought I heard somewhere that toyota paint was kind of on the softer side, and not hard like say an infiniti...

 

[Legacy]

Hey everyone, I am now in the process of polishing my first car with a flex 3401. I have WG TSR, FG, and DGPS. I have performed my test spot on the trunk lid, and I have gone over the area like 3 times with a CCS orange pad, at about 5 mins total buffing time on speed 5 each time, with slow hand movements and overlapping passes, and I can't get all of the scratches and swirls out!! Do I need something stronger, like Megs 105/205? I guess my main question is, what can I expect from the TSR? I am getting some very clear paint, and it's really looking nice, but there are some scratches that aren't coming out. Does the TSR get most of them, then the FG gets the rest?



It's a 1999 Toyota Camry XLE in sage grey paint color. It's so hard to take pics of the swirls! I can't seem to capture them. But, I guess y'all know what swirls look like...the TSR is getting most of the swirls, just not all of the scratches. I think they are RIDS. I thought I heard somewhere that toyota paint was kind of on the softer side, and not hard like say an infiniti...

WG tsr is mild compared to 105. If TSR is not removing the scratches move up to 105. You can try a more aggressive pad like yellow first with TSR.

 

[Bunky]

If you have used TSR/Orange three times, I would try M105. It is definitely is more aggressive than TSR.

 

[Spike73]

Thanks guys. Gonna need to buy some 105/205 to add to my products list!

 

[Dubbin1]

Thanks guys. Gonna need to buy some 105/205 to add to my products list!

UC is pretty much the same as M105 (I saw you already tried it on another forum) so there is no need to buy more products.

 

[Spike73]

UC is pretty much the same as M105 (I saw you already tried it on another forum) so there is no need to buy more products.

You're right...but maybe since this is my first detail with a polisher, I didn't use the UC right...I know it is not diminishing abrasives, so I just wasn't sure about the work time, and I didn't want it to get to a dry buff, so maybe I stopped too early with my buffing time. But, anyway, if the UC didn't do anything, how can I remove those RIDS? Do you have a product/pad combination that you think would work? I guess I want to purchase the correct things before I go spending MORE money on stuff!



:nomore:

 

[Accumulator]

But, anyway, if the UC didn't do anything, how can I remove those RIDS?

If a few tries with an aggressive combo don't get them out, maybe you oughta consider just living with them. I can't think of too many 11 year old daily drivers that can be brought back to >90% condition. Don't let the apparent miracles that some people here perform give you unrealistic expectations. Over-thin that clear and you won't be happy

 

[Spike73]

If a few tries with an aggressive combo don't get them out, maybe you oughta consider just living with them. I can't think of too many 11 year old daily drivers that can be brought back to >90% condition. Don't let the apparent miracles that some people here perform give you unrealistic expectations. Over-thin that clear and you won't be happy

Thanks Accumulator...you are soo right. I think the car looks great for 11 yrs old, and I have kept it well since I got it, but it was used, so who knows what it went through. I guess I'm just trying too much to be a perfectionist, that's all. I would like to really learn how all you pros do such good work!!



And yes, I do NOT want to over-thin the clear!! :nono

 

[Accumulator]

Spike73- Heh heh, you might find that once you live with it for a while all nicely detailed, that residual marring won't bother you so much.



My '93 Audi has previous-owner damage (everywhere) that can only be fixed with a paintgun, and after having some time to get used to its imperfection, well, it just doesn't bother me so much.

 

[Spike73]

Let me just ask this question in a different way...is WG TSR capable of removing RIDS? Or is it just not aggressive enough? This was my first time polishing, and I probably didn't put enough downward pressure on the flex during the TSR polishing phase due to inexperience (and fear of screwing up!). But if I had put the right pressure, would the TSR have done the job? It did a great job of removing the swirls from the clear, but it did not touch the RIDS.

 

[Accumulator]

Let me just ask this question in a different way...is WG TSR capable of removing RIDS? Or is it just not aggressive enough? This was my first time polishing, and I probably didn't put enough downward pressure on the flex during the TSR polishing phase due to inexperience (and fear of screwing up!). But if I had put the right pressure, would the TSR have done the job? It did a great job of removing the swirls from the clear, but it did not touch the RIDS.

I've never used the TSR, but even if I had, maybe your paint is different anyhow so it's still :nixweiss



Yeah, applying pressure with the Flex can make a difference, so can using more aggressive pads for the initial work.



I note that it *did* cut the paint OK; it took out the light marring just fine. So with more use/pressure/something, it might do more for the RIDS.



But if you just *can't* live with them then I myself would try a more aggressive product and follow that with the TSR. Hey, it's called "Total *Swirl* Remover", right? Not "Deep Scratch Remover"

 

[Spike73]

I've never used the TSR, but even if I had, maybe your paint is different anyhow so it's still :nixweiss



Yeah, applying pressure with the Flex can make a difference, so can using more aggressive pads for the initial work.



I note that it *did* cut the paint OK; it took out the light marring just fine. So with more use/pressure/something, it might do more for the RIDS.



But if you just *can't* live with them then I myself would try a more aggressive product and follow that with the TSR. Hey, it's called "Total *Swirl* Remover", right? Not "Deep Scratch Remover"

Yup, it is Total swirl remover. And after reading an article written by Mike Phillips on RIDS, I see now that by removing the swirls, I have "uncovered" the RIDS and now they look more prominent. But, I will live with it...I just had such high hopes for my first polishing experience...:sadpace:

 

[Accumulator]

.. after reading an article written by Mike Phillips on RIDS, I see now that by removing the swirls, I have "uncovered" the RIDS and now they look more prominent...

Yeah, that's undoubtedly what happened.

But, I will live with it...

Smart move :xyxthumbs

I just had such high hopes for my first polishing experience...:sadpace:

Hey, I bet most *everybody* feels that way the first time they try to do a major transformation on something that can only take so much correction. At least you didn't overdo it and exchange one issue for another (more serious) one.