I can't use a PC need help by hand...

srtviper

New member
I just can't put myself using a pc on a 100k+ car when I've never even detailed a car before. I ordered everything:

2 x Wash mitt sheep skin (can you please send me the heaviest sheep skin mitt you have)

1x Poorboys ssr2

1x Poorboys ssr1

1x Fourstar ultimate plaint protectant

6x blue supreme polishing towels

4x Elite Polishing Towel 16x24

4x 1.7oz 1616 Blue microfibre polishing towels

1x Pacific Blue Waffle Weave Drying Towel

1 x Excel Micro Applicators

1x charliesoap 16.9oz. spray

Leatherique 16 oz. Kit

Vinyl & Leather Scrub Brush

303 Aerospace Protectant

Auto Vent Brush

303 High Tech Fabric Guard

303 Cleaner and Spot Remover

303 Aerospace Cleaner

Souveran / Klasse Kit

RaggTopp Fabric Convertible Top Care Kit

The Original California Mini Duster

Plexus Plastic Cleaner Protectant & Polish

Meguiar's NXT Generation Car Wash

Microfiber Gloves/ Pair

Four Star Ultimate Detailing Clay (Fine Grade)



But now I need instructions on how to use everything BY HAND. I just don't want to use a PC on a brand new Viper. Hope you guys can help....well to be more specific I need to know when you apply for example do you go in round manner? which mf would I use? do you go up and down and do the whole hood first then wipe off then go onto the next part? Thanks







Ricky
 
I'll let someone else chime in on the hand application techniques, but I just wanted to say that if you eventally want to take that Vipers paint to the next level you will want a PC or Rotary. Since you have'nt machine polished before get a PC. There almost foolproof. Buy the meguiars " "How to remove paint defects video", check out "bettercarcare" for PC usage tips, and check out the "machine polishing" forum on this site. As long as there's product on your pad and or surface, you should be fine with a PC... :xyxthumbs
 
grt1today is right on the money. The PC is an arm savver, not a time saver. It cannot compete with a rotary (those, you DO have to wary of!) for paint correction, but it does everything you could do by hand better and more thoroughly.

I've "polished" and waxed cars for years by hand; the PC is as easy to use and easier to achieve supeior results.

It's very, very safe to use.

You won't be able to polish out swirls by hand anywhere near what the PC with the right pad/polish combo could do.

I'm a reformed hand polisher.:xyxthumbs
 
srt1viper, audio1der and grt1today are right, the pc is pretty simple. Like yourself I was really reluctant to use a pc on my new car. I just used mine for the first time last weekend. I used it with SSR1 with a propel blue polishing pad. A pretty low abrasiveness combination. Took about half the car to get the hang of it. It really is simple to use. I followed with VM with a a blue polishing pad. Looked incredible. It took a while but I seriously doubt I could have achieved those results by hand.
 
Now I trying to look at al cars being equal and I know a 100,000 is not a lot to sneeze at but to some of use our 20,000 cars are better then your 100,000.





One person you should talk to is SN Dogma H Bought tons of stuff but never took his paint to the level he wanted and I talked him in to the PC.. now there is no looking back..
 
Get the PC !! Your Viper will go up in value !! When my SS Camaro was stolen and totalled, All the detailing pictures I took of the car paid off.I sent the insurance company about 75 pictures and I received a couple thousand extra dollars strictly from the condition of the cars apperance.
 
The use of those products is pretty straight forward. The SSRs should be applied to 1/4 of a panel or some similar-sized area. Then buff the residue off right away. You'll need to work the polish until it becomes nearly clear.



FourStar UPP can be applied to the whole car. Then wait about 30 minutes, and remove from the whole car. Any of those MFs listed will be fine for both of the above tasks.



Souveran can be applied to one panel, and buffed off right away. There is no need to wait for the wax to dry on the paint before buffing off.



Most of those products probably have directions right on the package. Just follow those, and if you still have questions, post them here.
 
srtviper- Have they convinced you yet ;)



If not, let me join the chorus :D Get the PC and do youself and your Viper a favor. It is *NOT* any more dangerous than working by hand unless you do something *so* dumb that...well..I can't imagine a Viper owner doing anything that would qualify :D IMO you might even be *less* likely to make a mistake with the PC than by hand. And FWIW, I've had cars in that price range (and my S8 wasn't exactly inexpensive ;) ) so I appreciate your concern about messing up something that cost a pretty penny.



You can always turn the PC down to speed 1 or 2 and basically make it act like somebody with a really fast hand. It won't get tired, so it won't get careless ;) And you'll be less tired and thus *also* less likely to get careless.



I can't give any advice on the SSR polishes as I haven't used them. The hand direction (circles, front-back) shouldn't matter unless you're doing something wrong. Then it can matter a little because circular marring is more noticeable than straight-line marring. But don't mar it and a) it won't matter which direction you work and b) it'll look better anyhow.



Be especially careful when you wash, IMO that's when most marring occurs. You'll be *far* more likely to mess up the paint when you wash it than you would be when using a PC.



ONe thing that makes me :confused: is that you have both the 4* UPP and the Klasse/Souveran kit. I myself like UPP all by itself. If you use the K/S approach, get about 3-4 layers of SG on before topping with the Souveran. SG can be *little* tricky, you have to put it on so thin that you can barely see it (far less than an ounce for a car that size). Put it on thick and it can be a bit of a pain. I let SG set up overnight, makes it a little easier to buff off.



Now spend a little more bu getting the PC and give your MOPAR the care it deserves. For that matter, I'd get a foamgun too ;) I'm not kidding about how the washing is the critical step.
 
I have to echo what Accumulator said about washing. That's probably where most marring can occur as you are moving around the grit and dirt that is on the car.



I went out and bought a PC a few months after I started reading about them here, but I was leery of using a PC on my cars and it sat for a while (actually about 2 years) before I got the nerve up to order pads.



Truth be told, I was expecting it would torque out of my hands and held on for dear life when I fired it up for the first time, But it didn't (It's pretty gentle). I felt at ease with it before I was half done with the hood and felt foolish at being imtimidated about using it for so long.
 
The PC can seriously damage paint.



If you feel like playing catch with it using your car's hood as your partner.



Like everyone else has said, the PC is fool proof. Unless you put forth alot of effort to hurt the paint, you won't damage it a bit. If you were smart enough to get yourself this far through life, you can use a PC.
 
Yes a PC is very helpful in some situations. For an example, you may take a look at my Extreme Detail entry for this month. Imagine polishing that by hand. :down
 
Accumulator said:




You can always turn the PC down to speed 1 or 2 and basically make it act like somebody with a really fast hand. It won't get tired, so it won't get careless ;) And you'll be less tired and thus *also* less likely to get careless.



This statement made me turn back time. I was reluctant as well at first, went slow until I felt comfortable then cranked it up.
 
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