Marring Hologram HD Advanced Cut

[hdspeed]

About a year ago I used HD Speed with porter cable and HD green pad followed with Nitro Seal on my soft jet black BMW. The results was a very high gloss finish. I was very satisfied although many scratches still remained from my car cover. The finished product was this 2007 BMW 3281 HD SPEED Nitro Seal Porter Cable HD Green Pad - YouTube .



About a year later I decided I wanted to try and remove more of the scratches. I decided to use HD Speed with HD orange cutting pad. I prepped with HD clay bar and 3D final touch lube. The result was a very swirly finish with not much correction. I then decided to give HD Advanced Cut and HD Polish a try. About 3 months after using the Speed with orange pad I re clay bar and applied HD Advanced Cut with a HD orange cutting pad. I applied a small amount of product and used medium pressure for about 3-4 passes. The HD Advanced cut corrected well but left behind huge marring. I had extreme difficulty removing HD Uno with my microfiber. I followed with HD Polish speed 6 with HD blue polishing pad. I polished for about 4 passes until polish was gone. I thought I had removed the marring and followed with my remaining Nitro Seal. After viewing car in the sun there are huge marring and holograms remaining (see videos)



Marring Hologram HD Advanced Cut - YouTube

Hologram HD Advanced Cut - YouTube



I have tried to re polish with no success in removing marring and holograms. I desperately need some suggestions on what I can do to remove the marring.

 

[Richard Grasa]

Jet black is easily one of the most challenging colors to work on. You need to use a very fine polish on a finishing pad with a light touch to get it to finish out nicely and maybe even go to a jeweling step. If you can't get it to finish out with HD Polish on a finishing pad, or a waxing pad, you may need to go to something even finer like Menzerna SF4500. I'm sure this paint has made many a detailer pull their hair out trying to finish it down perfectly.



Slow your speed way down as well, 6 is too high for this.

 

[IHA Mark]

How experienced are you with a polisher? As Richard said, black is extremely difficult to work with. That being said, HD UNO AC is one of the most forgiving compounds out there, bordering on just being a heavy polish. I have used it on very soft paints without marring. It could have been many things other than the compound:



1. Technique

2. Pad selection

3. Amount of product... sometimes I used a lot of UNO, especially on soft paints in order to reduce marring. Even though the general thought it more is less.

4. Speed of polisher

5. Quality of microfiber, cleanliness of microfiber



Not saying you certainly did something wrong, but there are a lot of reasons that you did not get a good outcome other than the product.

 

[hdspeed]

Jet black is easily one of the most challenging colors to work on. You need to use a very fine polish on a finishing pad with a light touch to get it to finish out nicely and maybe even go to a jeweling step. If you can't get it to finish out with HD Polish on a finishing pad, or a waxing pad, you may need to go to something even finer like Menzerna SF4500. I'm sure this paint has made many a detailer pull their hair out trying to finish it down perfectly.



Slow your speed way down as well, 6 is too high for this.

Would a red HD Foam Pad Application Red pad on speed 3 suffice? How much HD Polish should I apply. 4-5 pea sized drops? Thanks for the input.

 

[Richard Grasa]

Would a red HD Foam Pad Application Red pad on speed 3 suffice? How much HD Polish should I apply. 4-5 pea sized drops? Thanks for the input.

Really the only way to tell would be to do a test spot. I would prime the pad with the Polish by rubbing some into the pad with your fingers and then add a few more drops.

 

[David Fermani]

Wow....I can totally see the marring you're referring to. Thanks for the video. It really looks like a bad case of pad marring that didn't get knocked down. The HD Orange pad is pretty stout and can definately cause some heavy marring on soft solid black paint. Especially if you don't constantly keep it clean. So much in fact that HD blue pad might not remove it and I think that's what happened.



Depending on what other foam pads do you have?? Try this: (assuming that you didn't apply any wax/sealant after polishing??), I would tape off several sections of your hood. I would 1st try using UNO, but with a lighter foam pad. This will knock down the marring from the orange pad. I wouldn't try using HD Polish, use UNO for this. Once the marring is brought to a bare minimum, that is when you'll want to use HD Polish for the final step.



It's very important that you clean your pad well after each pass. don't overwork the product either. Especially HD Polish (3-4 passes is all that you need).



Please let us know how this turns out. Once you get 1 section figured out and where you want it, then proceed with the rest of the car.

 

[hdspeed]

Wow....I can totally see the marring you're referring to. Thanks for the video. It really looks like a bad case of pad marring that didn't get knocked down. The HD Orange pad is pretty stout and can definately cause some heavy marring on soft solid black paint. Especially if you don't constantly keep it clean. So much in fact that HD blue pad might not remove it and I think that's what happened.



Depending on what other foam pads do you have?? Try this: (assuming that you didn't apply any wax/sealant after polishing??), I would tape off several sections of your hood. I would 1st try using UNO, but with a lighter foam pad. This will knock down the marring from the orange pad. I wouldn't try using HD Polish, use UNO for this. Once the marring is brought to a bare minimum, that is when you'll want to use HD Polish for the final step.



It's very important that you clean your pad well after each pass. don't overwork the product either. Especially HD Polish (3-4 passes is all that you need).



Please let us know how this turns out. Once you get 1 section figured out and where you want it, then proceed with the rest of the car.

Will 50%alcohol 50% water work to remove the Nitro Seal? I have HD blue polishing, HD Red applicator, HD Green cut/polish pads. I could try uno on polish pad and HD polish on red pad?

 

[hdspeed]

Can I apply HD Polish without removing the nitro seal first?

 

[Thomas Dekany]

Of course you can, HD POLISH will remove your LSP - just an FYI, that particular year is the worst of all JB paints in my experience. Many that I have done... you can't even wipe off without marring the hell out of it. So based on your experience, you have a few choices.



1 - Have a pro detailer polish it as well as possible and leave with it. Washing that paint will create a nightmare.

2 - you do the work but don't expect similar results.

3 - Have a coating applied, although wiping the paint down with IPA will marr the paint...

4 - trade it in and get a metallic color.



If you really care about the paint, #4 is what I'd do.



This is just my 2c.

Can I apply HD Polish without removing the nitro seal first?

 

[hdspeed]

Of course you can, HD POLISH will remove your LSP - just an FYI, that particular year is the worst of all JB paints in my experience. Many that I have done... you can't even wipe off without marring the hell out of it. So based on your experience, you have a few choices.



1 - Have a pro detailer polish it as well as possible and leave with it. Washing that paint will create a nightmare.

2 - you do the work but don't expect similar results.

3 - Have a coating applied, although wiping the paint down with IPA will marr the paint...

4 - trade it in and get a metallic color.



If you really care about the paint, #4 is what I'd do.



This is just my 2c.

I plan on working on it myself. Any tips for me since you have experience working on this exact paint? I going to try HD Polish with HD Green Pad. I am scared to use HD Uno Advanced Cut again. Thanks everyone for the tips!

 

[David Fermani]

Will 50%alcohol 50% water work to remove the Nitro Seal? I have HD blue polishing, HD Red applicator, HD Green cut/polish pads. I could try uno on polish pad and HD polish on red pad?

Can I apply HD Polish without removing the nitro seal first?

I plan on working on it myself. Any tips for me since you have experience working on this exact paint? I going to try HD Polish with HD Green Pad. I am scared to use HD Uno Advanced Cut again. Thanks everyone for the tips!

Because you've used another HD protectant, you shouldn't have any problems as they all use the base chemistry. If you really want to be extra sure, alcohol will cut through any excessive oils that are remaining.



I highly suggest doing a test spot to insure that what you're doing is actually correcting the problem and keep checking your results as you go. I don't blame you for being hesitant with using UNO again. Just make sure that the UNO/Pad marring is being corrected with Polish/Green pad. Otherwise try stepping up a pad if needed. (orange)



Again, make sure to keep your working area to about 2X2, don't overwork the product and keep your pad clean. Please let us know how it goes.

 

[Thomas Dekany]

First tip, and I don't mean to sound harsh, but I have used HD UNO for 3 years correcting JB paint. So UNO works, the issue is at your end. BTW, every compound/medium polish will leave 2007 JB paint in terrible shape. Best not to try to wipe that paint after step 1. Simply go over with it with HD POLISH, and a polishing pad, followed by HD POLISH and a red finishing pad. At this point, I'd do HD SPEED and work it in until almost gone. Don't wipe it off. Go over it with HD POXY or Nitro Seal. To do the final wipe, order the towel from John at Metropolitan Detail up in Seattle.



Basically, this is a lose lose situation. Learn to live with a less than perfect finish. I just looked at your second video. That is due to you wiping the paint. So you need to be extremely careful, and use the plushest towels, best mitts.



Not sure I am actually helping you, but just be aware. You want "perfect" finish? Stay away from JB.



Good luck!

I plan on working on it myself. Any tips for me since you have experience working on this exact paint? I going to try HD Polish with HD Green Pad. I am scared to use HD Uno Advanced Cut again. Thanks everyone for the tips!

 

[hdspeed]

First tip, and I don't mean to sound harsh, but I have used HD UNO for 3 years correcting JB paint. So UNO works, the issue is at your end. BTW, every compound/medium polish will leave 2007 JB paint in terrible shape. Best not to try to wipe that paint after step 1. Simply go over with it with HD POLISH, and a polishing pad, followed by HD POLISH and a red finishing pad. At this point, I'd do HD SPEED and work it in until almost gone. Don't wipe it off. Go over it with HD POXY or Nitro Seal. To do the final wipe, order the towel from John at Metropolitan Detail up in Seattle.



Basically, this is a lose lose situation. Learn to live with a less than perfect finish. I just looked at your second video. That is due to you wiping the paint. So you need to be extremely careful, and use the plushest towels, best mitts.



Not sure I am actually helping you, but just be aware. You want "perfect" finish? Stay away from JB.



Good luck!

Thanks Thomas and Dave. Just to be clear no whipe from uno until final whipedown after poxy correct? I will video how it turns out.

 

[Thomas Dekany]

Right! I mean you can wipe, but why induce swirls if it will bother you? Experiment. Which reminds me, make sure to apply your LSP as thin as you can so that it comes off easy.

Thanks Thomas and Dave. Just to be clear no whipe from uno until final whipedown after poxy correct? I will video how it turns out.