N00b looking to get into the PC game, suggestions please

F

fliplyricist1

New member
Hello all,



Well I've decided to finally take the plunge into the world of PC's after years of polish/wax hand applications and not being able to remove swirl marks. I have a budget of approximately 200 dollars, and do not want to go over this as much as possible. I recently acquired a flamenco black pearl 97 Acura CL coupe, which has been in the family since new. Despite being door ding free, it does unfortunately suffer from tons of moderate to heavy swirl marks from years of 'automatic car wash car' (parents are too lazy to handwash), and also several fine scratches from road debris. I've cleaned her up quite a bit with some Zymol cleaner/wax followed by some #26, both applied by hand, which restored the luster to the black paint, but really didn't do much in terms of swirls/scratches. I'd like to know what products you suggest I should invest in to really restore the black car's finish on this Acura....with ease of product use a primary factor.



Again, I'm looking for a nice PC, some pads, and polish/wax product suggestions. If they come in kits or can be purchased from a single online retailer....all the better. The products I currently own are #7 Mothers Polish, umm...not sure what number but also the Mothers Medium Cut grade 7 cleaner (haven't used cuz no machine)...and #26 wax. But I'm more than willing to venture out to new and better products for spectacular results.



I've read through tons of posts and see various suggestions for different things, but I was wondering what you guys would suggest for a one-shot purchase deal.



Thanks much in advance!!
 
If you're happy with your products that you currently have, you can get the UDM from autopia-carcare.com and just the pads you need (it also comes with a polishing white pad). You can also opt for a kit on Autogeek for 199.99, which includes pads and XMT conditioner/cleaner.



Good luck.
 
If you go the PC route, make sure to check out the Edge pads also. They're 2-sided which is real nice and I like the attachment and disconnect system on them. I read here that they're working on a counter-weight for Edge pads and the UDM as well.
 
Thanks for the feedback fellas!



I checked out the 'starter' kit you were referring to on Autogeek, but unfortunately I don't think that's the kit for me. My acura suffers from TERRIBLE and chronic swirlmarks and scratching (most especially on the trunk lid and upper rear bumper area), which is overly apparent in direct sunlight. From my reading it seems as though 4" pads are the way to go to tackle more aggressive jobs. Any suggestions on the best products (both pads and polishes/cleaners) for tackling deep swirl marks/mild scratches....keeping in mind this is a black car. Of course, my hand applications are doing nothing in terms of removing swirls/scratches, so I know anything used with the pc will be an improvement. But I'm looking for the best. In addition, does anyone know if the clearcoat on these late 90's model acuras is hard or soft?



Thanks in advance
 
Then, you're probably going the 'ala carte' path. The UDM is at $150, PC about $130. You can get some 4" pads, orange, maybe yellow. You may take more time with the smaller pads on the entire car. While the 6" pads may take more passes.



Might want to check if your black Acura even has a clearcoat. Most black cars, unless metallic or opalescent, usually have no clearcoat. In which case you may not have a hard time with it at all. I've done Toyota black singlestage with heavy swirls/scratches with ease.



If you're looking for the "best", its probably going to take more than $200. If you want to get rid of the swirls with ease, a rotary would be the fastest route and will run around $200 just for the machine. Menz 106FF nano polish will run $50.
 
tod071 said:
Then, you're probably going the 'ala carte' path. The UDM is at $150, PC about $130. You can get some 4" pads, orange, maybe yellow. You may take more time with the smaller pads on the entire car. While the 6" pads may take more passes.



Might want to check if your black Acura even has a clearcoat. Most black cars, unless metallic or opalescent, usually have no clearcoat. In which case you may not have a hard time with it at all. I've done Toyota black singlestage with heavy swirls/scratches with ease.



If you're looking for the "best", its probably going to take more than $200. If you want to get rid of the swirls with ease, a rotary would be the fastest route and will run around $200 just for the machine. Menz 106FF nano polish will run $50.
Click to expand...





Thanks much. Yeah, at this point I'm thinking I'm going to fall quite a bit above budget. What does UDM stand for and where can they be purchased? I read they offer everything that the pc offers with some slight advantages, so I think that would justify the price difference. The acura does have clearcoat, the color is Flamenco Black Pearl, and when my parents purchased it new, had the dealer add 3 additional clearcoats. So it's got quite a bit on there, but not sure how thick the clearcoat is now after a decade. All I know is that in the trouble spots, even after I cleaner/wax by hand, I can still feel heavy 'pitted' texture in this areas, and of course the swirls are heavily apparent.



Maybe I shouldn't be looking for the 'best' result possible but the 'best' in terms of safeness for a newbie who is a first timer in the machine world. Last thing I'd want to do is mess up the paint job or make it worse than it already is.
 
Ultimate Detailing Machine



The rule in detailing is to start with the safest and least aggressive approach to paint correction. Meaning to start with a softer pad, ie LC White and finishing polish. Next is to bump up the chemicals, stronger polish. If that doesn't work, move up to a more aggressive pad, such as Orange.



With a UDM or PC, you shouldn't have problems damaging paint. But, there's always a possibility. Always test in a small area first. As a beginner, don't expect instant results. If there's ANY improvement, you're doing something right.



Good Luck! :waxing:
 
If you have a budget and want to get started, go to Harbor Freight and get a Bauer polisher. Then head over to Autozone and pick up a couple Griots pads and some Griots compound and polish.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top