Need a little help for a new member plz.

[jdrop01]

Well I am glad I finally joined the forums as this place is exactly what I have been looking for! Anyways onto my questions:



I currently own a PC with orange and white pads.

Menzerna MIP and Menzerna MFP and KAIO also bought me some p21s car. wax actually the 75$ kit.



I own a 98 Corvette and was wondering with my PC and current products I own will I be able to bring my baby back to life? I have done a pass with a orange pad with MIP and followed with white pad and MFP, but it seems I really did not get all the imperfections out. I am looking for my car to be returned to jet black wet status. What could I try to give my car that look I am looking for? Should I do maybe 2 passes with the orange pad with MIP and follow with MFP/White pad then KAIO?



Also what are some great products to use on interior for cleaning and protection? I've read multiple threads and can't pick one. I also would like a nice carpet cleaner but can not find anything. I always see the click and brag pictures and see how clean everyone gets the floor mats and I want that look!

 

[Accumulator]

Well I am glad I finally joined the forums as this place is exactly what I have been looking for! Anyways onto my questions:



I currently own a PC with orange and white pads.

Menzerna MIP and Menzerna MFP and KAIO also bought me some p21s car. wax actually the 75$ kit.



I own a 98 Corvette and was wondering with my PC and current products I own will I be able to bring my baby back to life? I have done a pass with a orange pad with MIP and followed with white pad and MFP, but it seems I really did not get all the imperfections out. I am looking for my car to be returned to jet black wet status. What could I try to give my car that look I am looking for? Should I do maybe 2 passes with the orange pad with MIP and follow with MFP/White pad then KAIO?...

Welcome to Autopia!



If your pads are ~6" they might not behave aggressively enough on the PC for your car's hard clear (I had a '99 C5). 4" pads work *much* better for correction.



Regardless of what size pads (and what product), it's not uncommon for such work to take *many* passes, and I don't mean just five or six. It's not unheard of for somebody to spend literally *hours* correcting a single panel via PC when they try to do it with a mild (and thus safe) pad/product combo.



Use the most aggressive combo (orange pad/MIP) until the marring is removed/reduced to your satisfaction. Expect that to take many passes and a lot of time. Then switch to the white pad/MFP to remove the slight micromarring from the aggressive work and to bring up the gloss. Expect that to take 2-3 passes, with the last one being done using virtually no pressure.



Use speed 6 for all polishing with ~6" pads, consider using lower speeds with 4" pads.



Don't even think about switching to the KAIO until things look as good as you want them to (or until you give up and decide to buy smaller, more aggressive pads and a more aggressive product ).

Also what are some great products to use on interior for cleaning and protection? I've read multiple threads and can't pick one. I also would like a nice carpet cleaner but can not find anything. I always see the click and brag pictures and see how clean everyone gets the floor mats and I want that look!

I find an extractor to be pretty much mandatory for cleaning mats. Steamers are nice too, but not as necessary IMO. Note that others do fine without them...check threads/posts by David Fermani, who blots with cotton towels instead of using an extractor; he gets great results with his method, maybe you will too.



I like Griot's Interior Cleaner, and they have a Carpet Cleaner now too (haven't tried it as I use commercial stuff for carpets). Besides checking out Griot's, look at what Top of the Line Auto Detailing Supplies has to offer.



For protection, you can see the same sources and/or check out the Sonus and Ultima line at the Autopia store (click on the "shopping" icon at the top of the page). To be honest, I find that today's vehicles don't need a whole lot of interior protection; some of my vehicles *never* get such treatment and the seem to hold up just as well as the ones I do use such products on. But then I don't park in the sun all that often...

 

[Joel_MD]

Welcome to the forums. Are you active duty USAF? I'm am Air Force reservist myself.



In my experience it can be difficult to do serious paint correction unless you have a rotary buffer, especially if your clear coat is on the hard side. You could try multiple passes with the orange pad and Intensive Polish. IP is considered a medium-cut polish, so you may need to kick it up a notch. You could try a heavier polishing compound (Meguiar's 105, Menzerna Power Gloss, or Hi Temp Extra Cut) with a Lake Country purple foamed wool pad. Personally I would try M105 with a PFW pad on a rotary, followed by Menzerna Final Polish with a white pad on the PC. I've never tried using M105 with a PC, but some guys have reported success when used with a 3.5" PFW pad.

 

[jdrop01]

I kind of figured everyone would point me towards a rotary and I have been throwing that around in my mind. Only thing is I have never used one and would be very scared of me burning through my clearcoat. I will have to read up on how to properly use a rotary and with what speeds. I've been looking at the Makita or DeWalt rotary and I am almost close to pulling the trigger.



BTW yes Joel MD I am active duty and work on the B-2A as a Jet Engine Mechanic. I am also sending you a PM on some advice if you do not mind. Thanks for the replies everyone and also for the welcome!

 

[Accumulator]

I kind of figured everyone would point me towards a rotary and I have been throwing that around in my mind...

I didn't find the rotary all *that* scary, but finishing out can be a challenge so don't sell that PC.



OTOH, the 3.5" and 4" Purple Foamed Wool pads can allow the PC to do some mighty impressive correction.



But yeah, you'll almost certainly need a more aggressive product.