H2

I have microscratches AND acid rain etches in my paint. I'm going to have to buff them out...no simple task I suspect. Any tips on what I'll need? I don't want to burn through to the primer...but I'm going to have to be more agressive than the over-the-counter stuff they sell if it's to make a difference.

Thanks,

Harvey

eniac

Depends how bad it is. Most likely you'd use a rotary buffer with a foam polishing pad and some light polish, then use an orbital with microfiber bonnets and towels. I'd say if you are picky about it and don't have experience then take it to a local high quality detail shop. Beware some of the cheaper shops may just add more microscratches

Mike B

Try this

http://www.autobodystore.com/rsw.htm

eniac

I often get brand new cars in for color sanding. Makes a big difference but it's a lot of work if he just wants to remove the microscratches. You could just skip the sanding part and follow the buffing from the buffing section.

theedge

www.autopia.org is bound to have some info.

951fan

I would first try a non abrasive method. This can hurt nothing and will only allow you to assess the level of damage. Get some Zymol HD-Cleanse (pre-wax cleaner) and apply in back and forth, not circular, motion. I have found that if I use the HD-Cleanse many times on bad spots as opposed to a single application over the majority of the car the results are great. Larry Emmons with Emmons Coachworks taught me this and he is very very good.

Stephenwz968

Check out www.meguiars.com, there are forums and some very good tips (IMHO) on polishing and buffing.

500

There is some great advice above. The Autobody store link to Robert's wet sanding and buffing tutorial is excellent.

To really do this right, you will likely need a real rotary buffer. If you can, spend the $$ and get a good one (Makita and DeWalt for example). Variable speed is (very) important. My DeWalt lets me start from a crawl (good for "picking up" the compound without flinging it everywhere) and also has a limit adjustment, so if I only want to go up to 1200 rpm for example, I can ensure that I will not exceed that level.

Basic pads are a good quality wool for the heavy work, and then a medium cut foam and a final polish foam. The recommendations in the autobody store link are solid (Sure Finish polish is also a good, flexible product). I would experiment by trying a minimalist approach, i.e. don't wet sand, just polish with the foam pads. If that works, great, if not then step back to a more aggessive starting point. Buy some 1/4" wide masking tape (paint jobber will have this) and put it along panel edges and folds before you start in an area. Great extra insurance. (Porsche OEM paint on the 944s is quite thick, but it still makes sense to be cautious).

This can be very fun and rewarding. Just take care and make sure you are clear in your mind exactly what you are going for each time you start the buffer up (you want to accomplish your goals with the least amount of machine time possible).

User 41221

Try giving it a good wash with Dawn to remove all the old wax and whatnot, and then clay bar the surface, and then go after it with a good buffing, using a Porter Cable buffing wheel. Finish the job with a good quality wax, like Zaino Bro's. You'll be amazed at what that will do for your car.

Regards,

painkiller

I'd echo Allan's advice as well, I tried five or six compounds for my badly oxidized finish till I found 3M Perfect-it III. Its pretty agressive and may be more than you need. Get a polisher ( I've got the Porter Cable) and practice getting a feel for the polisher and your compound. It really isnt as difficult as it sounds and unless you put excessive pressure on the polisher you will not harm the finish.

After compound use a swirl mark remover followed by a good wax or polymer like Zaino or Rejex.

HTH

John

eniac

Please DO NOT use Dawn or an other dish soap. Household soaps are way too strong and will dull your paint causing even more microscratches. Repeated use of dish soap is a sure way to needing a buff job. Use only soap designed for vehicle paint, it's not very expensive and you only need a small amount of concentrated car soap.

Way too often customers come in because they have dulled their clear coat using dish soap. Between my dad's detail shop and my own shop, we have a combined 67 years of experience.

Vjgtrybno1

My understanding is that these cars are one stage paint and not clear-coated....

UDPride

If you can feel the scratch with your finger on your paint, the general rule is you are SOL. You can do some tricks to hide it, but it wont go anywhere.

eniac

Most of my customers have newer cars with clear coat. That is the only reason I said "clear coat". It doesn't matter, dish soap will dull one stage paint just the same.

User 41221

Eniac,

Thanks for the tip on the dishsoap. I wasn't suggesting that folks use it every time, but just as a way to strip the old wax to prep it for detailing it, which was a tip I had been given by a professional detailer. Do you have a recommendation for stripping the old wax off cars? I am always looking for tips from the pros!

Regards,