When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Depends on the pad manufacturer - unfortunately different colors can mean something different across different lines. Lake Country, Buff & Shine and Meguiars all make quality pads. it is also machine dependent. If your using a DA (dual action polisher-put aside that orbital unless you know what your doing) than let me recommend Lake Country Pads.
For a mild polish, Menzerna 4000 or Sonax 3/6 do really well on German paint - both have a cut level of 3 on a scale of 1-10 (with ten being the most aggressive). Another excellent mild polish readily available from you local auto parts store is Meguiars M205. Do a small test area first to make sure you have the right pad and polish combination. Least aggressive combination first, then step it up if that doesn't work.
Do yourself a favor and buy some quality MF (micro fiber) towels. Microfiber Madness sold exclusively at carpro-usa.com are the hands down best towels on the market and won't scratch your paint. http://www.carpro-us.com/microfiber-madness/ If I had to do to over again, I would only buy their towels. Waverunner for drying and Yellow Fellow for removing polish.
I've used the cyclo. It's pretty similar in results to the normal DAs, but it feels different. I would be worried about smacking the metal body against a panel. In my opinion, it's 1950s technology. DAs are already very gentile. I would rate aggressiveness in the following order:
Porter Cable
Cyclo
Griots
Rupes
Flex
Rotary
I've used the cyclo. It's pretty similar in results to the normal DAs, but it feels different. I would be worried about smacking the metal body against a panel. In my opinion, it's 1950s technology. DAs are already very gentile. I would rate aggressiveness in the following order:
Porter Cable
Cyclo
Griots
Rupes
Flex
Rotary
I would agree that a rotary is the most aggressive piece of equipment out there but I would consider all the other DAs in the same boat. It's not about the machine but it's the pad/polish combination that determines aggressiveness. Also there is a technique to using these machines that is very simple but worth learning. Autogeek.net has tons of instructional videos on the proper usage of all these machines - worth watching.
Remember that gloss is derived from how defect free the paint surface is, not from the LSP (last step product). If you wax a dirty car, it's not going to get shiny - it's all about the prep.
I'll ditto the comment earlier about different manufacturers use different colors for their pads.
Also, not only will tap water leave water spots from the minerals, but depending on where you live, acid rain will do the same thing - well, more accurately, it leaves water spots but for different reasons.
9 Vehicles Porsche Helped Engineer that Aren't Porsches
Slideshow: Long before engineering consulting became trendy, Porsche was quietly helping other automakers build everything from supercars to economy hatchbacks.
9 Features and Characteristics That Only Porsche People Understand
Slideshow: Some brands build cars. Porsche builds traditions, obsessions, and a few habits that stopped making sense decades ago but somehow became part of the charm.
This Builder Is Turning Heads With Its Slantnose 911 Creation
Slideshow: A small Polish tuner has reimagined the Porsche 911 Slantnose for the modern era, blending 1980s nostalgia with widebody tuning culture and serious performance upgrades.
Porsche 911 GT3 Artisan Edition Pays Homage to Japanese Culture
Slideshow: Porsche has created a Japan-only 911 GT3 Artisan Edition that blends track-ready hardware with design cues inspired by traditional Japanese craftsmanship.
Porsche Reveals Coupe Variant of the Electric Cayenne With a Fresh Look
Slideshow: Porsche's latest electric Cayenne Coupe blends dramatic styling with supercar acceleration, turning the brand's midsize SUV into a 1,139-horsepower flagship.