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Cakefool posted:Wash with dish soap, like, fairy liquid type stuff? So this takes off whatever wax is still on? quote:Any polishing/ buffing/scratch removal happens now right? Can someone (initialdave?) recommend a coarse -> fine serious of cheap compounds, also I'm willing to buy a buffer if this saves me weeks of lovely labour, what's a good starting point? The Porter Cable Buffer is the standard. And it's worth it. I've had mine for over 12 years and it is as solid now as it was then. Meguiar's has a "Body Shop Professional" line of buffing/polishing compounds that go from course-as-fine-sandpaper to final polish. quote:Does clay bar happen now or before the polishing? quote:Wax to protect all my hard work now? Recommendations as well please. Another thing I found recently is Turtle Wax Ice Wax. It's not a very good wax, but you can use it on/near black plastic parts without leaving residual wax marks. I use it on my Volvo XC90 that has black plastic everywhere and it saves TONS of time. I have access to all of Zymol's line. I use everything but their wax, for what it's worth.
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Apr 28, 2012 13:01
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EVERYWHERE 
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Jonny 290 posted:This is kind of half-bodywork, half detailing, but we recently got a '99 Grand Cherokee Laredo, and it has that grey body cladding on the bottom edge. It's faded, splotchy and just generally gross. The best way to restore faded plastic like that is a bit sketchy... it involves a propane torch and "bringing" the black back. For gray, I don't know of a good way, sometimes the gray shows the way the plastic ran in the mold and that "marbling" is usually permanent.
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Apr 28, 2012 16:50
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kimbo305 posted:- there's no cloth/towel that can be used on dry paint without scratching, right? quote:- is just spraying the car down to get dirt off completely harmless? That is, better than leaving bird poo poo and dust staying on there? For bird poo poo and the like, getting it off the car as soon as possible is your best bet. If you just spray it down and don't finish the wash, you run the risk of water spotting, but that would probably be preferable to having the bird poo poo sit on the car in the sun, anyway. Still needs properly washed as soon as you can, though.
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May 1, 2012 18:43
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Blinky Blinkerson posted:
I think you need to get a more aggressive compound. Something like Meguiar's #83 Dual Action Cleaner/Polish or even careful use of #85 Diamond Cut Compound. When you actually start taking material away, you obviously need to be extremely careful, but it can give tremendous results. On the single-stage black I had on my old Miata, there were a couple times that I went full-on with it, using #85 Diamond Cut over the whole car. Diamond cut will leave your finish looking like you went at it with sandpaper. But, polishing it back through the various steps (I went from the cutting compound to #83 to #82 and then to wax) resulted in an unbelievable depth and gloss.
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May 13, 2012 10:56
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Cached Money posted:Ok, so my mom's (and sometimes mine) Saab has rims that look like total poo poo. Sure, the scratches from scraping into a curb on the right front rim can't be removed but the entire rims are like brown-black and horrible. What should I put on them to get that off them? Simple Green first, lightly scrub with plastic bristle scrub brush. Then go at the brown-black stains with a Magic Eraser.
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May 17, 2012 00:37
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THE BLACK NINJA posted:What is the plastic bag test? Do I need a buffer to clay the car? Is using the clay bar pretty self explanatory? I suck at this. Clay bar is super easy, three components -- the clay bar itself, a microfiber wiping towel and lubricant. You can spend a lot of money on "specific clay bar liquid," or just put a few drops of Johnson's baby shampoo into a spray bottle filled with water. Spray a 1'x1' area with the liquid, rub the clay using light-to-moderate pressure. You'll clearly be able to feel the area that you've clayed in comparison to the unworked area. The clayed area will be substantially smoother.
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Jun 9, 2012 18:34
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War Bunny posted:Zymol is a good cleaner wax, but plan on only doing one panel of your car at a time. The blue liquid "Zymol" cleaner wax is a Turtle Wax product. Real Zymol is a non-combo product. Actual Zymol waxes are very good, but do not hold up to the weather well.
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Jun 18, 2012 01:08
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Bachelor Numpad posted:So after spending a few days cleaning my car (washing, claying, polishing, washing again, then waxing, all by hand), we had some lovely rain today that lasted for all of one minute, and now there are nice little water spots all over my car. Figures. It's supposed to bead up. If you want it to look good after a rain, you have to wash it.
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Jun 21, 2012 11:45
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thecobra posted:So I bought this thing As long as it turns in non-repetitive circles, it'll work... for as long as it keeps turning in non-repetitive circles. I'm not familiar with the Wen brand, but it looks like Harbor Freight-esqe packaging, which may mean that longevity isn't going to be that machine's legacy. It should work to give you an idea of how one works to see if you want to pay the money for one of the more robust buffers.
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Jul 12, 2012 00:07
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 This looks like a door edge. If it is, the way to deal with it is to stop hitting your door into things. And touch up.  It'd be a fairly odd rock to make that kind of a mark, regardless, you can only pretty that one up, not fix it. I'd use a Magic Eraser, get 85% of it out, put a good coat of wax over the area and call it good. quote:Is this just something that hatches do Yes.
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Aug 4, 2012 19:20
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GTi_guy posted:Do NOT use a magic eraser on your paint. Ever. It is a very good tool. No different than a rubbing compound. Get strong florescent lights on a polished dark paint and use compound... you'll see the same scratches. Then you polish them out. Your link was regarding using a Magic Eraser for bird poo poo removal... if you do that, you're dumb. But to quick fix scratches already in the paint? Magic. Either that, or leave big scratches in the paint. meatpimp fucked around with this message at 21:01 on Aug 4, 2012 |
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Aug 4, 2012 20:58
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ratbert90 posted:? He said use compound and you will see the same scratches. I am saying if you use compound correctly you won't. I'm saying that if you use a Magic Eraser properly, not going at the finish like a monkey on crack, that it will be fine. And the Magic Eraser WILL take care of minor scratches like magic with no ill effect. Alternatively, you can also use rubbing compound and put the same kinds of scratches in paint as GTi_guy's link showed, if used on a perfect finish underneath strong florescent lighting. As a matter of fact, MOST cars that are not complete garage queens will have paint that looks lovely and scratched up underneath strong florescent light, yet still look beautifully finished in natural light. That's why I use florescents in my garage -- if you can make something look smooth/glossy/clear under florescent, then you're done. To put a perfectly polished panel under florescent light, then rub on it with a Magic Eraser and use it as an example to claim that you should NEVER use a Magic Eraser on paint is disingenuous. There is nothing "magic" about it, it is simply another type of abrasive and, as with any abrasive, you can gently caress things up if you use them incorrectly. The fact is that I have an extremely critical eye for paint. I was employed by a detailing company in the '80s. I have done contract work for Zymol. I know a thing or two about paint care. I use a Magic Eraser for many things with a car, including the finish, and have had nothing but good results*. (*noted exception: pearlescent paint. If you have a scratch in a pearl paint, the magic eraser will soften/tear the pearl coat. I've seen that on multiple cars. You have to use your head, just like anything else.)
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Aug 5, 2012 22:35
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Polish posted:Zamboni. Two of them actually. We just got them back from paint That is largely dependent on what the paint ship did. Working equipment is usually a heavy 1 part paint that is easy to bring back to looking good with a compounding/light sanding. How did the shop prep the machines? How did they paint it / does it need to cure? All important questions and upkeep will be based off of the answers.
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Aug 9, 2012 17:51
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SintaxError posted:I bought a car a few weeks ago with a set of enkei lusso (black w/machined lip) rims. The black holds up pretty good, but the machined lip is starting to get a bit dull. What might be the best way of polishing this up? I bought a $10 polishing set for my dremel at walmart, but I figured I'd check here first before going hog wild on it and potentially loving it all up. Be careful, those wheels probably have a clearcoat. If you use a dremel with metal polishing stuffs, you'll trash the finish. General rule of thumb is to use the least abrasive product possible to get the result you're looking for. Try a basic cleaner/wax first and see if that makes a difference. If it does, then you're set. If not, take a closer look to see "how" the finish is getting dull, is it scratches, build-up or a hazing of the clearcoat? Each of those have a different method to rectify the issue.
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Aug 11, 2012 14:33
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chutwig posted:Glad somebody found this thread and bumped it to the top. I was on vacation for 2 weeks and in that time a tree above my car decided for the first time ever to grow lots of berries and drop them all on my car. The juice dried and got baked on by the sun and has formed some sort of super-resilient substance that has refused to yield to anything I've tried so far. I tried normal car wash, high-pressure rinse all the way up to point-blank range, scrubbing with microfiber cloths, vinegar, automotive Goo Gone, none of it's worked. Would a clay bar even do anything against this? Clay bar would help. However, you may want to try just letting water run over the hood for a while. I had one hell of a time with some tree sap that simply refused to come off, except when soaked in water, then it wiped right off. It was the weirdest thing. Re: Microfiber towel washing -- standard laundering procedures, unless you get "crap" in the towel. I've had innumerable microfibers destroyed by wood chips/leaf particles, etc... once that stuff gets in the microfiber, its life is over and it goes to the rag bin.
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Sep 11, 2012 22:09
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BrokenKnucklez posted:I figure I will keep asking, some one is bound to know how to or their experinces. Vinyl, leather or fabric? Regardless of the answer, VHT has some awesome spray-dyes. I've only used them on vinyl, but man they give even coverage and professional results. Note: I've only used the black dye, I would be very careful with any other colors.
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Sep 30, 2012 19:16
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I don't have personal experience, but I've heard a lot of good things about Leatherique: http://www.leatherique.com/standard-colors/
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Sep 30, 2012 20:31
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I have been out of the keeping-clean-cars hobby for a while. Stupid life priorities. However, I do want to get some work done on my Deville before Winter. What is the current wisdom on polymer coatings? I'd like something that beads well with high gloss and minor scratch minimizing, which I think is just what those coatings are supposed to provide -- but which one? Anyone have experiences to share?
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Nov 2, 2012 20:50
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I was thinking more about the current generation of coatings, like Opti Coat and the like. I'd like to try one of them, but don't know enough about them to know how to pick one over the other.
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Nov 4, 2012 12:53
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Etrips posted:Can someone explain to me why a proper porter cable or the likes is better than simply attaching a pad to a hand drill for polishing? I know it is better, but I need to know why so I can justify my Christmas present to the wife Porter Cable and the like are random orbit buffers, whereas a drill with a pad is simply circular. A circular pad is not a bad thing in the hands of a professional, but with someone inexperienced, it is easy to scratch semi-circles in the paint at best and cut through the paint entirely at worst. Basically, the random orbit buffer makes it easy to polish and difficult to damage paint.
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Dec 17, 2012 23:37
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Bumming Your Scene posted:See this post and following posts: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3474488&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=10#post407427579 And my reply to that post may apply here, too: Clay bar would help. However, you may want to try just letting water run over the hood for a while. I had one hell of a time with some tree sap that simply refused to come off, except when soaked in water, then it wiped right off. It was the weirdest thing.
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Jan 26, 2013 21:37
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ratbert90 posted:Those rust spots need to be resprayed . There is no easy way of saving that paint. That's not true at all. A scratch stick followed by touch up would be fine. That surface rust comes right off with a scratch stick, leaving nice and fresh metal to coat... unless the scale is off and the rust is more than the 1" or so in length that it looks like here:  The scratches in the side -- take a magic eraser to them, it'll knock down some of the contrast, then give it a thick wax. It'll never look right, but it'll blend more than it is right now. The bumpers -- touch up.
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Jan 29, 2013 12:14
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Reggie Died posted:I believe they are alloy (1996 Toyota T100). Are they beyond saving? I figured I'd spend a day trying to correct them, and if I can't, I've done half the work in order to get them ready for paint (would probably paint them black). Those are boned. The clearcoat is crazed and there's no way to repair that, short of a complete refinish.
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Feb 8, 2013 19:19
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bull3964 posted:Try getting some plastic primer and prime them first. The paint may stick better. I was going to suggest something like that, but what he linked looked like nylon... does anything stick to nylon?
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May 6, 2013 22:04
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iv46vi posted:Not sure if this is cost effective to DIY, but just in case tips on leather cleaning are highly appreciated. It's little more than elbow grease. Get some dilute Simple Green and some Magic Erasers and go at those seats. You'll be amazed. Then, go to a proper leather conditioning routine (leather cleaner followed by conditioner, give the conditioner extra time to soak in).
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May 29, 2013 23:35
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iv46vi posted:I have this things. Wouldn't magic erasers gently caress up the dye layer of leather with too much elbowing or are they not coarse enough? The magic eraser is a VERY mild abrasive. If your seats were new, they wouldn't do much to the leather surface. However, your seats have a layer of straight dirt on them that wetting/magic erasering will remove. After you're down to a suitable surface, then get to the leather treatment. And don't get too wrapped up with leather cleaning theories, a straight leather cleaner, followed by a leather conditioner will have them looking much better than what you see now.
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May 30, 2013 01:45
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Polymerized Cum posted:A couple of the stone chips on the door of my car have a little surface rust on them. What is the best way to stop them from becoming actual rust? http://www.amazon.com/Scratch-Brush-Ultra-Thin-BRS-290-00/dp/B002RMCFZM/ref=pd_cp_hi_0 A scratch brush is the best way to clean a chip before touching it up. The fiberglass bristles just scratch the surface rust right off, leaving you with a clean metal surface to immediately touch up.
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Jun 14, 2013 19:53
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Cozmosis posted:http://imgur.com/n4yMoPY My first reaction to just about anything like that -- Magic Eraser. That will let you see exactly what you're looking at. There's a good chance that those white stripes will come right off and you can smooth the scrapes out enough to polish and call it good. You'll always be able to see it, but you can knock the "noticeable" level down a ton with a simile ME/polish.
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Jun 22, 2013 04:18
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Motronic posted:You bastards. Now I have something else to obsess over. Just be thankful it's white and not black. 
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Jun 22, 2013 19:06
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It's been a while since I've used Gold Class (I found Meguiar's #16 paste before they stopped selling it in the US because it's filled with baby spines or something (still sold in Canada, though, so it's still available)). BUT what I found with Gold Class was that the first coat looks good, but if you immediately do a second coat and let that second coat harden for a while... it really makes the paint pop. Something to try.
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Jun 22, 2013 20:34
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Tai-Pan posted:I posted before, but didn't get much of a response. Damned people around here. Not giving you your  worth.quote:I have two spots of clear-coat failure about dollar size each. I am not going spend $2,000 on a respray for a car worth $4,000. Once the clearcoat fails, it often gets worse in a hurry. If it were me, I'd try the new 3M spray-on clear bra: http://www.amazon.com/3M-90000-Paint-Defender-Spray/dp/B00BSKYM82 It would probably stop the propagation and blend some of the gloss loss. For $25, it's worth a shot.
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Jul 5, 2013 23:52
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Tai-Pan posted:Interesting. I ordered some of that. Any tips for feathering the edges of the clearcoat damage? I assume if I can minimize that, the spray-bra will look better. I don't know if feathering is possible, the failure usually comes from the clearcoat either not adhering or getting too thin. I've always had a goal to stop it from spreading. For that, a very light coat of clear nail polish at the edges works.
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Jul 6, 2013 00:51
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WARnold posted:Hey folks, While I'm quite the proponent of the Magical Erasers, that's the wrong application for them. With tree sap, letting some warm soapy water sit on the surface for a while often is enough to soften/remove the sap. If that doesn't work, clay bar is the trick -- make sure there's plenty of lubricating liquid.
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Jul 10, 2013 16:07
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ratbert90 posted:Oh god a magic eraser on paint. Nothing wrong with that. I've corrected many marks on many cars with them. They are less abrasive than some of the Meguiars liquid compounds. Properly used they are magic.
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Jul 10, 2013 21:33
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atomicthumbs posted:Is there any sort of clear coating I could put on a rust spot after removing the rust to keep it from re-rusting? I'm not sure I want to put in the effort for touch-up paint for the rust spots on my car (it's white, so it won't look too awful), but I also don't want it to get any worse. Touch up usually does a good job of protecting the paint by itself, but there's also touch-up-sized clearcoat, too. Is that what you were asking?
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Jul 17, 2013 11:20
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polyfractal posted:[*] My girlfriend's car has a ton of deep scratches that are exposing metal...most of which are rusting. We have no interest in repainting the scratches, but I'd like to keep them from rusting anymore. I'm assuming I need to use a rust-pen to scratch off the rust, then some type of hard clear coat? Any recommendations? If you're going to go to the trouble to clean rust, might as well touch it up with matching touch-up paint, it's the same operation whether it's brush-applied paint or clear.
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Jul 20, 2013 20:21
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polyfractal posted:Ok, in that case, will touch-up paint match if the car is 13 years old and severely neglected? I imagine it has faded considerably in that time...will it look ok at the ten-foot test? Depends on your definition of "match" and the color of the car. If it's a color with a strong metallic, that can be problematic... but still it would look better than rust. What color is it? Most often, going to a store with a large automotive department will allow you to pick from the large Duplicolor display and pick what you think is closest. In general, if nothing is an exact match, get as close as you can, but a little darker.
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Jul 20, 2013 23:25
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Cage posted:The drill is heavy duty and can safely be used for a few hours. It can be safely used as a drill. It can only be safely used on a car by someone with one hell of a lot of experience. "Regular" car polishers are fairly safe, but are random orbit machines, a there's nothing random about a drill, it's going to make concentric circles that can cut the poo poo out of your paint. Only try it if you know what you're doing.
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Aug 25, 2013 23:27
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coolskillrex remix posted:Open front driver side door, near where the vin number sticker is, use megs 105 with a yellow pad and watch as you take off the paint pretty effortlessly. rounded corners must have thin paint. Tried to buff out two scratches on a 2009 WRX and now when i have the doors closed and im looking at the cars profile i see a thin 1mm sliver of gray primer showing through. If you are polishing the door jambs/side areas of the doors, always have the pad just touching the area of the car you're polishing (just a sliver of the pad on the vehicle, the rest of the pad in air). Never angle the buffer to that you are hitting the edge of the door while you're polishing a flatter part, that is going to localize the abrasive force and strip the edge of the door skin. Please don't tell me that's what you did. No matter how much research you do on a particular operation, you still need to use common sense. Insides of doors / door jambs are almost entirely hand work, anyway.
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Sep 6, 2013 19:42
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coolskillrex remix posted:The scratches were on the rear doors, in hindsight should have just kept the stupid driver side door closed. I didnt angle the buffer at all, i tried to stay away from the edge but enough of the pad was making contact that it hosed it over. Before the wrx i did my entire 99 mustang gt and did some pretty major scratch correction on that too. You should be EXTREMELY careful with 105. 105 is a cutting compound, like the old-school-named "Rubbing Compounds." It doesn't matter whether you have a microfiber cloth, porter cable or newspaper, you can tear the poo poo out of paint with 105/similar compounds (even flat surfaces).
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Sep 6, 2013 20:00
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