I unfortunately had my finish ruined by a hand wash place. There are fine scratches all over the car. So my only real option is to use a machine to polish out the scratches.

I've decided on the machine, but I'm torn as to what compound/polish to use.

Most of the scratches cannot be felt with a finger nail. Some can be barely felt, and there are one or two that just won't be completely removed.

What do you think? I'm looking into Meguiar's No. 9. I think that's the polish/swirl remover for dark cars.

Thanks,

Dan

 

3M makes some great paint repair products .. check them out.

 

I recommend a proter cable 7242, Menzerna power gloss, intensive polish and final polish. I's start with the intensive polish and if that doesn't do it, the power gloss.

 

The porter cable 7424 doesn't have the power to fully remove scratches. It just rounds off the reflective surfaces and fills the scratch.

 

what I do is set it to 5 and anything that it won't do I go in by hand. Elbow grease usually gets whatever is left out.

 

The Porter Cable has plenty of power, LOL, as a matter of fact it is the THE most powerful orbital buffer currently on the market, LOL....

Use it with a foam pad an some 3M Swirl Mark Remover part number 39009 and see how it comes out...

 

Kevin, have your tried anything besides 3m? I awitched from 3m to the Menzerna polishes and find that they are much easier to work with and don't have the oils that the 3m does. Just a cleaner product IMO.

 

Are you laughing at me? Because you better check your facts first. It may very well be the most powerful random orbital buffer, BUT RANDOM ORBITAL BUFFERS DON'T HAVE THE CUTTING ACTION THAT CIRCULAR ONES DO. That's why they recommend them to novices, because you could be half asleep on acid and still not burn through the paint.

That said, it will better the aesthetics of the scratches, but only because it rounds off the light-reflecting edges of the scratch.

MB-

Meguiars has some nice stuff. I've never had a black car though, so I'm a bit lost as to what to use. Thanks for your input.

Dan

 

Dan's absolutely correct in stating the cutting action of a high speed buffer vs. an orbital polisher. Orbital polishers can only do so much in terms of scratch removals. It is the cutting action of a high speed buffer that will remove scratches permanently and not end up filling those scratches w/ conventional "glazes" and "polish".

 

Yes, have used literally 100's of name brands, I have been detailing for over 22 years and have personally hand detailed by meself over 1,000 vechicles NOT counting my own....

3M is by far the worlds leader in after market refinishing and you will see the product used in probably 90% of all body shops. I work with many body shops in my area when they run into problems getting a desired finish on a car they are working on they call me.

I have not tried the Menzerna yet as it is a new brand name going around but I may soon, never said the M did not work I just do not comment on products that I have not used.

3M has just come out with a new line of abrasives called Trizact that are new and I have not got around to using them. 3M is constantly coming out with new products....

 

Geez, I realize that rotary or direct drive buffers have more cutting power than an orbital, calm down, I never said that they did not. I own three buffers, two orbitals and one rotary.

I have personally used buffers of all types, air, electric, rotary, orbital, dual head for the last 22 years so I have not just come in out of the rain... geez....

What I was saying is that the Porter Cable can remove defects as many, many, many other owners of the Porter Cable on THIS board have done so.

 

Then say it in a constructive manner, and if you don't have anything to add don't laugh at me and pollute my thread.

I don't care how many buffers you own, or that you've used them for 22 years. That doesn't give you the right to laugh at me like you own the damn place, especially when you're spreading incorrect information. Bottom line is that the 7424 can have all the power in the world, but it won't be powerful enough to completely REMOVE scratches because of its action.

I can't believe you are a distributor with that attitude.

 

The Porter Cable has plenty of power to remove scratches, probably not enough power to remove excess amounts of orange peel but that is another issue.

We probably have 50+ members of this board who have bought the PC recently, and what amused me was we have been talking about the unit for probably more than a year and many here have had great results removing defects and then you come here and basically in a nut shell tell everyone that is has no power and does not work.....

 

BTW, you hacked mb27's post about his PC first..... I was sticking up for mb27

 

He can handle himself, and if you can read, which I'm not sure you can, then you'll notice that I didn't laugh at him or give him an attitude.

Please find a quote to back up your completely unsubstantiated attack.

Where exactly do I say that it has no power and it does not work? Please, point it out for me. I have trouble believe that you've been detailing for 22 years since you act like a 15 year old child.

Check the facts. http://www.properautocare.com/rempaindefus.html

I guess they are incorrect as well.

Dan

 

I read the link from Proper auto car many moons ago and they say, which I agree, that it removes scratches or swirls and does have the power to do so. Surely they will say so because they are trying to sell the unit.

Of course, if the scratch is deep enough to hang your finger nail in it, even a rotary buffer might not totally help because by the time you removed enough surface material around the scratch to get to the bottom of the scratch you would have compromised the thickness of the paint itself.

Just put in Porter Cable in the search function box in the detailing forum, I did just now and got 45 hits, we have talked about its effectiveness on here for a while now.

I guess I am a 15 year old 36 year old... LOL Don't take the LOL so seriously dude.

And I think I can read, usually Valedictorians and Magna *** Laude grads can read, LOL (see I laughed at myself)

 

We had 36 detail shops and used over 100 PC buffers, they did the job day in and day out, yes there are other bufferes that may have more power, but overall the PC does a great job and is fairly easy to use for the professional or the non professional. What is more important is the abrasives your use and in what order you use them.

 

I had some micro marring (fine scratches) on my 04 DB Z, and I yesterday I used Menzerna Final Polish, with my Porter Cable 7424, and got them out
Did the whole car, and it looks fantastic.

Today on to Zaino

 

i have to say your car looks SICK. I love those rims on DB! The next time im in florida, i will have to keep an eye out for you. My family has a condo in Bonita Springs (Pelicans Nest off of 41). Back on topic. I think after reading all the success stories of the PC 7424 im going to pick one up myself.

 

I bought the 7424 and the 7428. I like the 7428 better but in theory you could still take your paint right off with that.

hcvone -

my initial question wasn't about PC products. I love them all and own quite a few other PC products. What I was asking is what products, and in what order, should I use to get the scratches swirls out of my Super Black Z? Do you have any suggestions?

Kevin-

I understand what you're saying. I'm sure we're both right in our points. What do you recommend on a black car? I know that a couple scratches will not come out, as they don't pass the finger nail test, but most all of them will be disguised or removed.

ACP -

Car looks awesome. Do you have any idea if the final polish you used is good for dark cars?

Dan