dmw16

Well, I think it's time to bite the bullet and just buy a PC. I tried doing my whole car by hand, and just didn't give me the results I wanted.

So I am looking at a few options, either getting a PC kit from Autogeek or Autopia or getting a PC from Ebay and then get the pads from one of the above mentioned vendors.

Does anyone have any comments on the Sonus pads? The kit from them would be $50 and I have a $10 coupon, so I would get the pads and polisher all said and done for $150 (if I get the PC from Ebay).

I have had several good experiences buying from Autopia and if their pads are as good as any other I'd like to continue giving them my business.

I also looked at Autogeek and they had a few Edge Pad kits, but they are a little more expensive than Autopia's kits, so do they offer something that I am not seeing?

I have it down to basically one of the two kits below. I just want to do some kit swirl removal, and I think their would serve my purpose. Any comments on either? Is there something else I should look at all together?

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/son-daspad-kit.html

http://www.autogeek.net/bf200.html

90crvtec

I own the edge pads from Autogeek. They self center, unlike pads with a velcro backing and they're double sided, so you're really getting two pads in one. This is why, in my opinion, the edge pads are a little bit pricier. Trust me, they're worth it, the PC vibrates a lot in stock form. Without a centered pad I'd hate to think that the fatigue from the PC might even be worse.

Since this will be your first time using the PC you'll be going nice and slow, probably just like I did. As a result I'd pick a pad combo that won't wear you out before you're done with all your polishing. The self centering edge pads will certainly help with this, and you can always flip them over for a fresh pad surface if you accidentally get one side dirty or if your polish starts to cake up.

If you want to save some $$$ get the Porter Cable 7336SP on ebay, I got mine for $100 shipped. It's the same thing as the 7424 but with a different counter weight, which I like better anyways.

EDIT: I know you didn't ask about this but I thought I'd throw my 2c in anyways. If you're looking to buy some polishes and sealants I would go for Menzerna polishes and go with the Jeff Werkstatt line of sealant products.

For my first polishes I bought the XMT lineup from autogeek, they worked really well and they finish out very cleanly but the working time means that they take FOREVER and a day to finally start to clear up on the finish. I found that I had read so much about using the PC that I was actually ready for a polish that was a little bit more advanced. The XMT polishes are loaded up with oils or something that keeps their working time extended, as a result its virtually impossible to mess up your paint with the XMT line. I found that I didn't quite need as much hand holding as I originally thought and a different set of polishes with a shorter working time would have cut my polishing time by at least an hour.

From all the reviews that MikeyC has so generously posted I have gathered that the entire Menzerna lineup of polishes is top notch. They all seem to have that "just right" working time, they don't take too long to work into the paint and they are easy to read so you know when to quit working them and wipe them off the finish. If you feel comfortable in your knowledge of the PC I'd skip some of the "safe" polishes with long working times and go straight to the intermediate stuff. Blackfire SRC and Menzerna FPII would be my two choices if you're looking to cut swirls.

I'd use the Werkstatt products for the awesome shine, ease of use, and cost (they're very affordable without the headaches of Klasse SG and yet they have the same durability). Just my 2c here and show us some pics when you're done!

dmw16

Thanks for all the input. I already have the SFX series of stuff from Sonus, so I may start there, but I also have the Menzerna FPII.

Which Edge kit would you recommend? The one I linked to or the $110 one (I'll link below)? Would the $80 kit be enough to do an entire S2000 without having to clean any of the pads?

I had a little trouble following what products would be a good series to follow.

Something like this (In this order)

Blackfire SRC
Menzerna FPII
Some JEFFS Werkstatt Product (which one(s)?)
Wax (I like P21S)

Here is the other pad kit i was considering.
http://www.autogeek.net/foam-polishing-kit.html

Or should I just put together my own set of pads? Which ones would I need to do swirl removal, polish, sealant, and wax? (typically I wax by hand)

wanabe

excellent advice-
echo edge pads... but i would not get a kit- just buy the ones you need... and be sure to order pads for p.c.

90crvtec

[QUOTE=dmw16,May 31 2007, 10:15 AM]I had a little trouble following what products would be a good series to follow.

Something like this (In this order)

Blackfire SRC
Menzerna FPII
Some JEFFS Werkstatt

dmw16

Thanks for all the information so far. Just a few more questions

1) I have never heard of not using a wax. How would I maintain the finish between details? Something like the Werkstatt Acrylic Jett Trigger?

2) Should I apply of coat of the Werkstatt Acrylic Jett before wiping with the Jett Trigger, or is this not needed?

3) Is there a good way to tell what level of pad I need (in terms of abrasiveness)? Or is it just start out less abrasive and then move up if need be?

4) Should I wash with something like Dawn Dish Soap to remove all previous layers of wax?

90crvtec

The sealant is very durable and takes the place of the wax, it bonds to the paint and generally provides more UV protection than a wax. Also, by their nature most sealants are optically clear, so they don't alter the look of your paint as much (the caveat is that they don't add "depth" like a wax does because they are optically clear whereas wax by it's nature, is not). You maintain the finish of a polish just like you would a wax, but instead of using spray waxes in between washes you can use plain ole' quick detailer or buy a product like Acrylic Glos, which serves to "boost" your polish inbetween washes. Sonus also makes a product called Acrylic Spritz, I've used this product on both Zaino and Klasse and it works great, it's cheap too. It has become my standard quick detailer for use after washes or for wiping down the car.

Acrylic Jett and Jett Trigger are the same, they just have different methods of application. Jett Trigger sprays on the finish and you wipe it into the paint, very similar to using a quick detailer. Acrylic Jett uses the more traditional method of an applicator and rubbing it onto the paint and then taking it off after it has dried.

I don't know of any way to tell this, this is something that you will learn with experience. Maybe someone else can post a good guide for how to gauge which swirls need a certain type of polish/pad combo?

If you clay the paint before hand this should remove all previous wax that was on the paint. I would not recommend dawn, I think either MikeyC or Wanabe have recommended against it in the past (don't quote me on this). There are much better alternatives that are easier on your paint that using dawn. However, lots of people still seem to use this method, but it wouldn't be my first choice if I was looking to strip wax off the finish on a car.

dmw16

Thanks again.

So I can use a wax based quick detailer over an acrylic coating?

If I don't clay bar every square inch, will some wax be left? I try to be complete when I clay, but I'm sure little bits are missed. Are there car shampoos that remove wax safely?

90crvtec

You could use a spray wax over your acrylic sealant, I'm not sure what the results would be but I'm sure it would look close to what a regular wax would look like over a sealant. Sealants are generally very glossy, but can lack depth depending on the paint that they're used on (and each person seems to have a different preference for the "look" of a particular product). That's why people like to top sealants with waxes, you get the dripping wet gloss of a sealant and then add depth to the finish by topping the sealant with a wax (P21S for instance).

The only reason I'm not a wax guy is because you aren't supposed to be able to use any sealants over the top of a wax. Of course, nothing would prevent you from walking out to your car and doing this anyways, but the sealant won't last long when layered on top of a wax (or so they say). If you can't have the durability you lose most of the advantages of using a sealant, that's why I like to keep just a sealant on my car, I can always reapply more sealant later in between big detail jobs. With products like Jett Trigger it would be a snap to keep the car fully protected and looking great, literally no harder than wiping the car down with QD.

If you don't get every square inch when claying then it's not problem. Your polishes will take care of the rest. Since you state that you're looking to do a swirl removal you'll actually be taking a microscopically thin layer out of your clear coat with your polishes and pads (this in turn, removes the swirls). A by product of this is that anything that you had on top of your clear coat will be polished away, that's why you need to re wax or seal the car when you're done polishing. I still recommend claying first because that can remove large contaminants and fallout that would otherwise be polished into your finish if you didn't bother to clay the car before you started polishing.

EDIT: Check out MikeyC's detailing guide if you haven't already.

EDIT #2: Hey, where are you located? If you're anywhere near KC you're more than welcome to use my PC and pads if you'd like to try some of this stuff out before taking the plunge.

dmw16

Thanks. Unfortunatly I am not close enough (in Maryland), but that is a nice offer. I have tried to ask for help like that from people in this area, but never really got an offer of assistance, so Im just going to buy one.

I like the wet look, so maybe the best for me would be a sealant followed by a wax.