^^^^^^ Great info!!!

 

Hi Greg

Can you let me know what PC DI Package I should get? I have 3 cars that I maintain regularly. I do clay and hand wax/polish right now. I am thinking something with a 5" backing plate to use 5.5" pads.

Thanks
Vince

 

Thank you for the inquiry I'd be happy to help. Our DI Packages section has several great deals that should help you out. I'd personally recommend the DI Packages Porter Cable 7424XP 5.5" Starter Kit, which comes with 8 pads of your choice. Pick your own pads by putting in your desired combination in the checkout field.

If you're not sure what pads to get here is a brief overview of what each pad does:
Surbuf R Series - Heavy Cutting Polishes
Yellow and Purple Foam - Medium to Heavy Cutting Polishes
Orange and Cyan - Medium Cutting Polishes
Green - Light Cutting Polishes
White and Tangerine - Polishing Pad for Light Polishes, AIO
Black and Crimson - Fine Polishing Pad for Glazes, Sealants and Liquid Waxes
Blue - Ultra Fine Polishing Pad for Liquid Waxes and Sealants

Please let me know if you have any questions I'd be happy to help!

Greg @ DI

 

Can you also recommend which Polish and Sealant to get? It sounds like Menzerna is the most popular? Does the color of each car matter at all for the type of pad or polish/sealant?

 

Greg can you tell me what you would use to clean matte paint? I just painted my car matte white. Its harder to clean then a regular gloss color. And is a real dirt magnet. Just want to keep her looking good and don't want to have to drive cross town to an expert who i know can do it well, but wont tell me how. Any advice helps. Thanks.

Jorge

 

hey Greg,

Do you have tips on taping off the car? How do you go about taping off the emblem? Any tips? Also, I got compound/polish in a crack between the door moldings and the panel...how do I get rid of it?

Thanks!

 

dang am I doing this wrong? I've spent around 8 hours compounding...just finished the heavy compound and just started the finishing compound. how long does it usually take to do the sealant? any tips for applying the sealant? is it still 3 pea size drops and a 2x2 square with passing from left to right then up and down?

also, will taking a soft-bristle toothbrush help in taking out the product between the moldings? Also, I have a bunch of swirls on the trunk where the emblems sit. what's the best way to go about it?

 

whats the best to use to dry a car off after a wash? I have an OB car and it seems nothing does a good job and i don't want to add any more swirls to the paint

 

first question what clay bar do you recommend from DI the blue or white?


Ill be purchasing the PC 7424, next question is on these particular products

16 oz. Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover, 16 oz. Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish

thank you!

 

Sorry to all for the slow response.

Meguiar's and Menzerna tend to be the most popular for their excellent results. If you want a one step polishing process I'd suggest the Menzerna Super Finish Polish SF 4000 (PO106FA Nano Polish) or the Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish M205 with a white polishing pad. Afterewards seal the paint with the Menzerna Power Lock Polymer Sealant or the Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection. Both of these sealants will protect the paint for months and leave an excellent shine.

Here is some more pad info for you:
Surbuf R Series - Heavy Cutting Polishes
Yellow and Purple Foam - Medium to Heavy Cutting Polishes
Orange and Cyan - Medium Cutting Polishes
Green - Light Cutting Polishes
White and Tangerine - Polishing Pad for Light Polishes, AIO
Black and Crimson - Fine Polishing Pad for Glazes, Sealants and Liquid Waxes
Blue - Ultra Fine Polishing Pad for Liquid Waxes and Sealants

Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll be happy to help.

Greg @ DI

 

Jorge,

My care is almost exactly the same. Matte paint does seem to collect contaminants quicker and it's tougher to maintain but the process is virtually identical. Putting a sealant and/or wax on it and regular care is probably your best bet. Sorry I don't have any tips or techniques here to help out.

Greg @ DI

 

IN short I carefully just wrap it around the edge getting as close to the emblem as possible. When in doubt use more tape and cover the area thoroughly. I've requested one of our Ask A Pro Blog authors write an article about taping which I hope comes out this spring. It's very difficult to explain the process in words so I'm hoping the coming article with pictures will be a big help.

I would use a little degreaser on a rag to help break up the polish. If it's really bad you may need some of the Tarminator for the painted parts or the Poorboy's World Trim Restorer for vinyl and rubber parts.

Greg @ DI

 

Polishing take the longest by far so it's not uncommon to spend several hours on each coat. Sealants should go much faster though because it spreads with ease, the pad doesn't cake up nearly as much and you don't have to work it in with so many passes. I normally can apply and remove a sealant in an hour or less, but that comes with some experience. I apply a little extra product to the pad when it's fresh and instead of three drops I tend to do a very thin circle around the pad.

A tooth brush will add scratches to any painted surface. If you want to try a brush I recommend Boar's hair which is much safer.

I use the buffer as close to trim, emblems, mirrors, etc. as I can while being safe. What I can't do with a buffer I'll go back and do by hand.

Greg @ DI

 

Our washing and drying section of our detailing guide should have some detailed steps about the technique we recommend. The DI Microfiber Waffle Weave Drying Towel is my towel of choice that I blot dry with, so you're not dragging it across the paint as much. Also make sure you have inspected your washing medium so it's paint safe and you're using good technique for best results. After you get some time to check out that link please let me know if you have any questions.

Greg @ DI

 

I generally recommend the fine grade bar to 90% of our customers, here is a great deal with it: DI Packages DI Gentle Fine Grade Clay Bar 100g & Clay Lube.

If you're looking for a pad recommendation I'd recommend the orange pad for the Advanced Swirl Remover and a white pad for the Finishing Polish. Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions.

Greg @ DI