Ray, a question before I can answer - how much are you willing to spend and how much are you willing to learn? I know it sounds silly, but I'm serious. If you want to keep it cheap you'll probably end up doing a lot of work by hand, which will be difficult but can work. If you're willing to spend a couple hundred bucks and do some reading you'll be able to get the paint looking great without investing a ton of time.

 

Doesnt sound silly at all. I guess you asked me the question I'm already wrangling with. If I could spend 3-4 hours and come out with a quality job, I'd do it. On the other hand, if this is an 8 hour job for a newbie and I could get it done for $150-$200, I'd do that. My fear is that I will wrangle with this so long that the paint with further suffer. This car was supposed to be parked in the garage but another project car has taken her spot. Wife's already on fire about that. LOL I guess I need to figure out what I want to do. It's not a huge car so maybe it wont take a full day....but then I could screw it up. That would be bad. So you're thinking 200 bucks would cover it...I think I will get an estimate or two from some places around here. I've never taken a car to be detailed. But then I've never owned a black car before either. Will a detail shop just do the paint without dressing the engine and interior? Sorry for the rambling and thank you for the professional advice, you guys are top notch!

 

Well if you're willing to spend ~$200 you have two options. The first one is easy - find a good local detailer and bring it in and negotiate a price. I can't say without seeing it how much work that will require but it sounds like it'll just be a matter of claying, polishing (maybe two steps) then waxing/sealing. I charge ~$250 for that, depending on where you are it might be less. You can ask them about the engine and interior too. Some guys don't do engines (liabilty concerns).

The other option is doing it yourself. You can get a Porter Cable for ~$100 and probably get all the polishes, lsp's, and accessories you need to do the car yourself for another ~$100-$150 - and that way you'll always be able to maintain the car yourself. On the other hand you'll need to learn how to use a random orbital and it'll probably take a couple days of work to get it right. If you decide to go that route you'll find tons of information over at autopia (www.autopia.org) or their parent domain (www.autopia-carcare.com, click "How to").

Cheers.

 

Well, I think I will do this on my own. I'll work it into one of my days off for the hollidays. I guess I need to spend some time over on autopia to figure what to buy and where to buy it. I havent done a search on this specificly but I was wondering about a list of "must haves." I know the PC and the clay bar is a given but beyond that I will have to learn. Thanks again.

 

Here is what I have recommended to people to remove swirls and scratches and to get the best protection/shine from the car without doing too many extra steps.

Porter Cable 7424 (* must have: velcro backing plate) (comes with one white polishing pad) - $159.99
1X - Lake Country Black Finishing Pad $9.99
1X - Lake Country Orange Cutting Pad $9.99
Poorboy's World SSR 2.5 (applied with orange cutting pad) $12.99
Poorboy's World SSR 1.0 (applied with white polishing pad) $12.99
Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket (Applied with black finishing pad) $39.99

Total $245.94
It may seem like a lot but those products will last you a long time and its really an investment in getting the most out of your G while protecting it.

I find the Porter Cable 7424 to be an extremely reliable machine that is a fantastic investment for any car owner. It makes applying waxes and polishes go much faster and with better results in my opinion. The reason the 7424 does a better job than by hand is its ability to apply consist levels of pressure and heat. This allows the products to break down and achieve optimal results. When applying multiple coats by hand its very hard to apply even pressure throughout the detail especially when most of the pressure is exerted through your fingertips.

Operating the Porter Cable is also relatively simple and virtually risk free. I generally recommend applying the product to the pad and smear it over a 2ft x 2ft area. Then turn the buffer on between speeds 3.5 and 5. Work the buffer at a slow and steady pace side to side overlapping each pass by 50% and then up and down overlapping each pass by 50%. This ensures that each area of the car gets passed over approximately four times. When your done with a panel remove with a microfiber towel and move on to the next panel.

The Poorboy's World products will help remove the swirls and scratches from the surface and also smooth out the clear coat. The SSR 2.5 is applied first and will do most of the cutting, while the SSR 1.0 restores surface gloss and enhances the shine. Then seal in this amazing shine with the super slick Menzerna FMJ. This durable sealant is extremely easy to apply and remove.

The results from this process should leave the paint looking brighter and very sleek. Good luck and let us know if you have any questions.

 

Thanks for the list Punch. Last night my G was egged, I posted about this on autopia under another thread that had a picture of exactly what my damage looks like. Needless to say I'm ready to kill!

 

Punchit's list is a good one. The only things I'd mention are this - a Porter Cable can be had locally for $109 from Lowes, $99 if you use their 10% off coupon. The pad that comes with it is garbage, use the money you'll save on the PC and buy a Lake County White Polishing Pad.

Ray - I just saw your post over at Autopia. Can you tell if the chips are down to the metal or if they're just in the clear coat? Let me know - you may be able to fix it without a re-paint.

 

You know, I'm not sure. The sun was just coming up when I noticed it. The car was still wet so all I know for sure is that 1, there is a golfball sized spot with spidery, swirlies and 2, I could still feel the tiny fractures with my fingers. The car was actually running when I noticed waiting for my girl to get in it and take off.

 

from reading all the Zaino posts I concluded we should be doing side to side, up and down when we apply the wax, polish, etc. Doesn't the theory go against the idea of using Porter Cable since it's spinning around? I want to make my detailing job easier but by starting using the PC will it ruin the paint? please clear this up for me... I might be getting it for X-Mas, plz, thanks.

 

Ray - when you get a good look at it let us know if it's to the metal or if the clear coat is just etched. It really could be something you can fix.

Lucino - when you're doing things by hand generally you want to move up/down side to side because you're rubbing the surface of the paint with the intention of cleaning/waxing/sealing it. If you create marring you'll create a small scratch which is easy to remove. If you're moving in a circle it's easy to induce swirls. A PC (which is actually random orbit) or a rotary (spinning in place) are rubbing the paint with the intenion of *removing* it, so it doesn't really matter how they move because any marring they create will be sluffed off, just that they move fast enough to break down the abrasives in the polish you're using, which in turn (combined with the abrasiveness of the pad, and heat) will remove a super thin layer of paint, the idea being that what you're left with is mirror smooth. Actually, part of the reason folks have multiple polishing steps is because when you use a machine + an abrasive polish to remove heavy marring you're left with hazing, which is just millions of tiny scratches, that's why you follow up with a less abrasive pad+polish to leave the paint looking smooth.

So the rule still applies when washing/waxing - up/down and side to side is best.

The nice thing about a PC is you pretty much have to be a gorilla to mess up your paint with it. Don't try this at home - but I've literally leaned into it with all my weight, my most abrasive compound and pad, and let it spin, and the worst it'll do is create some hazing. A rotary can burn paint, a PC might be able to, but you would have to really try hard to make it. I think the only way you really could damage your paint with it is if you threw it at the car. Seriously.

I'll tell you this - even if you only use it to apply sealants/waxes it's worth the $100. It makes application so much easier - nevermind the polishing abilities it has.

 

Well it's been 3 days and all i've hed time to do is wash the egg off. Between the weather, a funeral and everything else going on this time of year, it's been impossible for me to properly address my car. I did get a better look though and I'm still not sure. I sprayed some quick detailer on the spot to clear it enough for me to make some kind of assessment and I still dont know. There is definant damage that I can feel with my nail but the remainder is white in color, I just dont know what to make of it. It would need something pretty abrasive to attack it I would think. Its like a fractured mirror. Seems like it probably goes through the clear to the paint. I was thinking of hitting it with the clay bar but will wait until I k now for sure that is the right thing to do.

 

Well claying it won't hurt it, but I don't think it'll help it. Maybe take a picture of it? If it's through the clear it should be pretty obvious - either way you can probably fix it without a repaint, although it will require some work on your part and a repaint, while more expensive, will certainly be easy.

 

hello! have any of you worked with Sonus products? they have them on autopia-carcare.com i believe thats the website?

 

I've used SFX-1, 2, and 3 as well as their carnauba spritz and total-eclipse dressing. Any particular ones you're intersted in? Generally I've found all of the products very good.

 

right now i'm waiting in the mail for the sonus sfx polishes and the certain pads they come with to use with the PC 7424. but i just got it and i pulled out some meguiars polish and used it. i tried using it to remove some spider web like swirls and scratches and it didn't do anything. it was the same as i started. am i doing something wrong? i went side to side and over again. is it the sonus polishes and pads that do the trick? i didn't put too much pressure but i didn't put no pressure at all either. i think i did it right but it just didn't budge! any ideas would help