Scratches on a black car

Reflections-OAC

Reflections-OAC

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Hey everyone,

I had some minor scratches on my black Chrysler car, nothing too deep, just enough for me to notice. I washed the car, clayed it and went through the progressions of least aggressive treatment up with my Porter Cable. I got all the may to a Yellow Lake Country pad, XMT Heavy Duty Swirl Remover, Porter Cable on speed 5 and I still couldn't get them out.

Is there something else I can do or use that I'm missing? Maybe it's the Chrysler paint? I don't know.

Let me know your thoughts. Thank you in advance,
Scott
 
Yellow is not enough cut to remove light scratches.It could be done if you polished till 2017.upgrade your pad with a microfiber cutting pad and they will be gone,then use the yellow to refine the finish with a polish.
 
Honestly, it's been mainly production detailing and I don't think there is any harm in that. I've detailed many people's cars and always explained what I could do and couldn't do before I went to an appt. I'm just trying to grow as a detailer, I guess this forum isn't the place for that??

Thanks for the advice GSKR, problem solved.
 
Reflections-OAC said:
I'm just trying to grow as a detailer, I guess this forum isn't the place for that??
Click to expand...

Sure it is, and welcome to the forum! I'm just a little surprised that someone with a detailing business with pictures of Audis, BMW's and Benzes on his site is asking what seems to be a basic question. I guess it's a pet peeve of mine that people get into business doing this (and your business advertises as a service "minor scratch removal"--same as you said your car has) and yet apparently haven't even developed the skills to correct their own car.

But you've come to the right place so keep asking questions.
 
If you look on the Autogeek site it says that the yellow Lake Country pad is for severe oxidation, swirls and scratches.
 
I've never had an issue before using it so I wasn't sure why it wouldn't work this time. This is a hobby turned business for m based on how many requests I've gotten to do other vehicles. Sorry if I offended anyone. I am all self taught through trial and error as well as videos on line. This is the first time I had an issue using this method. That's why I joined the forum so I can get better and turn this hobby/side business into something more. I never knew that the microfiber pad was the way to go. I am going to try that.
 
Reflections-OAC said:
If you look on the Autogeek site it says that the yellow Lake Country pad is for severe oxidation, swirls and scratches.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was going to chime in with that. I've never had to go beyond an orange LC or B & S pad.

I would suggest investing in the HD line of products and master them.

3D Professional Detailing Products, HD car care, 3D HD

HD Cut
HD Adapt
HD Polish
HD Speed AIO

and Poxy for an LSP.

You can get all of them in 16 oz bottles for $87.95

What a bargain!
 
Reflections-OAC said:
If you look on the Autogeek site it says that the yellow Lake Country pad is for severe oxidation, swirls and scratches.
Click to expand...

Yes the yellow pad is pretty aggressive. It's their most aggressive foam (or was - who knows now?).

Anyway, one of two things may be going on here:

1. Your combo isn't aggressive enough to remove the defects. In that case, you may need to switch to microfiber pads on your PC.

2. What your actually seeing are the defects (marring) imparted by the compound itself. Sometimes, it can get a little confusing until you have a lot of experience and leave you chasing your tail. If # 2 is the case, you just need a good finishing polish/pad combo to clean it up.
 
Technique is the most important part of the process. Slow arm speed, 4-6 passes and overlapping. You didn't mention the technique you used.

Always do a small test spot and adjust your pad/compound according to your findings.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
Thanks everyone for your help. Yeah, I've watched Mike's video on "slow overlapping passes" so much that it is playing like elevator music in my mind while I do it. I made 4 passes. Checked it and did it again with 6 passes. I also use another compound that isn't sold through AG and had great success with that as well with a Yellow LC pad. What do you guys think? More aggressive pad? I'm ordering a microfiber pad to see if that will work. I'm going to check out the 3D Pro product line as well. I've always used XMT because that's what I first tried and it seemed to work well. Thanks for the help!
 
I've watched Mike's video of slow and overlapping passes so much that it is like background music in my head while I work. I did this 4 times, checked it, again 6 times. So would conceses be the pad or the compound? I'm still going to get a microfiber pad regardless just want everyone's thoughts.

Thanks again, I appreciate ot!
 
Some pictures may help. When you say "light scratches" are you talking about swirls or are you talking about defects that you could catch your fingernail in (before you started). Some defects are too deep to remove; remember as Mike Phillips likes to point out, a Post-It is thicker than the clearcoat on your car.

If the defects are shallow enough to remove, as others have said, it's a combination of product, pad, machine, and technique. Your PC (original or XP) is not the most powerful machine out there. Microfiber pads are a good way to get decent correction out of a PC, but you have to address whether you have sufficient pressure, whether your pad is spinning, and what Swanic mentioned...I'm not sure that XMT Heavy isn't a rocks-in-a-bottle compound (I've never used it) which can leave behind its own marring.

So are these finite, definite scratches, that you're sure you aren't removing? Or is the surface just all swirly before you start and it's still that way after? Again, pictures may help.
 
Scott
I have a blacked out 2015 ram & have many light scratches. I don't bother chasing them all because the paint & clear are very, very thin. the clear is so soft it doesn't take much to scratch it. the clear is water base so I guess that's why it's so soft. I just starting using the McKee's 360 & I'm loving using that & working with it. then I finished up with a carnauba wax & everything looks great. good luck.
hmardown
 
FWIW...had a black Corvette with etched water spots. Wolfgang Uber compound w/ yellow foam pad had little effect at diminishing them. Meguires D300 with their microfiber cutting disks flattened them considerably, took the staining outta the middle of 'em too. Hadda clean the pad with compressed air after each section pass as the discs get loaded up/matted quick but it's likely the best I'll get short of wet sanding...which I know better than to try myself. Wife's car, she'd kill me if I gooned it up.
 
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