BMW Melbourne Red Correction Issues

[SLH350]

My wife's Melbourne Red 428 has some swirls and scratches that I've been trying to correct. I've tried XMT #2 and #3 in combination with CCS orange light cutting pad, hybrid white polishing pad, and finally an orange Griot's polishing pad and have finally moved on to M105 in combination with the Griot's pad. It seems like a rather aggressive combo but even now I don't feel like I'm getting 100% correction, and more importantly I'm finding it maddeningly difficult to inspect results because I'm getting streak marks when I wipe the polish off. I've tried using ONR as well as a 10% IPA solution in combination with both short and long nap MF towels but no matter what I do I get these obnoxious streaks in the paint that make it very hard to tell how the paint is doing. Any tips on getting a better look at the paint after getting the spent polish off?

 

[Sicoupe]

Do you mind posting some pics?

 

[SLH350]

Do you mind posting some pics?

Sure! Also this was using my Flex 3401, forgot to mention that.

Before-

And here's after M105 on the Griot's orange pad

(I have a newfound respect for you guys after attempting to photograph defects. I think I partially blinded myself with my surefire light trying to get things to show up.)

 

[maxsmobile]

Make sure to clean those pads after you work down the product

 

[SLH350]

Each test spot I did with a fresh pad, however I am a little pad limited so I was planning on cleaning on the fly with a terry towel and my pad brush when I'm actually correcting the car. I really need to just invest in 5 or 6 orange hybrid pads so I can work quicker and cleaner.

 

[davey g-force]

So is it the M105 leaving the streaks?

 

[SLH350]

So is it the M105 leaving the streaks?

I honestly have no idea, it did this same thing with the XMT polishes. I wipe the polish residue off and bam, streaks. I'm using a fairly liberal amount of liquid because I don't want to impart any new swirls to the finish, not sure if that's contributing. I'm about ready to invest in a dedicated product for this but I feel like I'm doing something wrong here procedurally.

 

[davey g-force]

Hmm.. so it's not the 105.

I would try claying and starting again.