2013 Kia Optima

mcate

mcate

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Did this 2013 Kia Optima for my neighbors across the street as a wedding present. It was swirled pretty bad & I was planning on 2-stepping it, but Menzerna FG400 finished out really nicely. Topped with a coat of Menzerna PL for protection. Rims polished, tires shined, & glass cleaned. Ready for winter!
 
no swirls?

I had black toyota camry came in last weekend and used fg400. it finished great but when light hits, i could see very very minor swirls. so i decided to add sf4000 to finished it off.

I've used fg400 as one step all the time but this was my first time on black.
 
choijw2 said:
no swirls?

I had black toyota camry came in last weekend and used fg400. it finished great but when light hits, i could see very very minor swirls. so i decided to add sf4000 to finished it off.

I've used fg400 as one step all the time but this was my first time on black.
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Glad to hear you say that about fg400 and one step. I'm new to paint correction (personal vehicles only - not a pro) and I have magnetic gray camry that was pretty swirled out. I did a test spot with fg400 and then followed it up with sf4000. To my untrained eye, I couldn't tell any difference after the 4000 vs. just the 400. Maybe it was just the metallic in the paint throwing me off but I wiped it down with Eraser and pulled it out into direct sun and it still looked great. So I decided to just finish the car with 400 and used light pressure the last couple of passes and got a really nice finish. Put a layer of Opti gloss coat on it and it really looked sharp.
 
nice job, great looking car. I'm seeing more and more of these out on the roads...
 
I had the car under lights & FG400 took care of the swirls. When wiping it off I used my most plush microfibers & very light pressure, because on black it's so easy to put small scratches in as you wipe the polish off.
 
Excellent work and great wedding present. FG400 does finish down very nicely.
 
AutoApollo said:
How many pads did you use to do the whole car?
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4 white pads for the FG400 if I remember right. (I totally trashed a Mother's clay bar set though) I've gotten tired of trying to clean PL out of my pads, so I just use the little 4" foam applicators to apply PL.
 
Nice work and present. I too used the FG400 followed by the PL on My wife's 2011 black Civic and with the same excellent results. I was prepared to go with the 4000 before the PL but no need. The 400 should be in everybody's arsenal. A great product. I don't think everyone should automatically expect a two step with the 400, but it is certainly a possibly. Just take you time and work it. I agree with the PL being a bear to get out of pads, that was not a fun clean up. Keep up the good work and take care.

Peace,

Darrin
 
mcate said:
4 white pads for the FG400 if I remember right. (I totally trashed a Mother's clay bar set though) I've gotten tired of trying to clean PL out of my pads, so I just use the little 4" foam applicators to apply PL.
Click to expand...

I used MF pads .. maybe thats why I had minor marrying and needed to finish with sf4000
 
WOW That is what FG400 finishes down at???? I may have to try that as a one step some time! Geeeee. Very nice
 
mcate said:
4 white pads for the FG400 if I remember right. (I totally trashed a Mother's clay bar set though) I've gotten tired of trying to clean PL out of my pads, so I just use the little 4" foam applicators to apply PL.
Click to expand...

I've dedicated a pad just for PL application. No more worrying about trying to clean something that just won't come out of the pad anymore.
 
dcjredline said:
WOW That is what FG400 finishes down at???? I may have to try that as a one step some time! Geeeee. Very nice
Click to expand...

It did on this Kia. I've had quite a few cars that it finishes fine on, & a few where it didn't. I love the stuff.
 
I realize this is an old thread, but I'm prepping to tackle my '14 Kia Sorento in dark gray metallic and a '05 Subaru Forester. The FG400 seems like it worked awesome for you. I have samples on the way to test.

Any chance you remember how many passes you averaged on the Optima? Thankfully, my Sorento isn't as hammered as that Optima was. Though I do have a few areas of RIDS to minimize.
 
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