What am I doing wrong ?

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Missile63

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I am trying to do some paint correction to remove swirl marks but can't seem to get them out. Here is what I have done so far. Washed the car, taped off the car, clay barred the entire car.. paint feels like glass. Then I used the 3m perfect it kit and chemical guys pads and the Griot's Garage 10813 DA. I started with the #2 medium polish and a green pad as a test, this had no effect.. then I moved to the #1 heavy compound and orange pad, still swirl marks.. so I changed to the most aggressive yellow pad.. this seemed to reduce the heavy swirl marks but did not remove them completely. I decided to buff completly out using the number 2/ green pad combo and then finishing with the #3 and blue pad. Here are my results.
View attachment 58114

As you can see the swirl marks are still there.. I watched the video Mike made on polishing and followed it step by step.. Do I need to try a different type of polish ?? more aggressive ? This is on a 2013 C63 AMG, it is not supposed to have the Mercedes Ceramic paint.. I was told by a detail guy that if it did there would be a C in the vin which this does not have..
 
BLACKFIRE compound and finishing polish


The BLACKFIRE Duo includes:

BLACKFIRE SRC Compound
BLACKFIRE SRC Compound was designed to remove deeper (1200 - 2000 grit) swirls, scratches and defects in ceramic particle and scratch-resistant clear coats. SRC Compound is designed for machine application with either a dual-action or circular machine polisher. Most 2000 grit and deeper swirls, scratches, spots and defects in ceramic particle and scratch-resistant clear coats cannot be removed by hand.

For best results, apply BLACKFIRE SRC Compound using a CCS Orange Light Cutting Pad. These German pads are used at the OEM level on ceramic particle and scratch-resistant clear coats.

BLACKFIRE SRC Compound works on all hard and conventional clear coats.BLACKFIRE SRC Clear Compound can be use on all newer technology, scratch-resistant clear coats. If your vehicle does have a scratch resistant or nano, ceramic particle clear coat, always use BLACKFIRE SRC Finishing Polish first to try and remove the defect. SRC Compound should only be used to remove deeper scratches and paint defects that SRC Finishing Polish could not remove.

After compounding, the surface may have a dull, hazy finish. This is called compounding haze and is a normal byproduct of compounding. After compounding, make sure to use BLACKFIRE SRC Finishing Polish with a clean, polishing pad to remove compounding haze and restore surface gloss.


BLACKFIRE SRC Finishing Polish
blackfire-src-finishing-polish-2.jpg
In 2005, BLACKFIRE approached the Menzerna in Germany and asked them to create a state-of-the-art, ceramic clear coat polishes for the enthusiast aftermarket. Working with Mercedes Benz, Menzerna developed a compound and polish to remove defects in the new nano, ceramic particle clear coats. The result of the Menzerna-Blackfire collaboration is BLACKFIRE SRC Finishing Polish. This formula offers the do-it-yourself enthusiast many advantages: BLACKFIRE SRC Finishing Polish will restore gloss and remove minor defects in nano, ceramic particle clear coats. It will restore gloss and remove minor defects in the super-hard, scratch resistant clear coats. It can be applied by hand, dual-action polisher or circular polisher. (However, machine application is required for maximum defect removal in ceramic particle clear coats.)
 
You say the #1 with a yellow pad was the most effective. I might want to try a wool or MF cutting pad with #1 and up the aggressiveness of the pad. If you don't have a wool pad you could always go another round with the #1 and yellow. Many times I have seen a test spot get maybe 60-70% of the swirls out. What that's telling me is it's working! I could do another few passes with that same combo and get them all out OR go to another pad or more aggressive product and be more effective with once around the car instead of twice.

However...I don't like removing any more factory paint then I need to. If I see something is working I'll use it again to make more incremental progress instead of grabbing a combo that is more aggressive and removes more factory paint than I need to.

Another note. I thought the MB "C" indicating ceramic paint was in the paint code, not the VIN. I could be wrong but what is your paint code. It's usually found on a door sill placard, under the hood or somewhere in the engine bay.
 
Paul A. said:
You say the #1 with a yellow pad was the most effective. I might want to try a wool or MF cutting pad with #1 and up the aggressiveness of the pad. If you don't have a wool pad you could always go another round with the #1 and yellow. Many times I have seen a test spot get maybe 60-70% of the swirls out. What that's telling me is it's working! I could do another few passes with that same combo and get them all out OR go to another pad or more aggressive product and be more effective with once around the car instead of twice.

However...I don't like removing any more factory paint then I need to. If I see something is working I'll use it again to make more incremental progress instead of grabbing a combo that is more aggressive and removes more factory paint than I need to.

Another note. I thought the MB "C" indicating ceramic paint was in the paint code, not the VIN. I could be wrong but what is your paint code. It's usually found on a door sill placard, under the hood or somewhere in the engine bay.
Click to expand...

You are correct it is the paint code not the vin.
 
And you have the standard 3 digit number code and no "C"...right?
 
Do you have any wool or microfiber cutting pads? From the picture you posted it looks like you're close, brotha! I would want to give that #1 stuff a tad more bite with a Lake Country purple foamed wool or a MF cutting pad. Just my thoughts anyway.
 
Missile63 said:
I am trying to do some paint correction to remove swirl marks but can't seem to get them out. Here is what I have done so far.

Washed the car,
taped off the car,
clay barred the entire car.. paint feels like glass.

Then I used the 3m perfect it kit and chemical guys pads and the Griot's Garage 10813 DA.
Click to expand...

I don't have anything against the 3M Perfect-It System, but they are made for rotary buffers.

For Use with Rotary Buffer Only - Read the Directions



Missile63 said:
This is on a 2013 C63 AMG
Click to expand...


This is a fairly expensive car when it was brand new and they hold their value accordingly. It's also a fine example of automotive engineering.

I'd recommend getting some difference compound and polish, the BLACFIRE SRC compound and polish use GREAT abrasive technology and won't let you down.

I would also highly recommend getting a 5" backing plate for the Griot's 6" DA polisher and then get some 5.5 foam pads, simple flat pads.

Here's a 5" backing plate

Lake Country 5" Backing Plate


Get these pads, with the BLACFIRE SRC compound the maroon pad should be all you need. Then use the yellow pads with the SRC polish and then go to wax.


6 Inch Buff & Shine Uro-Tec Foam Pads



:)
 
Your picture


58114d1498328304-what-am-i-doing-wrong-after-3-stagejpg



To me this looks like light or shallow micro-marring or toweling marks....


These don't look like deep swirls and scratches.


You might be able to clean this up with just the BLACKFIRE SRC Polish and perhaps the yellow or white B&S Uro-Tech pads


I'm not sure what the CG pads are? You want something with a flat face though, no hex logic stuff....


:)
 
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