Newby Asking for Polish Advice

[coreseller]

Howdy Guys, somewhat newby here with a couple of questions regarding how to approach polishing my new to me 2019 Toyota Avalon. I bought it 3 years old with 27k miles and it looks like the previous owners liked automatic car washes, and not the touchless type. I do have experience with other various cars and a Porter Cable PC7424XP polisher. My question is concerning which Meguiers product to start out using and if you guys recommend going through the 3 compounds that I will post pics of, the car's current state:

View attachment 74710

Products:

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And Lastly, Where would this 3M product fall in comparison to the above, Last Step or similar to which above?

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Sorry for the ignorance, I'm just looking to avoid screwing up the finish, Thanks.....Mark

 

[Buster906]

The rule of thumb is begin with the least aggressive compound or polish and pad. Adjust both of the above until you achieve desired results

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[Bosko]

Like Buster says, start with the least aggressive cut compound, better to be safe.
Also it will give you a chance to get to know the paint(hard/soft) as well as the in's and outs of curves and contours.

 

[98CayenneTA]

I personally would not use any of those.

That Toyota Black is pretty soft and don't see any of those finishing down without micro marring.

The 3m finesse II is a good product but more geared towards a rotary and is definitely not a finishing polish especially on soft Toyota black.

The 3m finesse II would be a medium cut.

Honestly I would give Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Acrylic Polish Black a try. It is a VERY good product.

I am very much so NOT a fan of Meguiars compounds or polishes especially with so many much better products available these days.

What kind of correction are you looking for?

Are you looking to do a two step correction?

 

[Desertnate]

Like the others have said, Toyota paint is VERY soft. This makes it very easy to correct...but also easy to swirl if you aren't careful.

I'm able to polish out our crimson Highlander using nothing but a finishing polish and a white Lake Country Flat or Thin Pro pad. I don't think I've ever had to use a compound other than to repair some scuff damage to a specific spot.

Products I've used to successfully polish out soft Toyota paint: Meguiars Ultimate Polish, DP Finishing Polish, Blackfire Polish, Optimum Hyper Polish, and Sonax 04-06. I would rank all of them equally except for the Meguiars. I found the gloss it created to not be as good as the others. The Optimum HyperPolish is the one I reach for most of the time when doing our Highlander.

 

[04lss]

I would start with a finishing polish for soft paint like that. Something like Griots Boss perfecting cream, or something like an AIO like the Finishing sealant. See how that does, maybe on a ruppes yellow pad (ive had great results with them) If that doesnt work, move to something a bit more aggressive. I cant see you needing anything more than a basic compound and a basic foam cutting pad (griots compound and orange pad are fine)
Like others said start least aggressive. If you want to stick with what you have start with the swirl remover on a polishing pad. That should cut the swirls just fine on softer paint. my .02

 

[noorth]

Like the others have said, Toyota paint is VERY soft. This makes it very easy to correct...but also easy to swirl if you aren't careful.

I'm able to polish out our crimson Highlander using nothing but a finishing polish and a white Lake Country Flat or Thin Pro pad. I don't think I've ever had to use a compound other than to repair some scuff damage to a specific spot.

Products I've used to successfully polish out soft Toyota paint: Meguiars Ultimate Polish, DP Finishing Polish, Blackfire Polish, Optimum Hyper Polish, and Sonax 04-06. I would rank all of them equally except for the Meguiars. I found the gloss it created to not be as good as the others. The Optimum HyperPolish is the one I reach for most of the time when doing our Highlander.

I've been looking at the Hyper polish for a while now. I keep thinking, "why no one else as this kind of polish...?"

I think i might give it a whirl.

 

[chilly]

I've been looking at the Hyper polish for a while now. I keep thinking, "why no one else as this kind of polish...?"

I think i might give it a whirl.

In my opinion the weak link to the Hyper twins was always the sprayer, at least the 2 I bought, but that was years ago

I loved the product but it was expensive and I felt like half of it was wasted trying to adjust the nozzle and get it on the pad

My old PC is still a piece of abstract art from all the overspray

I think it was pink and blue

I had OPT send new sprayers and it took a couple to get through a bottle of product

I got to the point I was spritzing it directly on the panel to avoid waste

When you got it on the paint it worked and worked well


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[noorth]

In my opinion the weak link to the Hyper twins was always the sprayer, at least the 2 I bought, but that was years ago

I loved the product but it was expensive and I felt like half of it was wasted trying to adjust the nozzle and get it on the pad

My old PC is still a piece of abstract art from all the overspray

I think it was pink and blue

I had OPT send new sprayers and it took a couple to get through a bottle of product

I got to the point I was spritzing it directly on the panel to avoid waste

When you got it on the paint it worked and worked well


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If i buy it i will probably mark the sprayer for the correction position and flush it with water after i was done polishing. Personally, its seems alot of sprayers are not the best in car detailing. Polish angels for instance is horrible.

 

[Desertnate]

In my opinion the weak link to the Hyper twins was always the sprayer, at least the 2 I bought, but that was years ago

I've never had a problem with the sprayer itself, but it does make for a very messy method of application. It is hard to not get all over the polisher and over sprayed onto other stuff.

Great polish. Messy method of delivery.

 

[WhiteShadow89]

As others have stated, always start out with the least aggressive product and pad. The areas that aren't corrected will receive more aggressive product and pad. This rule of thumb is even more applicable on soft paints because they correct and can micro swirl so easily. If using what you have, I would start with a swirl remover on a fine pad and go up from there.

I do agree with 98 Cayenne. There are better options out there for paint in general let alone soft paint. Not saying Megs makes bad stuff because it isn't, but it does have drawbacks that other products don't have. I would recommend looking into Sonax perfect finish and Jescar's Correcting Compound. Sonax PF is a great one step that can be fine or have a light medium cut. If Sonax PF can't address your issue that is where Jescars comes in. Jescars Correcting Compound is a good lighter compound that can be worked in various stages of aggression and is great on soft paint due to is minimal dusting. Both work well together, can be ramped up quite a bit by pad choice and work on a wide variety of paints including soft (meaning your other cars).

 

[Jayfro]

If I may throw in my own two cents since I have an Black Acura with super soft paint.

I’d go for BF One Step or HD Speed with a LC White pad, this will take out most of not all of your swirls as well as finish out spectacular. Keep it simple!

JF


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[chilly]

If i buy it i will probably mark the sprayer for the correction position and flush it with water after i was done polishing. Personally, its seems alot of sprayers are not the best in car detailing. Polish angels for instance is horrible.

I kind of did that for a while

Took out the sprayer but let it drip back into the bottle for a while

Then opened up the nozzle and sprayed the rest into the bottle

Then flushed the sprayer

That got real old real fast

It’s a great product but as others have stated, delivery is the issue


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[noorth]

If I may throw in my own two cents since I have an Black Acura with super soft paint.

I’d go for BF One Step or HD Speed with a LC White pad, this will take out most of not all of your swirls as well as finish out spectacular. Keep it simple!

JF


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Personally, with really good spray LSP's now and very good 1 step polishes for an enthusiast, AIO's will not get you the turnaround has a 1-step.

I last used one just for a very quick polish last summer but a few mths later i done a 2 step on the bonnet of my car. I really don't see a need for an AIO for enthusiast as they are now.

Now if they could get one that cut like a medium polish and gave 12mths protection it would probably change the weekend detailer market.

To me AIOs are for professionals to offer has some kind of quick polish service.

 

[Jayfro]

I should’ve clarified it little bit better regarding the use of the AIO, the abrasive technologies in BF One Step and HD Speed are outstanding and they’re bubba proof, meaning they’ll finish out incredible especially on soft black paint that can mar just by looking at it!

I’ve used One Step on my car in the past and then topped it off with either PNS, Pinnacle Liquid Sovereign, WGDGPS, 303 Graphene, and just used DoDo Juice Black Widow.

JF




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[chilly]

the abrasive technologies in HD Speed are outstanding and they’re bubba proof, meaning they’ll finish out incredible especially on soft black paint that can mar just by looking at it!

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That is the truth

I have said this before, I would love a pure polish based on Speed with the protection element removed

Are you listening Mike P?


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[98CayenneTA]

This black Subaru was done with FLEX Supa Beast, Buff & Shine orange pad and BlackFire One Step

This BMW X5 was done with FLEX Supa Beast, Buff & Shine orange pad and Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Polish

AIO's absolutley have there place for both hobbyists and professionals

 

[coreseller]

Thanks guys, no love for the Meguiars huh? Turns out the grey 3M bottle was a bit old, it still had a price tag of $7.27 on it and the bottle literally cracked when I squeezed it, time to lose that also.

 

[PaulMys]

I really don't see a need for an AIO for enthusiast as they are now.

Now if they could get one that cut like a medium polish and gave 12mths protection it would probably change the weekend detailer market.

To me AIOs are for professionals to offer has some kind of quick polish service.

Yeah, but Speed is such a GREAT product. And, you can always top it.

This always starts the "But that defeats the purpose of an AIO" argument. But....... do you not top a pure polish? Sure you do. And why? Because it has no protection.

So I could make the argument that you top an AIO because it has little protection.

 

[dlc95]

M09 was about the only one you had that would play nice with the Porter Cable.

I see you picked up the Hyper Polish, which is one of my absolute favorites.

In the event you need a heavier cut, the Meguiar's Ultimate line is pretty user friendly, readily available, and does an excellent job. Their M110 and M210 were also save from the great purge of 2021.

I'll still use Mwgs Ultimate from time to time, both at the home shop, and the side gig.

The last car I used them on was an Ashton Martin DB11 at work. And yes, I also used a Porter Cable.