Aggressiveness, which one first (Pad or Polish)

[bambo2888]

as you have offered pads and polishes both have abrasives in degree. Pads are colored to differentiate them, and polishes are coded in number or title from finishing (light) to compound (heavy).

I have found on most cars with reasonable finish, you start in the middle. I like the white LC pads and a medium polish. I then wipe with alcohol/water (to remove any fillers) and guage its effectiveness. If its good I finish and move onto lighter pad and polish to jewel the finish. If its not, I can change pad or polish (usually polish) to get more power.

why do you use the white pads for this step? i though these were the least abrasive with no real cut to them.

 

[ScottB]

white has light cut (Lake Country) and polish is doing the work. I dont like the orange and especially the yellow pads as leave a crap load of micromarring.

 

[bambo2888]

thats weird you say that though, maybe so on the darker colors. I am in the process, as we speak, of polishing my car with xmt3 with a yellow. after this combo, i feel that the paint is lsp ready, but in fact, i need something even more aggressive.