Could this be "micro marring"?

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75shark

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Hey guys

New to the forum, and new to detailing. I got a lot of advice from the Corvette forum, and I am just looking for some more. I have a 2001 Corvette Zo6 that looked good from far...but far from good. I bought the PC and the intermediate swirl remover kit from Autogeek (XMT #3 with an orange LC pad, XMT #1 with a white LC pad, and XMT glaze with a grey LC pad). These products worked well, I thought, until I noticed all these spots on the hood, roof, and trunk of my vette. These are the only areas I have worked on, but I am not sure if these defects were there prior to polishing, or if they are simply more noticeable now that some of the fine scratches are gone. What do the experts here think?

This looks worse in the picture, but here it is.
CIMG0116.jpg


Here is a picture outside in the sun.
CIMG0035.jpg
 
Looking at the picture and my bad eyes..it does look like micromaring from the XMT 3...your best bet is to now use a finer polish and a polishing pad....use something like XMT 2 or 1 and rework the areas slowly....wipe occasionaly to inspect your work to see if they are removing...

list what other polishes you have and then we can see what will work removing the marring....

AL
 
judging by the pictures, I would say yes. consider a finer polish to finish with, like Pinnacle's Advanced Finishing Polish, which is my personal fav. good luck!
 
Al-53 said:
list what other polishes you have and then we can see what will work removing the marring....

AL
Click to expand...
So far, the hood has about 4 passes with XMT3 (orange pad), 2 passes with XMT1 (white pad) and 1 pass with XMT glaze (grey pad). Unfortunatly, I did not pay close enough attention to see when these spots appeared (after which step) so I am not sure what compound is causing the problem. I am having a problem with my PC now (my velcro backing pad melted) so I need to place an order with AG for a new backing pad, and some new LC pads. If I should get a different type of polish, please recommend what I should get.

Thanks

PS Everybody I talk to says the clear on Corvettes is really hard. Is it possible the marring form the orange pad is too heavy for the PC to remove? Should I seek out a proffessional to use a rotary on the car?
 
Maybe buy some menzerna? Power gloss, and nano polish? :D
 
well you can correct it with some better polishes.....Like Pirex said..the better polishes like menzerna will work....the 2 best ones for Vette paint would be the Super Intensive polish Po83Q and also the Po106FF....these 2 polishes will clear up Vette clear nicely.....

orange or green pad with the PO85Q..then a green or white the the PO106FF...and you will have a brilliant finish....

You will need to try different pad combos the see whats going to work best....

AL
 
If you live in SOCAL, stop by, I have both SIP and nano you can try out.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Does anyone know if it is possible to get samples of this to try before buying a large bottle of it. While I understand that $100 is not excessive if in fact it will clear up the look of my vehicle. My concern is that I just spent that much on a Pinnacle XMT kit (recommended by AutoGeek) that really has not help (may have actually made worse). So I would like to test the product before investing another $100 into product that may just sit on the shelf in my garage while I take the car to a pro for detailing.

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to sound ungrateful for your advice and tips, I am simply asking if there is a way for me to demo the product (if it truly improves my finish, I have no problem spending the $$$) without the gamble?
 
coupe said:
How are you working the products?
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I am not sure I fully understand the question, but I am going to give it a shot. I am using a PC 7424 with LakeCountry pads. For the XMT3, I am following the video on AG by placing a quarter sized dot in the center of the pad, spreading that on the car prior to turning on the PC, spreading the compound at a speed of 3 over the 2X2 area, then working the compound at a speed of 6 over the area. I am moving about 1/2 to 1 inch per second for the first 2-3 minutes (until the product is fairly clear) then I move it a little faster (maybe 2-3 inches per minute) until the product is fully broken down (can hardly see any remaining product). Then I remove whatever is left with a MF towel and inspect. I apply enough pressure to the PC to allow it to remaing spinning, but I would estimate my pressure at 5-10lbs (maybe 15).

I work the XMT1 similar, with less pressure and a little faster surface speed. The glaze goes on with minimal pressure and faster surface spreed.
 
Sounds like your doing everything right.

Try working a 12"x12" area instead
 
Did you clay the vehicle ahead of time? The first picture looks like some type of contanimation which'll need to be removed by claying.

Try using the XMT3 with a white pad and then bump down to the XMT1 and another, clean, white pad. That should clear any of the light micromarring that remains.
 
That is indeed micro marring, I can tell because I've had the same on my Dodge before. Work your finishing polish longer and slower. For example, go from SSR3 to SSR2.5 to SSR1. A nice gradual decline in pruduct and pag aggresiveness should do the job.
 
P1et said:
That is indeed micro marring, I can tell because I've had the same on my Dodge before. Work your finishing polish longer and slower. For example, go from SSR3 to SSR2.5 to SSR1. A nice gradual decline in pruduct and pag aggresiveness should do the job.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, but please excuse my ignorance. What is SSR3, SSR2.5 and SSR1?
 
budman3 said:
Did you clay the vehicle ahead of time? The first picture looks like some type of contanimation which'll need to be removed by claying.

Try using the XMT3 with a white pad and then bump down to the XMT1 and another, clean, white pad. That should clear any of the light micromarring that remains.
Click to expand...

The car was washed with dish detergent to remove any wax, clayed, and washed again prior to starting. The surface is very smooth to the touch (I can not feel any contaminaints).
 
If you are working XMT3 with an orange pad first, you are using a very abrasive combo. I would then move to white LC pad and same polish first. Once that is done, then move to a grey finishing pad with XMT2 or 1 as needed. You can then use another grey or blue pad with XMT1 as needed.

Remember these are step by step polishes, and pad dependant. They dont finish up as easily as Menzerna does initially. You also appear to be rushing polish, allow it to dry and flash as you use it and stop counting passes. When it hazes to a cloud from a wet paste you can slow down, finish, and wipe off. Before that and you are likely rubbing a sandy paste on finish.
 
killrwheels@autogeek said:
If you are working XMT3 with an orange pad first, you are using a very abrasive combo. I would then move to white LC pad and same polish first. Once that is done, then move to a grey finishing pad with XMT2 or 1 as needed. You can then use another grey or blue pad with XMT1 as needed.

Remember these are step by step polishes, and pad dependant. They dont finish up as easily as Menzerna does initially. You also appear to be rushing polish, allow it to dry and flash as you use it and stop counting passes. When it hazes to a cloud from a wet paste you can slow down, finish, and wipe off. Before that and you are likely rubbing a sandy paste on finish.
Click to expand...
When I said passes in my earlier post, I did not mean I went over the car (ir area) 4 times, then wiped the polish off. I mean that I did a complete XMT3 with an orange pad until the polish was broken down, and removed with a MF cloth 4 seperate times. Each time (appprox 2x2 area) took 4-5 minutes per application. Is that what you meant by rushing the polish?
 
75shark said:
When I said passes in my earlier post, I did not mean I went over the car (ir area) 4 times, then wiped the polish off. I mean that I did a complete XMT3 with an orange pad until the polish was broken down, and removed with a MF cloth 4 seperate times. Each time (appprox 2x2 area) took 4-5 minutes per application. Is that what you meant by rushing the polish?
Click to expand...
I was always confused as to what most considered as "1 pass". I was thinking like you, 75shark. I thought that 1 pass was 1 complete 3 to 5 minute session, working till the polish broke down.
Or is 1 pass considered, one 2 X 2 section polished Left to Right till the whole 2 X 2 area is covered?
 
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