first time with PC this weekend, any advice?

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antennahead

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This weekend will be my first time with the PC. I have an '06 350Z that has some serious hard water and/or acid rain etching in the clearcoat. Apparently the car sat out on the dealer lot for about 6 weeks prior to my purchase. I have read and studied proper use of the PC and I'm ready to tackle the issue. I intend to use an orange light cut pad with Pinnacle XMT intermediate 3 polish and swirl remover. Depending on results, will follow with Pinnacle XMT fine polish 1 before sealing wax. I tried scratch x by hand a few weeks ago and didn't phase the etchings. Pinnacle says put a quarter size of polish on the pad, others say do a circle around the edge of the pad, then spread before turning the PC on. Any advice or suggestions from those of you with experience is appreciated. I hope this is enough pad and polish to remove the etchings. Thanks.

John
 
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I will, and if I am successful in removing the etchings and getting the finish I think is capable, "fun" will be an understatement :-)
 
There are many ways to put polish on the pads. Some like a quarter size drop, others like a circle around the pad, some like lines on the pad. Either way works, make sure you spread it on the paint with the PC off. This should be enough polish for a 2x2 ft section of paint. Go slowly, and let the polish break down. Have you watched the XMT videos on AG? Also, be patient... the first time it is hard to get the results you want because you are trying to get used to this thing. Keep trying and good luck.
 
Thanks for the compliment.

Were you going to clay after the wash? I tried it for the first time on my old 21 yo Ford Escort and it made the paint really smooth; it felt like glass. I'll be doing it on the 944 soon.

Abrcrombe has good advice. I watched the vids and had a much better understanding of how long to actually work in the polish.
 
Just have fun thats what im doing they are right take a little bit to get used to it but its fun :)
 
- Put the polish onto the pad, not the car

- Turn the PC onto speed 3-4 to spread the polish over the area

- Turn the PC onto 5-6 and work the polish in

- Do small sections at a time ( divide the hood into 4 sections for example )

- Go very slow, allow the polish to remove the imperfections

- Work the polish in for a good 5-6 minutes

- Use lots of pressure at the start, for the first 2-3 minutes

- Once you see the polish clearing, you can now not apply as much pressure, and just use the weight of the machine

Hope this helps, good luck

6LS2
 
6LS2 said:
- Put the polish onto the pad, not the car

With the PC in the off position use your pad to spread the polish on your panels..then turn your PC on slow to work the polish in the paint then kick it up to 5-6 to break down the polish until clear..be sure to check your work as you go along..

- Turn the PC onto speed 3-4 to spread the polish over the area

- Turn the PC onto 5-6 and work the polish in

- Do small sections at a time ( divide the hood into 4 sections for example )

- Go very slow, allow the polish to remove the imperfections

- Work the polish in for a good 5-6 minutes

- Use lots of pressure at the start, for the first 2-3 minutes

- Once you see the polish clearing, you can now not apply as much pressure, and just use the weight of the machine

Hope this helps, good luck

6LS2
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Mask off all your trim to keep polish from building up in the crevices ,also so you don't damage any of the trim.. and it will make cleaning up much easier,,if you have resindue from the 3M blue painters tape you can remove this with a QDer.You might want to spritz the pad with a QDer prior to applying your polish, as you move along your pad will be primed with enough polish.. then your good to go ...Becareful not to generate to much heat on plastic bumpers..also be-aware off any edges ,curves etc as this is where the paiint is thin..good luck and have fun


6LS2,you posted some good information ,so rather write then retype this all out i just qouted from your reply..
 
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joe.p said:
Mask off all your trim to keep polish from building up in the crevices ,also so you don't damage any of the trim.. and it will make cleaning up much easier,,if you have resindue from the 3M blue painters tape you can remove this with a QDer.You might want to spritz the pad with a QDer prior to applying your polish, as you move along your pad will be primed with enough polish.. then your good to go ...Becareful not to generate to much heat on plastic bumpers..also be-aware off any edges ,curves etc as this is where the paiint is thin..good luck and have fun


6LS2,you posted some good information ,so rather write then retype this all out i just qouted from your reply..
Click to expand...

UPDATE:
Detailed today with the PC. I have been doing a lot of reading and study prior to this. I followed the above suggestions almost to a "T". Polish on the pad, then spread on auto prior to turn on. Good pressure at 3 to 4 speed, then 5 to 6 to finish. Worked it long and hard until breakdown, let the PC do it's thing. End result; no swirls or scratches, high gloss, and a deep finish with Meguires liquid tech wax sealer after the second step with XMT #1. ONLY ONE PROBLEM :mad: the acid rain etchings in the roof and hood were barely effected. I am sure I did everything properly. I even repeated a two foot section 4 times nice and slow thinking it would eventually polish out. I used an orange light cut pad with Pinnacle XMT # 3 prior to XMT #1/white pad.

I need suggestions please! Help! These etchings are driving me nuts LOL Should I go to a yellow cut pad and something stronger than the XMT 3? I am not ready to declare defeat and a rotary polisher just yet. These buggers are obviously fairly deep, but I don't think they are below the clearcoat. The clearcoat must be harder than I thought also. Any other cleaner recommendations are appreciated. Thanks!

John
 
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antennahead said:
UPDATE:
Detailed today with the PC. I have been doing a lot of reading and study prior to this. I followed the above suggestions almost to a "T". Polish on the pad, then spread on auto prior to turn on. Good pressure at 3 to 4 speed, then 5 to 6 to finish. Worked it long and hard until breakdown, let the PC do it's thing. End result; no swirls or scratches, high gloss, and a deep finish with Meguires liquid tech wax sealer after the second step with XMT #1. ONLY ONE PROBLEM :mad: the acid rain etchings in the roof and hood were barely effected. I am sure I did everything properly. I even repeated a two foot section 4 times nice and slow thinking it would eventually polish out. I used an orange light cut pad with Pinnacle XMT # 3 prior to XMT #1/white pad.

I need suggestions please! Help! These etchings are driving me nuts LOL Should I go to a yellow cut pad and something stronger than the XMT 3? I am not ready to declare defeat and a rotary polisher just yet. These buggers are obviously fairly deep, but I don't think they are below the clearcoat. The clearcoat must be harder than I thought also. Any other cleaner recommendations are recommended. Thanks!

John
Click to expand...

My brand new Vette (07) came waterspotted. I took it into the dealer, who removed them.
Bad news was I got swirls in their place, on what turns out to be a very tough clear coat. They shouldn't give you the car like that! I would complain.
Vinegar and water work - It might be worth a shot. But you will need to mix carefully - I do not know what ratio is.
Good luck, John.
Let us know!
(Mine sat under their sprinklers- all the vettes do.)
Lauren:)
 
antennahead said:
UPDATE:
Detailed today with the PC. I have been doing a lot of reading and study prior to this. I followed the above suggestions almost to a "T". Polish on the pad, then spread on auto prior to turn on. Good pressure at 3 to 4 speed, then 5 to 6 to finish. Worked it long and hard until breakdown, let the PC do it's thing. End result; no swirls or scratches, high gloss, and a deep finish with Meguires liquid tech wax sealer after the second step with XMT #1. ONLY ONE PROBLEM :mad: the acid rain etchings in the roof and hood were barely effected. I am sure I did everything properly. I even repeated a two foot section 4 times nice and slow thinking it would eventually polish out. I used an orange light cut pad with Pinnacle XMT # 3 prior to XMT #1/white pad.

I need suggestions please! Help! These etchings are driving me nuts LOL Should I go to a yellow cut pad and something stronger than the XMT 3? I am not ready to declare defeat and a rotary polisher just yet. These buggers are obviously fairly deep, but I don't think they are below the clearcoat. The clearcoat must be harder than I thought also. Any other cleaner recommendations are appreciated. Thanks!

John
Click to expand...

I too have had a horrific time trying to get hard water spot stains out of my driver side fender. XMT #3 and yelllow pad just doesn't "cut" it. Haha, that's funny, I don't care who you are. lmao.

Anywyas, I have Optimum Compound on order
 
Whitethunder46 said:
I too have had a horrific time trying to get hard water spot stains out of my driver side fender. XMT #3 and yelllow pad just doesn't "cut" it. Haha, that's funny, I don't care who you are. lmao.

Anywyas, I have Optimum Compound on order
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Thanks to all, I appreciate the suggestions. Unfortunately the etching has occured and there is no residue or hard water residue to remove, such as diluted vinegar would do. It is now just damaged/etched clearcoat. Can you use Optimum compound with the PC? Also, has anyone tried Meguires heavy cut cleaner #4? It says for rotary but AG says you can use with a PC as well.
 
antennahead said:
UPDATE:
Detailed today with the PC. I have been doing a lot of reading and study prior to this. I followed the above suggestions almost to a "T". Polish on the pad, then spread on auto prior to turn on. Good pressure at 3 to 4 speed, then 5 to 6 to finish. Worked it long and hard until breakdown, let the PC do it's thing. End result; no swirls or scratches, high gloss, and a deep finish with Meguires liquid tech wax sealer after the second step with XMT #1. ONLY ONE PROBLEM :mad: the acid rain etchings in the roof and hood were barely effected. I am sure I did everything properly. I even repeated a two foot section 4 times nice and slow thinking it would eventually polish out. I used an orange light cut pad with Pinnacle XMT # 3 prior to XMT #1/white pad.

I need suggestions please! Help! These etchings are driving me nuts LOL Should I go to a yellow cut pad and something stronger than the XMT 3? I am not ready to declare defeat and a rotary polisher just yet. These buggers are obviously fairly deep, but I don't think they are below the clearcoat. The clearcoat must be harder than I thought also. Any other cleaner recommendations are appreciated. Thanks!

John
Click to expand...

So while working the polish in you had it on speed 3-4? You should have it on 5-6 when your working the polish in, with lots of pressure. Then at the end, slow it down to 3-4 and just use the weight of the machine.
 
6LS2 said:
So while working the polish in you had it on speed 3-4? You should have it on 5-6 when your working the polish in, with lots of pressure. Then at the end, slow it down to 3-4 and just use the weight of the machine.
Click to expand...

Started on 3 to 4, then quickly moved to 5/6 and worked it in patiently until it broke down, helped some but left the majority of etchings.
 
I just did a 03' 350z and they are a PIA. It was fun and it came out great. Hope you get your spots out!
 
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