Now the same combo doesn't play well at all with my soft black BMW paint. It always leaves hazing.
Correct. Actually, for the most part, just about any one-step cleaner/wax can and will leave hazing in the paint. You'll only see this on dark colors but when you're working on clear coats the point is if it's happening on dark colored cars it's also happening on light colored cars your eyes just can't see it.
I've used D151, M66 and ColorX a lot with DA Polishers as well as all the other cleaner/waxes and AIO's you can find on the AG store.
Here's some of my tips...
Unlike when you do a multiple step show car approach with a,
- Dedicated correction or compounding step.
- Dedicated polishing step
- Dedicated sealing step (with a non-cleaning wax, sealant or coating)
In the above scenario you always apply a thin coating of the LSP, (wax, sealant or coating),
BECAUSE all the correction work was done by the prior two steps.
Think about it... doesn't everyone always say,
Apply a thin coat...
And that's true in the above scenario.
When using a
one-step cleaner/wax or
AIO (All-in-One, same thing as a cleaner/wax just different words), you want to use the product heavy or wet. This means use a lot more product. The reason why is because now you're depending on the
- Abrasives (if any, some cleaner/waxes are non-abrasive)
- Cleaning Agents (chemical cleaners and solvents)
- Polishing Oils
- Protection Ingredients
You're
depending upon the
first three items in the list above to do the
correction and polishing work and for this reason you don't want to
skimp on product.
You want to use the
ample amount. You want plenty of abrasives, cleaners and lubricating polishing oils on the surface
working for you.
Don't over do it but just know that using a cleaner/wax, especially on neglected paint isn't anything like applying a THIN coat of a
finishing wax, sealant or coating.
Make sense?
This is actually one of the segments we just shot for My Classic Car, that is how to speed thing up by using an AIO and we used the 1967 GTO for this segment.
Also just to add...
If you car's paint is in good to excellent condition and you're using a cleaner/wax or AIO as a "Maintenance Wax", because your car is a daily driver, then you can cut down on the amount of product you use since the paint isn't in bad shape.
Makes sense again?
Here's a few more recommendations...
- Wash and clay the car, (if needed), before using a cleaner/wax.
- Always do a test spot before buffing out the entire car.
- Don't buff to a dry buff. Some product state in the recommendations to do this but clear coats are scratch sensitive, my experience is anytime you buff to a dry buff on a clear coat since you've buffed till you've lost lubrication you will increase the chances for micro-marring.
Instead, buff till you reached the number of passes your test spot showed you needed to do to get the results you want and then stop buffing while there is still a wet film on the surface.
Let this film dry before wiping it off as inside this wet film are the protection ingredients and in most cases if you wipe this wet film off you will just have wiped off the protection ingredients.
Some protection ingredients bond to stick to the paint via the drying process.
- Break large panels into smaller areas when working on neglected paint.
- Try to tackle large panels all at one time when using a cleaner/wax to maintain paint in good to excellent shape.
- ALWAYS try to use the softest pad possible when using a one-step cleaner/was as this will tend to always leave the nicest looking finish.
- For neglected paint you'll want to not only use the product heavy but use the higher speed settings, on a Flex this would be the 4-6 range.
- For paint in good to excellent condition, try to use the slower speeds, this would be the 3-4 setting. The Flex 3401 is always easier to use at higher speeds with smaller pads so find a system that works for you.
Always hold the pad flat to the surface and the tool is easy to use. If
"you" are holding it so the pad isn't flat to the surface then the Flex has a "Walking Effect" and this is due to the benefit everyone loves about this tool and that is the
forced rotation via a
gear driven mechanism.
And most important...
Clean your pad
OFTEN! - Especially when working on neglected paint as you're going to be removing,
- Paint.
- Road Film.
- Oxidation.
- Plus you'll have "spent product" building up on your pad.
Use the cleaning a pad on the fly method I show in one of my videos. Use a clean, 100% cotton terry cloth towel for the reasons I share in my how-to article.
That's all I can think of off the top of my head but it's only a little after 7:00am and I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet.
just looking for advice from the pros that worked with d151, flex and Toyota paint as I read they seem to be soft.
Thanks
We have a lot of experienced Pros and I'm sure they'll chime in with their own great tips...
:dblthumb2:
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