Issues correcting messed up dealer prepped used car with Flex 3401

[triplejumper18]

Yesterday I worked on a friend's 2011 VW GTI with 17k miles that he just bought from a dealer. The dealer installed every type of paint defect you can think of. Swirls, RIDS, holograms, marring, etc. Before I went to his house I though it just had your usual swirls on a used car. For polishing and cutting I had a Flex 3401, M105, Wolfgang Swirl Remover, Optimum MF cutting pads, Lake Country CCS orange pads, Optimum MF polishing pads, Lake Country CCS polishing pads, Surbuf pads. I tried every combo possible including arm speed and machine speed and I couldn't remove the deeper swirls and RIDS. Even the Surbuf didn't cut better. This car's paint was in super rough shape, though. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Did you try using a tape-line and only doing a test spot on the one section first?


You have all the pads and chemicals you need and the Flex 3401 has the power, now it's just a matter of dialing in your technique and you start by only working on one section of paint.

 

[tuscarora dave]

Did you try using a tape-line and only doing a test spot on the one section first?


You have all the pads and chemicals you need and the Flex 3401 has the power, now it's just a matter of dialing in your technique and you start by only working on one section of paint.

+1 hard clear=small work sections, work it till it's good and then move on to the next small work section x 25 = done

 

[triplejumper18]

Yeah, I tried doing what both of you suggested. I probably need to find someone locally who can help me with my technique on very hard clear coat.

 

[StuDLei]

I had trouble as a noob (I'm still a noob). The biggest things that helped-

-prime the pad correctly
-USE MORE PRESSURE. This was one thing I did wrong. I was so afraid of burning paint I babied it. Hold on to it like a man and put an "ample" (as Mike likes to use) amount of pressure down. You don't have to lay down or stand on it, but you need pressure.
-Slow arm speed.

If you do these things in a small test section trying various pads and products, I'm confident you can get the results you're looking for.

I'm not an expert, but these were things I wasn't doing and when I changed them I got the results I was looking for.

Good luck, friend.

 

[luv a shine]

one profile "menzurna". Im the MAN

 

[Eandras]

If you think you are moving your arm toast do a technique thatbiuse to slow your arm down. Tape of a 16 x 16 area with blue painters tape and take a ruler with a sharpie. Mark off the tape with 1 inch increments on all 4 sides. You take your watch or cellphone and move one second per inch this will let you make sure that you are moving at the right speed. I mark off all four sides so I can continue the speed on each side of the taped off box. The repetition will help you with your speed. By the time you finish the four sides you will have muscle memory for the speed. When using the flex push down on the unit until you see the pads spread out slightly.

Good luck

Ed.

 

[tuscarora dave]

If you think you are moving your arm toast do a technique thatbiuse to slow your arm down. Tape of a 16 x 16 area with blue painters tape and take a ruler with a sharpie. Mark off the tape with 1 inch increments on all 4 sides. You take your watch or cellphone and move one second per inch this will let you make sure that you are moving at the right speed. I mark off all four sides so I can continue the speed on each side of the taped off box. The repetition will help you with your speed. By the time you finish the four sides you will have muscle memory for the speed. When using the flex push down on the unit until you see the pads spread out slightly.

Good luck

Ed.

That is a great piece of advice for arm speed technique!! So many times we see threads where a new member ends up with a haze on the paint after polishing for the first time, this practice would be quite valuable in such a situation. :dblthumb2: