My Gf's 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage

hernandez.art13

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Hellow fellow AG's.

What would you do to this car. (Exterior only)

My Porter Cable is coming in today. So I plan and starting with this car. I plan on hitting it with

•3M rubbing compound
•Poor boys polish
• Meguiars Ultimate wax

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I plan on using this wool pad that I traded at my local Auto Paint shop (for now) until I buy the yellow foam pad from AG.

It'll tie on. The guy did say it's not as aggressive as the 3M one but said good luck. So I said "sure why not"

I bought the Porter Cable poor boys kit.
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I'll be getting the Flex sometime in the future.. So this is all i have for now.
 
Hellow fellow AG's.

What would you do to this car. (Exterior only)
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I would sell it...............nothing beyond a new paintjob will fix it
 
Thanks DChristo for replying.
The car has a salvaged title so the car is worth $800-$1000.

She needed a car I was selling it for $1000. So i told her help me pay off my ticket and I'll give it to you. That's how she got this car. (either that or she would have to walk to work/bus)

To paint this car it would be like $1500-$2000 so it wouldn't make sense repainting it, when it is a salvaged title. And would be worth more than her car.

She doesnt care how it looks I just asked her i I could test out my new equipment on her car. She said "yes" and I said "ok i'll do it" so the deal has already been made.

So my question was what would you do to it trying to restore it. I know it doesn't have clear coat here and there. No paint, crashes etc. but i like doing this as a hobby. So any help tips/tricks would be a great help. Thanks
 
Like the guy before me stated, this is something you cant fix by using a wool pad on a DA. Hell, most people wouldnt even touch this with anything to be honest. If i were you i wouldnt waist time on it, as results might be poor due to the poor condition already. Just my two cents :/
 
Would a rotary style buffer be able to handle this? I know i brought back to life a few cars with a Dewalt and Makita
 
This is what I want to start specializing (paint restoration) so it's the perfect opportunity for me to start practicing.

I think it might be a good marketable idea.

I can go to people and tell them for $200 I can restore your paint. Instead of $2000 for a new paint job.
Like oxidized VW Bugs or Novas
 
"Oxidized" paint is single stage paint in which the outermost layer of paint has reacted with oxygen and turned a dull chalky color - there is still healthy paint under it. So, your removing something "bad" to get to something "good". For the most part, car companies stopped using it (ss paint) 25 years ago. Oxidized paint can be restored.

Paint like the paint in your pictures has clear coat failure and can not be restored. It's like trying to restore a bald tire, you can't restore what is no longer there. Best thing you can do with that car is wash it, then clay it. After that, practice on areas like the trunk where the clear coat is still intact with your new PC.

If you plan on having people pay you to restore cars with clear coat failure, unless you re-paint them, you are going to have a lot of unhappy customers.
 
Thanks Swanicyouth.

Yeah i guess I used the wrong term.
The quarter panels still have clear coat. So I'll be working ok them mostly. Plus it'll be goo for what is left of clear coat on the car.

I guess i'll be shining it up.
 
But I do know the difference of no clear coat or faded clear coat.

I was just never taught the term names. Just the procedures. I can look at a car and tell the person it's fixable. Faded clear coat. Or "No" the only way would be to get it painted again.

That is why I mentioned i could restore older cars. Like Chevy Novas or VW Bugs. Not clear coat failures. (Now I know what it's called, thanks)View attachment 17028

For this I would tell a customer "this cant be repaired it would have to be repainted, all I can do to it i shine it and we can see what happens"

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These you can. And a lot of people don't know what buffing is so I can always explain it to them and do a little tester piece. And we can go from there.
 
h.
You made me go back and look at all your posted pictures. First time I got to the second photo and had my response...RUN DON'T WALK...RUN!

All the others gave you good advise. I know you just want to practice so right side doors and rear quarter panel. All the other paint is too far gone. Candidly ask a junk yard for a donated panel anythingthey can afford to give up. Tell them you'll briing it back no loss of core charge. Then practice on that. Seriously do not waste your time on that car. Do her a favor and spend some time on the inside where you can make a difference. If mechanically it's in good shape maybe see if a local high school auto shop would paint it as a project car. Bet it would be more like $500.

The PC is about the weakest buffer you can buy. Capable but weak. It's not going to handle any wool pad and don't go larger than a 5.5" foam pad. If you can trade it back in for a Meguiars or Groits do it. They are not that much more powerful but it is noticable.

Get yourself several yellow (compound), white (polishing)and black pads (wax). Compound, polish anad wax. Meguiars line can cover all this.

Good luck.
 
I'm pretty happy with the results. The porter cable clutch was great. I had no fear of burning the paint or what was left of the paint. It added the shine I knew I could do with a Dewalt.

I called customer service and they said it will remove color sanding, but I have to go up to 3000 which is fine. I'll be rarely doing color sanding anyway.

Worked great.
I used in this order:
•3M compound with wool pad attachment (not sure what it's called the)
•swirl remover polish (not sure what its called my cousin gave it to me, didnt want to use my stuff and waste it)
•Meguiars Ultimate wax
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Yeah I just used wrong wording, of course I couldn't buff new clear coat back into it. (would not be possible) But I knew that the clear coat that was still on there could still be saved. So that's why I knew I could do this, just didn't know the wording. Since I'm new to AG but not buffing

Next I'm going to buy a yellow cutting pad the strongest one AG sells so I could get in there.
 
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