NEED FEEDBACK on products I've acquired for a project. PLEASE HELP!!

[DoinitWright]

This is my first post, so thanks in advance for your patience. Sorry it's so long, but theres alot of info that I need to supply in order to ask my questions. I want to also say thank you to the great number of folks on here who are so helpful and willing to share and help out. I've been a fan of the whole franchise for many years, so I feel like part of the family.

I own a 2015 Durango R/T. It's never been clayed, or anything else other than washed. At times its been neglected and not washed for months, but usually washed once a month. I intend to finally do right by it, so I began reading those internets (mainly here) and running up my Amazon bill. Basically, I want to tell you guys what i've put together and pose the question: "is there anything else I NEED (or have absolutely purchased the worst version of, and should return and get the right one while it's still new and unopened, and I can?).

First a quick bit more about the condition of the car. It is WHITE. It has never seen the inside of a garage, but always washed with a two bucket system, and rag company micro chenille mitts, and megs brand car wash soap. I can hardly see ANY swirls at all, and I have to look real hard. NO scratches. It also, surprisingly, NEARLY passes the baggie test in most spots after a good wash. So ... Not a bonded contaminate mess with paint that needs much correcting. On the contrary, it is pretty good off and doesn't need compounding or heavy cut style polishing. Not sure if this points to a hard clear coat to have stood up so well, or not? Can't find much about the hardness of this vehicles paint like you can a Toyota or Nissan on the boards. So maybe someone can answer that for me too?

Second a little about me. I am not an idiot ( that should save you all SOME time ;-) ). I have never washed my car with dawn, and a dirty dish rag cuz I was in a pinch. I have been a mechanic for many years and respect, and understand tools. And I have never let the INTERIOR of this vehicle look anything other than completely clean and vacuumed with every plastic surface detailed, and every crack and crevice clean ... for more than a few days before fixing it. Sometimes I have spent days detailing the inside of my car, so the point is ... I have patience.

So.. without further ado ... with the intent here to be that I believe it to only need a wash, clay, light polish, and wax .... I have put together the following. I have tried to group them somewhat.

WASH:
2 chemical guys cyclone dirt traps different colors
2 grit guards color coded to match the cyclones so they always get used together in sets in my 2 buckets.(sorry ... OCD)
-I have heard stacking these gets best results.
My usual rag company micro chenille mitts (1 for dirtier areas. The other: cleaner)
10 Rag company 365 GSM MF towels for whatever

CLAY:
Meguire's c2000 Clay Bar
Meguires M34 mirror glaze detailing spray
Rag company 800 GSM MF towels for wiping excess spray

MACHINE:
Porter Cable 7424xp
Lake country 5 inch velcro backing plate

POLISH:
Meguire's ultimate polish
Lake country White CCS pad
Lake country Black CCS pad
-(because Ive read that the UP will cut less or more by using white or black, so I'll be able to adjust as needed)
Rag company 1100 GSM MF towels for washing after polish so as not to introduce any swirls.

WAX:
Meguire's Ultimate Liquid Wax
Lake country Red CCS pad
6 inch lambs wool leveling pad
Microfiber high shine buffing bonnets
I figured the 1100 GSM towels might come in handy here also for any hand buffing needed.

Well ... that's it. A whole lot of writing and room taken up to supply info so that i could ask 3 simple questions:
1. Have I really gone with a bad choice anywhere?
2. Have i forgotten anything essential?
3. Will what I have put together do the very light correction, and nice shine that im after?

Also ... one additional question... I also purchased some Meguires Mirror Glaze #7 after reading about how much it can enhance shine. But then after (of course) I came across the posts saying that it's too oily, hard to work with, pointless on a white car ... etc. I had planned on slipping a glaze in in between the polish i planned to do and the wax ... But I'd like some opinions. Is it really not worth the effort on a white car?, and is there any trick to using it?, or is it actually horrible to work with?

Thank you very much in advance to all of those who will spend time reading this, and answering my 3 questions. (plus the one about the hardness of that vehicles paint, plus the opinion on the glaze) ;-) Sorry for the lengthy post, especially for my first time.

 

[ronkh57]

I am an idiot......

That said.

You need more white & black pads, mebbe 2- red ones as well Use the red to apply wax/sealant after correction. Take the wool pad and hang it on the wall so you know you have one. You shouldn't need the Megs 7 for this project.

As far as 4 grit guards, that's over kill even by over kill standards.

 

[PaulMys]

^^Ron isn't really an idiot. He just plays one on TV^^


Welcome to AGO, man.

Sounds like you have a good set up. Everyone starts somewhere. As you gain more experience, and try different products/combos, you will find you have favorites, and may even dislike some things after you try new products.
It's all in the game of detailing. But as Ron stated, get more pads. LC orange are good to have too. And just me, but ditch the Megs ultimate polish. Works ok, but man is it a bear to remove.

Welcome to the addiction.

 

[RZJZA80]

Further to what Ronkh57 said, skip the glaze entirely, and I'd recommend GG vented 5" backing plate over the Lake Country one but what you have will still work. You definitely will want at least 4 of each pad color for a Durango, and that's to get through one polishing session. I agree the lambs wool pad is unnecessary since you're using a polish and don't have a compound. I'd also skip the bonnets and buff off wax by hand but that's just me. There are a lot better options than CCS pads but for a beginner they will get the job done.

 

[DoinitWright]

Further to what Ronkh57 said, skip the glaze entirely, and I'd recommend GG vented 5" backing plate over the Lake Country one but what you have will still work. You definitely will want at least 4 of each pad color for a Durango, and that's to get through one polishing session. I agree the lambs wool pad is unnecessary since you're using a polish and don't have a compound. I'd also skip the bonnets and buff off wax by hand but that's just me. There are a lot better options than CCS pads but for a beginner they will get the job done.

Thanks for the good info. Guess I'll start out with the lake country pads and plate and move on with time and experience. Which pads would you recommend to move up from the ccs? Still lake country, just a different line? Or different company all together?

As for the lambs wool ... I should have been specific. I don't intend to use it on the finish. Only as a "LEVELING" PAD BETWEEN a foam pad, and MF bonnet. From what I've read, that's supposedly the best way to get the highest shine buffing a liquid wax? Anyone wanna chime in if I've been misled?

 

[MarkD51]

I have it, but never used Meg's UP to comment how it works. I do know Meg's #205 is a very good finishing Polish. Yep, skip the glaze, an unneeded step.

About all I might've added after the wash, and before claying is a spray and wipe down with Carpro Iron-X, or another brand Iron Remover to de-ass the vehicle of Iron prior to claying.

Never been much a lover of Meguiars Waxes. Probably would've went with one of Duragloss's Sealants (105-111) or Collinite #845.

 

[RZJZA80]

Never been much a lover of Meguiars Waxes. Probably would've went with one of Duragloss's Sealants (105-111) or Collinite #845.

Yup, definitely would go with DG 105/601 mix over anything else.

 

[DoinitWright]

Anyone out there have any experience buffing the way I described? With the lambs wool for a "leveling" pad only to be used on top of a foam pad, and with microfiber bonnet on top? Or, should I just stick to buffing the wax by hand with one of those 1100 GSM towels I got?

 

[RZJZA80]

Anyone out there have any experience buffing the way I described? With the lambs wool for a "leveling" pad only to be used on top of a foam pad, and with microfiber bonnet on top? Or, should I just stick to buffing the wax by hand with one of those 1100 GSM towels I got?

Wax I'd apply by hand and make sure it's on thin, and buff off by hand as well. However I'd go with a sealant like Duragloss 105 over any wax out there.

 

[Sharply Dressed]

I like clay for seeing the contamination being pulled off. I'd recommend a clay mitt (nano skin mitt, sponge, etc) as it's much faster. Also, if you drop the clay, toss it. Not so with the mitt.

 

[FUNX650]

This is my first post...

:welcome: ...to AGO.

POLISH:
Rag company 1100 GSM MF towels
for washing after polish so as not to
introduce any swirls.

Since I don’t wash vehicles after the
Polishing step(s), I don’t see the need
for you to do otherwise.

{’The fewer times one is involved in
“touching” the paint, equates to fewer
chances that one has to inflict swirls’. ~MP}

1. Have I really gone with a bad choice anywhere?

Not really, IMO.

2. Have i forgotten anything essential?

Being that it’s probably never been done
before: the use of a paint decontamination
product (such as IronX) after the initial
wash step.

3. Will what I have put together do the very
light correction, and nice shine that im after?

It should; but, if Ultimate Polish doesn’t do
the trick, move up to Meguiar’s M205.

(plus the one about the hardness
of that vehicles paint, plus the opinion
on the glaze).

IMO:
•Paint Hardness?:
-Performing the obligatory “Test Spot”
will give you a pretty good indication of
its “hardness”.

•Meguiar’s #07 Glaze?:
-Not necessary for this particular project.


Bob

 

[DoinitWright]

:welcome: ...to AGO.


Since I don’t wash vehicles after the
Polishing step(s), I don’t see the need
for you to do otherwise.

{’The fewer times one is involved in
“touching” the paint, equates to fewer
chances that one has to inflict swirls’. ~MP}


Not really, IMO.


Being that it’s probably never been done
before: the use of a paint decontamination
product (such as IronX) after the initial
wash step.


It should; but, if Ultimate Polish doesn’t do
the trick, move up to Meguiar’s M205.


IMO:
•Paint Hardness?:
-Performing the obligatory “Test Spot”
will give you a pretty good indication of
its “hardness”.

•Meguiar’s #07 Glaze?:
-Not necessary for this particular project.


Bob

BOB ... Thank you SO much for taking the time to reply to all my queries. I greatly appreciate it. One quick question for you, since you brought it up ... without washing after polishing ... what becomes of the polish residue? How much of that will there be? What will it look like? Dust? Pasty? I've never polished a car before.

 

[DoinitWright]

Anyone else out there care to chime in? If i dont wash after i polish, Will I need to wipe It? If so with what? And what will it look like? Will it be dusty?, or Pasty? Or just ready to wax?

 

[UncleDavy]

Anyone else out there care to chime in? If i dont wash after i polish, Will I need to wipe It? If so with what? And what will it look like? Will it be dusty?, or Pasty? Or just ready to wax?

Welcome to our group therapy brother. This is a great place to share ideas, ask for advice or just find a sympathetic ear. A separate soft, plush microfiber towel will pick up any wax or polish residue from the surface. It is better to change the buffing surface frequently to reduce the dust. The lambs wool pad definitely should be used as a leveling pad under the microfiber bonnet. A lot of guys like using a machine for applying waxes or sealants, I like to apply by hand and remove by machine.
I have said this before that detailing is evolutionary and not revolutionary. There are always new products and tools being developed. What you are using today may not be what you will be using in the future. Detailing is an obsession but for me it is also therapy.

 

[ClearVue18]

I don’t use Chemical guys to much. I like their butter wax. I mainly use a company called trans-mate and Pro car care I love their products. I’ve never heard of lake country so I can’t help you there.

 

[Vue to a kill]

Welcome!

I think all in all your plan of attack sounds great in addition to what others have contributed. If I may, I would like to make one suggestion. Before going through the whole wash and decon process only to find out the Ultimate Polish doesn't work out, maybe one day take a few minutes to do a test spot on a small panel. The reason I suggest this is that UP has very little cut. It may in fact be just fine, but this way you know for sure before getting to the polishing stage and then finding out you need M205. The good news is that M205 is usually easy to find at any good auto store. They even have it at Harbor Freight around here.

On a side note, you picked the best microfiber towels to work with in my opinion. The Rag Company is top notch and Levi Gates and the rest of the folks there are truly kind and caring people. I can't say enough good things about them.

 

[DoinitWright]

Welcome!

I think all in all your plan of attack sounds great in addition to what others have contributed. If I may, I would like to make one suggestion. Before going through the whole wash and decon process only to find out the Ultimate Polish doesn't work out, maybe one day take a few minutes to do a test spot on a small panel. The reason I suggest this is that UP has very little cut. It may in fact be just fine, but this way you know for sure before getting to the polishing stage and then finding out you need M205. The good news is that M205 is usually easy to find at any good auto store. They even have it at Harbor Freight around here.

On a side note, you picked the best microfiber towels to work with in my opinion. The Rag Company is top notch and Levi Gates and the rest of the folks there are truly kind and caring people. I can't say enough good things about them.

I have read alot about 205 vs UP. From what I've gathered the main difference is that UP has "diminishing abrasives", so you work it, and as you do, it loses its cut, and as you continue to work it, it finishes off nicely because it, in essence, transforms Into a finishing polish with hardly any cut, but does contain oils.

In comparison, M205, with its standard abrasives give a longer work time to do correction, because the abrasives do not diminish. Also why it's considered more versatile, cuz changing pads, and technique will yield definite different results, as opposed to working with a ticking clock, so to speak, with the UP as the abrasives diminish no matter what you do. You can of course get some.different results with varied technique and pads, but not as easily.
<-Have I got all that right?

As a side note, i plan to have both on hand at the time so no matter what I can get the correction I need.

 

[The Guz]

I have read alot about 205 vs UP. From what I've gathered the main difference is that UP has "diminishing abrasives", so you work it, and as you do, it loses its cut, and as you continue to work it, it finishes off nicely because it, in essence, transforms Into a finishing polish with hardly any cut, but does contain oils.

In comparison, M205, with its standard abrasives give a longer work time to do correction, because the abrasives do not diminish. Also why it's considered more versatile, cuz changing pads, and technique will yield definite different results, as opposed to working with a ticking clock, so to speak, with the UP as the abrasives diminish no matter what you do. You can of course get some.different results with varied technique and pads, but not as easily.
<-Have I got all that right?

As a side note, i plan to have both on hand at the time so no matter what I can get the correction I need.

M205 and UP are actually non-diminishing (aka SMAT) polishes. UP is derived from M205 with the difference being M205 offering more cut and UP offering more polishing oils.

Both good polishes.

 

[DoinitWright]

Just thought I'd post back, as so many people don't, and leave us hanging!! Lol I went out and did a test spot today on the project vehicle. I guess im lucky I didn't have to be nervous in the least doing it, as I have a built in test panel on the vehicle. My right front fender is dented from a parking lot swipe-and-run. No way it can be worked out as the impact rumpled the entire circumference of the fender flare around the wheel well. I'm in the market for a new fender, but I'm waiting til I can come up on a take off from a wrecked vehicle so I'll have oem paint and metal.

Anyway, I hit a section of that fender and washed it, and clayed it. I don't have the ironx yet, I will on Tuesday, so I had to skip that step. I went at it on setting 5 with the UP, and after 4 section passes, I still had light swirling. So I kicked it up to 6, and made another 2 complete passes. At the end of that, there were no swirls left in the middle of my section, but still extremely light swirls on the top and bottom third. A testament I'm sure to my amateur technique. Test panel is curved and I'm guessing I didn't do a good enough job keeping it level and following the curvature, resulting in more pressure in the middle.

By this time it was getting dark and I had to call it. This left me thinking that maybe with 205, I wouldn't have needed as much elbow grease. Anyone agree with that since I came so close? Or would a more aggressive pad be the ticket? ( I was using An LC white CCS pad).

And also ... does anyone think the lack of ironx could have caused the little bit of swirling I had left? From the iron that's probably on the paint?

Thanks to everyone here for the encouragement, and advice!!

 

[SWETM]

This is the hard bit when dialing in the polishing step. And it's hard to say if the recommendation will get you there with the excact spot. If you like the ccs pads I would get the orange pads also. The thin pro pads from lake country has at is seems a little more cutting ability and still finish good. It's the orange pads that is the step up for you. But the thin pro pads you have a higher spinning from so maybe the white pad get you there also but it's a big maybe. I would ad a compound to your setup also if you some deeper defects than on the fender panel you are doing. Do you think that it was the technique that keep the pad spinning. Or is that the swirls is deeper where they are still left. Have you marked your backing plate so you easy can see when it slows down or stop spinning. This is very helpfull to do and look at the backing plate on the flat part of the panel which speed the backing plate has and try to keep that speed up. On curved panels you are trying to have the DA leveled at the center and if it's bogs down you release on the pressure and sometimes even lift it up a little. This is where the thin pads comes in cause they are better at keep spinning. As for the pads when useing compound I think you are fine with white and orange pads either the thin pads or the ccs pads. If you need more cut I would go up to mf cutting pads lake country or buff & shine uro-fiber mf pads. The uro-fiber has a good finishing ability for a mf cutting pad. As for compound I would test Sonax Cutmax or Sonax Cut and Finish or meguiars d300. Cutmax as the most cutting one and then d300 and the Cut and Finish as the least cutting of them. Maybe you get it with the m205 but you are so close to be go over to more cut. Menzerna has a medium cut polish also pf2500 in 8oz bottles and pf2400 in 32oz bottle. That is not a compound or a finishing polish. But smack in the middle. And if you go with that and you after the test spot go with megs UP I don't think you will be notice a bit difference to the finish. At last think of to use clean pads and not use them with other polishes before you have cleaned out the old one you used before.
Just some thoughts from me and you will be recommended other brands. But go with what you are being sold on to try and it will work out great.

Does the defects on the fender represent the defects on the whole car?