Need Product Recommendation

ph16

ph16

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I own an 08 Tacoma that I love and is a daily driver. It does not sit outside 24/7 and is well cared for. From what I've read on AG, soft clear coat and Toyota are frequently mentioned together. If that's true, I wonder what would be recommended polishes for soft clear coats (I'm assuming mine is soft but don't know how to tell) for mostly light and occasional heavy correction in areas?

I have M105/205. I have Menz SI1500, SF4000 and SF4500. My technique is GREATLY lacking with all of them. I tried a sample of WG swirl remover. I understand the difference between both SMAT and DAT and know which belongs to which family. But I don't know if what I have is a good fit for my truck or maybe none of those are???? Or maybe they're the right products but I need to perfect my technique.

I've decided to upgrade to a Flex and 5" LC hybrid pads. I have a PC and 4" and 6.5" CCS pads now. The more I read about various products or pads and techniques for this product or that product I really get lost and confused about what to even use on my truck. It's not a BMW or Mercedes or Ferrari. But I do like it to look as good as it can and not as though it's a daily driver.

I use pinnacle clay and lube, I polish, I use Menz top inspection to clean everything and then use Menz power lock sealant. That's my typical correction 1 to 2 times yearly. I don't plan to change the clay or the sealant. But I do wonder if I even have the right polishes for my type of vehicle.

I'm wondering, if someone brought a Tacoma into your detail shop that had only light/fine swirls and needed light correction, what polishes would you use?
 
I would suggest doing a test spot, or a few for all your polishes and pads.

Start with your finest polish and pad, then check your results. Do this until you find a combination that works for your vehicle.

You can find many videos on this forum in the how to section. Be sure to watch and brush up on your technique.

You have great polishes at your disposal, and should work on most paint systems.



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using AG Online
 
Assuming you're only doing a 1-step correction, for light/fine swirls I would use:
- M205
- Sonax Perfect Finish
- HD Uno

But you have a great line-up of products already...so like you said if it's a "lack of technique", work on that first and you should start seeing better results.

What's your correction process: passes, pressure, speed?
 
You might try poorboys pro polish. That stuff will amaze
 
Just depends on how much time and how much correction you want to put into the project.

IMHO, 105 may be not only too much cut, but too hard to work with. Especially as you mentioned your technique/skill with said system(s). That being said, this is the PERFECT TIME to hone your skills. Test everything, everywhere. :)

Barring not wanting to do all that.

Start with 205 and an orange pad and do your test spot. If it's just light swirls that'll probably knock them down pretty good. You can also finish down with SIP 1500 and a white pad, working it down to where it seems that it is all but totally finished. Then stop, put a very very light spritz of water on the surface of the pad and turn up your buffer speed a good half a mark (say you were on 4.5 before move it to 5 or a little better) then do at least once more over the section with the SIP 1500. That may be all you need.

Of course you do have 4000 so that is certainly another way to attack it. What you can do either way is only use two products, one compound, one polish. But use THREE different pads. The SIP 1500 as it breaks down will finish out much better than 205 will, but it cuts FAR less and for FAR SHORTER period of time. If you want to do all your 'cutting' with 205 and an orange pad then get that all done first. Remember to clean your pad often, DO NOT OVER APPLY PRODUCT, and change your pad(s) often as 205 will remove crud as well as continue to cut both before it's abrasives get covered with spent product as well as after.

Now, if you want to move to SF 4000 you can start with a white pad and run it through it's first cycle, then move to a blue or black pad for its finishing cycle, or even re-apply and use a finer pad. (No real need, it's just an option.)

No real need what so ever on a DD to use 4500 as you'll drive yourself nuts trying to keep swirls out after it's been polished that fine.
 
Thank you for the replies. My technique suffers from many things: not priming the pad properly (I've been using distiller water), not working the menz polishes down enough (they seem to get dry fast and are hard to remove with MF), using too much product, too large of a pad for my PC (6.5), not enough down pressure on my PC, working too large of an area, trying to rush (2 kids and wife works off shift of me), and those are just the ones I can think of.

What do you prime a pad with when using Menz polishes and how do you do it?
 
Depending on how bad the swirls are:

Start with M205 and a polishing pad..

Then switch to a finishing pad and use M205 again.

Then you should be ready to put the wax on. :)
 
ph16 said:
I'm wondering, if someone brought a Tacoma into your detail shop that had only light/fine swirls and needed light correction, what polishes would you use?
Click to expand...

I would use M205 if I was working on it.
 
I just did a Tacoma with Poorboys Pro Polish and that's all you will need. Also Toyotas are often single stage paint so it will need to be maintained monthly. You can use a cleaner wax to help the paint pop again after polish.
 
ph16 said:
Thank you for the replies. My technique suffers from many things: not priming the pad properly (I've been using distiller water), not working the menz polishes down enough (they seem to get dry fast and are hard to remove with MF), using too much product, too large of a pad for my PC (6.5), not enough down pressure on my PC, working too large of an area, trying to rush (2 kids and wife works off shift of me), and those are just the ones I can think of.

What do you prime a pad with when using Menz polishes and how do you do it?
Click to expand...

Pad priming 101, take a look here.

Working with Menz, (DAT) products remember that you just work it a couple of passes, (three maybe) then do a V-E-R-Y light distilled water spritz, turn up the speed and go back for another pass.
PrimingPad02.jpg
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PrimingPad12.jpg
 
I have an 07 Tacoma and used Menzerna polishes (2500 + 4000) with fantastic results. The Tacoma's paint is pretty soft so you wont have to go super aggressive with it.
 
DetailedTaco said:
I have an 07 Tacoma and used Menzerna polishes (2500 + 4000) with fantastic results. The Tacoma's paint is pretty soft so you wont have to go super aggressive with it.
Click to expand...
That confirms what I thought too. Do you prime your pad with Menzerna polish as well?
 
I found light swirls on my 08' RAV about three months ago during the inspection, the 205 and an orange pad corrected very easy.
I just love what the 205 does for me.
 
HateSwirls said:
I found light swirls on my 08' RAV about three months ago during the inspection, the 205 and an orange pad corrected very easy.
I just love what the 205 does for me.
Click to expand...
Was it on to the LSP after that?
 
HateSwirls said:
I found light swirls on my 08' RAV about three months ago during the inspection, the 205 and an orange pad corrected very easy.
I just love what the 205 does for me.
Click to expand...

M205 is the real deal. :props:
 
ph16 said:
Was it on to the LSP after that?
Click to expand...

Yes it was, I had my white pad ready but after I inspected it after working the 205 it was perfect.
I then glazed it , sealed and topped with wax, doesn't take long if you can get by with one step:)
Not always the case though as most Geeks know.
 
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