Ok - do I need XMT4, Menzerna, or what? HELP!

cut the losses, you are going to NEED xmt4 and a yellow lc pad. likewise, youre going to need a decent amount of time for multiple sessions is probably going to be needed for complete correction, or the closet you are going to get.

in all honesty, dont waste your time with xmt2 and 3 on this one, lauren.

good luck! youre going to need it, lol.
 
bambo2888 said:
cut the losses, you are going to NEED xmt4 and a yellow lc pad. likewise, youre going to need a decent amount of time for multiple sessions is probably going to be needed for complete correction, or the closet you are going to get.

in all honesty, dont waste your time with xmt2 and 3 on this one, lauren.

good luck! youre going to need it, lol.

Thank you, Bambo2888, I will order the XMT 4. Do you think I need a yellow CCS/LC cutting pad? Won't that micromarr badly?
 
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bambo2888 said:
cut the losses, you are going to NEED xmt4 and a yellow lc pad. likewise, youre going to need a decent amount of time for multiple sessions is probably going to be needed for complete correction, or the closet you are going to get.

in all honesty, dont waste your time with xmt2 and 3 on this one, lauren.

good luck! youre going to need it, lol.

It is probably a good idea to order it anyways, but I think that you should try the less aggressive stuff first. You never know the paint could be very soft.
 
sneek said:
It is probably a good idea to order it anyways, but I think that you should try the less aggressive stuff first. You never know the paint could be very soft.
Least aggressive first, I know. But I may ust end up using #4!
Thank you, Sneek.
:grouphug:
 
I did my wifes car today which was in similar condition... Maybe worse. Honestly XMT4 with the LC orange pad really didn't quite cut it. I would at least have a yellow pad on hand even if you dont start with it. Her car looks a million times better, but not quite as good as I was hoping for. I spent about 8hrs on it after washing/claying, one pass over the whole car with XMT4, 2nd pass with XMT4 over some of the nastier spots, pass over the whole car with XMT2 and a 5" wolfgang white pad (liked it much better than my 6.5" pads), XMT glaze with a gray pad, and a coat of natty's blue.. Will try to get some pics up tomorrow. I have the befores on the camera now, but ran out of daylight to get the afters
 
ltoman said:
Thank you, Bambo2888, I will order the XMT 4. Do you think I need a yellow CCS/LC cutting pad? Won't that micromarr badly?
Depending how hard is that clear coat, I'd do a test spot with XMT3 first. XMT3 and orange pad. If that won't work try XMT4 and orange pad. I'd leave yellow pad+XMT 4 as last, most aggressive combo. Good luck.
 
ltoman said:
Thank you, Bambo2888, I will order the XMT 4. Do you think I need a yellow CCS/LC cutting pad? Won't that micromarr badly?

No problem. I'm just tyring to give honest advice. I see the whole "startng least aggressive" thing as a beginner's tool, which just kind of wastes my time in the end when I knew that I should have gone aggressive and saved the time and product.

I did my entire car with multiple passes of yellow and xmt3 (xmt4 wasnt out yet). This combo still wasnt aggressive enough, which was why i had to do multiple passes. On other cars that I have worked on, 95% had very deep swirls, much like that of the car you posted. I found xmt4 and a yellow quickly and effectively takes the problems away without doing any damage. Worst case scenario, you'll have to pass again with xmt1 and a white pad.
 
Hey, DanTheMan,
Thank you for the shots! Very cool! You rock!
My photos of before and after probably won't be until July - butcha never know. we have to find time. I think when school is out.

Bambo2888- Yes, I see your point. I mean one look and I know we are at least beyond XMT2 and an orange pad! I just wanted to get advice so as I have the right products on hand. This is different than my vette or our other cars - well, come to think of it, it is like our Saturn wagon, but that is gold so you don't see it as clearly. I can use the same materials on the wagon, most likely.
Many many thanks.
I appreciate everyone who helped me out here, or at least looked!
Always open to other ideas too!
Take care,
Lauren
 
ltoman said:
that is bad, gary, bad. he won't be that picky - there is no way it is going to be perfect. i will go as close as i can get it.

it seems you guys feel ssr3 is like xmt 4 - is that accurate?

Sorry Lauren, I have never used ssr3 or xmt #4. Hopefully I never let one of my cars get that bad.
 
Gary Sword said:
Sorry Lauren, I have never used ssr3 or xmt #4. Hopefully I never let one of my cars get that bad.

I used SSR3 on our older green Plymouth minivan. It worked very well, broke down quickly, and I liked it. I just wonder if it is tough enough for this little mess.
BTW, your van turned out quite nicely too.
Thanks to Chris (Texas) who sold me his stash of remaining PB stuff he did not want, I got to try a lot at a fair price!) Now I know what else I want to order!! (Separate from Neon necessities, that is.)
Lauren
 
ltoman said:
I used SSR3 on our older green Plymouth minivan. It worked very well, broke down quickly, and I liked it. I just wonder if it is tough enough for this little mess.
BTW, your van turned out quite nicely too.
Thanks to Chris (Texas) who sold me his stash of remaining PB stuff he did not want, I got to try a lot at a fair price!) Now I know what else I want to order!! (Separate from Neon necessities, that is.)
Lauren
So, when are we going to see pics of your stuff (aka products)?:Picture:
 
sparkie said:
So, when are we going to see pics of your stuff (aka products)?:Picture:

Oh yah, huh? I gotta do that. I will soon. What do I post it under, Sparkie?
Thanks!
Lauren;)
 
ltoman said:
Oh yah, huh? I gotta do that. I will soon. What do I post it under, Sparkie?
Thanks!
Lauren;)

Lauren, you make me smile!
 
I've been thinking about this, and just wanted to throw out that attempting to remove all swirls from that paint may result in accelerated clear coat failure. The owner may be better off with 75% of the swirls gone, but longer life in his overall paint system, than 95% swirlfree but a soon-to-fail clear coat.
 
C'mon Lauren get of the
181205-10892995089746.gif
get'er done :)
 
joe.p said:
C'mon Lauren get of the
181205-10892995089746.gif
get'er done :)

:iagree: the more you detail the better you get Lauren, just get it done like joe.p said. Besides, if you get stuck all of us will help you, we got your back babe!!

joe that is a nice picture you got there hahahaha.
 
Ok, ok guys! We were trying to figure out a weekend to do it just yesterday. We are deciding when, so I should have an answer soon. This means I will have to take a whack at it without the #4. I did not order any and I live so far from AG it takes 7 working days to get to me. SSR3 - think I have enough to do that little bugger.
Mind you, he feels un-manly letting me do the inside too. I only had to nag him forever, so this is an exterior only detail.

BlackCoupe - I think you are totally right. He plans on getting another car if he gets a raise at work, but that could be another year to two at least - definitely not less than a year from this upcoming summer, so I will have to do it again then.................
He lets his kid wash it, so what can you expect?
 
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