Product Rec's for Soft paint

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herhatchbox

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Hey guys, new here! Just purchased the Flex xc3401 polisher with high hopes of fully detailing my 2013 Subaru STI. Subaru's known for having pretty soft paint and I'd say I have mild/moderate swirls along with what looks like some slight oxidation on my rear back door. I've never used a polisher so I'm looking for all of the advice and recommendations I can get. Anyone who's worked on the same car or similar paint condition willing to school me? All help is greatly appreciated!!! :D
 
Well.... not knowing what LSP options you have I will provide some general feedback. You have a lot of of options with soft paint.

- Wolfgang TSR or Menzerna SF4000 are on the expensive side and well worth the money. They will scale well whether you use a cutting or polishing pad
- Meguiars D151 would work very well on soft paint; they only sell in gallons though but maybe you can trade for 16 or 32 oz from someone? ( plug!!!! :-) )
- Meguiars M105 and M205 would also work well too
- McKees' predecessor, Pinnacle XMT 360, also performed well on soft paint for me
 
mwoolfso said:
Well.... not knowing what LSP options you have I will provide some general feedback. You have a lot of of options with soft paint.

- Wolfgang TSR or Menzerna SF4000 are on the expensive side and well worth the money. They will scale well whether you use a cutting or polishing pad
- Meguiars D151 would work very well on soft paint; they only sell in gallons though but maybe you can trade for 16 or 32 oz from someone? ( plug!!!! :-) )
- Meguiars M105 and M205 would also work well too
- McKees' predecessor, Pinnacle XMT 360, also performed well on soft paint for me
Click to expand...

Ty for the feedback. As far as LSP (had to do a quick google to figure out what that meant), the car hasn't been fully detailed in months, just an occasional run through a touchless wash. When it was detailed last (last summer) I used Klasse sealant topped with p21s carnuba wax. I'm not bothered by spending a little money. ;)
 
I've been fortunate enough to detail 3 Subarus to date, and you are correct - all 3 had soft paint.

As you will see in the write ups below, Menzerna SF4000 was all that was needed, along with a finishing pad, to correct them.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/60312-java-black-pearl-subaru-impreza-wrx-detailed-lawrence.html

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/67270-obsidian-black-subaru-impreza-sti-detailed-lawrence.html

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/77211-another-obsidian-black-subaru-sti-detailed-lawrence.html

These were all done with a DAS6 DA (normal 8mm throw, non-forced rotation). One thing I have noticed with the 3401 is it tends to create more heat at the working face of the pad, whereas the non-forced rotation DA's tend to create more heat at the backing plate side of the pad.... in other words, the paint itself tends to get hotter with the Flex 3401 than it does when using a 'traditional' type DA..... this is just something to be aware of as the additional heat *may* be a factor if the paint is somewhat sticky (something I've read can apparently be an issue on the Subarus)

Ensure you conduct your test spots starting with the least aggressive method first, to ensure you only get as aggressive as is needed to give you the results you are after.... as you know clear coat is THIN, so you want to remove as little as possible.

Hope this helps....:xyxthumbs:
 
Wow, ty so much. Those write ups are incredibly helpful. The paint on that second black one is a hell of a lot worse than mine, so that's an amazing reference point for me!
 
I used to own a blue pearl Outback and found Meguiars Ultimate Polish to work really well. It's also a great product on really soft Toyota paint as well.

The first time I corrected the Subi after years of neglect from the previous owner, Meguiars Ultimate Compound did a great job on most of the heavier defects and then the Ultimate Polish was the icing on the cake. After that UP easily kept the car looking much better than you'd think for it's age.
 
Lawrence is an awesome detailer, so take what he says as good knowledge.


herhatchbox said:
Wow, ty so much. Those write ups are incredibly helpful. The paint on that second black one is a hell of a lot worse than mine, so that's an amazing reference point for me!
Click to expand...
Your car is black?
 
Thank you for the suggestion! I definitely feel a little less overwhelmed by all of the numerous choices/combinations. I know I will still have a little trial and error, but I also know I can come here for advice!
 
herhatchbox said:
Ty for the feedback. As far as LSP (had to do a quick google to figure out what that meant), the car hasn't been fully detailed in months, just an occasional run through a touchless wash. When it was detailed last (last summer) I used Klasse sealant topped with p21s carnuba wax. I'm not bothered by spending a little money. ;)
Click to expand...

OK, if money is less of a concern then WG Uber Compound, WG Total Swirl Remover, Menzerna FG400 and Menzerna SF3800 (formerly SF4000) are the ones I am gravitating to in a "forever" sense. I have some legacy purchases to eliminate from my inventory so it is slow going but I am getting there. I am going to try 3D products with a few trades in the future and see what that line is all about.

I just worked on my daughter's 2002 Hyundai Elantra GT. Tried XMT (ok), M105/M205 (ok), D151 (needed more of something) ... and I finally locked in TSR w/ SF4000. Got a >90% correction and the pop I was looking for.
 
I've had Optimum Polish II work very well on Subi paint. Optimum Compound, not so well. It seemed to become one with the paint and did not want to come off, or finish well. It was like polishing hard rubber.
 
Just wanted to thank you guys for this thread and the amazing replies. I too own a Subaru (2015 WRX) and the paint is "soft" with some scratches. Is a polisher mandatory to achieve the best results or can they be obtained by hand?
 
i've had good luck with HD Polish on soft paint, Menz PF2500 and SF4000 work great too. i just finished a Ferrari 360 with soft blue paint, i did a one step polish using PF2500 with a Rupes white pad. i couldnt get my Flex to finish out as well as the Rupes.
 
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