sometimes you just want to give up

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tach18k

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I have had my 2012 black Prius for a year now, a daily driver at close to 90 miles a day. At first I was just using the cheap MF towls at the autoparts store, it always looked good after my washing. I read countless threads here and bought better towels, products and tested them all. I wash, clayed, polished and waxed. I know black is the hardest to keep inline and I do it all by hand. But this sunday it was the worst. After washing, and claying the top hoods and deck I used WG Polish and paint cleaner. I did the 3 areas and followed the directions. All the work in shade at 65 degrees. When I removed the polish, my engine hood is a F-ing mess, I got scratches i the same pattern that the polish was applied, my foam pad was very clean as always, and I wasnt using too little. It went on very nice and smooth. The damage was so bad even my girfirend saw it in the sunlight and asked what the heck happened. The only spot that didnt weem to be affected was the one inch square that I tested with the towel to see if it was ready to take off. this hood is just a mess now, it has always been a disaster and I cant figure it out. Most of the rest of the car seems okay, but I hate to look. I do have a DA which I havent used yet. It is a pisser to put 3 hours into a car and have it look like crap. I need to just to get this out of my system to those who understand. I look at it as the better the products I use, the worse my car looks.
 
What foam pad did you use. I have a 2013 Mustang and it can sometimes be a pain to work with. Sounds like you have super soft paint
 
were you careful when using the pad, sometimes this kinda stuff happens due to uneven pressure distribution, usually more pressure at the fingertips, and it makes scratches wherever your fingertips move,

but the maybe the application wasn't the problem, the part you tested removing gave good results, are you sure you weren't aggressive with the microfiber and that it was very clean
 
MF towel was clean and very soft, the foam pad is what I might suspect if anything, but the same pad didn't give the same results elsewhere. This engine hood has always been a pain since day one. I will do a 105/205 cleaning on it maybe next week and see where it goes from there.
 
IMHO polishing by hand is hit or miss depending on your surface. The more aggressive the polish, the more miss it becomes. What WG polish did you use ?
 
swanicyouth said:
IMHO polishing by hand is hit or miss depending on your surface. The more aggressive the polish, the more miss it becomes. What WG polish did you use ?
Click to expand...

Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer .
 
FWIW, I tried PPE for the first time this weekend. I found it a bit more tempermental than expected. VERY easy to use too much product, and there is a bit of work, and more breakdown time, needed than you might first think. This is a good thing, believe it or not. While very mild, it means that the abrasives in there are working.

My guess, if you don't mind me taking a leap based on limited info, is the problem lies with the foam applicator and perhaps just a bit too much product. If you give it another go, I'd try a MF applicator, and perhaps work in smaller sections, with moderate elbow grease and time, so the product can totally do its thing. You can also spritz your towel (or the surface) with your favorite QD as you wipe the residue. Tip...if the residue is stubborn, allow a bit more time before removing.

Hopefully that may help. If you do bring out the DA (I would strongly recommend NOT using 105/205 by hand on your soft paint), I'd try 205 first, to see if that helps correct everything. Good luck...
 
I have had my 2012 black Prius for a year now, a daily driver at close to 90 miles a day. At first I was just using the cheap MF towls at the autoparts store, it always looked good after my washing.

I read countless threads here and bought better towels, products and tested them all. I wash, clayed, polished and waxed. I know black is the hardest to keep inline and I do it all by hand.

But this sunday it was the worst. After washing, and claying the top hoods and deck I used WG Polish and paint cleaner. I did the 3 areas and followed the directions. All the work in shade at 65 degrees.

When I removed the polish, my engine hood is a F-ing mess, I got scratches i the same pattern that the polish was applied, my foam pad was very clean as always, and I wasnt using too little.

It went on very nice and smooth. The damage was so bad even my girfirend saw it in the sunlight and asked what the heck happened. The only spot that didnt weem to be affected was the one inch square that I tested with the towel to see if it was ready to take off.

This hood is just a mess now, it has always been a disaster and I cant figure it out. Most of the rest of the car seems okay, but I hate to look.

I do have a DA which I havent used yet.

It is a pisser to put 3 hours into a car and have it look like crap. I need to just to get this out of my system to those who understand. I look at it as the better the products I use, the worse my car looks.
Click to expand...
Working by hand takes a lot of time and effort and when your results are less than acceptable it's discouraging.

Current Situation

A possibility is that the polish may have dried. Once this occurs the lubricants that keep everything fluid are gone and you actually begin to scratch the finish.

You mention you used Wolfgang Polish and Paint Cleaner. I took a look at what Wolfgang has to offer and came up with these, do any sound familiar?

  • Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0
  • Wolfgang Finishing Glaze 3.0
  • Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer
Several of the Toyota's I've worked on have had very soft paint and just looking at them seems to leave scratches.....and, your car is black! I'm sure soft paint is a component here.

Dual Action Polishers

Consistency and uniformity are two huge attributes a dual action polisher brings to the game. I would definitely re-polish the hood using your dual action polisher.

  • What are the exact name of the products you have?
  • What foam pads do you have on hand?
Here's some great information by Mike Phillips that will help you.


 
If your car is non-metallic black 202 I feel your pain. I have a 2012 Tacoma that has incredibly soft black paint. On a positive note it is a piece of cake to correct with the right approach. It's a good thing too since it scratches in a stiff breeze.
 
Hey Bobby, no pads yet, will order some today.As what I have on hand:
Wolfgang Finishing Glaze 3.0
Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer
Z2 and Z5 and Z AIO
845 wax
Duragloss Clear Coat Polish

But I could use some color advise on the pads.

Thx
 
swanicyouth said:
IMHO polishing by hand is hit or miss depending on your surface. The more aggressive the polish, the more miss it becomes.....
Click to expand...

:iagree:

As much fun as the old school ways are/were, if there is a machine within reach, it needs to be used.

There is something rather cathartic about the time spent with ones cars, physically working the surface, the tactile feel as the paint moves through various levels and changes. Taking that away and trusting it to a 'machine' says more about the properties of the paint used these days I suspect than the properties of the person.

Used to be you had paint on a car, you grabbed a terry cloth rag, some old towels, whatever was on hand, along with a tub of compound and a tub of wax and went about spending a day rubbing the paint. After popping a few beers, and finally as the sun was setting you could sit back and smile, knowing you had done the best job possible as the reflections gleaming off the surface were as good is it was ever going to get.

Now however, you have hard paint, soft paint, thin paint, thick paint, low solids, high solids, water based, solvent based..... and the list goes on. And we wonder why MACHINES have become so prevelant?!?!

The days of having 2~3 products in the garage to use on all your cars that actually WORK on all your cars just isn't a reality anymore. Hence the flood of not only products, but websites that sell nothing BUT a thousand different products to make your paint shiny.

So, yes.... get that DA, gather up some products and start figuring out what works on that paint, on that car. Make notes along the way and once it's figured out, carve it in stone. :D Next car, new process! (After all we can still enjoy having that cathartic feeling, just have to figure out how to make it happen.) :xyxthumbs:
 
tach18k said:
Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer .
Click to expand...

Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer does not level or abrade the paint. It is a moisturizing cleansing lotion that uncovers the shimmering gloss of like-new paint by removing dull layers of old wax and surface impurities. Micro-fine fillers settle into light swirls and scratches to create a smooth, level surface.

I would say the scratches came from your clay bar or towel. The product you used is not a polish therefore no correction was done after clay bar.

Craig
 
tach18k said:
Hey Bobby, no pads yet, will order some today.As what I have on hand:
Wolfgang Finishing Glaze 3.0
Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer
Z2 and Z5 and Z AIO
845 wax
Duragloss Clear Coat Polish

But I could use some color advise on the pads.

Thx
Click to expand...

Duragloss Clear Coat Polish is a superb sealant with a lot of gloss and durability and it right at home after using Wolfgang Finishing Glaze 3.0 or Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer!

Collinite 845 - is simply the most cost effective wax you can buy with the looks of a more expensive wax and the durability of a sealant.

Wolfgang Finishing Glaze 3.0 is a great product and sounds like it's the correct choice for the defects you mention. Even though it's name indicates a glaze it's more of a polish and will remove up to 2500 sanding grit leaving a superior gloss.

When used with a White foam pad, Wolfgang Finishing Glaze 3.0 will really clean the finish removing any oxidation and grime washing and claying left behind.

  1. Thoroughly Prime Pad
  2. Machine Speed - 5
  3. Place 3 nickle size globs about 3/4" in from the outer edge of the pad
  4. Place pad against the paint the switch it on
  5. Work a 2' X 2' section at a time
  6. 3 to 4 sectional passes and check your results
Don't be afraid to experiment.

Use the guide above but switch to a gray pad.

Keep your arm speed at about 1/2" to 1" per second in order to give the pad and product combination time to work..:props:

While Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer is a nice product could be used after polishing with Wolfgang Finishing Glaze 3.0 and before a sealant but I'd gauge your results before using it.

Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer can be used with a white foam pad id used alone but in this situation I'd apply it with a gray foam pad..

A perfect match!


Foam Pads

Yellow Cutting Foam - Use this pad to apply compounds or polishes to remove severe oxidation, swirls, and scratches. It is the most aggressive and should only be used on oxidized and older finishes. Always follow this pad with an orange or white pad and a fine polish to refine the paint until it is smooth.

Orange Light Cutting Foam - Firm, high density foam for scratch and defect removal. Use this pad with polishes and swirl removers. It’s an all-around pad that will work on most light to moderate imperfections.

White Polishing Foam - Less dense foam formula for the application of waxes, micro-fine polishes and sealants. This pad has very light cutting power so it’s perfect for pre-wax cleaners.

Gray Finishing Foam Pad - Composition is firm enough to withstand added pressure during final finishing to remove buffer swirls. It has no cut and will apply thin, even coats of waxes, sealants, and glazes.

Blue Finessing Foam – Pad has soft composition for applying glaze, finishing polish, sealants, and liquid waxes. Flat pad provides full contact with paint surface to minimize the pressure applied by the user.[FONT=&quot]
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tach18k said:
Hey Bobby, no pads yet, will order some today.As what I have on hand:
Wolfgang Finishing Glaze 3.0
Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer
Z2 and Z5 and Z AIO
845 wax
Duragloss Clear Coat Polish

But I could use some color advise on the pads.

Thx
Click to expand...

I love the Wolfgang Finishing Glaze on a black Lake Country finishing pad for my Tacoma. The clarity it provides for me is amazing. Plenty of correction power for soft paint in very good condition.
 
pressure points on your fingertips arent always even or accurate, my gf has a 2013 prius and the paint is super duper soft, i try to avoid drying it with any towels because im afraid of micro marring.
 
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