Help need some advice on which product to use.

R

R6Rhonda

New member
Hello Guys & Gals!
Well I'm in a pickle of sorts. I am completely confused and wanted to get some expert advice before I fubar my paint. I have a 2007 ford f150 supercrew which is black. With my rookie knowledge I would have to say the paint is pretty good condition, (light swirling, very faint minor scratches here & there.) Sorry poor photos. I was told by a 'detail shop' owner to use Meguiars ultimate compound, then wax then polish. Sounded wrong to me & seems to be opposit from what I am reading on here, or am I up wayy too late?
I wanted to clairify in what order to use the products that I currently have to use. Unfortunately, I'm stuck with the products I have right now, If I spend one more cent on 'truck stuff' my hubby will die. I did however get some new microfiber towels. I want to get some protection on my truck since my drive way is surrounded with trees that rain sap. I do appreciate it!!
Tools-- a 5' da (i think) sander (palm sized, hubby bought it for me, never used it...it's a cheapo from autozone.)
Products-- Meguiars ultimate compound.... MeGuiars nxt Gen tech wax (sounded like it had seperated, it's old, not sure if this will matter??)----Mothers reflections premium polish----Meguiars mirror glaze #7----meguiars high tech #26.. Thanks again folks!!
Rhonda

truck2011-1.jpg
 
R6Rhonda said:
I would have to say the paint is pretty good condition, (light swirling, very faint minor scratches here & there.)

I was told by a 'detail shop' owner to use Meguiars ultimate compound, then wax then polish. Sounded wrong to me & seems to be opposit from what I am reading on here, or am I up wayy too late?
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The usual regimen is:
  • Wash
  • Clay
  • Clean paint (using a chemical cleaner often called a Pre-Wax or paint cleaner Cleaner) or use an abrasive polish to remove scratches, swirls such as Meg's Ultimate Compound or Polish
  • Protect (apply wax or sealant).

The problem is that it does not help that the word "polish" can mean anything from remove paint using an abrasive product to just applying anything to paint to add gloss

The biggest challenge I see is if you really do need to use an abrasive polish (like Meg's Ultimate Compound) you do not have the proper polisher to do it (if a cheap one) and it would be time consuming by hand plus you will not likely get the best results. You will want a dual action polisher (more than $100) plus pads, etc. to do it right.

The minimum is just to clay, use the paint cleaner, and then go with the Reflections or Meg's M26.
 
Your detail shop buddy wasn't too far off in his recommendations. The process would be the UC, UP then seal (wax or sealant). I have never tried this "new" lineup of products before, but I have read some promising reviews. Based on what I have read the UC product is intended for hand application only. With this (hand application) in mind and knowing that you have a lot of real estate to cover, I would first carefully inspect your paint and work on just those areas that need the extra work. likely areas will be the hood and tailgate. Then I would move to the UP, which reads more like a glaze than a polish and go over the entire vehicle. Follow that with either (or both) the NXT or #26, both of which look dynamite on black paint.

For your initial go 'round, I would advise to skip the #7 as it can be finicky and might contribute to more frustration than visual impact on your paint.

Mother's also presents some excellent OTS choices, but it appears that you have the complete Meg's lineup so why not just go that route initially. This will help to establish a baseline and there will be plenty of opportunity to mix-n-match later.

Don't short yourself on good MF towels during the process. Any you might read about a good washing process so as not to contribute any further "damage".

Lastly, as you move on down the road you will want to add a quality "buffing" machine. This will help you to further refine your paint polishing. But there are a lot of us here who began using nothing but sweat, shoulders, backs and arms. Why not enlist the assistance of your hubby, the two of you would be able to knock that thing out nicely.
 
Rhonda I would concur with Bunky and suggest getting a Porter Cable 7424XP, Meguiars G110 v2 or a Griots Garage 6 inch polisher in your hands and learn how to use it.

Not sure if your sander is pneumatic or electric or what the OPM range is but it's much easier to get great results when you have the right tool for the job. Plus, accessories like backing plates and pads are so readliy available for these machines and there are numerous articles, videos and forum posts regarding their use and performance.
 
But there are a lot of us here who began using nothing but sweat, shoulders, backs and arms. Why not enlist the assistance of your hubby, the two of you would be able to knock that thing out nicely.[/QUOTE]

Thanks everybody, I don't mind doing it by hand. It's my time away from homework. As far as the hubby helping, no way!!! He doesn't have the patience nor the my tendancy to be a perfectionist. I'll do some more digging on here before I do my detail next weekend. I kinda doubt I'll be able to get a new machine anytime soon. Thanks everybody I appreciate the replies.
Rhonda
 
Yeah, don't worry about not getting a buffer right away, it's just a regular recommendation we all make. As you continue down this path you will find the addition of the mechanical polisher will really help you to refine your polishing and improve your results. But for now, if I read Meguiar's marketing copy correctly the UC is for hand application only anyway. So your good there.

Enjoy your time with your truck and keep us posted on how it comes out.
 
Here is a thought since the Megs UC is made for hand use and your little sander will move faster than your hand why not give it a try and see how it works.

Good luck and report back and let us know how it worked.
 
black bart said:
Here is a thought since the Megs UC is made for hand use and your little sander will move faster than your hand why not give it a try and see how it works.

Good luck and report back and let us know how it worked.
Click to expand...

I concur, do a test spot and inspect closely under good lighting. If it looks good, proceed to the rest of the car.
 
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