What am I doing Wrong?

[Red96GT]

Alright I've had my PC for over a year now and am pretty disappointed with it. It's got to be my pad and polish. I've got Sonus Restore Polish for the tough jobs and Sonus Finishing Polish to finish them off. For my pads I have Sonus heavy medium and finishing cuts. No matter what technique I use I cannot get the polish to start cutting. At first I thought the clear coat on the first couple of cars I did was hard but I've done 5 cars with a few different manufacturers and still no luck. I really think it's my setup because I used the stock white pad that came with the PC and Meguires 83 (moderate to light polish) and it worked way better than the orange (heavy) pad and the restore polish (aggressive).

So what do you guys recommend for pads and polishes. I do everything from lightly swirled to heavily swirled cars so I'll need a range.

What's a good interior dressing that doesn't leave the vinyl greasy or shiny. I just want it to look stock and be protected.

What's your favorite brand microfiber and what do you wash your microfibers with?

I will be ordering from Obsessive Detail. :TY:

-Red

 

[justinschmidt1]

To me it just sounds like your expecting too much from a PC...

PC's arent really made for cutting so your not gonna be able to remove much without hours and hours of working on a higher strength polish.


I would reccomend the most aggressive thing you can find to try and cut with a PC

You have to work the same spot for like 5 minutes to get it to do anything too.

Check out autopia.com


What your using now doesnt sound like its working so I would say try a new compound

 

[Red96GT]

I've been on Autopia for a couple years now it's a great site. Seeing what they can do with a PC, I know I'm missing out. I've sat with the PC on speed 6 with my most aggressive pad and polish with about 20 pounds of pressure and it didn't do anything to a Mitsubishi's swirled paint. I've heard some of the batches of polish are bad sometimes idk, once I order my new stuff from O.D. we'll find out.

 

[justinschmidt1]

I've been on Autopia for a couple years now it's a great site. Seeing what they can do with a PC, I know I'm missing out. I've sat with the PC on speed 6 with my most aggressive pad and polish with about 20 pounds of pressure and it didn't do anything to a Mitsubishi's swirled paint. I've heard some of the batches of polish are bad sometimes idk, once I order my new stuff from O.D. we'll find out.

hmm, well I would say try some new stuff...

the shits expensive though....

I would try that new mequiars 105 ultra cut...its supposed to be the shit..but its expensive

 

[Obsessive Detail]

I use Optimum polishes quite a bit. The Sonus polishes really aren't that good of a polish at all. The Optimum will cut a lot better and can be worked in longer, plus the Optimum doesn't dust at all.

For a good interior dressing, you can't go wrong with my Silk Shine or Optimum Protectant Plus, both dry to the touch and leave a nice clean matte finish. My Silk Shine smells like new car scent and the Protectant Plus smells like leather.

As far as microfibers go, you should checkout my high grade microfibers, right now they are on sale too!

 

[justinschmidt1]

I use Optimum polishes quite a bit. The Sonus polishes really aren't that good of a polish at all. The Optimum will cut a lot better and can be worked in longer, plus the Optimum doesn't dust at all.

For a good interior dressing, you can't go wrong with my Silk Shine or Optimum Protectant Plus, both dry to the touch and leave a nice clean matte finish. My Silk Shine smells like new car scent and the Protectant Plus smells like leather.

As far as microfibers go, you should checkout my high grade microfibers, right now they are on sale too!

well, there ya go....the sonus polishes dont cut I guess.

 

[Matt94GT]

off topic but with SSR2.5 and orange pad how much pressure should I apply to remove swirls?

 

[Obsessive Detail]

About 15 lbs of pressure and don't be afraid to do slow passes.

 

[justinschmidt1]

About 15 lbs of pressure and don't be afraid to do slow passes.

+1,

ive used ssr3 and a yellow pad on cars with a PC, dont be afraid to go slow and apply a good bit of pressure.

Ive been told that ssr doesnt work that will with a PC but ive gotten pretty good results...then again I havent tried many compounds.

 

[SRT Handz]

if its scratches your trying to remove then use a Meguires Cutting pad with #8 heavy cut cleaner.... that cuts great for me.

For Polishing out swirls try the 1Z Polish (Green Bottle)...me and justinschmidt1 both have had great results

 

[justinschmidt1]

if its scratches your trying to remove then use a Meguires Cutting pad with #8 heavy cut cleaner.... that cuts great for me.

For Polishing out swirls try the 1Z Polish (Green Bottle)...me and justinschmidt1 both have had great results

+1, the 1z polish is good stuff

 

[Red96GT]

Will the Optimum Polish with an orange pad be enough to cut through moderate to heavy swirls or should I get both Optimum Compound for the tough stuff and Optimum Polish to finish it off? I've already got Meguire's 83 so I don't want something more aggressive than that. I've got the Sonus Pads right now and am thinking I should get some CCS pads just in case the Sonus pads are part of my cutting, or lack of problem. Is the orange pad enough to cut moderate/heavy swirls or do I need the yellow?

Also, what do you guys use to dress the engine? I've heard of a bunch of different dressings but most of them are hard to find/expensive. I also need a dressing that DOES NOT ATTRACT DUST or like greasy, just a nice OEM matte look is what I'm going for, something along these lines.

 

[Obsessive Detail]

I think the Optimum Compound followed by the Optimum Polish is a great combo. You should only need the orange pad with the Compound and then finish off with the Polish and a white pad.

For your engine I have a lot of customers that use my Silk Shine dressing or Stoner Trim Shine. Both dry to the touch and aren't greasy at all. They also leave a nice factory matte finish.

 

[wytstang]

Here's my .02 I've tried PB 2.5 Optimums compound/polish and now Menzerna. Menzerna hands down wins, it cuts and finishes down amazingly well. Also for PC use I would strongly recommend using smaller pads. Smaller pads help the PC (and polish) cut faster, I love using my 5.5 Lake Country pads. Menzerna Super Intensive Polish with a 5.5 orange light cutting pad on speed 6 (UDM) does wonders. Finish it off with Menzerna Nano polish and a 5.5 LC white polishing pad. Great combo and very hard to beat imho.