Some people go nuts over this. There are lots of people who think dealers scratch the heck out of a car when prepping it for delivery, and I'm talking about a new car.

I have all the tools to do a proper job but if my car needed real paint correction, I'd pay the man to do it right. It can be expensive. A car in rough condition can take 20 hours of work to get right.

 

yup, took my guy 2 full days

 

I think I am one of those people that start with full of energy and then get frustrated. What does a full detail include, what is the paint correction advantage over clay bar only, plus wax. I have a car that has been through many car washes and also a brand new car that has yet to be washed......

Thanks for some pointers....

 

Some basic generalizations to try to answer your question;

The "scratches" people talk about is really micro-marring in the clear coat. Generally, if you can run your fingernail over it (gently) and not catch on the "scratches", these are things you can correct. True paint scratches, that catch a fingernail, can not be fixed by polishing/paint correction.

Clay bar removes particles attached to the clear coat. So, generally things on top of the clear. It will provide a better surface than if you skipped this step, but not as good as paint correction.

Paint correction, actually burnishes through a slight bit of the clear, while removing embedded "scratches". So, it corrects things within the clear coat. Additionally, because of the process, you visually polish the clear.

Wax and paint sealants just enhance and protect whatever condition the clear coat is in. A wax or sealant will not make the clear coat better.

This is why most "full" details will entail wash, clay, polish then topcoat(polish and or wax). Further, the polish can entail a multi step process, as can the topcoat

If you don't want to get frustrated, allow 2 days in an enclosed heated area. Don't rush and have fun

 

These are what I have. My care is a new care. I'm just seeing some micro-marring and I want to get rid of these. Do I really need to take the car to a detailer to get rid of these?

 

Honestly only you can answer this. Is it possible for you to do it yourself? Absolutely yes. Given the right tools and polishes, it's not technically difficult.

Other side of it is; it can be time consuming, and you'll certainly be apprehensive learning on your Aston.

Hence my original suggestion to find a friend or car club doing a detailing day, that can teach you. You'd also learn weather it's a task you'd enjoy. Frankly I found it therapeutic when I detailed my S2000. Slightly less so when I did some of our SUV's.

 

I've seen this stated before. Maybe it applies to specific colors or maybe it's one of those internet snowballs. Anyway, I spent over 7 hours yesterday testing and experimenting with my polishing products on my car, which had some pretty extensive swirl marks along the sides from the previous owner. I can say with certainty that the slate blue is not soft at all.

It took a lot more pressure on a stiff pad with some relatively heavy polish to get the swirls out and with just that step the paint is nearly glass clear. The same treatment would have been way too hard on my Lotus or previous Porsche.

 

@Blue2000s could you be so kind to say what products you used, tools you used to achieve this, pads used and time you think you took. This can possibly help others figure the process out. AM paint is finicky, and yes it can definitely be soft.


Soft paint is easy to cut, but very difficult to polish, where Hard paint, like on BMW and Mercs with their ceramic clears are hard to cut but simple and very easy to polish. Where this becomes difficult is when each panel changes and the process to work it has to change also. NSX's are notorious for this.

 

I was told by my last detailer that the paint was actually quite hard. I know he and another guy spent 40 hours on the car and I still am not entirely happy.

 

Deckman,

Unfortunately I am in the Middle East for the next year, however if you wait patiently, I will likely return to live in the Nova area. I can easily resolve the issues with any of your cars. I typically get a 95%+ correction and more on a new car and most used ones, pending what's being paid for, or what I do for free.

A brand new high end car for me would see 20 hrs + to make it right. Typically a less cared for, or a normal persons cared for car would get 25-30 pending level of correction and or final coatings applied. I spent 60 hrs on two different black ,Maserati's to make them almost perfect. Varies per car.

This is a hobby for me that I do particularly well with, it relaxes me and high end are the only ones I enjoy doing. I also teach the process to those who desire to learn. I plan on seeing if a Md/Nova group of AM and Maserati owners would like to have a 2-day school on products, process, and physically hands on when I get settled in. There is so many parameters that are typically not followed, even by detailers that the information is beneficial. This would be free of charge of course.

Hope this helps, I could in the meantime explain by email some things you could do to resolve the issues, if you have the correct equipment.

 

When I purchased mine I also bought all the detailing tools, multiple polishes, Rupes Bigfoot polisher, multiple polishing pads, tons of microfiber clothes, latex gloves......
Then watched Youtube videos until I found a person I 'trusted'.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...D52AF54166C886

Obsessed over it for the first few months then realized I was getting a bit carried away. Also that Jet Black is dirty/dusty 30 seconds after I finish.

Still enjoy washing the car but have dialed it back a bit.

If you don't know about them - Wheel Woolies changed my life

 

Larry is definitely a perfectionist.


The way I look at it, polishing should only be done very rarely and only if needed. This is to maximize the life of the clear coat. Everything I do to the car after I polish is done so that I don't put the scratches right back in.

 

I am patient. I'd call myself an intermediate with working on my cars surface. I try first to do no harm. I have a DA polisher, I can't remember the brand but it's one of the well known ones. I also have a box full of polishes, dealers, glazed, swirl removers, and waxes. But I get confused most by which pad to use for a given situation. My current issues are shallow scratches and some holograms. No orange peel. Black paint.

When you return I will be one who sits and learns from you. Keep me in mind!

 

The most aggressive combination I ended up using was Zaino cleaner/swirl remover with a Lake County Orange cutting pad on my Porter Cable 7424 at full speed and I used pretty heavy pressure. The Zaino stuff is pretty aggressive, I've used it to quickly remove wet sand marks on other cars.

I usually use Pinnacle polishes, but the two finer polishes in their line of products had very little effect on the car.

The car could stand an even heavier cut but it's the furthest I wanted to go.

 

Your Pinnacle issue is what I explained above. Soft paints are easy to cut, but a real pain and difficult to polish.


The Zaino Dual action piant cleaner and swirl remover is a mild polish at best. Zaino products also tend to have some fillers in them which after a few washes the marring comes back. Just experience talking there.


Pending what dual action buffer you are using (if not a dual action you are not doing what needs to be done) and pad combinations, products similar to Menzerna FG400 for the cutting phase, and SF4k-4500k polish for the polishing phase. Doing the correct process and pressures, the vehicles paint should come out flawless. I would use this same process for a brand new car, however would use the SF4k with a cutting pad first to get a slightly better cut, before using a no cut application pad with the SF4500 to polish or jewel the paint.


This is why I mentioned some type of school on proper care and detailing process above. With spending the same type of funds, proper products and equipment can be purchased and used correctly to maintain a flawless finish. 99% of the vehicles out there do NOT have this flawless finish. My suggestions to new AM owners is to make the dealers put into writing they will NOT touch the car or wash it, then flatbed it to a specialist to have the paint perfected. Then the cars will be the best they can be. Factory car by far are NOT the best. A proper perfectionist paint correction detailing and coating would take longer than the car took to make. Around 50hrs plus for total perfection. But, that's not something most normal people do. That would included eveythign, interior, wheels, undercarriage, paint, engine etc....... All protected in a coating and/or clear wrap. Just some info, there is plenty of good articles on Detailers Image Ask a Pro. For me this is just therapy, and only try and help friends.


Sheriff