SLAKERZ

Hello All,
Checking in... I've been lurking around the Wash&Wax for a bit. I finished up a good 1st stab at detailing my 03 NGP TL-S last week. Couldn't have done it without all your help and valuable info on the boards. I give you detailers a lot of credit. IT'S HARD WORK!!! Took me about 16 hours over 2 days. Hopefully it gets easier from here hahaha.

I have to confess I didn't take care of the car much prior to this, but now hopefully I'm a changed man! Advise and comments welcome!

INTERIOR
-Woolite 10:1
-303 Aerospace Protectant

EXTERIOR
-Washed with Megs Gold Class using Sheepskin mit. Dried with WW MF towel.
-Clayed with Mothers Clay Bar & Mothers QD
-1st Time UDMer (Old version). Turtle Wax Compound on LC Orange Pad for some light swirl/scratch areas.
-Optimum Polish on LC White Pad @ speed 4-5
-Optimum PoliSeal on LC Green Pad @ speed 4-5
-DWG on LC Blue Pad @ speed 2-3, faster arm movement
-Four Star UPP on LC Red Pad @ speed 2-3, faster arm movement.
-Black Magic Tire Wet (Still in need of a wheel cleaner)

Here are some n00b questions...
1.) I taped (blue painters tape) up the rubber/trim/chrome areas when using the UDM, but the UDM kept ripping off the tape and worse spreading tape residue everywhere. Pretty annoying. Do you think it's the kind of tape I'm using? Or should I just be more careful? Tips?

2.) I have some hood sand scratches that wouldn't go away. Can't feel the majority of them and can only be seen at a certain angle. Looks like dust. I'm thinking Hyper Compound and Yellow Pad for these guys next time? Here's a pic. What do you think?


3.) Taking into account UDM speed, arm movement speed, and pressure was pretty confusing, but it was a good first learning experience. The PoliSeal on the LC green pad broke down REAL fast and caked up the pad significantly. Any advice?

4.) I have a couple areas of oxidation on the roof of the car. After I saw some paint coming off onto the orange pad, I stopped and didn't go any further. Is it safe to say this is beyond correction after seeing the paint rub off?

Here's a couple pics I took BEFORE and AFTER. Should've taken more. It's now raining in L.A. and the car looks horrible. Time to get some NWRS from you soon Excel.




THANK YOU ALL!

exceldetail

She looks grea from afar! But Im concerned about
what I see in pic one. Almost looks like "checking". (Failure)
Any chance of getting a nice close up?
As for taping: Tape off areas dont allow a green light to run them over with the UDM. You still have to be careful. Try not to run the pad on tape period. But if you find that unavoidable, polish so the pad is running off the tape, opposed to running on the tape. So, you may have to tilt the polisher.
Poliseal, all you want to do is cover the area. Dont work the product, because its unlike its brotheren polishes. Also work quickly with it. Now that you have experienced its characteristics, vary the amount you use next time. Generally speaking, if you cake the pad, your using too much product. Also make sure the surface is cool.
Paint coming off? Normally post 98/99 factory paint is clearcoated. If you see paint transfer to the pad, it could just be oxidation. But if you had a clear coat which has expired, then you have issues. I suspect its a little oxidation. Should be ok.......

slavver01

iTrader: (3)

agreed, looks beautiful from a distance. in that first pic, those little marks look like crows feet? im almost positive thats clearcoat failure. i had it on the fenders of my old NBP tl. besides a repaint, just make sure you clean/polish the area good, and then apply a good sealant over it a few times for protection. good job

SLAKERZ

Great tips for the taping. Thanks Patrick. The Poliseal is definitely a whole other creature from the polishes. I'll try a bit more on the oxidation next time too. It was improving, but the color of the pad just freaked me out a bit. And I almost ate the DWG the way it smelled haha. For the "checking" "crows feet" I believe you guys may be right. It's only found on the hood and is more prevalent towards the front of the hood. Is it debris that has caused this or something else? I'll try and get a closer macro picture of it when I get the chance. I guess I'll try the hyper compound on it next time and if that doesn't work, I'll just keep it clean/protected.

exceldetail

"Checking" is just a sign of more serious things, eventually. Keep her "SEALED" every season at a minimum, to prevent even further premature failure. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but keeping it protected is your best bet at this point.

SLAKERZ

Thanks for the heads up. At least I learned something new. Lessons learned. This car's been through a lot of unnecessary beating, including being parked outside and commuting 60 miles/day to a construction site for a few years. Time to give it some frequent TLC.