Redline

the quick story is that ive got an 04 TSX that i religiously hand wash/dry each weekend and use Klasse AIO twice a year and the sealant whenever im bored (8-10 times a year) all by hand. Ive managed to keep my CGP (grey pearl) perfect until i had to get the bumper replaced after some lady decided not to stop before she rear-ended me. The dealer replaced the bumper and gave it a "courtesy" wash at the local gas station....when i got it back, there were swirls in the paint...faint, and most can only be seen at the right angle in the sun, but they're still there.

Being pissed off and not wanting to go back to the dealer, i guess its time to get a PC 7424 and get my car back to looking new again. My question is, with the minor swirls like i described, what would be the correct pad to start with? I assume that the AIO probably wont do much to the swirls, so what should i go with there?

Thanks for the help.

joerockt

AIO wont do anything for the swirls. Get some Poorboys SSR2 and/or 2.5 and an orange Sonus DAS pad. Might even want to pick up a green pad and start with that first.

Sounds like the swirls are light, so this should do the trick.

Hawhyen51

I agree with Joe about the AIO, a good product as a pre-wax cleaner moreso than swirl remover. If your description are light swirls, I would start off with a light polishing pad or light cut pad. Start with the least abraisive polish and work your way up. The PB SSR's are easy to work with and so is the Optimum polish.

You can get a 7336 at Lowes for $109 and the only difference is the CW (6" instead of 5"). Packages are available from Autopia and AutoGeek. Single pads as well as comb packs are available from most online detail sites.

TOGWT

Foam Pad Starter Kit:
Lake County constant pressure foam pad, this is essentially a flat 6-inch pad which uses a patented technology layer of engineered, instant rebound foam between the pad and the backing plate to absorb off-axis movements while keeping the pressure of the pad on the surface constant.

These European pads are made from engineered, thermally reticulated (exploded open cell) foams with a 99% open cell structure, specifically designed for compounding, polishing and finishing. Constant Pressure’s blue foam backing absorbs any unwanted ‘off-axis’ polishing motions.

Constant Pressure Foam Pad Starter Kit:
•1-Polish / Cutting Pad (*Yellow)
•2-Polish / Light Cutting Pad (*Orange)
•2-Polish / Waxing Pad (*White)
•2-Finishing Pad (*Black)
•1-5-inch Flexible Urethane Backing Plate

I would also recommend Optimum Polish (www.topoftheline.com) as it stays workable (liquid) for longer. (Both this pad and polish combination are ideal for the inexperienced or neophyte user as they remain clear enabling you to see wither the imperfections have been removed.


[each one / teach one, then student /becomes teacher]

Redline

Thanks for the replies...

So would PB SSR2 and a Sonus green pad be an effort in futility? (ie, not enough abrasive)....it just sounds awful to me to have to use a "medium cut" abrasive and pad on my finish. I know people are brand loyal, but is there any real difference in the quality of pads?

Finally, for applying AIO, saying i was going to use the Sonus pads, would it be ok to just use a blue pad and buff it out by hand?

Thanks again.

Hawhyen51

Jon, very detailed and another post for my notes. Your opinion on their light cut swirl remover. It's been mentioned on other forums and gotten favorable comments. Thanks.

joerockt

Its really not as "abrasive" as it sounds. You may need to work the PC for some time before you notice results. If you find that its taking too long, then switch to the orange pad and/or SSR2.5. Remeber to start with the least abrasive method first.

I've used Lake County pads, Sonus DAS and Sonus SFX pads. I think the big difference is the backing on the pad. I've found that the Sonus DAS pads, if used at a high speed for a long duration, or used with too much pressure, the backing would come apart. I havent really put the LC pads or the SFX pads to the test yet. Maybe someone else can chime in...

Using the blue pad to apply AIO and buffing by hand is perfect.