Yesterday, on my day off, I detailed my 2009 TSX. Here are the steps that I took:

1. Wash
2. Clay Bar
3. Pinnacle XMT #3 w/ Orange Pad
4. Pinnacle XMT #1 w/White Pad
5. Pinnacle XMT Glaze w/Grey Pad
6. P21S Carnauba Wax

I'm very happy with the results. However, I was concerned after step 3. After the application of the XMT #3, I noticed that there were actually more fine, swirl marks then before. In fact, I thought that I had ruined my car! I consulted the instruction manual and it quickly soothed my fears, stating that "the next step will remove fine swirl marks left by step 3." In other words, this product incurs more swirl marks in order to diminish them like a business spends money to make money. I'm not sure if I quite understand how that works. Regardless, I'm thrilled with the outcome. Pictures to follow shortly.

 

CC, just as you would have finished a fine piece of wood with sandpapers, the logic there lies. If you have deep scratches or swirls in the wood, you would use a course paper to get to the bottom of the swirls or scratches. Now this roughs up the entire area you sanded. Yet it levels out the deeper areas, leaving you with a 'rough" looking piece of wood, yet the deep scratches are gone. You then use a finishing paper to smooth out the "rough" looking spots.
The exact technique is used in preparing painted surfaces with compounds and polishes. Compounds (XMT3) use more aggressive abrasives to "cut" through your painted surface or clear coat, to level the surface area out. You then follow up with a fines abrasive polish, to remove the haze which the compounds left. And if your still thinking you can get it a little brighter, you could follow up with a glaze (such as you did I presume).
Its really quite simple once you rationalize with it, then accept it as THE TRUTH........lol

 

Thanks for the explanation! Now I get it!

 

Good explanation.