Ask a professional detailer...

what the?!??! was this taken with a 3E10 MP camera? haha


please shrink this down or the mods will remove it

Yikes! Sorry...again! 10 MP camera, but clearly I forgot to resize. There fixed now. the pictures that show the blurred lines are where the paint pen "painted" over a scratch.
Your suggestions are mcuh appreciated!
Thanks.
--Ryan

Originally Posted by ///McKinzie

I think i'm thinking about this too much, but just to be sure...

Using the chart on that page, if I did not want to strip protection, put it on setting A w/ .5oz CG and 32oz Water. To strip would be setting B w/ 2oz CG and 64oz water. The 64oz/32oz/etc. is the amount of water correct? If you use the CG and the Gilmour on your washes, what is the optimal settings you use for the best foam on both non-stripping, and stripping. Again, I think i'm thinking about this too much. Plus...maybe its just too early .

I did however perform a search before I asked this! GO me! I just got confused anyways haha.

Thank you for doing a search and reading over the article. No worries at all on not understanding the mixing ratios. To be honest the first time I used it I was struggling to do the math in my head (my old math teachers would be disappointed). Unfortunately I don't think you are on the right track yet, but we should be able to fix that no problem. I typically use it on setting E. If you do not want to strip off the protection I would suggest pouring in approximately 1.3 ounces with 32ounces of water in the reservoir. The reservoir is 64 ounces so I typically divide the amount of Chemical Guys CW&G by (2.6/2)two because 32ounces is normally plenty for me on an average sized vehicle. This dilution will be mixed with water as it flows through the hose. To strip off the protection I would use 5.2 ounces of CW&G with 32ounces of water. Once you use it a couple times it will make a lot more sense. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Greg @ Detailed Image

Originally Posted by shaloop

Hi!
I just found this thread, and I'm really impressed. I only wish I had found it a week ago.

Here's the deal; I have a bunch of thin shallow scratches on my Orient Blue '99 323i. I ordered a product called the Touch Up Paint Pen (#APP 317) from Bavarian Autosport (www.BavAuto.com) to match the orginal paint color. I followed the directions that came with it (which left much to be desired) and tried it on a couple of scratches. The pen fills in the scratches, but it seems to still leave the obvious appearance of a pen stroke (see pictures). I only applied one coat but now I'm nervous to continue.

After spending hours reading this thread, I suspect the paint from the pen is not level with the rest of the paint nor properly polished & compounded. Does that sound right?

As an aside I also have lots of swirl marks, etc so I'm in need of a full polish, glaze, sealant, & wax. I would just like to properly fill these scratches before I do.

Any advice you can give would be very helpful.
Thanks in advance,
--Ryan




"Smudge spots" are where I filled in the scratch with the paint pen.

I'm glad to hear you found this thread now! For the areas you have not touched up yet I would suggest polishing that area and seeing how much can be buffed out first. A few of the marks appeared to be light enough that they could be fully buffed out. Some of the deeper areas with white showing look like they may need some more touch up work. Touch up work takes quite a bit of time to do right with multiple applications and tons of wet sanding. I highly recommend reading this post if you didn't already for additional tips on touch up work.

Ask A Professional Detailer Post #42 and #43

Again I would suggest polishing those areas first, then using the touch up process as needed following the instructions in that link. A good polishing job will usually require at least two coats of polish. For just the imperfections you posted about you may be able to get away with a hand application. However for a whole vehicle and serious cutting power to buff out the worst imperfections you'll need a buffer. If you would like more information how to complete a quality polishing job please let me know, I would be happy to help.

Greg @ Detailed Image

Hey Greg, I was wondering if you could give me some of your advice/feedback. I've recently purchased Manzerna Intensive Polish and a brand new CCS Orange pad. I've used Final Polish II before but I was not able to remove all the imperfections in the paint. I figured that a more intense polish would be able to do the job.
I detailed my friend's e90 Jerez Black M3 this weekend. I prepped the car with a dawn wash and a clay bar. I started out with Intensive Polish and an Orange Pad. It worked fairly well, getting rid of water spots, swirl marks, and reducing the appearance of scratches. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I went over a spot, I was unable to polish out certain fine scratches. I was a bit dissapointed since I was nearly positive that Intensive Polish would be able to do the job. I even upped the speed on the Porter Cable to see if I could get rid of them. I followed up with Final Polish II but the fine scratches still remained. The polishes were a great improvement but I was still unable to achieve the desired result. I'm considering getting a Yellow Pad, possibly even a Wool pad. Or a different polish such as Manzerna Super Intensive, Power Gloss, or a different brand. If you could offer some insight I would really appreciate it.

r3v1ls, did you follow up with Merzerna PO106FF? it helps alot for the finer swirls.

r3v1ls, did you follow up with Merzerna PO106FF? it helps alot for the finer swirls.

No, I followed up with Final Polish II, Glaze, and FMJ as sealant. Intensive Polish took care of the fine swirls but not the fine scratches. I'm wondering if the new BMW's use the "ceramic coat" which PO106FF is formulated for I believe.

Originally Posted by r3v1ls

No, I followed up with Final Polish II, Glaze, and FMJ as sealant. Intensive Polish took care of the fine swirls but not the fine scratches. I'm wondering if the new BMW's use the "ceramic coat" which PO106FF is formulated for I believe.

Merc-Benz actually has the ceramic clear coat. BMWs clear is pretty hard though, so that is why most people just use SIP and 106FF

Merc-Benz actually has the ceramic clear coat. BMWs clear is pretty hard though, so that is why most people just use SIP and 106FF

Thanks for the info m0nk3y! I'm considering purchasing both of those polishes in the near future. I might also stop by Chemical Guy's store in Inglewood this weekend and get their input. I would really like to hear what Greg from DI has to say about this.
By the way, your car reminds me of mine, except it's in AW. 16's pride!

Originally Posted by r3v1ls

Hey Greg, I was wondering if you could give me some of your advice/feedback. I've recently purchased Manzerna Intensive Polish and a brand new CCS Orange pad. I've used Final Polish II before but I was not able to remove all the imperfections in the paint. I figured that a more intense polish would be able to do the job.
I detailed my friend's e90 Jerez Black M3 this weekend. I prepped the car with a dawn wash and a clay bar. I started out with Intensive Polish and an Orange Pad. It worked fairly well, getting rid of water spots, swirl marks, and reducing the appearance of scratches. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I went over a spot, I was unable to polish out certain fine scratches. I was a bit dissapointed since I was nearly positive that Intensive Polish would be able to do the job. I even upped the speed on the Porter Cable to see if I could get rid of them. I followed up with Final Polish II but the fine scratches still remained. The polishes were a great improvement but I was still unable to achieve the desired result. I'm considering getting a Yellow Pad, possibly even a Wool pad. Or a different polish such as Manzerna Super Intensive, Power Gloss, or a different brand. If you could offer some insight I would really appreciate it.

It sounds like you did the process correct and there was just not enough cutting power. For maximum results I would apply the IP at max speed and with good pressure on the buffer. A yellow or wool pad could help increase the cutting power along with getting a more aggressive polish like the Menzerna Power Gloss. However the PC 7424 does have it's limitations with cutting power. I typically use the PC 7424 to remove light to medium surface imperfections. Heavy surface swirls or scratches may require a higher speed buffer or potentially some touch up work. The high speed orbital buffer (Flex XC 3401 VRG) or rotary buffer (Flex L3403 VRG) may be needed. These type of buffers generate tremendous amounts of heat and pressure which may be needed for the deeper cutting power. Let me know if I can help any further. The SIP and PO106FF would help you get slightly better results than the IP and FPII but I wouldn't replace them to fix your current situation. I do love these polishes but I don't think they would make a big enough of a difference to warrant their purchase in terms of removing significantly deeper imperfections.

Greg @ Detailed Image

It sounds like you did the process correct and there was just not enough cutting power. For maximum results I would apply the IP at max speed and with good pressure on the buffer. A yellow or wool pad could help increase the cutting power along with getting a more aggressive polish like the Menzerna Power Gloss. However the PC 7424 does have it's limitations with cutting power. I typically use the PC 7424 to remove light to medium surface imperfections. Heavy surface swirls or scratches may require a higher speed buffer or potentially some touch up work. The high speed orbital buffer (Flex XC 3401 VRG) or rotary buffer (Flex L3403 VRG) may be needed. These type of buffers generate tremendous amounts of heat and pressure which may be needed for the deeper cutting power. Let me know if I can help any further. The SIP and PO106FF would help you get slightly better results than the IP and FPII but I wouldn't replace them to fix your current situation. I do love these polishes but I don't think they would make a big enough of a difference to warrant their purchase in terms of removing significantly deeper imperfections.

Greg @ Detailed Image

Thanks for the info Greg! I considered the fact that maybe my pad just didn't have enough cutting power. Also I kept the porter cable at a relatively medium speed 3.5-4.5 and never took it up to the max speed since I thought it might be dangerous. Now that I think about it, I was definitelly not generating enough cutting power. I'll purchase a yellow cutting pad before working on the next car to see if there is any difference.

I'll definitelly consider purchasing a Flex in the future since money is a bit tight right now. I still need more practice with the PC since I don't think I've taken it to its limits. You mentioned that the Flex L3403 VRG is a "rotary" buffer. Is "rotary" the same as "circular"? I'm assuming so since rotary is short for rotation.

Also one last questions. I applied Manzerna FMJ using a red finishing pad. I usually apply sealants/waxes by hand but I wanted to give the PC a try. It made the job a lot quicker and the coverage was much better. My only concern was the amount of FMJ that got stuck in the pad. As I was washing it, a strong squeeze would yield a lot of FMJ which was absorbed by the pad during the process. I did also apply 3 coats so I wasn't too surprised to find so much FMJ in it. My question is, what are the advantages/disadvantages with applying a sealant/wax by hand vs. machine. I'm thinking that during my next detail, I'll apply a coat by machine to insure good coverage, and then apply another coat (FMJ or a different Wax) by hand. Thanks again Greg!

Originally Posted by r3v1ls

Thanks for the info Greg! I considered the fact that maybe my pad just didn't have enough cutting power. Also I kept the porter cable at a relatively medium speed 3.5-4.5 and never took it up to the max speed since I thought it might be dangerous. Now that I think about it, I was definitelly not generating enough cutting power. I'll purchase a yellow cutting pad before working on the next car to see if there is any difference.

I'll definitelly consider purchasing a Flex in the future since money is a bit tight right now. I still need more practice with the PC since I don't think I've taken it to its limits. You mentioned that the Flex L3403 VRG is a "rotary" buffer. Is "rotary" the same as "circular"? I'm assuming so since rotary is short for rotation.

Also one last questions. I applied Manzerna FMJ using a red finishing pad. I usually apply sealants/waxes by hand but I wanted to give the PC a try. It made the job a lot quicker and the coverage was much better. My only concern was the amount of FMJ that got stuck in the pad. As I was washing it, a strong squeeze would yield a lot of FMJ which was absorbed by the pad during the process. I did also apply 3 coats so I wasn't too surprised to find so much FMJ in it. My question is, what are the advantages/disadvantages with applying a sealant/wax by hand vs. machine. I'm thinking that during my next detail, I'll apply a coat by machine to insure good coverage, and then apply another coat (FMJ or a different Wax) by hand. Thanks again Greg!

Good to hear the info was helpful. I would definitely increase the speed and pressure to optimize the PC. I never polish at speeds less than four and typically I work at 6. Take your time working up to this speed, but when you feel comfortable with it, you'll notice how much it helps. Yes a circular buffer and rotary buffer are the same thing.

I think you got the advantages and disadvantages of using a buffer to apply a sealant correct. A buffer gives more even and thorough coverage while saving you plenty of energy. A hand application allows you to get in to tight areas and probably absorbs less product. When I use a sealant and the pad is saturated I will occasionally smear the pad over my next area to get some of the FMJ out. Also I typically use about .75 ounces per coat so less product may help your process.

Greg @ Detailed Image

Good to hear the info was helpful. I would definitely increase the speed and pressure to optimize the PC. I never polish at speeds less than four and typically I work at 6. Take your time working up to this speed, but when you feel comfortable with it, you'll notice how much it helps. Yes a circular buffer and rotary buffer are the same thing.

I think you got the advantages and disadvantages of using a buffer to apply a sealant correct. A buffer gives more even and thorough coverage while saving you plenty of energy. A hand application allows you to get in to tight areas and probably absorbs less product. When I use a sealant and the pad is saturated I will occasionally smear the pad over my next area to get some of the FMJ out. Also I typically use about .75 ounces per coat so less product may help your process.

Greg @ Detailed Image

Thanks Greg, I'll be trying out these suggestions during my next detail. I'll post up pics with the results .

hey george and greg. i would appreciate if you could possibly help me out with my bumper. heres the damage...




is there anything i can do myself that would help minimize the appearance of the damage? im on a tight budget right now and spending 400 to get it professionally done is not exactly what i have in mind at the moment. i dont need it to be perfect, but id like to mask it a little. i bought some touch up paint and clear coat, not sure if thatll help, but if u have any suggestions id appreciate it.

Thanks

Originally Posted by 2oo2_325ci

hey george and greg. i would appreciate if you could possibly help me out with my bumper. heres the damage...

is there anything i can do myself that would help minimize the appearance of the damage? im on a tight budget right now and spending 400 to get it professionally done is not exactly what i have in mind at the moment. i dont need it to be perfect, but id like to mask it a little. i bought some touch up paint and clear coat, not sure if thatll help, but if u have any suggestions id appreciate it.

Thanks

To be honest I do not do much touch up work, especially where there are sharp punctures in the fender. You may want to consult a body shop for more specific advice. I'm sure there are some more affordable options out there that you could get by with. Try contacting a local body shop or maybe searching online. Sorry I can not help you more specifically.

Greg @ Detailed Image

Originally Posted by 2oo2_325ci

hey george and greg. i would appreciate if you could possibly help me out with my bumper. heres the damage...

is there anything i can do myself that would help minimize the appearance of the damage? im on a tight budget right now and spending 400 to get it professionally done is not exactly what i have in mind at the moment. i dont need it to be perfect, but id like to mask it a little. i bought some touch up paint and clear coat, not sure if thatll help, but if u have any suggestions id appreciate it.

Thanks

Sorry to bear bad news but you have fill in the damage with body filler/fiberglass and paint over the damage. Bondo's easiest to work with compared to fiberglass. Then head over to http://www.paintscratch.com and get some touch up paint.

Hey grey, sorry if it has already been covered in this thread, but I didnt exactly want to read through 108 pages to find the answer . Issue number one. I have some kind of stains in the backseat of my car on the black leather. Its a '04 sedan if it matters. They are definately not from me, seing as I rarely ever go into the backseat, but I bought the car cert. pre-owned and it had 2 owners before me so im guessing it was from them (pretty disgusting if it is what I think it is). One of them is very obvious and the others are not so obvious. They will not come off with rustic touch and a rag. They are not scratches or tears, just stains. What would you recommend?

Issue number two. This also came with the car. On the front passenger door where the arm rest is (right below the handle) there is a huge tear in the leather. It is ripped off leaving a circular "dent" of leather. I will try and take pictures, but this one I know 100% it came from the dealer, because im sure as hell I would not do that to my car, and no one who has sit in the passenger seat would do that either. The thing is, I bought the car in december of '07 and didnt realize it until much later, so how can I make BMW fix it for free because it came from them this way? A certified pre-owned car should not come with a tear like this or stains in the rear like this. I will try and post pictures of both these issues within the hour. Thanks for any help!

edit: pictures. The first one is the noticeable stain, the others are the rip in the arm rest.

Originally Posted by Jmannumber7

Hey grey, sorry if it has already been covered in this thread, but I didnt exactly want to read through 108 pages to find the answer . Issue number one. I have some kind of stains in the backseat of my car on the black leather. Its a '04 sedan if it matters. They are definately not from me, seing as I rarely ever go into the backseat, but I bought the car cert. pre-owned and it had 2 owners before me so im guessing it was from them (pretty disgusting if it is what I think it is). One of them is very obvious and the others are not so obvious. They will not come off with rustic touch and a rag. They are not scratches or tears, just stains. What would you recommend?

Issue number two. This also came with the car. On the front passenger door where the arm rest is (right below the handle) there is a huge tear in the leather. It is ripped off leaving a circular "dent" of leather. I will try and take pictures, but this one I know 100% it came from the dealer, because im sure as hell I would not do that to my car, and no one who has sit in the passenger seat would do that either. The thing is, I bought the car in december of '07 and didnt realize it until much later, so how can I make BMW fix it for free because it came from them this way? A certified pre-owned car should not come with a tear like this or stains in the rear like this. I will try and post pictures of both these issues within the hour. Thanks for any help!

I doubt you would have any recourse with the dealership unless you can really make a case why it took 6 months to discover the issue. However, it would not hurt to try. Also, I am not sure about BMW's pre-owned warranty for issues like that. If your warranty is still valid, talk to a service tech/manager and see if he'll fix it for you.

Originally Posted by mrhan

I doubt you would have any recourse with the dealership unless you can really make a case why it took 6 months to discover the issue. However, it would not hurt to try. Also, I am not sure about BMW's pre-owned warranty for issues like that. If your warranty is still valid, talk to a service tech/manager and see if he'll fix it for you.

Yep, it still has the original warranty vaild until August this year.

Hi Greg,

I just wanted to know if you have any experience with Chemical Guys Premium blue wheel cleaner? And do you know if it is PH neutral? EDIT: dont wory, I used google its a non hydroflouric acid cleaner.

btw: My parcels have yet to be released by cumstoms SA

TIA
Don