Renovating paintwork

Terry · 30-08-2005, 08:27

The glacier whte paint on my y reg vectra is really cloudy and dull in the sun, nothing like my mk3 astra when it was glacier white.
What products do the professionals use to get the paint smooth and shiney before polishing?

T-cut didnt do much and i was unimpressed with auto glym paint renovater

Mike007 · 30-08-2005, 08:43

Use an electric polisher and Farecla G3 followed by G10. Finish with a hand-applied coat of Meguires Gold Class wax or similar.

Mike

Terry · 30-08-2005, 08:48

Cheers Mike, I've got an electric polisher in the garage.
Just a little worried about swirl marks in the paint.
Will I find Farecla in paint supply shops? In big black bottles is it?

Terry · 30-08-2005, 09:34

This the stuff you're talking about?
http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/CFS...cla_G3_85.html

Station · 30-08-2005, 09:43

I never use those electric polishers, they're pretty ghey. Using an attachment on an a electric drill (on a pretty slow setting)/variable angle grinder (on an extremely low setting!) is much better.
I use 1250 grade sandpaper to flatten the paintwork off, and then use G3 on it, and apply it by hand. This even rejuvenates the fading of red paintwork. Then use polish, and then I use +GASP+ Mr Sheen.

Terry · 30-08-2005, 09:46

I'd be too scared to use sandpaper on the car.
I'm off to buy a bottle of G3 and see how i go with that.
I'll take my time doing 1 panel at a time.

Station · 30-08-2005, 10:03

Use 1500 then, it barely makes a scratch, just removes a very thin layer. Results are better than any polish can produce.

MWF · 30-08-2005, 12:01

For gods sake don't sand paper your car.

For best results you need a mop (electric buffer) but you can do it by hand with a good microfibre cloth. The right cloth is important.

Serious Performance sell the Poorboys SSR range which is good.

However I aren't convinced your paint is the issue since you mention not having luck with the Paint Renovator or T-Cut.

Terry · 30-08-2005, 14:37

The guy that fits my tyres used some stuff from his cupboard this morning that brough the paint up nice.
He wants £45 for a full valet which i wont pay for when i can do it myself.
So what could it be if it isnt the paint?

MWF · 30-08-2005, 14:54

It could just be reminants of old polish and wax on the paint, hard to visualise the problem without some pics.

Do you not know what the guy used on it this morning?

Terry · 30-08-2005, 15:13

Nope wouldnt tell me.
Call's it his little secret.
It came out of a big metal tin, about 10 ltr I think. Trade size.
Did come up well with whatever it was.
He mentioned bleaching the paint as it was white, what is he talking about there?
Will G3 clear up all the crap off the paint then?

Tim Poole · 30-08-2005, 15:35

Put G3 on the car while slighty wet

( if needed spary with a squirty bottle to keep damp if needed)

Mope the car all over (the dryer the G3 the more swirls your going to get - keep it damp, It's best done in a garage out the sun)

once you have moped the whole car wipe of the excess with a damp sponge

then applie some triple polish and work it in and buff of should come up really shinny

Remember:

Once you have moped a car you need to polish at as much as possible other wise it will fade twice as quick

i use Wilcox Wash Supplies Polish because the local to me and my mate works for them and the products are used by garages and valet companies all over the south and there F##king good

Wilcox Wash Supplies Ltd.
Unit 7/8,
Ebblake Industrial Estate,
Verwood,
Dorset,
BH31 6DE.

Terry · 30-08-2005, 15:39

Sounds quite easy.
Car wont fit in the garage so will have to be on the driveway or the road outside if the gearbox in my Astra isnt fixed by then.

Would Autoglym Super resin be ok or meguiars polish?
What do you think to the trade stuff compared to public use polishes?

Tim Poole · 30-08-2005, 15:42

trade stuff is much better use G3 to cut it and use autoglym super resin polish to polish it with just do a few coats - you need to make sure you seal the paint you have exsposed

Terry · 30-08-2005, 15:44

So super resin is good enough for sealing the paint with?
When you say 2 coats do you mean go over the car once and buff it all off.
Then go over it again with the polish?

Tim Poole · 30-08-2005, 15:48

yea 2 coats one on then off then another on then polish it once a week for a few weeks to build up the protective layer

P.s Use a mop to cut with dont ry by hand unless you are willing to spend all day doing it

Terry · 30-08-2005, 15:49

Couple of pics I just took.
Not too sure if you can make out the cloudy in the paint.
If you look at the sun on the panel it looks sh1t

Terry · 30-08-2005, 15:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Poole

yea 2 coats one on then off then another on then polish it once a week for a few weeks to build up the protective layer

P.s Use a mop to cut with dont ry by hand unless you are willing to spend all day doing it

Definitely mate.
Not got arsm like Arnie and dont intend to either

I love power tools

Always keep the mop wet when using the G3...is that correct?

Tim Poole · 30-08-2005, 15:59

not socking wet but you want it damp

personally id wait for a dull day wash the car

dont dry it just leave for 5 mins the apply the g3 on wet doesnt have to be a perfect coat the mope will push it round

if it starts to dry out use a sqwety bottle with water to damp it while you move round the car

hope that helps mate

Terry · 30-08-2005, 16:02

Yup i'm gen'd up now mate.
When applying the G3 do I rub it in a little with a cloth then mop it up.
Or do I put the G3 drectly on the paintwork then mop it up?

Mike007 · 30-08-2005, 18:12

Personally I put a little G3 on the mop, a slight spray of water on the panel, 'smear' the g3 so you haven't just got 1 big globule when you start the mop and then mop it.

I would use G10 rather than Autoglym super resin polish as you can then use the mop for this too. Finally give it a hand wax with Meguires Gold Class wax or similar to give a protective coating.

Mike

Terry · 30-08-2005, 18:27

I was just in the garage searching for a wire brush attachment and came accross this little lot.
Completely forget about the G3.
I also have lots more Autoglym stuff and a few other bottles of meguiar's.
Have the polish they do in the garage that you mentioned.

Terry · 30-08-2005, 18:30

So you reckon sealing the paint with the mop is better than by hand?
Do you reckon the 3M hand Glaze in the pic be any good for sealing the paint?

Mike007 · 30-08-2005, 18:46

I would mop with products designed for mopping (G3 and G10) and hand apply products designed to hand apply (Megs wax). There is no need to use the mop for the protective layer as you don't need to put any work into it - just wipe it on and wipe off the excess.

Mike

Terry · 30-08-2005, 18:49

Cut back with the G3 on the mop.
Then get some G10 and seal the paint using the mop.
Then apply the Meguiar's wax i've got by hand.

Job jobbed