NickZ

Hey guys,

I'm curious to see if any of you have tried to buff out swirls on newer Lexus paint. I have a 2015 RC F with the USB 2 paint. The paint is in very good condition aside from a massive amount of swirls, I'm not sure where they came from as I had wash it once a week.

I picked up a Porter Cable 7424 XP, XMT 360, and some white Lake County foam pads. I've also seen a ton of hype around HD Speed, but I heard it's fairly aggressive (not crazy aggressive) but I was worried about leaving behind some haze due to it maybe not finishing properly for an AIO.

I'd love to get some opinions and perspective from you guys.

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

First, swirls and scratches do not just appear. They are caused by improper washing and drying. You mentioned you wash the car weekly... are you doing it properly? Automotive paint is extremely sensitive and something as simple as using 1 bucket, using an older wash mitt, or using lower quality towels will cause damage to the paint.

How To Properly Wash and Dry a Car by Todd Cooperider



Regarding the paint correction work, Check out these articles....

Paint Correction: Pairing Products and Pads by Zach McGovern
Analyzing Your Test Spot by Zach McGovern


Basically there is no guaranteed product/pad option that will work on every car to produce the exact results you are looking for... you must perform test spots to determine the best product, pad, and technique to produce the results you are seeking.

You will surely be able to make an improvement with a white polishing pad and any polish, but you won't know how much of an improvement until you get started. Since you described it as a "massive amount of swirls", I would assume you may find you need a 2 step approach in which you begin with a heavier cutting compound and pad and then refine with a finer polish afterwards.


In my experiences with USB, it is very easy to work with... even when using an aggressive pad and compound, the haze is difficult to see due to the highly metallic paint which means the finishing polish is a very easy process.


The following image was on an ISF that required a 2 step correction process beginning with Fast Correcting Creme on a MF Cutting Pad... this is the result after compounding.



This same vehicle was featured in my article: Product Review & Application: 22ple VX Pro2 by Zach McGovern.



Let me know if you've got any specific questions.


FWIW HD Speed is not an aggressive polish. It is an AIO polish/sealant that can remove light to moderate defects depending on the pad it is paired with and may also lightly fill in some defects due to the montan wax used in the product. It is also worth noting that these AIO products like Speed and XMT360 do not provide the best protection... I would recommend using a dedicated polish and sealant for superior results.

-Zach

NickZ

Hi Zach, I really appreciate the detailed response, and that ISF looks awesome!

Do you think I can make a reasonable improvement with XMT 360 and the white pad? I figured I would try an AIO and check the improvements before moving on to a two step process or something more aggressive. I was also hoping to get your honest feedback on XMT 360, and where you feel it stands vs. products of a similar nature.

Thanks again for your time!

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Hey Nick,

Happy to help.

An AIO will surely increase gloss, but as for the amount of correction, I'm not sure.

I don't really use any AIOs regularly and have never used XMT360, so I cannot give you much feedback there. My guys do use HD Speed or Griot's Finishing Sealant for our more basic services which are not at all focused on defect removal. Both produce a very shiny finish and can remove lighter imperfections, but I personally handle our paint correction work instead of that stuff, so again, not much feedback for you there.

If defect removal is your goal and you've already got XMT360 on hand, just clean the car up and do a test spot to see what you get. It will make some improvement, and if you're lucky, it will make it perfect. If not, you may need to consider a medium polish such as Optimum Hyper Polish or Menzerna PF2500. Both work great for a "one step correction" meaning there is no need to follow up with a finer polish afterwards.... and if the defects are more severe than you might have guessed, you will need to do a two step correction.

I need to do some more updated videos, but here is an old example of Menznera PF2500 removing a ton of swirls from this Alpine White BMW.


Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

-Zach

NickZ

Thanks again Zach, this has really been super helpful! I might just pick up some Menzerna and then use the XMT 360 I have on top of it at a very light pressure. I appreciate your guidance and responses.

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Any time.

I see you're in Illinois... I usually assume that means Chicago, but occasionally there is someone in Central IL near me. If you're in/around Peoria, please feel free to stop by and you're welcome to try any number of polishes & pads on your car

-Zach

NickZ

I'm actually in the S.W. suburbs, not far from I 55. I'll definitely stop by to introduce myself next time we head down south for anything.

charley95

Hey Zack, I'm here in Peoria and told you about that product "Glare" that I use. I should stop by sometime and show you what it looks like on my 14 RX Stargazer. Do you have a storefront or work out of your house? My friend in Morton turned me onto the product and must say I don't know how I could get it to look any better.

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

We have a shop on Knoxville Rd near the intersection of Knoxville & Nebraska... It is not easily visible from the road, so shoot me a PM or email sometime and I'll get you more information if you want to stop by.

Thanks
-Zach

charley95

I'll stop by later this spring after I do my annual buff on it.