GSTEMP

My roof and top of my trunk have some oxidation on it.

Ive done some research and was thinking of buying a PC with XMT Heavy Duty Swirl Remover Kit, which has XMT swirl remover #4 and claims to get rid of oxidation.

Then i thought harder and realized i cant put myself in debt for this

So my question is...can anyone help me out and give the roof and trunk a oxidation buff? Im in the North Hollywood area. I can give a $20 donation or somethin.

Angelo

I would think about getting my own products with a machine and learn to do it myself so you always be ready for problems like this and in the long long you be able to help out your freinds and be able to make some money and help pay for it. Here is some information and the right recommend products to use.


When it comes to using polishes such as Meguiar’s M105 Ultra Cut Compound and Meguiar’s M205 Ultra Finishing Polish, regardless of the machine you choose to use, ProperAutoCare.com recommends starting with the least aggressive method possible. This would be Meguiar's M205 with either a Lake Country Flat 6.5 inch Black Finessing Pad or Meguiar's Soft Buff 2.0 Black Finishing Pad.




If this combination does not provide the results necessary, increase the aggressiveness of the technique (longer working time, more pressure, more power) or increase the cut of the product and switch to a medium polishing pad. The next step up would be Meguiar’s M205 Ultra Finishing Polish used with a Lake Country Flat 6.5 inch White Polishing Pad or Meguiar's Soft Buff 2.0 Yellow Polishing Pad.



If this combination does not provide the desired results, increase the aggressiveness of the technique or product selection. The next step would be Meguiar's M105 Ultra Cut Compound on a Lake Country Flat 6.5 inch White Polishing Pad or Meguiar's Soft Buff 2.0 Yellow Polishing Pad. Note that polishing with M105 will often require a second, follow-up polishing step with M205 to achieve the highest gloss and clearest, swirl free finish. Never mix polishes on the same pad. Switch to a clean, fresh pad included in the kit. If this combination is still not garnering the results you are looking for, increase the aggressiveness of the technique or the product.

Meguiar's M105 Ultra Cut Compound used with a Lake Country Flat 6.5 inch Orange Power Pad or Meguiar's Soft Buff 2.0 Burgundy Cutting Pad is an aggressive combination and is capable of “leveling out” most paint defects in one or two applications. If using Meguiar’s M105 Ultra Cut Compound is necessary, follow up with Meguiar’s M205 Ultra Finishing Polish to remove any light polishing haze and restore full clarity and a swirl free finish to the paint. Always test your combination on a test spot, and inspect in good lighting before proceeding to copy that combination over the entire vehicle.

Least to most aggressive:

M205 used with a “Finishing Pad”: Will remove very light defects and result in a high gloss, swirl free finish.
M205 used with a “Polishing Pad”: Will remove moderate to light defects and compounding marks, and results in a high gloss, swirl free finish on most paints.

M105 used with a “Polishing Pad”: Will remove moderate to heavy defects and will often require follow up polishing with M205.



M105 used with a “Power” or ”Cutting Pad”: Will remove moderate to heavy defects on most paints and will often require follow up polishing with M205.



Pad Priming: The new micro non-diminishing abrasives from Meguiar's require that the pores of the pad are evenly primed with product for fastest cutting and highest gloss. It is recommended to "prime" a fresh, dry pad one of three ways:

The Kevin Brown Method (KBM): Apply a liberal amount of polish on the surface of the pad and massage the product into the pores with your fingers until the surface is covered in a fine film of polish. Remove excess polish from the pad, so that it feels slightly damp, by lightly pressing a cotton terry or microfiber cloth against the pad while it spins.



Meguiar's M34: Meguiar's recommends misting the dry pad with M34 Final Inspection, then drawing two lines of product, in an X fashion, across the diameter of the pad. M34 will help the polish spread across the pad during the initial polishing application.



Hybrid: ProperAutoCare.com recommends using a hybrid pad priming system to save on material costs and increase ease of use. Mist the dry pad with M34 Final Inspection then draw an X across the pad. Quickly massage the polishing with your fingers into the pad and cover as much surface as possible.

Regardless of the priming method you choose, once the pad has been primed, apply a small amount of polish to the pad between sections. Three “dime sized” amounts, applied to the outer 1/3 of the pad are sufficient.

Polish one small section at a time, two feet by two feet, per application. Start by placing the pad on the paint and spreading the polish out, then turn the polisher on. Using firm pressure and overlapping left to right, right to left strokes cover the area to be polished.



Polish first going left to right.

Make a second pass over the working area using overlapping “up to down, down to up” strokes. M105 and M205 do not require a typical “buffing cycle” to break down the abrasives. Repeat this cross hatch pattern until the defects are removed or the polish begins to dry. Then reduce pressure and make a few more passes over the area to ensure a high gloss finish.




Create cross-hatch pattern going up & down.

Machine speed has much to do with your confidence level as you learn to use these polishes. We recommend using speed 5 on the PC 7424 or Meguiar’s G-110 and a speed of 3.5-4 on the Flex XC3401VRG Dual-Action Polisher. Overlap your strokes, using a “slow arm speed” while applying firm pressure. We have found success moving the polisher one to three inches per second allows the polish to correct most blemishes.

The amount of “work” or “cut” accomplished with a non-diminishing abrasive is dependent on the pressure applied to the polisher. For maximum cutting action with the Flex XC3401VRG Dual-Action Polisher, apply 15-20 pounds of pressure on the face of the machine. When using the Porter Cable 7424 or Meguiar’s G110 random orbital polishers, use enough pressure to slow, but not stall the rotation of the pad. On your final passes over the work area, reduce the pressure and lightly move the machine over the surface to allow the abrasives to jewel away any micro marring left from your polishing.

After polishing a section, remove residue immediately with a high quality microfiber cloth such as our Dragon Fiber Perfect Shine Buffing Cloth.




Because Meguiar's M105 Ultra Cut Compound and Meguiar's M205 Ultra Finishing Polishes' abrasives do not breakdown in the traditional sense, the polishes can be sensitive to contamination. During the polishing process, a trace amount of paint is removed, this can cause the non-diminishing abrasives to “clump” together with the spent paint particles. This can increase the polishing haze left on the paint from heavy polishing, effecting the finish left behind.

ProperAutoCare.com recommends cleaning your pads often by pressing a cotton terry or microfiber cloth against the pad while it spins on the machine. To completely wash the pads use Snappy Clean Pad Cleaning Powder.

Greg@DI

If you don't want to invest in a buffer I would suggest doing a hand application with a light polish. The Menzerna PO106FA Nano Polish (Super Finish) and Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish M205. Use good medium pressure with a foam applicator for best results. This will help remove the oxidation and some of the swirls so the paint looks much better. Let me know if you have any questions.

Greg @ DI

UDel

Can you take some pics so we know the extent of oxidation or for sure it is oxidation on your roof and not something else.

Getting a PC, some pads, and polishes would be a wise investment but if money is an issue then there are other ways. You can try it by hand and it could work out pretty well but it will not be as good as a PC. If you can't find a CL member to come over and polish it try calling some detailers or detail shops and just say you can't afford to spend much and just want someone to do a quick polish on the roof and part of the trunk to get rid of some oxidation. I am sure you can find someone to help you out for $20-$40. It may not be a high quality job where you would have to pay more but it will get rid of the oxidation. Remember to protect your finish with a sealant/wax to help prevent further issues with your paint.

GSTEMP

Thanks for the info guys, yes i definitely would like to get a PC one day, but as of now i just want to rid of the oxidation asap.



Here is some pics, its kinda hard to see it as detailed as it is because its silver.





Close UP

eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

Erm, those look as bad as my brillo pad marks I had on my ES before I removed it. Not to mention what looks like the beginnings of clearcoat failure...

I'm not sure without seeing it in person, but I don't think polishing them out will be a very good idea

GlisTech

If you don't want to polish it out and spend the money on that, just go down to Auto Zone and get yourself a bottle of Meguiars #7, which is Show Car Glaze.

Oxidation is caused by your clearcoat drying out and other atmospheric factors. A glaze like Megiuars #7 will help to replenish some of the lost components in the clearcoat temporarily, and will really help to hide that oxidation.

Remember that you aren't removing it, it isn't actually gone, you are just hiding it. So after a few washes, it is going to come back. But if you are on a budget and you want to make it look better this should be a inexpensive fix .

Just apply that to the surface, and buff it off immediately. You can do a few layers if you want, but remember not to leave it on the car and do it while the paint is cool. Put it on, take it right off. Top that off with some type of wax to seal it in and that will help to make it last a little bit longer.

GSTEMP

What do you mean it wouldnt be a good idea to polish them out? ahh im scared

That sounds like i really good temp alternative, thanks for the info GilsTech.

So now im scared to buff it..yikes, will it get worse if i did oxidation treatment to it( PC with compounds ) ?

do i got a bigger problem on my hands?

tuan92129

It does look like clear coat failure to me (although you can't really tell for sure over the internet). That means the top (clear) coat is separating from the color coat, and the only way to fix that is to repaint.

You can probably hide it by using a glaze as stated above.

eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

Polishing your car removes paint, which in turn shows a new layer of paint. However, with low clearcoat, polishing only makes it easier for the clear to crack and flake off faster. That is something you must decide on your own to do or not

Glazes are good to help keep whatever is left on there but ultimately, it will fail over time completely

GSTEMP

**** **** **** **** ****ing **** ****

eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

Vinyl it

GlisTech

Just keep in mind that the Glaze is only a temporary fix. It can hold off the oxidation process, but it can't stop it completely or reverse it.

You can glaze it for now to keep it looking clean, and I would recommend polishing it later. If you hit it with a polisher, you aren't super likely to do more harm than good, especially with something mild like a PC. There is a good chance that it will remove the present oxidation. But...

Because it has started to oxidize, polishing it will only remove what is there now. You will have to keep it glazed and protected with a wax to hopefully hold off the oxidation from getting any worse.

GSTEMP

Thanks for the info again GlisTech...so do think this still can be a temp fix/hold off if its clear coat failure and not oxidation?

GlisTech

To be honest there isn't any way to really know. Pictures really aren't enough for me to be able to say what the end result is going to be.

But, based on an estimation on what I have seen before that is similar, it should definitely help. Try the glaze and make sure to cover it with a wax to help it last longer, and hopefully that will be good enough to hold it off for a good while.