The big detail coming up!

JFlo · 06-12-2013, 07:08 PM

So as I recently acquired a 2009 E90 M3 and it is time for a little detail! I finally got my order(s) and I am planning on getting it done one of the coming week ends.

Below is a picture of what I just picked up. I have only used CG's shampoo and wash products; I have the citrus wash that I used with my two buckets and the honey dew foam together with the foam gun/lance. I saw this new optical series that seems pretty good, and figured that I would give the line-up a try. Just briefly what I got (from left to right):

Four new 5.5" pads (will use with with Porter Cable DA)
Polishing pad conditioner
Optical grade V34, V36 and V38
Lava Glow Wax (was planning on applying the wax with the black pad as recommended by CG)

In the background just some new MF towels, as well as the dual xenon lamp. I got so tired of rolling the car in and out of the garage to see if I had gotten all the swirls!

Please feel free til chime in with any general advice or something specific to the M3. I searched the forum and found a couple of interesting pointers that I wouldnt have thought of myself. Also if you have any experience with the products that I am about to try please let me know how you liked them, and how to best utilize them (pad combo etc.)

Detailed write-up will follow for sure. Till then take care!

positiveions · 06-12-2013, 10:50 PM

Well best of luck. I just did my Jetta; took me 2 weeks. Only because I work too darn much, and I barely have time. It's a good thing I finished.
Post some photos.

rjd598 · 06-14-2013, 12:00 AM

i'm sure your car will turn out great but for future projects experiment with some other polishes! cg polishes are generally not a favorite but I have no doubt they will do the job

sensi09 · 06-14-2013, 04:43 AM

I suggest more pads, especially if you're doing the entire car at once. 2 or 3 more each (or even more) of the orange and white pads will be helpful.

Oh and haven't used the CG polishes, but I've read a few comments similar to what has been said above.

JFlo · 06-14-2013, 12:27 PM

Thanks for the replies guys! I was thinking about picking up some Menzerna products (seems to be very popular), but from what I have read they don't seem to do too well with DAs. You need at least a machine with forced rotation or even a high speed polisher. Please correct me if Im wrong... So far I've been using something called Glare which has been great, however it does not provide a great cut with a regular DA. The feel and longevity of the product was awesome though, it's not actually wax based but contains glassplexin; pretty interesting product!

Anyways, all I am hoping for with the new CG products is improved cut with my Porter Cable to get rid of the great majority of the swirls. I am afraid I might have to upgrade the machine to get the desired cut, and at that time I might give Menzerna a try!

Z K · 06-14-2013, 01:04 PM

It really depends on the paint on the car. Some paints like Jet Black are notoriously soft. You can do correction with an all in one like Werkstat Prime let alone pure polishes. Others are harder. I find that the Porter Cable with the 5 inch pads can do some good correction if you work it well.

My go-to combo is the low profile lake country hydrotech 5 inch pads with Carpro Fixer. Just by varying the pads, you can have a lot of cut or a finishing polish and no dust at all. Works great for simplicity and ease of use.

Menzerna SIP works great as well, but you really need a rotary polisher to make use of it. With the rotary you have to be really careful, you can burn paint easily. I've seen it happen and the end result is you need to repaint the panel... not fun. SIP and most Menzerna products also dust a lot.

darnelld · 06-14-2013, 01:15 PM

good luck. I am looking forward to the pics

JFlo · 06-14-2013, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z K

It really depends on the paint on the car. Some paints like Jet Black are notoriously soft. You can do correction with an all in one like Werkstat Prime let alone pure polishes. Others are harder. I find that the Porter Cable with the 5 inch pads can do some good correction if you work it well.

My go-to combo is the low profile lake country hydrotech 5 inch pads with Carpro Fixer. Just by varying the pads, you can have a lot of cut or a finishing polish and no dust at all. Works great for simplicity and ease of use.

Menzerna SIP works great as well, but you really need a rotary polisher to make use of it. With the rotary you have to be really careful, you can burn paint easily. I've seen it happen and the end result is you need to repaint the panel... not fun. SIP and most Menzerna products also dust a lot.

Thanks for the insight! But really!? I didnt know the different colors would have a different "hardness". I thought it was all in the clear coat, which I would imagine being the same across all the colors. Any insight on how the interlagos blue paint is?

But as you mention about the rotary and burning the paint is why I havent taken that step quite yet. I have lots of training with my PC but Im afraid of damaging the paint with a rotary. Thats' why I was considering something like the Makita BO6040 or the Flex 3401 as a happy medium, never tried it myself or seen it in use.

sensi09 · 06-14-2013, 07:19 PM

SIP works great with a porter cable. Their powergloss 1000 is the one that they recommend a rotary with. Not sure about FG400

JFlo · 06-18-2013, 11:21 AM

So to continue the discussion about the soft vs. hard paints... From what I have heard/read the Jet Black paint is notorious for being soft, however some people claim that the remaining colors are very hard.

I was curious to see what type of experiences people have had with the different colors. Especially with Interlagos Blue!

06-12-2013, 07:08 PM	#1
JFlo Private First Class 17 Rep 118 Posts Drives: 2009 BMW M3 Coupe DCT Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Northeast, FL iTrader: (0)	The big detail coming up! So as I recently acquired a 2009 E90 M3 and it is time for a little detail! I finally got my order(s) and I am planning on getting it done one of the coming week ends. Below is a picture of what I just picked up. I have only used CG's shampoo and wash products; I have the citrus wash that I used with my two buckets and the honey dew foam together with the foam gun/lance. I saw this new optical series that seems pretty good, and figured that I would give the line-up a try. Just briefly what I got (from left to right): Four new 5.5" pads (will use with with Porter Cable DA) Polishing pad conditioner Optical grade V34, V36 and V38 Lava Glow Wax (was planning on applying the wax with the black pad as recommended by CG) In the background just some new MF towels, as well as the dual xenon lamp. I got so tired of rolling the car in and out of the garage to see if I had gotten all the swirls! Please feel free til chime in with any general advice or something specific to the M3. I searched the forum and found a couple of interesting pointers that I wouldnt have thought of myself. Also if you have any experience with the products that I am about to try please let me know how you liked them, and how to best utilize them (pad combo etc.) Detailed write-up will follow for sure. Till then take care! Attached Images
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06-12-2013, 10:50 PM	#2
positiveions Lieutenant General 961 Rep 11,722 Posts Drives: 19 Tacoma, 16 Golf wagon Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Upland, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2019 Toyota Tacoma [0.00] 2016 VW Golf Sports ... [0.00] 1998 BMW M3 [0.00] 1990 BMW 325is [0.00]	Well best of luck. I just did my Jetta; took me 2 weeks. Only because I work too darn much, and I barely have time. It's a good thing I finished. Post some photos.
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06-14-2013, 12:00 AM	#3
rjd598 Banned 1770 Rep 6,696 Posts Drives: F30 340i Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: San Diego,CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2016 BMW 340i [0.00]	i'm sure your car will turn out great but for future projects experiment with some other polishes! cg polishes are generally not a favorite but I have no doubt they will do the job
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06-14-2013, 04:43 AM	#4
sensi09 Lieutenant Colonel 30 Rep 1,789 Posts Drives: . Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: socal iTrader: (1)	I suggest more pads, especially if you're doing the entire car at once. 2 or 3 more each (or even more) of the orange and white pads will be helpful. Oh and haven't used the CG polishes, but I've read a few comments similar to what has been said above.
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06-14-2013, 12:27 PM	#5
JFlo Private First Class 17 Rep 118 Posts Drives: 2009 BMW M3 Coupe DCT Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Northeast, FL iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the replies guys! I was thinking about picking up some Menzerna products (seems to be very popular), but from what I have read they don't seem to do too well with DAs. You need at least a machine with forced rotation or even a high speed polisher. Please correct me if Im wrong... So far I've been using something called Glare which has been great, however it does not provide a great cut with a regular DA. The feel and longevity of the product was awesome though, it's not actually wax based but contains glassplexin; pretty interesting product! Anyways, all I am hoping for with the new CG products is improved cut with my Porter Cable to get rid of the great majority of the swirls. I am afraid I might have to upgrade the machine to get the desired cut, and at that time I might give Menzerna a try!
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06-14-2013, 01:04 PM	#6
Z K Major General 1889 Rep 5,506 Posts Drives: E90 M3, G20 M340i Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Francisco iTrader: (3)	It really depends on the paint on the car. Some paints like Jet Black are notoriously soft. You can do correction with an all in one like Werkstat Prime let alone pure polishes. Others are harder. I find that the Porter Cable with the 5 inch pads can do some good correction if you work it well. My go-to combo is the low profile lake country hydrotech 5 inch pads with Carpro Fixer. Just by varying the pads, you can have a lot of cut or a finishing polish and no dust at all. Works great for simplicity and ease of use. Menzerna SIP works great as well, but you really need a rotary polisher to make use of it. With the rotary you have to be really careful, you can burn paint easily. I've seen it happen and the end result is you need to repaint the panel... not fun. SIP and most Menzerna products also dust a lot. __________________ Auto Detailing Enthusiast!
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06-14-2013, 01:15 PM	#7
darnelld Private First Class 4 Rep 110 Posts Drives: 2006 Mystic Blue ZCP E46 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Jose, CA iTrader: (0)	good luck. I am looking forward to the pics __________________ 2006 E46 ZCP Mystic Blue M3. 2008 E90 SSII M3. ///M
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06-14-2013, 07:19 PM	#9
sensi09 Lieutenant Colonel 30 Rep 1,789 Posts Drives: . Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: socal iTrader: (1)	SIP works great with a porter cable. Their powergloss 1000 is the one that they recommend a rotary with. Not sure about FG400
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06-18-2013, 11:21 AM	#10
JFlo Private First Class 17 Rep 118 Posts Drives: 2009 BMW M3 Coupe DCT Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Northeast, FL iTrader: (0)	So to continue the discussion about the soft vs. hard paints... From what I have heard/read the Jet Black paint is notorious for being soft, however some people claim that the remaining colors are very hard. I was curious to see what type of experiences people have had with the different colors. Especially with Interlagos Blue!
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