DIY paint correction results

[Boxer]

Coupla pics showing results of my personal attempt at paint correction. Have done it as an enthusiast about 10 years ago (back when Meguiars was all the rage) But never to this magnitude - I'd never done proper machine polishing (always by hand) nor clay bar, but bit the bullet and did the lot this time:

I have some harsh photos attached (full sun and max close up so you can even see the flecks in the metallic paint) which on black is never perfect, but you can now see minimal swirls and the paint looks very slick and wet.

Full sun very close up of metalic paint


Entire bonnet



Mirror


Mirror closeup



Polisher



Products used







Always said I’d never be as fussy with this car as previously and I’d put up with the defects that black always shows (particularly on a daily driver)

Up to now I've just been using Wolfgang products from waxit.com.au for ease and speed of use and they have been great – the pre-wax polish is really just a filler (fills swirls and blemishes and does no cleaning/cutting whatsoever) then the concourse wax seals the paint.

I’ve been using it for the last 6 months with great results (much better and easier to use than mu old products and it comes off so easily)

Well now I could start to feel fallout on the roof and bonnet from being parked outside at work under palm trees and with roadworks in the area. Also swirls were getting more apparent over time

I’ve never clayed a car before but thought the Sti needed it so got the Pinnacle clay bar and lube. Then two types of swirl remover, two levels of buffing pad for the Orbital sander and more microfiber.
I wanted to use the orbital to do the polishing, but I needed to ensure my orbital was up to scratch  ( Apparently minimum 5mm axial movement required, which the Bosch PEX12 does.)

Now All I have done so far is clay the bonnet (weird feeling, seems like you are scratching the shit outta the paint as it grabs and you can hear crunching for the first few strokes, then it comes smooth and its amazing what the clay bar looks like afterwards (a brown tinge from removing the fallout).
Then I did a quick light swirl removal Pinnacle product on the polishing pad, then a Wolfgang pre-wax enhancer and a Wolfgang wax.
I just wanted to see how these few steps went without going the Advanced swirl remover first (heavier cutting) then step it back to the light swirl.

I’m happy with the results, the paint has never felt as smooth and the swirls and blemishes are almost gone. There has been bugger all cutting done by these products as I still have a water mark in the paint so its good the compound isn’t reducing the paint thickness too much.

Next time I will do the Advance swirl remover as well and see if I can get the final few out



I must admit it was a lot of fun to do and mechanical buffing is so easy and quick (all up the bonnet took me an hour to do all 4 steps)

[2fast4u]

Awesome job mate. How much is the Bosch. I need something like that.

I was in at Waxit only last week . Picked up some great detailing gear. Is the Bosch a random orbital.

[invigrr8]

Great job mate.

You might have caught the detailing bug as well mate. Good stuff. I got into this stuff after seeing a few of the other member's cars and wanted to get mine like that as well.

I have forked out over $600 of stuff from Waxit, ZAS and Chem Guys. Only part I have detailed though was my front RH guard as I have been busy and/or lazy.

Did you have problems with your pads sticking to the Bosch? Have read on other forums that there was an issue with the surface bonding onto the velcro of the pads. I skimped when I bought my RO, so if this matter issue isn't much of a problem, I want to get myself a Bosch as well.

[Arith]

Great work, Boxer! Looks fantastic! Gotta love the look of black when it's at it's best!

[Spec B Wgn]

i've never heard of those products but the result looks fantastic.

i must admit a decent polisher helps.. i got the mothers palm polisher a slow orbital like your bosh for Xmas and it makes life so much easier..

great results... how do you go on the door & side panels... i find them harder to polish then the boot, bonnet and roof for obvious reasons.

any tricks you can pass on ?

[Boxer]

Thx guys,

Bosch sander is indeed a Random Orbit, but is the last of the old school ones made in Switzerland and is at least 10yrs old.

I had also heard some owners having probs with the pads attaching properly to the Bosch plates but I believe this is more the case with the newer models. mine holds fine.

I did also look at the Mothers palm, but was advised the RO will do a better job, as its a more industrial machine and has a 5mm shift to properly break the products down.

With the size of the pads being so large and flexible , it copes with curves and edges really well.

[Spec B Wgn]

so any tips for doors or side panels

[Mano™]

Great work, Boxer! Looks fantastic! Gotta love the look of black when it's at it's best!

+1 even looks good when it get's the gray affect (dirty)

[Boxer]

so any tips for doors or side panels

Wasn't being evasive - I dont have any real tips for the doors or side panels, as thus far I haven't had any dramas covering them. The pads I bought are very thick and quite a bit bigger in diametre compared to the Sanders mounting plate. This allows for such good flexibility to move across the edges and curves in panels evenly without lifting off or splattering.

For around the door handles & mirrors I suggest keeping a hand applicator pad handy and finishing off the panel with that after the machine buff

[moggy]

Looks nice, I must get onto the Waxit site and look at some goodies.

Bob.

[senator]

Looks nice, I must get onto the Waxit site and look at some goodies.

Bob.

well worth it, product and price a good and the service is even better, got any ??? just call..... and this coming from person that should wash there car more often........... as members here will agree.

[Boxer]

so any tips for doors or side panels

Actually one good tip now I have done the Advanced Swirl remover (which is more gluggy) Start your polisher on its slowest speed when first applying the polish - ripping into it on the doors at full speed flings the polish everyehere (even with a perforated pad)

Once you have a good spread - turn up the wick

[swingn]

Good stuff mate!

Great results I might add... Black cars can be very tricky.

[WhiteGTB]

Nice results!

[Mano™]

Come do mine then see if it's good results