Ok fellow CR owners what polishes are you using. I am currently using Meguiers polish but thinking of using there M80 polish. What yall think.

 

I use Scratch X on my 2007 Chili Red MCS. It's the only thing I've used that works on the invisible shield protection on the hood. Other stuff (including plastic polish) hazes up.

For everything else I use Swirl.

 

Are you polishing by hand ?

Time to get a PC Buffer and use polish that is not so abrasive like Scratch-X. That stuff is good for spot-use on tough spots like bird crap.

If you want a good protection for your paint while getting a deep, reflective shine.... Prima Swirl, Prima Amigo, two layers of Epic, let it cure at least one day between layers, let it cure another day, and top it off with Prima Banana Gloss.

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.



And here's another shot... except this is a pic of the door of my Jet Black MINI, the CR Cooper is a reflection. Also use the same products on the Jet Black MINI.

 

Meguires ?

I have been detailing cars for over 30 years and have tried them all. From California to Germany. Zaino by far is the BEST of them all.n It is like adding more layers of clear coat to the finish every time I use it.



http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

Even after driving in the rain, when I park the MINI in the garage, there are no water spots left on the surface.

No more heavy difficult buffing, waxing. One round with the clay bar, some Z5 swirl remover, wash with Z7, and spritz with Z6 and wipe down, that simple and easy. After that just continue with washing with Z7, dry surface and spritz with Z6 which has the consistency of water. After using this stuff, the cloth goes across my body decals like they are not even there. I highly reccomend this product for anyone with side, bonnet and boot decals as this product and application method does not turn up decal edges ect. Instead makes them more durable.

 

If this Zaino stuff is so good, where are the pics ??

Come on now, put your pics where your mouth is !

 

Go to their web site, I will shoot some when I have a chance, in the meantime why not just go to their web site and paruse their gallery and testimonials.

Like I said, I have been detailing cars since 1979, this stuff rocks! And it is soooo easy even a cave man can do it.

 

Go to their website ??

Who wants to see Ferraris and Lambos ? I want to see YOUR MINI.

And no, I don't want any GEICO ads, either.

 

Here, I'll save you the trouble.




Nice MINI... not sure if you used Zaino products on it just before this pic. It looks clean, but hard to get DS to be reflective and show a deep shine. Maybe someone else can post pics of a CR with Zaino.

Ps. Still have the stripes on the boot or did you go ahead and take them off ?

 

Scatch -X isn't very abrasive, it breaks down with use, it's a great overall hand and PC polish. I use Swirl in other places and I think it's a great product. Yes, I do have a PC and use it all the time.

 

q

 

I use a pc. As i stated above i have been using the same meguiers polish for years and have changed looking for something a tad bit more abrasive for scratches here and there. Zaino out i dont like it. Thinking of another meguiers product or prima or griots.

 

Some pics of a CR I did with Zaino a couple of years ago.






This MINI was about 4 years old when I did this work on it, and had never been waxed.

Mark

 

Explain "breaks down with use". I thought polishes were supposed to break down, or become less abrasive as they were worked.

Mark

 

You answered your own question.

 

Hey, Mark... since you've worked with both Zaino and Prima products, do you have a preference, and why ?

And to the Scratch-X user... you use that with your PC Buffer ? Never heard of anyone doing that.

 

I find the Prima line of products to be more complete, and less complicated to understand. That said the end results are more or less the same, and the durability is the same. The main difference for me is the customer support that Detailers Paradise offers both one on one, and here to the membership of this forum.

jimmieshear, this is a forum about helping each other, so it tends to be more helpful to explain a statement, rather than just make one without explaining what your talking about. I don't need an explanation on how/why polishes work, but others may.

Mark

 

Ok so if i want a mild polish in the prima line which do i want to try?

 

I always start with Swirl. It's not as abrasive as their Cut polish but more abrasive than the Finish or Amigo.

Now, if you have paint that has very minor swirl marks or scratches, maybe you can get away with skipping the Swirl and using the Finish.

If you use Swirl, go to Amigo afterwards.

 

I don't know what you mean by explain my statement. There's been some rather odd focus on why I use Scratch X. So I guess if that's the question, even though it hasn't been asked, I'll explain. Oh one other thing so there's not "More" confusion, I don't endorse this stuff, in fact I prefer Prima's great products. I use Swirl and Amigo followed up by Epic, with regular washing followed by hydro.

I use it on my invisible bra on the car. I have a full hood wrap that doesn't take kindly to most of the polishes I use. Scratch-X appears to be the only thing in my garage that doesn't add a weird haze to the finish. I've used Swirl before, but had to finish up with Scratch-X (by hand) to remove the odd haze from the finish.

As far as the info on "Scratch-X" that came from a DVD I got my hands on. I think it was from Car Care Garage or something like that. The guy had some great tips on how to hand polish (using Scratch-X) and how to polish using the PC. There's numerous web-sites that have similar information regarding Scratch-X and it's "diminishing abrasive breakdown". If that's the info you're looking for.

 

I've never had a problem with hazing from using any of the Prima products, and that includes using it on my clear bra.

Which film do you have on your MINI ? I have the 3M brand.

 

Venture shield, from a guy around the area who does fantastic work. I'm glad Swirl works for ya It doesn't on my clear bra.

 

My last car was red, and for a simple wax job inbetween really polishing it, I used the colored Turtle Wax... They make a red wax and its great. Really adds depth to the color.. I've used the blue on my first car, which was light blue and the black was amazing on my black mustang... kept the white haze off of it that you always get with normal wax... also if it gets in any little rock chips it doesnt turn white

 

Not all polishes breakdown with use, only diminishing abrasives will. Rubbing compounds will not breakdown and are therefore more aggressive. Scratch-X, Z-PC and Prima Finish, Swirl and Cut all use diminishing abrasives.
I use Prima Swirl now but started out with Z-PC. For me Swirl works better, it is more predictable, has more range and works well with the different pads with minimal splatter and no clumping. Z-PC was less aggressive and took longer to effect the changes I was looking for plus splatter was an issue due to its rather thin consistency. I would put Scratch-X in the same abrasive category as Z-PC although it is thicker. BTW Scratch-X has been reformulated to work with rotary tools (really the only change is they made it a bit thinner). I've used Scratch-X with a PCDA but pad clumping was a huge issue. Still I use it for spot applications.

 

Sounds like you got my DVD...How to use the PC for Show Car Results. It was made by the joint venture company I had back then called Show Car Garage..which became Show Car Detailing after Mike, the host on the video, stayed with Meguiar's.


http://www.showcarsupplies.com/shopexd.asp?id=62&bc=no

And once and for all, this is a DETAILING FORUM. Please learn to spell names (not aimed at any one person). It's MEGUIAR's. Not Macguires or anything else. I know it's difficult to remember, but is IS important.

In fact it's VERY important because I love it when I read someone that says they use or have used Meguiar's polishes for years. I have to ask..which polish was that? None of their consumer polishes were formulated for machine use until a few years ago when ScratchX was changed. Prior to that...the Deep Crystal polishes were hand applied paint cleaners.

If you're considering to use M80...I say forget it. Either go to M205 or Prima Swirl..both are superior to the M80/M83 products.

I prefer Swirl over M205...but everyone has their preferences.

As for the comment about Zaino...it's good stuff to make paint very slippery and very mirror like...but it's just not that great for making paint look it's best..unless you think black paint is supposed to look look white because it's so reflective.

Richard

 

I don't know any professional detailers who regularly stock the Prima line. It's just not that great. I know I'm going to get pelted for saying that here, but it is what it is. I suppose it's nice for an OTC line, but I think Meguiar's offers a higher quality line-up. Especially their new NXT stuff. A rep dropped some off some NXT Tech Wax 2.0 for me and I was pretty impressed.
As far as the Zaino discussion goes, I think it's a great product. But I rarely use it as a stand alone or LSP.
For example:

With this car, I used three layers of Z-2 pro and then topped it off with a coat of Swissvax Concorso (51% Carnauba). I don't think it looks like a mirror, but the reflection balances nicely with the depth.

There, hope everything is spelled right.