Ask a Professional Detailer...

[Detailed Image]

I was using their dual sided black and white foam pad. The white side is the second to their least agressive pad. The white side was used for the whole process as the black side is meant for waxing. I was also letting the machine do the work and never applied too much pressure at all going very slowly. I when in vertical and horizontal directions and overlapped everytime. The area is just not as deep dark black and reflections are not as sharp as the untouched areas. I seems like the clear coat just went dull and I didn't get the shine back.

I spoke with Adams customer service and they are thinking I may have burned the paint becasue I went up to 6000 OPM. They were thinking I should have kept the speed to 3000 opm and changed to a more agresssive pad. I thought the whole idea of using the PC is that you can't burn the paint with it? How am I supposed to know when to start increasing the speed or to change pads?

BTW are you familar with their product line? Thanks again.

The PC isn't going to burn the paint, I hate to say this but that is just an excuse they gave you for not knowing what went wrong. Using a more aggressive pad would have only added to the hazing and was poor advice. You always want to match the aggressiveness of the polish with the aggressiveness of the pad.

Polishes will not get fully broken down with the PC unless you are using speed setting 5 or 6 as I mentioned before. Using a slower speed is going to leave you with medium sized abrasive particles and without breaking them down smaller and smaller they are making bigger "cuts" in the clear coat, which is why it looks hazy. If you continued polishing so the abrasives broke down smaller and smaller, you are left with a smoother, clearer clear coat.

I haven't personally used the Adam's line of products, so I cannot give you my suggestions on those specific products you have. Many professionals turn to the Menzerna line of polishes, which are often argued to have the finest finishing polishes available, specifically with their PO106FF polish.

I personally think if you refine your technique with the PC you'll see improved results. How many total passes were made over each area? You said you made overlapping passes going horizontal and vertical, was it just once through (this would in my mind mean you made 4 total passes)? How fast did you move the PC? It should be worked at a speed of 1" - 2" per second, which is very slow and I suggest making anywhere from 6 - 8 passes over each area. Oh yea, did you use the same white pad for both polishes?

We'll figure out the problem and get you the results you are looking for.

George

 

[Liquid]

George, can you recommend a product for the plastic/urethane areas of the car to make them look a deep, rich black again? I have gotten some polish on stuff like the wind deflector on the wipers and the OEM lip and I don't think the aerospace protectant is what I need to cover it up or remove it. Thank you very much.

 

[Detailed Image]

A lot of members have had good luck with Leatherique Original Rubber Black. This is a dye that works on vinyl and rubber and really restores a deep matte factory finish for trim pieces. The key to a long lasting coat is properly prepping the surface with an all purpose cleaner, specific for whatever surface you are trying to restore. With other restoration products, they do have a limited life (couple of months) before requiring another application.

You are right though, Aerospace Protectant is more of a UV protection, not a trim restorer.

George

 

[AdvansCPAP]

The PC isn't going to burn the paint, I hate to say this but that is just an excuse they gave you for not knowing what went wrong. Using a more aggressive pad would have only added to the hazing and was poor advice. You always want to match the aggressiveness of the polish with the aggressiveness of the pad.

Polishes will not get fully broken down with the PC unless you are using speed setting 5 or 6 as I mentioned before. Using a slower speed is going to leave you with medium sized abrasive particles and without breaking them down smaller and smaller they are making bigger "cuts" in the clear coat, which is why it looks hazy. If you continued polishing so the abrasives broke down smaller and smaller, you are left with a smoother, clearer clear coat.

I haven't personally used the Adam's line of products, so I cannot give you my suggestions on those specific products you have. Many professionals turn to the Menzerna line of polishes, which are often argued to have the finest finishing polishes available, specifically with their PO106FF polish.

I personally think if you refine your technique with the PC you'll see improved results. How many total passes were made over each area? You said you made overlapping passes going horizontal and vertical, was it just once through (this would in my mind mean you made 4 total passes)? How fast did you move the PC? It should be worked at a speed of 1" - 2" per second, which is very slow and I suggest making anywhere from 6 - 8 passes over each area. Oh yea, did you use the same white pad for both polishes?

We'll figure out the problem and get you the results you are looking for.

George

You said you made overlapping passes going horizontal and vertical, was it just once through (this would in my mind mean you made 4 total passes)? - it seemed like I did it at least 5-8 times, but not just once for sure.
How fast did you move the PC? It should be worked at a speed of 1" - 2" per second, which is very slow and I suggest making anywhere from 6 - 8 passes over each area. - I did it exactly that way
Oh yea, did you use the same white pad for both polishes? - yes, thats what they told me to do.

I actually stopped by their location yesterday to find out what I'm doing wrong. The paint wasn't close to being burnt when they looked at it. Their detailer suggested I apply their polish only by hand (gets better results he said) with alot of pressure which is totally opposite of what you're saying of using the PC. When the guy did it by hand on my car, it just made the paint darker, but in the light I could still see the swirles and spiderwebbing caused by the bodyshop's rotory buffer. Thats my first concern I wanted to address. BTW, this is all on 1-2 month old fresh black paint.

I'm going to give their polish one more try and most likely will be placing an order from your store. Thank you.

 

[NSX GT]

A lot of members have had good luck with Leatherique Original Rubber Black. This is a dye that works on vinyl and rubber and really restores a deep matte factory finish for trim pieces. The key to a long lasting coat is properly prepping the surface with an all purpose cleaner, specific for whatever surface you are trying to restore. With other restoration products, they do have a limited life (couple of months) before requiring another application.

You are right though, Aerospace Protectant is more of a UV protection, not a trim restorer.

George

Does this work on the outside trim above the door handle that is painted black on the 91-94? My is oxidized and faded on the side.

 

[Detailed Image]

Oh yea, did you use the same white pad for both polishes? - yes, thats what they told me to do.

I'm going to give their polish one more try and most likely will be placing an order from your store. Thank you.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you applied two coats of different polishes with a single pad? One thing I stress to detailers is to allocate different pads for products. Mixing products on the same pad can often yield unwanted results. Here's why. If you are polishing with a more aggressive polish, a slight haze is to be expected due to the aggressiveness of the polish. If you use the same pad for your finishing polish, there is still plenty of the previous polish remaining on that pad. As you polish again with that same pad with the finer abrasives on the finishing polish are being mixed together with the remains of the larger abrasives from the more aggressive polish and you are not finishing the paint properly.

I personally use 3 - 4 pads per coat of polish. I'll swap out for a clean pad after completing 1/3rd or 1/4 of the vehicle. Fresh pads when performing paint correction is a huge factor. If you do not clean or swap out your pad before the polish just gets caked up and it will not yield the results you are looking for. Saturated pads also can bog down the buffer due to the excess weight and shorten it's life.

Let me know how the second attempt goes, if you do not achieve the results you are looking for, I'll help point you in the right direction.

Does this work on the outside trim above the door handle that is painted black on the 91-94? My is oxidized and faded on the side.

I looked up the model NSX that you are referring to and do not thing that the Leatherique Rubber Dye would be your best option. This product usually works best on textured vinyl or rubber. The area you are describing seems to be smooth and coated (correct me if I'm wrong). I do not think the dye would hold too well on that specific area.

George

 

[NSX GT]

Hello,
I'm new to this forum. I haven't heard anyone comment on any of the P&S products. I know most of the professional body shops use this product. Has anyone experience this?? I use it all the time and it works wonders on my car.

Also, how can I get red of fading/oxidation off by B-Pillars Exterior side. The top part is showing a little fading. Anything can be done besides paint and replace?
I already tried Maguire's Plastic stuff. Did not work.

 

[Detailed Image]

Hello,
I'm new to this forum. I haven't heard anyone comment on any of the P&S products. I know most of the professional body shops use this product. Has anyone experience this?? I use it all the time and it works wonders on my car.

Also, how can I get red of fading/oxidation off by B-Pillars Exterior side. The top part is showing a little fading. Anything can be done besides paint and replace?
I already tried Maguire's Plastic stuff. Did not work.

I haven't heard of the P&S line of products. There are so many products that don't see much of the consumer market, especially if they are geared towards body shops or bulk detailers.

Is the b-pillar plastic? You can try trim restorer products on there, but the results are usually only temporary.

George

 

[Benelli90]

George,

I'm slowly building my NSX cleaning toolbox and need you help matching products with a couple of my needs...

1) I need a brush which I can use to clean the inside of my 94 OEM wheels. I can take the wheels off for serious cleaning but want a tool for the weekly cleaning.

2) Something for cleaning and maintaining the beautiul tan leather in the car

Thanks in advance for the help!
Stephen

 

[NSX GT]

I haven't heard of the P&S line of products. There are so many products that don't see much of the consumer market, especially if they are geared towards body shops or bulk detailers.

Is the b-pillar plastic? You can try trim restorer products on there, but the results are usually only temporary.

George

Thank you George. How easy would it be to remove the b pillars exterior and paint them back. These are made of hard plastic. Would the paint hold on this piece? Suggestion?

 

[Senninha]

Hi George,

Apologies if I've missed the answers elsewhere in this helpful thread.

I would like to detail the cabin of my NSX which has the black leather upholstery. Previous owners have used silicone based products that have left an unwelcome shiney finish to the dash and door cards. It was on the leather too but I have cleaned and fed the leather which has helped to reduce the shine.

I would welcome your thoughts on a) how to remove this shine to the cabin and b) suggested products to use for best effect.

My aim is to restore the factory matt finish to the interior. I'm UK based so it would be helpful if you know of products available here.

Thanks in advance, Paul

 

[Detailed Image]

George,

I'm slowly building my NSX cleaning toolbox and need you help matching products with a couple of my needs...

1) I need a brush which I can use to clean the inside of my 94 OEM wheels. I can take the wheels off for serious cleaning but want a tool for the weekly cleaning.

2) Something for cleaning and maintaining the beautiul tan leather in the car

Thanks in advance for the help!
Stephen

Unfortunately we don't sell many brushes. It's tough to find ones that do not add imperfections in the finish. Ideally to minimize imperfections, look for a boars hair brush, they are the safest brushes available but also more expensive. OXO makes a pretty decent line of brushes as well, but are not boars hair if I recall correctly.

For your leather, my favorite products are the Leatherique Prestine Clean and Rejuvenator Oil. They provide some of the deepest conditioning and restore a factory matte finish. It is a unique and time consuming process to apply correctly and the instructions on the bottle do not accurately describe how to use the products. This is how we recommend using them:

Prior to Use:
The selected surface should be vacuumed and wiped down with a damp cloth.

Products Recommended:
Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil
Leatherique Prestine Clean – Required to remove Rejuvenator Oil
Applicator Pad – Required to apply Prestine Clean
Cotton Towels x2 – Required to remove Prestine Clean

Steps Taken:
1. Vacuum seats thoroughly and wipe down with a damp towel to ensure all loose debris is removed prior to working the product.
2. Apply Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil by hand and massage into the leather or leatherette, using generous amounts to the stitching and cracked areas
3. Allow Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil to sit on your seats for up to 24 hours, we suggest parking the vehicle in the sun to create a sauna effect while the product is penetrating your seats.
3a. Multiple applications may be required for hardened and discolored leather.
4. Apply Prestine Clean directly onto the seats with a terry cloth applicator pad, using generous amounts around stitching and cracked areas
5. Allow Prestine Clean to penetrate leather for 15 – 30 minutes
6. Remove Prestine Clean with a warm damp cotton towel
7. Buff completely dry with a new dry cotton towel

For a simple 1 step combination that works well at cleaning, conditioning and protecting, Poorboy's Leather Stuff is a great product.

If you have any questions on anything, let me know.

Thank you George. How easy would it be to remove the b pillars exterior and paint them back. These are made of hard plastic. Would the paint hold on this piece? Suggestion?

Unfortunately painting is not my area of expertise. From my limited knowledge of painting, to get the paint to hold you can scuff the surface prior to applying your coat of primer by lightly wet sanding the surface. This will help the primer hold properly and allow you to achieve the best possible hold from the paint. Please consult a body shop or paint expert though before trying this.

Hi George,

Apologies if I've missed the answers elsewhere in this helpful thread.

I would like to detail the cabin of my NSX which has the black leather upholstery. Previous owners have used silicone based products that have left an unwelcome shiney finish to the dash and door cards. It was on the leather too but I have cleaned and fed the leather which has helped to reduce the shine.

I would welcome your thoughts on a) how to remove this shine to the cabin and b) suggested products to use for best effect.

My aim is to restore the factory matt finish to the interior. I'm UK based so it would be helpful if you know of products available here.

Thanks in advance, Paul

Paul good questions. From what you described to me, I see two steps in your future. A step to prep the surface and remove any of the remaining product from the surface and a step to protect and dress the surface.

Usually an all purpose cleaner diluted to the proper ratio would work well. Some products that I am familiar with would be:

303 Fabric & Vinyl Cleaner
303 Cleaner & Spot Remover
Poorboy's World Biodegradable APC
Folex
Woolite
Isopropyl Alcohol diluted with distilled water

For the concentrated products, you would want to make sure you dilute them to the proper strength for the surface you are cleaning.

After you properly prep the surface. Treat it with a water based interior dressing. Water based dressings usually have a matte finish or very little gloss to them. Just check the bottle to ensure that there is not any silicone or petroleum distillates present.

Some I recommend to our customers:

303 Aerospace Protectant
Poorboy's World Natural Look
Optimum Protectant Plus

Let us know how things turn out for you.

George

 

[tjobeid]

How do you get superglue off the paint? :frown:

 

[Detailed Image]

How do you get superglue off the paint? :frown:

I'd try to get your hands on some 3M Adhesive Remover. Soak a corner of a microfiber towel with it, and let the adhesive remover soak into the super glue. With your fingernail pick at the top of the super glue (do not try to get the base, you'll scratch the paint). After you've removed the glue, consider going over the affected area with a clay bar, and or polish to remove any etching that may have occurred. Also, any area that you've used the adhesive remover on, make sure you reprotect those areas with your choice of sealant or wax.

Take your time with it, it could require multiple applications. Good luck.

George

 

[NSXclear]

My local Walmarts carry the 3M wax and adhesive remover. Look for it in the automotive paint cabinet under glass and key.

 

[jordansx]

George,

First I'd like to thank you for providing such a helpful resouce on prime. Well my problem is I live in Las Vegas and my car gets dusty extremely fast. I've tried using the California Magic Duster but to my dismay it scratched the $hit out of my paint. I wash my car weekly but after a really short period of time the entire finish will be dull and have acumulated dust. Do you have any suggestions as to what I can use to remove the dust while not compromsing my paints finish? I was thinking of using Swiffer disposable dusters. But there has to be a better solution. Thanks in advanced for your help.

-jordan

 

[tjobeid]

I'd try to get your hands on some 3M Adhesive Remover. Soak a corner of a microfiber towel with it, and let the adhesive remover soak into the super glue. With your fingernail pick at the top of the super glue (do not try to get the base, you'll scratch the paint). After you've removed the glue, consider going over the affected area with a clay bar, and or polish to remove any etching that may have occurred. Also, any area that you've used the adhesive remover on, make sure you reprotect those areas with your choice of sealant or wax.

Take your time with it, it could require multiple applications. Good luck.

George

Man i was pissed when this happened . but it came off . thank you for all your help . I got quote for 350$ to clean it off and have the car rapolished waxed and buffed with some shampoo. I was like thats way to much as might as well paint the fender.:redface:

 

[Detailed Image]

George,

First I'd like to thank you for providing such a helpful resouce on prime. Well my problem is I live in Las Vegas and my car gets dusty extremely fast. I've tried using the California Magic Duster but to my dismay it scratched the $hit out of my paint. I wash my car weekly but after a really short period of time the entire finish will be dull and have acumulated dust. Do you have any suggestions as to what I can use to remove the dust while not compromsing my paints finish? I was thinking of using Swiffer disposable dusters. But there has to be a better solution. Thanks in advanced for your help.

-jordan

Jordan,

I get asked this question pretty frequently. The best thing I can recommend for removing a light dusting is to use a very plush microfiber towel, and a quick detailer product that has cleaning lubricants (not spray on waxes or sealants). We offer an Ultra Plush Microfiber Towel and I would recommend using Poorboys Spray & Wipe as your quick detailer. This is one of our best selling products used specifically for removing a light dusting or many detailers use it as a waterless wash when the paint is not overly contaminated.

The lubricating cleaners that the quick detailer offers that helps lift and release dust and other contamination from the surface. Couple that with a plush microfiber towel and you minimize the risk of marring your finish.

Hope this helps, thanks for the positive feedback!

George

 

[jordansx]

Thanks George for the quick reply. I'll be ordering the products you suggested from your site.

 

[dxd]

Hi George,

I have some hard water stains on my paint that will not come off with washing or a white vinegar solution. They do come off with the clay bar. My question is: How often can you safely clay bar a car? I did it about 5 months ago and I do not want ot do it so often that I take clear coat off.


Thanks for the advice!

D

 

[Detailed Image]

Hi George,

I have some hard water stains on my paint that will not come off with washing or a white vinegar solution. They do come off with the clay bar. My question is: How often can you safely clay bar a car? I did it about 5 months ago and I do not want ot do it so often that I take clear coat off.

Thanks for the advice!

D

Claying can be performed as frequently as you wish, but usually is between 1 - 3 times per year. Using quality clay lube an a fine grade clay bar minimizes marring and only removes loose bits of clear coat. Think of it similar to exfoliating your skin. Certainly if the last time you clayed was 5 months ago, you are perfectly fine. I wouldn't worry about removing clear coat when you clay bar, it's such a minimal amount, it would never add to up to damaging your clear coat.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

jordansx - thanks for the positive feedback and your support!

George

 

[dxd]

Thanks George!

Your advice and products are always top notch!

 

[ChongLee]

is it safe or wise to wash a newly painted car?
newly as in, just came out the paint shop a few days ago.

 

[Detailed Image]

is it safe or wise to wash a newly painted car?
newly as in, just came out the paint shop a few days ago.

Yes, you can perform most of the detailing steps, however, you do not want to apply a sealant or a wax until the paint has properly cures. This means you can wash & dry, clay, polish, and glaze your fresh paint. I'd check with the place who painted your vehicle to see how long they recommend letting the paint cure before applying a coat of sealant or wax. Typically it's between 90 - 120 days before paint fully cures.

George

 

[ChongLee]

thanks george.

i have a part2 to that question;
are those 'absorber' skin-like towel
a good thing to use to dry the car?