re: Car/truck exterior care question

quote:

---

Is it hard to really screw the paint up with a high speed grinder type polisher?

---

It's not hard at all. You MAY be better off paying a body shop to do it for you......seriously.

quote:

---

Also, what's the best way to remove dried wax from black plastic parts, like the tailgate handle? I have a little that dried before I could get it off.

---

I would think Windex with an old toothbrush would get if off fairly easy.

quote:

---

When I washed & waxed my truck Sunday I noticed a few spots that wouldn't come out so I started researching clay bars which lead me to clay towels, erasers, etc. I want to get the spots (they're not water spots) out. FYI I don't wash my truck every week but I don't want the paint all dicked up either.

---

Those spots are likely defects in your clear coat, which as I mentioned early, clay bar will not remove. Clay bar will only remove the particulate from the surface, it won't actually correct any paint.

quote:

---

Is it hard to really screw the paint up with a high speed grinder type polisher?

---

If you use a standard rotary polisher (meaning the pad only rotates) then yes it's quite easy to burn through clear coat.

But if using an orbital buffer (spins and oscillates) with a clutch built in (no clutch is called "forced rotation") it's actually very difficult to screw up your paint.

Here are a few I would advise with the top recommendation being the Porter Cable:

I've been using this exact same model Porter Cable for nearly 5 years and my detailing friend who taught me how to detail has one going on 10+. For around $100 it's an excellent value and will give you years of use.

https://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-7346SP-6-Inch-Random-Polishing/dp/B002EQ96MG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1501092859&sr=8-2&keywords=porter+cable+orbital



If you're feeling crazier you can invest in a Rupes polisher. The upside of the Rupes is that it has a 21mm throw so it covers a lot more area quickly. But you'll likely still need a small pad with the PC polisher to get the pillars and small panels.

https://www.amazon.com/Rupes-LHR21ES-Random-Orbital-Polisher/dp/B00F5MCF3S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501092996&sr=8-1&keywords=rupes+buffer



And if you want forced rotation (no clutch to stop the rotation on corners) get a Flex polisher.

https://www.amazon.com/Flex-XC3401VRG-Positive-Drive-Rotary-Orbital-Polisher/dp/B001DB0NVG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501093053&sr=8-1&keywords=flex+buffer



Also take note of what kind of backplate and polishing pad you use. Autogeek has excellent backplates for Lake Country pads. Get one that threads onto the PC and you won't ever have to buy one again. If you wanted to buy the polishing pads and the buffer together, Autogeek pairs them nicely.

https://www.autogeek.net/lc43125.html

They make different levels of pads in terms of cut so you will need to get the right one for your paint. Some clear coat is super hard and needs a stronger cut and some clear is super soft and scratches easily even with a medium cut compound. Here are some helpful charts:



I find the most common pads I use are orange and blue, using the orange for heavy compounding and the blue for the finish polish if doing a two step polish (85%-95% correction). If only doing a one-step polish (65%-75% correction) I usually use a white pad.



Most common I use for a one-step polish is the IP with a white pad. For a two step, I like the SF with a blue pad for the finishing step.

And the best cutting compound I've found is Meguiar's M101. It has crazy cutting ability without scorching your paint. M101 with an orange pad will get rid of almost anything short of wet sanding.



And to reiterate loudly:

If you want your paint to last and not look like crap, stop going through automated carwashes. The brushes are not helping your paint, they are only putting more scratches on your clear coat.

quote:

---

Also, what's the best way to remove dried wax from black plastic parts, like the tailgate handle

---

Try isopropyl alcohol or nail polish remover. Unfortunately unpainted plastics will age from sunlight and nature no matter what. You could also use Mother's Back to Black to hydrate the plastic and make it look shiny. But it will still not permanently get rid of the fading.

(Sorry for all the text - Bookmarking for later use).