So I have an old Skoda with many thousands of small and larger scratches and marks etc.

I bought Meguiars paint renovation kit (I also bought that g3 clay mitt which was super easy) and went through the motions finishing with the ultimate compound (I didn't get time to wax it).

Now all looked alright and I was pretty happy with having erased a bunch of marks - until I got in on the garage forecourt to refuel it and noticed lots of horrible swirl marks and linear marks.

I've followed two bucket techniques and all sorts so I'm not sure where I went wrong.

All advice and thoughts welcome.

P.s. I was a cheapskate and bought Car plan Demon Snow Foam. It's frankly rubbish. I think I washed just as well last time NOT using it. I realise I should probably buy that autobrite group buy but can't justify the expense right now!

Hi fella. Is your car a dark coloured car. As dark colours are prone to 'hologramming' and need to be followed up with a fine cut polish. Silver and light coloured cars it isn't noticeable but dark ones need a little more attention.

Directhoses do a snow foam lance almost identical to the Autobrite one for £25 (£29 posted), just google Directhoses.

It's atol Green. It's not really dark. I'm worried I introduced some sand or grit or something! £29 is still more than I ought to spend right now!

Sorry to hear matey, I am afraid it sounds like problems with the Ultimate Compound.

For an over the counter product this is a very aggressive cutting polish, and difficult to work by hand.

How long did you spend polishing the car, if it is less than 4 hours then I am afraid you probably have tried to work too large an area at once. Also Ultimate Compound has non diminishing abrasive technology which means the abrasives don't break down, this will give a good cut, but the polish doesn't become finer and more refined as you work. Think grades of sandpaper. So even with a long hand polishing session, you will need to follow up with a further step of fine polish to remove holograms. There are a few threads out there on the web that describe your exact situation, fortunately this can all be corrected. Let us know which products you have available and I can recommend which to lead with to correct this.

Hi fella. Is your car a dark coloured car. As dark colours are prone to 'hologramming' and need to be followed up with a fine cut polish. Silver and light coloured cars it isn't noticeable but dark ones need a little more attention.

Directhoses do a snow foam lance almost identical to the Autobrite one for £25 (£29 posted), just google Directhoses.

Noooo!!!!!

 

I want, I want, I want!!!!

 

New kitchen says i cannot have... :(

 

Can we start a detailing charity fund for me please?!?!

Sorry to hear matey, I am afraid it sounds like problems with the Ultimate Compound.

For an over the counter product this is a very aggressive cutting polish, and difficult to work by hand.

How long did you spend polishing the car, if it is less than 4 hours then I am afraid you probably have tried to work too large an area at once. Also Ultimate Compound has non diminishing abrasive technology which means the abrasives don't break down, this will give a good cut, but the polish doesn't become finer and more refined as you work. Think grades of sandpaper. So even with a long hand polishing session, you will need to follow up with a further step of fine polish to remove holograms. There are a few threads out there on the web that describe your exact situation, fortunately this can all be corrected. Let us know which products you have available and I can recommend which to lead with to correct this.

You are a super helpful legend.

No I did not spend 4 hours! Nothing like. Maybe an hour.

I have currently the Meg kit. The g3 mitt. Maybe some auto Glyn super resin somewhere and some awful snow foam. That's it for now!

I fancy if you work Super Resin well into the paintwork by hand you will see a most pleasant transformation

I fancy if you work Super Resin well into the paintwork by hand you will see a most pleasant transformation

Thanks

Should I spend more hours ultimate compounding first do you reckon?

Thanks

Should I spend more hours ultimate compounding first do you reckon?

Thanks

Should I spend more hours ultimate compounding first do you reckon?

Suggest not.

General rule of polishing is to start with the least aggressive solution first. If you really take care and work the SRP with something like a Microfibre applicator (google the kent set of 3), I think you will be good.

All of this without a picture is of course guesswork.

I've just recently used Megs Ultimate Compound by hand followed by AG SRP and the result was amazing. No swirls etc at all.

Sent from my PID using Tapatalk

Sorry to hear matey, I am afraid it sounds like problems with the Ultimate Compound.

For an over the counter product this is a very aggressive cutting polish, and difficult to work by hand.

 . . . .  Also Ultimate Compound has non diminishing abrasive technology which means the abrasives don't break down, this will give a good cut, but the polish doesn't become finer and more refined as you work. . . . . . . 

 

I've used Ultimate Compound on several vehicles and have never had a problem.  The key, as you point out, is to know how to use the product, but as I understand it and although it doesn't have a diminishing cut, the level of cut is related to the pressure applied when using the product.

 

Admittedly, I have used it with a Megs DA polisher, which will obviously speed up the process, but from my own experience light press on the machine results in s fine cut, removing light marks and scratches, however for the removal of deeper marks, more initial pressure applied to the machine then a gradual reduction refines the finish ready for the next step in the process regardless of whether I use a polish or wax. 

All helpful stuff. Thank you all. I've got some relatively deep distinct marks so feel inclined to use ultimate compound on the stubborn stuff with decreasing pressure then move to the super resin. If that works great. If not I'll move onto AG SRP or Pl.

Edited 14 April, 201412 yr by joncc

All of this without a picture is of course guesswork.

Could easily get a few pictures - although not sure it'll show the scratches as well as I'd hope. I suppose if they do show though this would be useful in getting all your good advice!

Farecla do a G3 applicator waffle pads. A pack of two one harder for polishing and one black one for applying wax . You can get from Halfords. When used with gtechnic p1 gives as good results as a machine polisher ( if a lot more hard work ) p1 is not cheap but very cost affective and safe Being water based no residue and can spray mist to prolong. Super resin polish gives initial good results but contains filler to mask swirls so you wash it and they return

Farecla do a G3 applicator waffle pads. A pack of two one harder for polishing and one black one for applying wax . You can get from Halfords. When used with gtechnic p1 gives as good results as a machine polisher ( if a lot more hard work ) p1 is not cheap but very cost affective and safe Being water based no residue and can spray mist to prolong. Super resin polish gives initial good results but contains filler to mask swirls so you wash it and they return

True but a good LSP over SRP will prolong the life well, I am also often surprised how well it can finish as a polish, even with an IPA inspection after.

The comments above on SMAT or non-diminishing abrasives are totally true though, ultimate compound's cut can definitely be varied with different hand polishing pad firmness and pressure applied. However if we compare it to Meguiars 105 and 205 polishes from the pro range and other Meguiars polishes Meguiars 105 has the heaviest cut for compounding, then directly after you have UC , it has a really heavy cut for an over the counter product.

I would never expect 105 to give the results of a dedicated finishing polish and so neither would I expect that of UC, it needs a two step process with a second polish to refine the results.

As Alan has said, correction by hand needs the right hand pads, and is ruddy hard work.

I still say give SRP a try and see where you get.

Ok Thanks. I'm just very conscious that there are numerous significant scratches. If I SRP will it be harder to go back and use the UC again?

Edited 15 April, 201412 yr by joncc

Ok Thanks. I'm just very conscious that there are numerous significant scratches. If I SRP will it be harder to go back and use the UC again?

Nope, not at all.

Worried by "significant" though, do these look like deep scratches?

There are some that are I think. I might make a video and add to YouTube! Of the car I mean...

Nope, not at all.

Worried by "significant" though, do these look like deep scratches?

Had a go with the SRP - think it's about 12 years old. Maybe older. Nonetheless made a good impact. Still some stubborn marks/deeper scratches that show but overall it's looking a lot better. At the moment each weekend I'm just cleaning it and performing the next stage - so on Saturday I'll be snow foaming and shampooing then doing whatever you recommend next! I'll only be allowed an hour by familial commitments! Suspect it needs something doing on the deeper scratches then a polish and wax.

All suggestions welcome!

Well tried with the hand method...but to get some better results, you need to use a Machine Polisher

If youre gonna work by hand, Gtechniq P1 is one of the best ive used. Try that.

Well tried with the hand method...but to get some better results, you need to use a Machine Polisher

So I guess options here are buy one - or pay someone else to do it - do you have recommendations for either please? I'm in Kent.

If youre gonna work by hand, Gtechniq P1 is one of the best ive used. Try that.

Thanks - I had a couple of recommendations for this but was completely foxed by the need for different pads?

 

I had visions of destroying my (already hideous) paint.

If you were to use it on a rotary or a DA polisher then yeah, there are different pads available which relate to the level of cut. You can use it by hand though with a sponge applicator. Or you can get the CG Hexlogic pads as hand applicators I think now.