Looking for some advice (as usual). I am planning ahead for when I next give the car (2017 Quartz Grey metallic Superb) a full clean back to bare paint before waxing. The car is pretty decent with just slight marking and a couple of minor scratches. After decontamination, washing and claying I was planning on using the Meguiar's Ultimate Compound and polish to get rid of these, (and scratch x 2.0 if needed on anything that the compound doesn't get rid of).

I've been very happy with the Megs products I've used previously, but also happy to try something else. Any recommendations? I will be doing the car by hand as I don't have a DA. FYI I will (definitely) be following it up with Fusso 99 dark and (probably) Meguiar's Ultimate Wax on top. Thanks in advance.

The meguiars range is good, i often use it on my cars, you can invest in a drill polishing attachment to help you polsoh out wheels and door handle cupsp

A mate has just given me a bottle of this stuff.

Having a read I see it doesn't cut, so won't replace the ultimate polish stage. Anyone used it on top of the ultimate polish before waxing? Is it worth it, or just a wasted step if I'm using the ultimate compound and ultimate polish?

Hi Jeff - on a Superb without a DA I'd say you'll have your work cut out! Have you any close-up photos of paint condition, so we can see level of swirl ?

 

I use the Menzerna range for compounding and polish and have done for 10 years. But that's in conjunction with a DA. Issue will be getting the work done (i.e. a sufficient amount of cut into the clearcoat to give the level of correction you're after.

 

I have Quartz Grey on the current Yeti, having spent quite a lot of the past 10 years keeping black Skodas in decent nick

 

Haven't used the Megs 'paint system' products for a long time (early 2000s), but I remember it being hard work applying by hand.

 

I naturally think of Autoglym SRP (Super Resin Polish) when people are improving paint condition by hand. But your specific mention of polishes and cut has me thinking that you want some improvements beyond what is realistically possible by hand.

 

I'm also thinking about whether you go down the road of SRP followed perhaps by Poorboys Black Hole glaze which is terrifically good at filling and enhancing the paint finish. This can then be followed by a sealant, then a wax or ceramic coating as your LSP (Last Step Product).

 

Hope this helps? Probably doesn't give you a definitive answer, but it's all about assessing the paint condition first and also what your expectations - i.e. what do you want to see at the end of the process.

4 minutes ago, Wardy said:

Hi Jeff - on a Superb without a DA I'd say you'll have your work cut out! Have you any close-up photos of paint condition, so we can see level of swirl ?

 

Hi @Wardy and thanks for the detailed answer. The car isn't in bad nick...

 

I took out the deeper scratch in the shot below using Megs Scratchx2.0, but you can see the little horizontal scratches around it. It's this level of marking I'm looking to get rid of. It looks worse than it is in this photo - the spots are dirt as I took the pic before washing. I haven't noticed a huge amount of swirling, though I'm sure there is some.

 

The car is a daily driver and gets 25k+ miles a year on it, so I'm never going to get or keep it to concours or anything like. I'd just like it to look as good from a foot away as it does from 6ft.

I'm happy to spend time on it - I'm planning on doing one or two panels at a time, over maybe a couple of moths. It's become a bit of a hobby, otherwise I'd get a pro to do it.

 

Here's a bit of detail on my Quartz Grey process, but alas without polishing stages! As they weren't required:

But it might give you a bit of info.

 

In your position I'd go with a small bottle of the Menz Medium Cut - ideal because you won't use a lot on specific areas:
http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/menzerna-234.html

Then I'd go with the Megs polish you've been given, which will be useful as it'll refine the finish. I'd then really recommend the Black Hole glaze, which will fill, enhance and give you a great base for a sealant. A sealant stage I'd really recommend given that annual mileage, as you've then got a great barrier in place, for when any wax or LSP breaks down and diminishes. Especially in the winter months when it can be tricky to top up protection.

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/poorboys-black-hole-glaze.html

Thanks again Wardy. I'm just putting an order together with Polished Bliss. Black hole glaze now added!

Conscious I didn't put any sealant recommendations in. Also that this market has changed massively in the past couple of years and there's loads more options, especially on the ceramic side.

 

I still use Jeff's Prime Strong, but not sure it's available anywhere these days! Auto Finesse do Tough Coat which should be decent. It's just about giving a really good protective layer, on top of all your hard work with polish and glaze really;

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/synthetic-sealants-and-waxes.html

 

With some good wax options and a decent maintenance wash routine you should be able to see that protection last the year.

Edited 12 June, 20187 yr by Wardy

Cheers Wardy. It'll be fusso dark as a sealant. Not sure whether to top it with Megs Ultimate (as it is now) or something else.