that dull paint under your hood (product testing)

[TypeG]

you've washed the paint under your hood, maybe even put some wax on it and it still looks dirty, dull, and neglected. what do you do?



it looks dirty, but if you run your finger across it, no dirt will show.

here is where i tried several different polishes from least aggressive to most.

1) cleaner wax- it's an all in one product with an ultra fine polish designed to maintain a finish without wearing it away, a light chemical cleaner, and carnauba wax.

2) pre-wax cleaner- removes old wax, has a very fine polish compound, chemical cleaner, and NO wax. (other brands may refer to this as paint cleanser)

3) power polish- a fine polish designed for use with a machine, (ex: powerball, orbital, highspeed buffer). it can't be properly used by hand because it requires heat to activate the polish.

4) scratch remover- a true polish. good results by hand use. this stuff really has 101 uses besides scratch removal.

on to the testing. i applied each product with a cotton t-shirt with the exception of the power polish. (i also just did spots, not the whole thing)



cleaner wax


pre-wax cleaner


power polish applied with powerball


scratch remover


to conclude, you should try the least aggressive approch first and move your way up if you have to.

the results look pretty much the same in the pics, but where different in real life.

i'd say most people can get away with pre-wax cleaner followed by cleaner wax and then regular maitenance from there on out with cleaner wax every 3 months or so.

here are some equivalents:
1)cleaner wax
http://www.meguiars.com/estore/produ...duct_M0616.jpg
http://www.poorboysworld.com/poorboys-polish.htm
2)pre wax cleaner
http://www.meguiars.com/estore/produ...duct_A3016.jpg
http://www.poorboysworld.com/professional-polish.htm
3) power polish
http://www.meguiars.com/estore/produ...duct_M0316.jpg
http://www.poorboysworld.com/super-swirl-removers.htm
4)scratch remover
http://www.meguiars.com/estore/produ...uct_G10307.jpg
later.

[PakaloloHonda]

I'm submitting your name to Mothers .. as a rep for them ..

You're the best at it brudda G !!!

A Hui Hou !!!
Tomi

[cp[mike]]

lookin good. i usually polish things 1500 first, glass polish, then scratch remover... works pretty well and usually gets things pretty glossy, even by hand. been meaning to grab a powerball but $27 is a bit much for something like that.

[TypeG]

you use glass polish on paint? $27 is a bit steep. i just got one for $19, but it was the mini. the big one seems like it's to big for anything but wheels. later.

[cp[mike]]

you use glass polish on paint? $27 is a bit steep. i just got one for $19, but it was the mini. the big one seems like it's to big for anything but wheels. later.

sorry didnt clarify, i rarely polish paint... i was talking about plastic i usually just polish small plastic pieces/parts. and i forgot how much the glass polish was, its been sitting for a while... its griots

[DRzCB72nr]

i bought the mini power ball and found it expensive too. paid 23$ at autozone. didnt notice how much the bigger one cost but decided to go with the mini so i can get into the smaller places.

im going to try the powerball with the aluminum n mag polish on prelude se wheels i hope everything goes well. im guessing all i have to do is clean the surface. apply the product, buff it and then clean up.


type G care to give me some tips? i dont want to mess the wheels up but im guessing theres no way to. also if theres some big scratches on the rim how will that affect anything?

[TypeG]

type G care to give me some tips? i dont want to mess the wheels up but im guessing theres no way to. also if theres some big scratches on the rim how will that affect anything?

that sounds about right. just be carful not to burn the clear coat off. if the scratches are to deep, nothing can be done about them. later.

[bjaccord]

Just for some general information, car makers usually use either a lesser quality paint or simply less of the good stuff under the hood to cut down on production costs.

They'll use either a single stage paint (Even for metallics in some cases) or a thinned out clear that dries slightly hazy and not as thick as the outside paint.

At work I have to mix up flat clears and different color bases for under the hood and the trunk area to make it match oem stuff, if I were to put the outside color and full clear in there it would look completely different than the factory stuff.

Anyway, enough from me, looks great Brian, and congrats on the December Pic in the calendar!

[BIEN_DIESEL]

sand down ur rims and us mothers to bling it up