What did I do wrong (Autoglym Super Resin Polish)?

[ph001]

Hey guys. Been a fan of washing / polishing / waxing all my pride and joys over the years but struggling a little with my new purchase (Monaco blue Z4 3.0Si). This particular finish is very dark (almost black in some light) and as typical has a variety of minor swirl marks visible in bright sunshine and at certain angles under fluorescent lights.

I had a quick go at taking some of the very minor ones out with Autoglym super resin polish but seem to have made the paintwork considerably worse (only a small area so nothing too dramatic). I applied the polish on a clean area with a microfibre cloth and buffed off with a different microfibre. The area now has many more very fine scratches in the direction of the microfibre application.

I've never had this before on any of my other BMW's, but then these are brand new microfibre cloths that I have never used before. Is it wrong to apply polish with a microfibre? I tried applying with cotton stockinette also and it was even worse!!

What should I be applying and buffing polish / waxes with ideally (by hand)?

 

[mr wilks]

The SRP most likely removed any previous fillers that had been applied , that after all is what it does
Time to get back to basics & give it a going over with Megs ultimate compound ( ideally with Da )
Then id flirt some 50Cal filler / glaze & top it off with Collinite 845 or FussoSoft99 ( others have their own preferred choices of products )
Or be lazy & skip the above & DA it once with Autosmart Topaz to clean , colour + seal in one go

 

[ph001]

Hmmm, thanks. Must admit I've been toying with the idea of getting a DAS-6 v2 with some MEGS ultimate and green & blue hex-logic pads. This recent experience has put me off somewhat though. Already have some PB black hole and some Bilt Hammer double speed wax on the shelf.

Maybe I'm just making things worse by trying to do it by hand. I did wonder if applying with a foam pad such as these would yield better results.... http://r.ebay.com/p8VSrZ

Then again, I can get a professional 2 stage polish done by a reputable shop for £275. Decisions decisions.

 

[Angelus666]

I think the clear coat is way too hard to do it by hand, as Wills says it's time to get the DA out and get it fixed! A few hours with the right pad/compound combo will get the results you're looking for!

 

[ph001]

Inclined to agree with you mate.

 

[Z4M-2006]

The clearcoat is hard,im would be suprised if you have introduced marks into it..

Unless your microfibre had contamination...SRP is a bit poo too,but shouldnt cause this problem.

 

[Steve84N]

Short answer, wrong product for correction.

Long answer:

What is Autoglym Super Resin Polish (SRP)?
SRP is probably one of the most popular products from Autoglym.
It is a lightly abrasive polish with a lot of fillers and it also contains a light sealant.

What will the fillers do?
Fillers fill up swirls and light scratches for a certain amount of time. Since there is also a light sealant in SRP it means that it offers protection for maybe 1 or 2 months. The fillers will disolve after some time so each time you wash your car, more swirls will be visible. To keep that nice looking paint after when you just polished your car with SRP, you have to polish with SRP about 6 times a year.

How much correction does SRP offer?
The cuttingfactor from SRP between 0 to 10 would be 0,5 or 1. It isn't meant to offer real correction, although it gives a corrected look to your car when applied correctly.

How can you apply SRP?
SRP can be applied by hand, dual action polisher, random orbital polisher or rotary polisher.

How do you apply SRP by hand
You can apply SRP by hand using foam pads like Meguiar's Gold Class High Tech Applicator Pad, German Applicator, or any other foam applicator. Microfibre pads work too.
Apply a few Skittle sized blobs on your applicator and spread it on the paint. Work on areas which have the size of about half a door. Then work it really well untill it becomes a little hazy or clear. Then buff off with a microfibre towel.

How do you apply SRP by machine?
Use a light polishing or polishing pad. Apply a few Skittle sized blobs on your applicator and spread it on the paint. Work on areas which have the size of about half a door. Then work it really well untill it becomes a little hazy or clear. Then buff off with a microfibre towel.

Can you apply more layers of SRP
Yes you can. The more layers you give your car, the more swirls that will be filled. Up to 5 layers would work really good.

Does SRP needs to cure?
It's not necessary, but you can let it cure.

Can you use a glaze after SRP?
Yes, you can use a glaze after SRP.

Can you top SRP with a sealant and/or wax?
Yes, one of both or both works great. A really good sealant to top SRP with is Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection. A good wax after SRP is Autoglym High Definition Wax but any other wax will work fine, as long it won't contain cleaners since cleaners remove the fillers.

Can SRP leave scratches or marring?
No, but dirty applicators or too aggresive pads with the machine can.

How do you remove old SRP from the paint?
By polishing or claying the paint.

Can you use SRP on vinyl stickers?
Yes, you can. Don't apply it to harsh, but other than that it won't do damage.

Will SRP do a good job on faded colors?
SRP will do a great job on faded colors!

Can SRP be used on wheels?
SRP leaves a great finish on wheels, along to some protection against brake dust and road grime!

How to prevent dust with SRP?
Lightly spritz your pad with water or detailerspray. This will give the SRP a thinner coverage with less dust.
Also working the polish in for a few minutes until it's gone clear will result in very minimal residue to remove, and what there is won't come off 'dusty'.

 

[dhobbs]

Interesting read especially as I'm a AG fan.

 

[Steve84N]

I've been in contact with cleanyourcar.co.uk and on the cusp of spending a small fortune. They have recommended Sonax EX 04-06 for a one polish does all. That is to say it can cut but also finish well without marring or light scratches. I plan to buy a heavy cutting pad to start and a light polishing pad to finish. He agreed with my suggestion of Shinemate Black Diamond pads as being good but not as expensive as others, so looking at yellow then red. Black is good for applying a sealant or wax. He's recommended I use a sealant on a daily as it lasts longer than a wax, also a Sonax product (German brand). I'm going to get the DAS 6 Pro Plus as BMW paint is hard and the extra throw helps with the power of the machine.

 

[Angelus666]

Sounds like a good plan. If you're looking for an all in one, then don't look any further than the Scholl S20 black (doesn't need to be on a black car)...very good reputation as an all in one.

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/car-polish-compounds/scholl-s20-black-1-step-compound/prod_1548.html

 

[StuartH]

I used Scholl S20 Black on green hex pads using a DAS6 Pro on my 08 plate. Car had light wash contact marring (Graphite back). It looked fine under good light but showed swirls in bright sunlight. As it was my first go at machine polishing I followed the beginners guide from the Forensic Detailing YouTube channel, hence the above combination.
The results were very good (I should take pics). Had I been able to use a light to check as I went along (garage too narrow to work in), I would would have been able to achieve a near perfect finish.
The above single stage combination is a safe method that gives excellent results for a machine polishing novice. Once polished, I finished off with Farecla G3 wax (simply chosen as I could actually drive to a shop & buy some).
I have to say I wasnt expecting the results to be as good as I actually achieved & potentially could have achieved had I been more conscientious. Reading comments on various forums, using a DA (for the first time) with polishing pads & a light cut Polish on BMW paint wouldn't appear to be sufficiently aggressive but for a first attempt I'm very happy with the results.

The

 

[Steve84N]

Sounds like a good plan. If you're looking for an all in one, then don't look any further than the Scholl S20 black (doesn't need to be on a black car)...very good reputation as an all in one.

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/car-polish-compounds/scholl-s20-black-1-step-compound/prod_1548.html

Not saying S20 isn't good but when I suggested buying it to Dave at cleanyourcar he said Sonax EX 04-06 both cuts and finishes better...

 

[mr.tourette]

Sounds like a good plan. If you're looking for an all in one, then don't look any further than the Scholl S20 black (doesn't need to be on a black car)...very good reputation as an all in one.

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/car-polish-compounds/scholl-s20-black-1-step-compound/prod_1548.html

Not saying S20 isn't good but when I suggested buying it to Dave at cleanyourcar he said Sonax EX 04-06 both cuts and finishes better...

sonax 04 06 is my go to polish, was recommended by the detailing guy that used to be on the forum...gives pretty impressive results imho

 

[DaveZ4richardson]

After clay barring my car a couple of weeks ago, removing all the grime, I put a base coat polish on as per instructions with the clay bar kit. I was devastated to see what looked like thousands of scuff scratches all over my bonnet, today I went back to basics by washing the car then drying off with a chamois leather, then applied Autoglym Super Resin polish on a small area of the car to test before applying to the whole car, before today the colour was dull and had lost its sparkle and sheen, the SRP has brought that all back again and I could not be happier, thanks for the polishing advice, all I will say is that it was all done by hand no polishers and buffers here.

 

[Steve84N]

Chamois leathers are not great for drying as they can drag small dirt particles across the paint scratching it. SRP is full of fillers so you won't actually have got rid of the scratches, just covered them up.

 

[Angelus666]

Yeah, I started off with SRP about 10 years ago, but found that I was having to polish almost every week to keep the finish I wanted. It's a good product for what it is, but in no way will it last for 6 months as a proper cover up polish (if driven regularly) ....2-3 weeks at most.

To be honest it all depends on the dollar you want to spend. For a half decent complete detailing kit you're looking at a £400 investment.

 

[Jaw]

SRP is more haze than cutting compound. It's a product that can give a good finish with comparatively minimal levels of effort - the trade off being it is a finish that won't last. Really, you should be able to cut a car once, apply some sealant and not have to repeat the process - where as products like Autoglym are engineered to keep you a repeat customer.

Fan of Menzerna personally but am surprised with how well Meguiars ultimate compound can perform with a bit of effort

 

[ph001]

Some really helpful info here - thanks all. I thought this was a very informative page on the various cutting pads. I'm thinking Green + Blue would probably do most jobs (although perhaps orange for super tough topcoats)...

http://www.juicydetailing.co.uk/hex-logic-guide

.

 

[ph001]

Think I'm just about to pull the trigger on this lot and give it a go. Incidentally, what pad is recommended for applying and buffing of waxes (Bilt Hamber double speed-wax)?

 

[patriot66]

All excellent products, however I wouldn't blow £13.95 on the 303. It's cheaper on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/303-Fabric-Vinyl-Cleaner-Trigger/dp/B00030MAL4 but don't bother....save your money.
Personally I regularly just use a rubber bristled brush (like this http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/interior/carpet-fabric-cleaners/sonax-pet-hair-lint-remover-brush/prod_1190.html) in conjunction with my Henry vacuum cleaner. This pulls loads of loose dust etc out of the cloth. Then when I snowfoam the car I foam the hood also and agitate it with a soft brush and a microfibre cloth. Rinse well with a running hose. Sorted !