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Need some help! Getting ready for a car show & have a question!


Chase@InsanePaint

Question

EDIT. PICS IN POST #42.

Alright......

So before the bashing begins, lol, let me remind you guys I JUST GOT fully exposed to the Adam's world a few months ago. And within 4 months have probably spent over $500 on product. So I've "bought in" to the world of Adam's, just haven't bought EVERYTHING I need yet, lol....

 

Okay, now that you know that, here's where I'm at.

 

Last week when I had the Charger out running errands, it was hit by a stray rainstorm, that left some waterspots on the car for a couple hours. Despite the car being PERFECTLY clean, the water stood on the hot paint surface and dried. NOW. I know that's not good. But the paint was in PRISTINE condition. No scratches, no swirls, and had a fresh coat of "another" brand of wax on it. Not Adams, but good stuff for sure (don't worry, I don't use anything else anymore, this was all I had left of the stuff, so I used it one last time, before I got my BG & Americana). So I thought those water spots would just wash off, because the paint was so well protected. Nope.......still have water spots......

 

I don't have a Flex. I don't have a Porter Cable. I have a Cyclo....

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</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="border-collapse: collapse" id="table1" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" width="95%"><tbody><tr><td>The Cyclo Polisher is the only dual-head polisher on the market. Both heads move in an orbital motion, counter-clockwise. The idea is to simulate hand polishing but at a much faster rate. Going over a scratch or swirl with both heads ensures that you are attacking it from all sides, so to speak. No matter what angle you look at the paint, you will not see the former blemish. It’s the fool-proof polisher!</td><td>

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</td></tr></tbody></table>The Cyclo Polisher’s dual heads give you a balanced polish every time. Single-head polishers require the user to balance the polisher. The Cyclo Polisher stands on two heads so it is self-balancing. The heads rest flatly on the surface of your vehicle so there is no danger of nicking the paint with the edge of a backing plate. There is no need to press the polisher flat on the paint; its own weight is enough to provide an even, flawless polish. The Cyclo Polisher is also able to cover more ground than a single-head polisher.

 

The two heads can perform two different functions simultaneously. Put a light cutting pad on the head you are going to lead with, and a polishing pad on the other head. This technique allows you to refine the paint as you remove imperfections. It saves time and you get fantastic results.

The Cyclo Polisher has an accessory for every purpose. Quality pads and bonnets make the Cyclo Polisher perfect for compounding, polishing, waxing, and glazing. Pads attach to the heads by way of hook & loop pad holders or backing plates (sold separately) for quick and easy pad replacement.

 

I just bought this less than a year ago. I've used it with "lesser" products than Adam's, and it's repaired scratches, removed water spots, etc. And it's helped me achieve AMAZING results, before I even discovered Adam's. So I'm not just gonna throw out this $280 polisher. What I'm trying to figure out, is how to translate the pad conversion, to Adam's Products, to achieve even GREATER results than I'm getting now. With me so far??

 

The Cyclo pads are here:

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</td><td>4 Cyclo Deluxe 4 inch White Finishing Pads

Bring out a beautiful shine on any paint finish with a pair of white finishing pads. The thick pads are made of professional grade closed cell foam. Each have hook & loop on the backside so you can switch out pads in seconds. The white pad is the softest of all the Cyclo brand pads and it has no cutting ability. Use it for finishing glazes and wax application.

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</td><td>4 Cyclo Deluxe 4 inch Green Polishing Pads

For a little cleaning ability, use the green Cyclo pads. The green pads have a very mild cut in order to rejuvenate dull, hazy paint. Use a pre-wax cleaner or a finishing polish to brighten and enhance the gloss of lackluster paint.

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</td><td>2 Cyclo Deluxe 4 inch Blue Polishing Pads

The blue foam pad is the perfect pad for light polishing on any surface. Use it to apply wax for a fine gloss finish, or use it with a light finishing polish or prewax cleaner. The blue pad has slightly more texture than the white pad.

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</td><td>4 Orange Light Cutting Pads, 4 inches

The orange pads are more aggressive than the green pads. They are capable of removing light to moderate swirls and imperfections with the help of a swirl remover or light compound. Made of high density foam, the orange pads will remove oxidation, swirls, and most surface scratches. We’ve included four orange pads because these will address the widest range of surface problems on most vehicles

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</td> <td>2 Cyclo Deluxe 4 inch Yellow Cutting Pads

The yellow pads are for deeper scratches and swirls that can’t be removed with the orange pads. The yellow pads have a more aggressive cut and can level more severely damaged paint. Use an aggressive swirl remover or a compound. You may need to follow up with the green pad and a finishing polish after using the yellow pads to restore gloss.</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

When I did my full detail on the 300 last week, I used the following:

SHR & ORANGE Cyclo pad

FMP & GREEN Cyclo pad

And then BG & Americana by hand.

The 300 came out stunning!!! Even removed OOOOLD hard water spots on the windows from the previous owner.

 

So what's KILLING ME right now, is why can't I get the simple fresh water spots, of my PERFECT & protected paint on my Charger???? I've been over half of the hood with TWO PASSES of SHR & TWO PASSES of FMP as per instruction, with my Cyclo, and the aforementioned pads. And you're gonna think I'm crazy for saying this, because I don't understand it either......but the spots are MORE evident now, than they were when I started????!

 

I'm going nuts. And I need some help. The paint on this car was PERFECT 7 days ago. And now it looks like it hasn't been washed in months because of those stupid water spots.....

Sorry for the long post/rant. I appreciate any help you guys can offer. I am running out of time for this car show, and don't have a day off work until the day I leave to go to it. I don't know how I'm gonna fix this, I'm just frustrated as to how this happened in the FIRST PLACE.

:help::cheers:

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Okay. So a little vinegar & elbow grease did NOT get the job done. So on to the flex....

 

Started with another 50/50 wipedown.

Green pad & SSR, worked till flash.

Orange pad & SHR, worked till flash.

White pad & FMP, worked till flash.

 

Still no workie. Still super bad water spots. I don't know what to say at thus point. COMPLETELY FRUSTRATED & hope is lost. Looks like I've uncovered something deeper under the surface. Because honestly?? The half of the hood I haven't touched looks better than the half I've been working!!! It's like with every step I take I'm uncovering another layer of imperfection????!!!!

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Remember Sing a Song of Six Pants from the Three Stooges? I keep thinking of the scene where they're trying to remove a stain from a pant leg and end up rubbing through the fabric, then realize it was just a beam of light.

 

Hope you figure this out, sounds crazy that a Flex with Adams products couldn't touch this.

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Finally got some pics that kinda show what I'm dealing with.....

 

DSC_0864.jpg

 

DSC_0865.jpg

 

DSC_0868.jpg

 

DSC_0869.jpg

 

DSC_0870.jpg

 

This is after more than 4 passes with SHR & FMP. And then after my most recent pass with SSR, SHR, & FMP. You can see these spots clear as day. I just now also spent about 20 minutes working a small 2x2 section with......ya ready.....5 more passes of SSR!!! Just to try and dig deep, hoping that I'd hit the bottom of this etching. Apparently it's not gonna happen. Looks like a repaint is in order.

 

My mind is so friggin boggled by this right now I can't even explain it.....

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Is that really as bad as it looks in the pics? That's just crazy! It looks worse than I had imagined. I just cant believe it etched that quick. Are the spots also on the roof and the trunk? What about the windows?

 

My Ram sits out 24/7 and only has one water spot and it's on top so I haven't messed with it. It's been 2 weeks since I washed it and it still doesn't get etched like that.

 

Did the flex make any progress on the spots? I'd try wetsanding before I'd put it in the shop for a repaint. What have you got to loose at this point? The only other thing I could think of would be really bad advice and would probably make people on here think I'm nuts.

 

If I think of anything I'll let you know.

 

Good Luck!

 

If you enter the show you should have a poster detailing the H*** you've been through this past week.

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My point exactly Len. My 300 that stays outside isn't this bad after rain. Even if I let it sit. And no. Nothing on windows or sides. I literally give up at this point. I've already put away the flex. I'm over it.

 

No joke??? The car is going in the customs shop for some hood work and a one-off trunk after the car show anyway. Was supposed to get done beforehand, but they couldn't get me in, in time. So whatever.....

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Is it possible these water spots are etched into the clear coat?

Nope. Car is a TOTAL garage queen. Had the car for 5 years, and only has 14,500 miles on it. It's ALWAYS cared for immaculately and protected. If they're etched, then that rain had an agenda lol.....

One more question: Were the water spots from the sprinklers, or rain?:confused:

95% sure it was rain. Car was wet all over, and sprinklers would have only hit one side, if that was the case.

Is it possible the paint got nailed with some pretty bad Acid Rain?

Our area isn't known for that. It's possible, but would be very atypical.

 

Thanks for the help and advice guys. I just don't know what else to do?? I don't think the alcohol wipedown will help, but I'll still try it. Many thanks boys.

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Well I just finished a coat of BG & Americana on the hood (despite it looking all shotty, I can't bare to leave it unprotected). And a coat of Americana on the rest of the car. Gonna finish wheels & tires next, then pack for the show. I have a feeling I'm gonna get real sick of explaining these stupid water spots this weekend, lol.....

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Can you feel it if you rub a finger across it? That looks horrible, like more than just water spots... more like somebody put a heavy duty paint solvent in a spray bottle and soaked your car. From the pics it looks like it's eaten down into the clearcoat.

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