Fine Machine Polish - Touching up? + More

[Coderedpl]

Hello all,

 

A few months ago I had a road tar incident in which my entire freshly polished car was covered with the stuff, needless to say I'm almost 100% sure the paint took a beating since i was using utility towels and general microfibers combined with tar removers. 

 

I recently, and finally had a chance to do a proper full detail. Starting off with a proper clay, SSR, SHR then FMP, followed by quick sealant and buttery. 

 

First:

I went down to ocean city, maryland and was parked by the beach overnight. For the most part the car was clean but i did wake up to a light dusting, of what initially seemed like...well dust. I think it was tiny particles of sand or something because my windows and paint also had a weird, film-like covering. I soaked the car with a waterless wash and went to work, but i do believe i might of put some swirls in the paint. 

I'm wondering what would the steps be to go over the car with FMP? 

Here is what I'm thinking:

Wash again with APC mixed in

FMP with white pad (i dont have new system yet)

Quick Sealant

Glaze

Wax

 

Do you guys think that this will be sufficient?

 

Second, If say in the future I need to use SSR again, do i NEED to follow up with SHR and then FMP or can i just skip straight to FMP? 

 

Third Is a wipe required after each application of polish? 

 

Thanks in advance! 

[mc2hill]

You are on the right track by starting with FMP.  Use the least aggressive method first, and that would be FMP.  IF you need to go more aggressive, try SHR next.  I would think that should be enough to take out the swirls, then finish with FMP.  IF SSR is required, you can try skipping SHR, it may work on your paint.

Some do not remove the polishes after each step, it is not required.  I do remove them to better see the results. 

[Coderedpl]

Cool, thanks! 

[Doug123]

I live near the beach here in California, and on occasion, the wind will come from the West/NW and there will be a fine (and slightly sticky) layer of grit on the finish from the wind and the beach sand.  I feel that his stuff is dangerous on my paint, as it seems like it's more like sandpaper than ordinary dust.  Because of this kind of sticky gritty gunk, I use a foam gun to soak that stuff loose and strongly rinse it off with the hose before I actually re-foam it, and  only then put a wash pad on to the paint.  If you even suspect that it's beach sand, wash the car, skip the Waterless Wash (in my opinion).

 

My process:

Hard rinse the car to knock as much loose as I can

Foam the car, and wait 2-3 minutes for it to loosen up any gunk on the paint

Rinse the car off hard

Foam the car again

Wash the car with 2 pads and two buckets with grit guards (one pad is for mid door height up, the other is for mid door down, and front and rear.

Rinse it of hard, mist with detail spray, and dry.

 

I know this works, as I felt the finish (gritty to the touch, and sticky in the beginning), during the first soak,  and through the 2nd foam, at which point it felt pretty smooth.  Since I have black paint, all I could imagine was that sticky sand being rubbed all over the paint by a wash pad (and the swirls that would be left behind).  It seems like overkill, but it keeps the polishing sessions down, and less intense when I do them. 

[Coderedpl]

Good advice, thanks!