Which pad Microfiber or Foam?

[tophat595]

OK I have searched but still don't see what would be best… I have a Portercable that I have used the foam pads and 2 step system on my CTS-V, got a lot of the old swirls out but still not 100% happy with the results.(not Adams fault just think I can get the paint a little better looking, I may be polishing wrong) Should I try the Mircrofiber pads to see if those take out the rest? I also have a Saturn and Monte Carlo that i try to keep up. Looking around and with the videos I know every paint is different just not sure how to tell which pad I should use on each car….I will most likely grab a set of Mircofiber pads and try those out.

 

Is there a quick way to tell what paint will work best with each pad other than just testing each?

[Team Adam's]

Microfiber tends to cut more and faster than foam, but on some paint won't finish as well.

 

There really is no "one pad for all situations" so you'll still likely reach for foam for a number of tasks. 

 

I'd still say grab the MF pads so you have them, at the very least you'll have an additional solution at your disposal. 

[tophat595]

Thanks Dylan. thats what I was thinking, Ill have to try the microfibers on my next order

[Chewy]

Yep, my G8 doesn't like MF too well...  With the Flex it really is hard to finish it down.  With the foam it's easy as pie! 

[THE Mook]

I found that on the CTS-V I did recently, that MF Pads worked a lot better--in terms of finished quality and time, vs the Foam Pads.

 

Every finish, even from model to model from Manufacturers is different.  Best bet, if you can, is to have both on hand so that you're always ready for battle!  

[mc2hill]

Here are some notes from a few recent details:

• 2005 Honda Civic - pewter - MF cutting pad and PCP - 1 pass, finished down the MF pads
• 1968 Chevelle - red - MF cutting pad and PCP - 1st pass with heavy pressure, 2nd pass 1/2 with pressure 1/2 very light pressure - no finishing
• 1986 Corvette - red - 1 pass MF cutting pad and PCP, finished with 1 pass white pad and PFP. 

[Chris@Adams]

Yep, my G8 doesn't like MF too well...  With the Flex it really is hard to finish it down.  With the foam it's easy as pie! 

That's funny, they work great on my GTO.......

[Chewy]

The G8's are notorious for SUPER soft paint.  Mine is NO exception.  I'd LOVE to paint my car, and probably will have to someday. 

[Chris@Adams]

The G8's are notorious for SUPER soft paint.  Mine is NO exception.  I'd LOVE to paint my car, and probably will have to someday. 

Yea the G8  and the GTO has the same paint code and all.

[Chewy]

Really?  Yours is Panther Black Metallic 80U 690F?  

[Chris@Adams]

Really?  Yours is Panther Black Metallic 80U 690F?  

Yea the only diff is they called the GTO's paint Phantom Black Metallic (PBM). When I had my G8, I looked up the code to get  some touch up  paint and I discovered that I already had some.....lol

[tophat595]

HAHA thanks guys for all the background and info. Ill have to check out the Microfibers next and see if I can get the finish even better, hopefully the snow here in MN will keep holding out and we will have an easy winter

[Chewy]

Yea the only diff is they called the GTO's paint Phantom Black Metallic (PBM). When I had my G8, I looked up the code to get  some touch up  paint and I discovered that I already had some.....lol

 

Phantom is what they continue to call it in AU.  

[tony97gt]

Kinda having the same issue with my wife's '08 328i. Hit the hood today with foam pads in the garage and thought it was flawless, got it outside in the sunlight and noticed a lot of surface scratches. I actually had the microfiber pads in the garage but was hesitant to try them before refreshing my memory and watching the instructional video first. I remember there were a few extra steps as far as cleaning them on each pass or something.

[ledger64]

That's funny, they work great on my GTO.......

hmmm.  have to do my gto same color...

[koppster]

so, any experience on a 2013 Vette......Night Race Blue, microfiber or foam>

[Ricky Bobby]

Microfiber foam pads need more frequent cleaning as the fibers get gummed up fairly quickly.  After every other 2 x 2 section I find myself needing to brush out the pads, if you have an air compressor in the garage a few sprays with the blow gun in the pad works even better to fluff them back up and get the spent polish out!

 

Foam pads are a little more forgiving in my experience and just using something like Adam's pad brush to clean them out every panel or so makes them work easier.  Then again, I always use 2 pads of each color when polishing or correcting, so by the time i'm halfway done with the car I put a fresh clean pad on anyway.

 

And FWIW I've not used Adam's microfiber pads but I have used 2 other popular MF cutting pads in my arsenal and I will say that they tend to not be as durable as the foam pads, after a few corrections the MF material starts to delaminate from the foam pad from the heat and pressure of correcting, now obviously using adams vented backing plates helps but i'm just sharing my experience.  I have not had a foam pad that I could not clean, brush out etc and not have it back to 100%, whereas the MF pads I've used after about 2-3 cars or so they are starting to show the edges of the material separating from the backing of the pad.

 

Again, just my experience, I have not read too much on the long term use of the Adams MF pads as they just came out this year, but I hope they improved upon the "other" popular MF pads out there.  If so, I'll gladly get a set when mine wear out!