Exterior B pillar covers between front and rear windows - correctable??

[Zach5.9CTD]

Hey guys. Got a request from a customer on a new 2016 or 2017 gmc Acadia to try and buff out swirls and RIDS on the hard plastic B pillar covers between front and rear door windows. My question is are these clear coated with paint or just plastic only and can they be buffed out with compounds/pads on a DA.

 

Compounds I have to choose from are Megs 105/205 or Adam's correcting compound/finishing Polish. Will be using PC 7424 with Adam's 4" focus pads.

 

What's best method to correct these and which products above would you reach for.

 

I've NEVER corrected these before as most vehicles I do their either painted body color or have a plastic/rubber textured sticker between them that I leave alone and dress.

 

Any help/suggestions/methods would be appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance!!

[SumBeach35]

I have had good luck with the Adam's line of correcting and finishing polishes. I would suggest definitely sticking with the least aggressive approach for correction. On my Cruze and explorer both seemed to have clear, and both seemed soft, so I taped off the rubber trim because it would put scratches back into the finish. I followed up my pillar correction with ceramic coating to help prevent future swirls.

 

Edit: competitive product name removal from post out of respect

Edited January 10, 2017 by SumBeach35

[Zach5.9CTD]

What combination of product and pad did you use to remove and what was your process

[stripesace]

You'll know right quick if they're painted/cleared or if they're molded plastic. If they're painted/cleared treat them like soft paint, thats softer. An orange pad with correcting polish will usually be enough to clean them up to 85%. Finishing Polish to jewel them. Going after 100% on these is tricky because at some point you start chasing the proverbial tail. 

[Captain Slow]

On my old G8 GT I had great success with a white pad and M205. Least aggressive products first so you don't make more work for yourself. Also tape off the rubber weatherstripping or you're really making extra work for yourself, experience talking here...

Edited January 8, 2017 by Captain Slow

[zapdon]

mine were painted and coated and was able to save them. did same steps i did on my paint to them, paint correction and sealant.

 

 

 

[mc2hill]

I usually use FP and a white pad.  I dedicate a pad for this, as they can get very nasty (most are single stage paint, so you will get paint transfer).

 

This one was so bad I had to use CP & FP.  

A good 50/50 shot:

 

and the pads:

[SumBeach35]

What combination of product and pad did you use to remove and what was your process

 

i usually follow what the paint says. Tapeo ff any rubber trim that the pad could come into contact with. Try finishing polish first with the white pad. If that isn't sufficient move up to orange foam pad and correcting polish. Probably the most aggressive i would go on one of these.  i don't use a lot of pressure when doing these to keep temperature down, i also assume there is less than normal clear coat. i also do short bursts and frequent wipes.  If its soft ill use detail spray with the wipe down to reduce any chance of creating new swirls.

 

Another thing to check is if your car has pillar panels that are replaceable.  i know some cars they can be replaced.

 

I have had results just like the pictures posted earlier in the thread, just no pictures of my own to post.

[shane@detailedreflections]

Another thought is that I use VRT on the rubber trim. It helps make it so less tape is required. Any polish that gets on it will wipe right off.

[SumBeach35]

Another thought is that I use VRT on the rubber trim. It helps make it so less tape is required. Any polish that gets on it will wipe right off.

While vrt reduces the polish staying on the trim,. The taping is more for residue management. When you hit a fresh pad on a rubber trim or seal, there is always a black mark left on the pad. With soft clear the rubber left behind on the pad after the contact could cause micro marring as you try to correct the panel.

 

That is my thought process for taping off the rubber and trim around the panels even if VRT has been applied.

[Dan@Adams]

As others have said, a 4" White Foam Pad with Finishing Polish on the Rupes Mini might be all you need for some of the piano black B/C pillar moldings on newer vehicles. I will step up to a 4" Orange Foam Pad and Correcting Polish if necessary, constantly monitoring temperature of the panel. 

 

These pillars are usually easier to swirl than paint because they are softer, so I do not recommend getting greedy with them at all. Usually I will hit them for about 10 seconds with Correcting Polish, get it looking 95% perfect, then follow up with Finishing Polish and Paint Sealant or Paint Coating.

 

Let's refrain from mentioning competitor products further in this thread. Thanks.

 

Light discussion and comparison of outside products is perfectly acceptable so long as it remains respectful, but direct links, marketing, excessive discussion, and endorsement of any product not endorsed or sold by Adam's Premium Car Care is prohibited. There are a number of detailing discussion boards and enthusiast forums on the web where these products can be discussed at length. Here at AdamsForums.com please try to keep the discussion related to the use and support of Adam's products. 

[buffalobob920]

Hey guys. Got a request from a customer on a new 2016 or 2017 gmc Acadia to try and buff out swirls and RIDS on the hard plastic B pillar covers between front and rear door windows. My question is are these clear coated with paint or just plastic only and can they be buffed out with compounds/pads on a DA.

Compounds I have to choose from are Megs 105/205 or Adam's correcting compound/finishing Polish. Will be using PC 7424 with Adam's 4" focus pads.

What's best method to correct these and which products above would you reach for.

I've NEVER corrected these before as most vehicles I do their either painted body color or have a plastic/rubber textured sticker between them that I leave alone and dress.

Any help/suggestions/methods would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!

you can dm me I will give you info

[BRZN]

Meguiar's 105 would be way too aggressive for me on B-pillars, Adam's new Heavy Correcting Compound is very similar in it's aggressiveness to the 105, and again would be too aggressive for me to use on what is usually very thin, soft paint on these panels.

 

The new Swirl Killer Mini with 4" pads or the Porter Cable 7424XP equipped with a 4" Machine Backing Plate and the appropriate pads should do the job. As Dan stated, hit them quickly with the Paint Correcting Polish then spend your time using the Paint Finishing Polish. Deeper scratches I'll either just leave alone to not go through the paint, or use my Rupes Nano. Pad selection is a tough call when using the Paint Correcting Polish. I tend to most often grab a 4" Orange Pad since I can see the black single stage paint I'm pulling off to help me keep from removing too much. I'm sure I'll be trying the new Blue Foam Pad with Paint Correcting Polish at some point, but haven't yet. I too tape off the rubber trim, as touching the black rubber with a pad turns it black rather quickly. I then don't know if I'm pulling paint of just seeing rubber transfer.

 

If in fact these B-pillars are plastic, I tend to go to a dedicated plastic polish, something Adam doesn't carry. Novus Plastic Polish #'s 1 & 2. They work very well on plastic and can usually be found at Wal Mart. Polish specifically designed for paint may be too aggressive for plastic and could damage the parts.