Paint correction of Mazdaspeed 3

Methodical4u · 06-25-2011, 12:07 AM

Well, as the thread says, this is a correction of my Fiancee's MS3... she, like I... had an Evo and went to the MS3 to have more room as well as a car she could have our dogs in and such. The car is white and has BEAUTIFUL flake... but it's BRIGHT white, not the sort of creamish type color of the Z's.

Getting GOOD pictures of this color seem pretty much impossible, and only have I think 2 that show the condition of the paint, which at first, didn't seem to be to bad. I realized very quickly that this paint is a lot harder than I had thought it would be for a Japanese car.

Anyway, here are the only 2 pics I could get that show the damage of the paint.

You will sort of have to use your imagination with these pics... it's an 09, it's got about 30k on it and it's a car that dogs get in an out of. The car is only washed by me. I take care of all of the cars needs.

Products:
Rain-X car wash... yep the green stuff that's always on sale

The absorber chamios
Clay magic
wheels... rain-x car wash with a MF towel and my fingers
Flex DA polisher
PC DA polisher
Menzerna Intensive polish
Menzerna Super Finish
Uber Orange pad
Uber white pad
Duragloss 105 paint cleaner and sealant
Microfiber towels from Sam's club... yep, the big pack you see at wal-mart and everywhere else

The car is not yet even completed, but I thought I would show some of the pics... it is turning out very well and I would say that so far it's about a 95% correction.

I don't use many expensive products.. the only thing that I focus on when buying my products is how they fit my needs. IMO your polishes should be THE MOST important part of your product line remember... anyone can wash and wax a car, but if the paint has serious marring, then it's just going to be a little more shiny car with defects that will likely show up even more.

Menzerna is my polish of choice.. i've used about 4 or 5 different brands... some of them cut a little better or faster, but dry out quickly, others don't cut as well. The Menzerna line really lasts quite a while before it breaks down, and doesn't dry out nearly as fast as some other brands.

Menzerna: Intensive Polish with Uber Orange pad
Super Finish with Uber white pad

I really did think I would have to do a 3 stage correction, but the paint really didn't need it... honestly just after the Intensive polish I could have just sealed it, but I like a very polished look, and the flake REALLY popped... to bad i'm not as good with the camera, or you could see it better lol.

The flake shows a little bit better on this pic...

Towels: As I stated already.. I use the MF towels that you buy in bulk from Sam's club. I know that just about all detailers use these high priced towels and they are very nice, but let me tell you something... at the point of your fine polishing... just a slight hit from your PC cable and you will marr the paint and have to go over it again with a fine polish. I know I know, everyone has their opinion on these towels... I can tell you that i've never scratched a finish with one. I do one body panel with 1 towel and then put it in the bin to be washed, if it gets something in it... throw it out.. if it touches the floor or even just nicks the tire, it goes in the bin to be washed after inspection.

I learned a while ago when I worked at a guitar factory (PRS guitars) where they are more than picky that "less is indeed more sometimes" Using my Flex DA I set it on 4 (out of 6) and it cuts much better and actually faster. Faster speeds sometimes cause the polish to actually get to warm and start to crystalize... this does nothing for your paint.

During the fine polishing stage I up the speed to 5 since it doesn't need to cut down very much, but only to mostly produce a gloss.

The Flex vs. the PC. The Flex polisher is a lot more powerful than the PC... however the XP PC I do not have, and it is supposed to be a bit more powerful than the older PC that I have. The Flex is going to cut faster using the same product.. point blank. You can take the Flex, and while it's running, press down as hard as you want and it's still going to turn... the PC won't do that, at least not the one I have. I only use my PC for very small areas, or to apply waxes or sealants.

The sealant:

One of the MOST durable sealants is one that most people have no idea about... I actually was told about it from a very good detailer years ago... the funny part is that you can get it at most local auto stores and it's about 10-12.00. It's called Duragloss 105.

Some of the old school detailers only like carnauba waxes... they give a nice warm glow and that is what some people like. No wax however is pure carnauba... if it were, it would be as hard as a rock... literally... solovents have to be used to soften it, so no matter what you read... none are just carnauba.

Duragloss gives a candied apple almost look... I just personally love that look... on white it's hard to see, but it has a nice gloss. Like it's name, it is indeed durable. I like to layer whatever I use on a car, and while the 105 does have cleaners in it, you can notice a difference after several layers. It's consistancy is basically about skim milk... it's extremely thin... it glides on.. I leave it for about a half hour and then wipe it off. NOTE: If you do like to layer your wax or sealant, it's good to usually wait 24 hours.

These pictures were taken after an application of the Duragloss 105. The car has to come out of the garage for a few days which I HATE, but it's politics with roomates... the rest will be finished and posted in the sunlight. I hope you enjoy the pics and maybe I helped someone out as well.

kenchan · 06-27-2011, 11:49 AM

are you like in luv with taking pictures of the same picture of the picture again and again and again of the same picture of the same car of the same picture?

jk nice job on the detailing. mazda should've kept that MS3 design.

Methodical4u · 06-27-2011, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

are you like in luv with taking pictures of the same picture of the picture again and again and again of the same picture of the same car of the same picture?

jk nice job on the detailing. mazda should've kept that MS3 design.

well I kept trying to get different lighting pics... it's so hard to really get good shots of white.

I will be back to work finishing the car over the next few days. Been trying to figure out which LSP I want to use... I think I may try the 915 on the white, just to see how it looks.

kenchan · 06-27-2011, 01:57 PM

on white you may have to use something real shiny to get some visual depth.

Methodical4u · 06-28-2011, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

on white you may have to use something real shiny to get some visual depth.

as I go along I am putting Duragloss 105 on the car... it looks very nice and it's so easy to appy and remove that I may just stick with that. It's also VERY durable, especially to bird bombs, acid rain, etc. It's the sort of stuff that body shops HATE if they have to paint a car that's had it on the old paint.

Methodical4u · 07-01-2011, 01:10 PM

Update: Well i'm just now getting around to the other side of the car.. I am suspected of having diverticulitus so I was getting blood work and a CT scan yesterday. It causes a lot of pain when hunched over which I have to do to get to low areas of the car, so I only work on it for at most 2 hours a day. I did get the drivers side front door done today which I think came out beautifully.

Because it's darker on this side of the garage it seemed to show the scratches better... but maybe i'm getting better with the camera.

After first pass

Lower door section...

again after 1 pass...

Now after a second pass with the Power finish and then the Super finish

I think it's coming out quite well so far... i'm happy with it, though in the sun it's just going to look ... well white, but that's ok.

AdamsPolishes · 07-01-2011, 02:14 PM

Nicely done. White can be such a pain in the butt to get lit up correctly so you can see what you're working on.

Methodical4u · 07-01-2011, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylan@Adams

Nicely done. White can be such a pain in the butt to get lit up correctly so you can see what you're working on.

Thanks man... yeah it's certainly a hard color to see... I have my little drop light and i'm moving it here and there, back and forth and looking from all sorts of angles to make sure i'm not missing anything... but it is a nice bright white and all of those marks just hide the very nice flake in the finish which is just a shame to me. Oh well, I can work on it a little at a time so it'll get there, and then I have an Evo 8 to do... also a light color... silver.

kenchan · 07-01-2011, 02:51 PM

i have a white honda fit that my wife uses mostly and on a light day even in the garage (with the garage door open) my eyes get so focus on the white when i look away everything looks green.

white is a very intimidating color to work on for sure.

Methodical4u · 07-02-2011, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

i have a white honda fit that my wife uses mostly and on a light day even in the garage (with the garage door open) my eyes get so focus on the white when i look away everything looks green.

white is a very intimidating color to work on for sure.

Man, it is painful to the eyes on a bright day... that's why I keep the garage door closed with only smaller lights on most of the time.. I cannot imagine what the electric bill is going to be just using that 1000 watt lamp, even for the little bit of time that I have.

At least under some parking lot lights it'll REALLY show.

Methodical4u · 07-06-2011, 01:31 AM

Well I FINALLY got the MS3 finished... I took some outside shots, but they aren't all that great. White+outside=bad

Again guys sorry about some of the pics not being the best... I did the best I could with trying to give it some sunlight... earlier in the day it was just TO bright though.

Don't you just LOVE that sealant candied look though? I do personally!

DetailersDomain · 07-06-2011, 06:51 AM

looks good!

Methodical4u · 07-07-2011, 02:38 AM

Thanks Phil, I just wish the lighting could have been a bit better to get some actual sun shots... all I got was glare though... sucks.

AdamsPolishes · 07-07-2011, 12:48 PM

Came out nice. I agree... sealants do have a look all their own. I love synthetics on white personally. You're never gonna get depth, so why not play to the strength of the color and go with bright/reflective LSP's.

Methodical4u · 07-07-2011, 06:34 PM

yeah... some people love that warmth of a standard wax... I just am in love with the sealant look... but only certain ones do it.. not all the one's i've used have given me that look. Even on the white you can see it... obviously much better in person, but it just looks so nice and as you said, since it's white you may as well get a nice reflection with a sealant.

06-25-2011, 12:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
Methodical4u A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,393 Drives: 11 370 6mt pw w/sp Rep Power: 15	Paint correction of Mazdaspeed 3 plus tips (lots of pics) Update Well, as the thread says, this is a correction of my Fiancee's MS3... she, like I... had an Evo and went to the MS3 to have more room as well as a car she could have our dogs in and such. The car is white and has BEAUTIFUL flake... but it's BRIGHT white, not the sort of creamish type color of the Z's. Getting GOOD pictures of this color seem pretty much impossible, and only have I think 2 that show the condition of the paint, which at first, didn't seem to be to bad. I realized very quickly that this paint is a lot harder than I had thought it would be for a Japanese car. Anyway, here are the only 2 pics I could get that show the damage of the paint. You will sort of have to use your imagination with these pics... it's an 09, it's got about 30k on it and it's a car that dogs get in an out of. The car is only washed by me. I take care of all of the cars needs. Products: Rain-X car wash... yep the green stuff that's always on sale The absorber chamios Clay magic wheels... rain-x car wash with a MF towel and my fingers Flex DA polisher PC DA polisher Menzerna Intensive polish Menzerna Super Finish Uber Orange pad Uber white pad Duragloss 105 paint cleaner and sealant Microfiber towels from Sam's club... yep, the big pack you see at wal-mart and everywhere else The car is not yet even completed, but I thought I would show some of the pics... it is turning out very well and I would say that so far it's about a 95% correction. I don't use many expensive products.. the only thing that I focus on when buying my products is how they fit my needs. IMO your polishes should be THE MOST important part of your product line remember... anyone can wash and wax a car, but if the paint has serious marring, then it's just going to be a little more shiny car with defects that will likely show up even more. Menzerna is my polish of choice.. i've used about 4 or 5 different brands... some of them cut a little better or faster, but dry out quickly, others don't cut as well. The Menzerna line really lasts quite a while before it breaks down, and doesn't dry out nearly as fast as some other brands. Menzerna: Intensive Polish with Uber Orange pad Super Finish with Uber white pad I really did think I would have to do a 3 stage correction, but the paint really didn't need it... honestly just after the Intensive polish I could have just sealed it, but I like a very polished look, and the flake REALLY popped... to bad i'm not as good with the camera, or you could see it better lol. The flake shows a little bit better on this pic... Towels: As I stated already.. I use the MF towels that you buy in bulk from Sam's club. I know that just about all detailers use these high priced towels and they are very nice, but let me tell you something... at the point of your fine polishing... just a slight hit from your PC cable and you will marr the paint and have to go over it again with a fine polish. I know I know, everyone has their opinion on these towels... I can tell you that i've never scratched a finish with one. I do one body panel with 1 towel and then put it in the bin to be washed, if it gets something in it... throw it out.. if it touches the floor or even just nicks the tire, it goes in the bin to be washed after inspection. I learned a while ago when I worked at a guitar factory (PRS guitars) where they are more than picky that "less is indeed more sometimes" Using my Flex DA I set it on 4 (out of 6) and it cuts much better and actually faster. Faster speeds sometimes cause the polish to actually get to warm and start to crystalize... this does nothing for your paint. During the fine polishing stage I up the speed to 5 since it doesn't need to cut down very much, but only to mostly produce a gloss. The Flex vs. the PC. The Flex polisher is a lot more powerful than the PC... however the XP PC I do not have, and it is supposed to be a bit more powerful than the older PC that I have. The Flex is going to cut faster using the same product.. point blank. You can take the Flex, and while it's running, press down as hard as you want and it's still going to turn... the PC won't do that, at least not the one I have. I only use my PC for very small areas, or to apply waxes or sealants. The sealant: One of the MOST durable sealants is one that most people have no idea about... I actually was told about it from a very good detailer years ago... the funny part is that you can get it at most local auto stores and it's about 10-12.00. It's called Duragloss 105. Some of the old school detailers only like carnauba waxes... they give a nice warm glow and that is what some people like. No wax however is pure carnauba... if it were, it would be as hard as a rock... literally... solovents have to be used to soften it, so no matter what you read... none are just carnauba. Duragloss gives a candied apple almost look... I just personally love that look... on white it's hard to see, but it has a nice gloss. Like it's name, it is indeed durable. I like to layer whatever I use on a car, and while the 105 does have cleaners in it, you can notice a difference after several layers. It's consistancy is basically about skim milk... it's extremely thin... it glides on.. I leave it for about a half hour and then wipe it off. NOTE: If you do like to layer your wax or sealant, it's good to usually wait 24 hours. These pictures were taken after an application of the Duragloss 105. The car has to come out of the garage for a few days which I HATE, but it's politics with roomates... the rest will be finished and posted in the sunlight. I hope you enjoy the pics and maybe I helped someone out as well. Last edited by Methodical4u; 07-01-2011 at 01:12 PM.

07-01-2011, 02:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
AdamsPolishes The370Z.com Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: SoCal Posts: 724 Drives: 2009 Avalanche Rep Power: 16	Nicely done. White can be such a pain in the butt to get lit up correctly so you can see what you're working on. __________________ Use the code NISSANZ* at checkout to save 10% off your next order at www.AdamsPolishes.com*

07-06-2011, 06:51 AM	#12 (permalink)
DetailersDomain Track Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 638 Drives: 2010 Audi S4 Rep Power: 29	looks good! __________________ Phil@DetailersDomain.com Detailer's Domain Member's receive 10% off using "370" as a promo code at checkout

07-07-2011, 12:48 PM	#14 (permalink)
AdamsPolishes The370Z.com Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: SoCal Posts: 724 Drives: 2009 Avalanche Rep Power: 16	Came out nice. I agree... sealants do have a look all their own. I love synthetics on white personally. You're never gonna get depth, so why not play to the strength of the color and go with bright/reflective LSP's. __________________ Use the code NISSANZ* at checkout to save 10% off your next order at www.AdamsPolishes.com*

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06-27-2011, 11:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	are you like in luv with taking pictures of the same picture of the picture again and again and again of the same picture of the same car of the same picture? jk nice job on the detailing. mazda should've kept that MS3 design.

06-27-2011, 01:57 PM	#4 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	on white you may have to use something real shiny to get some visual depth.

07-01-2011, 01:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
Methodical4u A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,393 Drives: 11 370 6mt pw w/sp Rep Power: 15	Update: Well i'm just now getting around to the other side of the car.. I am suspected of having diverticulitus so I was getting blood work and a CT scan yesterday. It causes a lot of pain when hunched over which I have to do to get to low areas of the car, so I only work on it for at most 2 hours a day. I did get the drivers side front door done today which I think came out beautifully. Because it's darker on this side of the garage it seemed to show the scratches better... but maybe i'm getting better with the camera. After first pass Lower door section... again after 1 pass... Now after a second pass with the Power finish and then the Super finish I think it's coming out quite well so far... i'm happy with it, though in the sun it's just going to look ... well white, but that's ok.

07-01-2011, 02:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	i have a white honda fit that my wife uses mostly and on a light day even in the garage (with the garage door open) my eyes get so focus on the white when i look away everything looks green. white is a very intimidating color to work on for sure.

07-06-2011, 01:31 AM	#11 (permalink)
Methodical4u A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,393 Drives: 11 370 6mt pw w/sp Rep Power: 15	Well I FINALLY got the MS3 finished... I took some outside shots, but they aren't all that great. White+outside=bad Again guys sorry about some of the pics not being the best... I did the best I could with trying to give it some sunlight... earlier in the day it was just TO bright though. Don't you just LOVE that sealant candied look though? I do personally!

07-07-2011, 02:38 AM	#13 (permalink)
Methodical4u A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,393 Drives: 11 370 6mt pw w/sp Rep Power: 15	Thanks Phil, I just wish the lighting could have been a bit better to get some actual sun shots... all I got was glare though... sucks.

07-07-2011, 06:34 PM	#15 (permalink)
Methodical4u A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,393 Drives: 11 370 6mt pw w/sp Rep Power: 15	yeah... some people love that warmth of a standard wax... I just am in love with the sealant look... but only certain ones do it.. not all the one's i've used have given me that look. Even on the white you can see it... obviously much better in person, but it just looks so nice and as you said, since it's white you may as well get a nice reflection with a sealant.