First post on detailing. I have been reading about Mercedes new cermanic scratch resistant clear coat. I have a 09 c300 sport white. Paint is in very good cond. [only 3500 miles on it] always in the garage I dont drive it alot. I want to bring the paint to its highest glossy finish. I have a Porter cable 7424XP. Is there anything as good as or better than this Blackfire for scratch resistant clear coats?

My car looks like its showroom new, no swirls or scratches or anything to repair, I just want bring the gloss up to its best. Whats your recommendations. Thanks Jim

 

You've got the same car, same buffer, and sounds like same paint condition as mine

This is what I use the following for mine depending on the need.
Menzerna SIP PO83
Menzerna PO85RD Polish
Menzerna PO203S Power Finish

Obviously due to how I maintain my car, I don't get too much usage from the SIP, but I do use it for some other cars I detail.

 

If you want a maximum gloss you should consider a sealant + wax.
So you can go either your route with Blackfire products, which are very good:
Blackfire Wet Diamond with Polycharger (sealant)
&
Blackfire Midnight Sun Carnauba Paste Wax (wax)

OR
Chemical Guys Jetseal 109 (sealant)
&
Dodo Juice Wax for light colors (soft wax)
/
Dodo Juice Wax for light colors (hard wax)

 

I might have read his post wrong, but did he not say that there are no swirls at all? The three you listed, even the PO85RD has some slight cutting power which he does not really need.

Check my post above. I myself never used Dodo Juice for white cars, but I believe you have. Whats your take on the two option I posted above? I know the Blackfire will render good results and could imagine the 109 with the Dodo Juice wax to render even better results.

 

I`ve seen your car pictures on the forum, looks real good! [ you`ve got good taste] After a few mods I`ll be posting a few pictures also.

You use 85rd, I`ve heard that referred to many times with many recommendations, it`s not too aggressive is it? As I said my paint is really good just want to max out the gloss. The power finish is that a sealer or glaze? Thanks Jim

 

Oh, black cars I`ve had a bunch of them, love the look, can`t take the upkeep any more, yours looks very good. I`ve read both your posts. I don`t have any swirls or marks of any kind, paint is as close to new as it gets. I`ve read about Mercedes new scratch resistant clear coats and that many polishes don't have much of an effect on it, [ that may be a lot of hype I dont know] Menzurna/Blackfire seems to deal with the new paint but there may be many more that can? The wet diamond with poly. is that a abrasive? I`m getting the idea maybe I don't need a abrasive but what will deal with the new clear coat to make it glossier? Thanks Jim

 

He asked for a finishing polish according to his title which all except SIP, could be used for jeweling.

As far as Dodo Juice for white. I split between Light Fantastic (regularly) and Supernatural (for shows) as my goto waxes for my white MB and BMW.

 

85rd is not that aggressive with a black or even blue pad. You're car I'm sure is fairly swirl/scratch free, but I doubt it's 100% swirl/scratch free unless you keep it in a bubble. This will help clear up what little gets on the clear.

Power Finish is not a sealant. If you want a true Menzerna sealant, go with the new Power Lock. Although I haven't had a chance to use it, several pro detailers I trust swear by it. For glaze, I use Chemical Guys E-Z Glaze.

Also, if you're looking for a polish....what's not readily known to the mass public yet, Optimum just came out with the first ever spray polish. They tabbed several well known industry detailers to test it out and they only recently were allowed to share their opinion without spoiling the news. It's looking like a revolutionary game changer in the polish world.

 

It might be a tougher clear coat, but the statement that polishes do not have much of an effect is not true at all.

As for your question to Wet Diamond and abrasives - No. Blackfire carries several products. The one you are talking about is the Blackfire compound formulated with Menzerna. The one I recommended is a sealant and the other one a wax. Click on the links I provided and read it up on the description. It will clear things up pretty quick for you.

"I don't need a abrasive but what will deal with the new clear coat to make it glossier? Thanks"

Again, either one of the two combinations posted above will work.

 

True, but I think him being knew to detailing he does not realize the entire process of compounding, polishing, and sealants + waxes.

You are right when you say that his car most likely has scratches, and the PO85RD will probably do the job for him, but in concerns to my post and your lineup I was just saying that all of them do still have some sort of cutting power and not the best gloss possible therefore which a wax would provide.

Of course for that to work you need a good starting point as in no scratches, paint blurs etc, but to get that last final gloss a sealant w/ wax will always outperform the PO86RD.

 

I`ll add a bit of background. I have a limited knowledge of detailing I have owned 65 new cars and but for a couple never put over 10,000 miles on them when I buy a new one. The paint on my cars are truly better than showroom they all stay in a heated garage seldom in the rain and get driven very little [I have more than one]. I`m always dealing with new paint it rarely gets a year old, because I buy a new car. I`ve always used Meguiars products like Show car glaze or now a #21 with a #26 wax among others. Back when I had black cars I became very **** about swirls and what not in the paint so I worked out ways of washing, buffing, protecting the finish, I still do these things even though I don`t buy black any more.

I just learned about this new clearcoat and was stumped as to what to use, I`m not for removing paint, unless of coarse there is a problem. I don`t have any problems in the paint, I have checked with my 1400 watt halogens. The only problem with the paint is just what all my white Mercedes have had, some minor orange peel, I have no intentions of messing around with 3000 grit sand paper to deal with it. I`m just trying to bring the paint up to as glossy as it can be without removing any paint or as little that is possible.

I probably titled the post wrong " finishing polish" I never used it before and thought I may need it with this new clearcoat. I coming to the understanding that I really don`t have to do anything other than what I have been doing, accept that I`m now using a 7424 buffer. It looks like the sealant+wax is the least aggressive and should do what I want, if I need more there`s a fine polish I can do. I may give these new products suggested a try. Thanks to you guys for the help. Jim

 

Since you have a fleet of garage queens, go with a sealant like jetseal, FMJ, Power Lock, or OPT Opti-seal. Follow up with a carnauba wax from the dodo juice, Pinnacle, Swissvax, Wolfgang, etc. Then maintain it with spray waxes or QDs like Pinnacle Sovereign spray wax, Finish Kare 425, or even the cheaper DG Aquawax I'm a fan of.

 

Thanks, I`ve been looking at Power Lock and Blackfire wet diamond I`m looking to try some Menzurnas products. You suggested Optinums spray wax, I saw it advertised, if thats the new one I don`t know. I`m doing the sealant, wax, and spray wax like you suggest.

I had a friend over last night and we were in the garage and I was telling him what I was trying to figure out with new products. He said are you nuts all your cars paints are perfect, he went on to say that he has never seen a single car of mine even dusty. I use detail spray every other day, I rarely wash my cars. Do you use Lake Country pads? I have a supply of blue and gray for the sealants and waxes, do you have any better suggestions? Jim

 

With gray you must mean black. The black one is ideal for sealants and waxes. The blue one will do as well but has a slightly lower PPI count than the black one.

 

Yeah, I use Lake Country pads. Black and even blue will work really as kickR mentioned.

 

I`ve been meaning to ask you since you have a white Benz. Did you have any orange peel in your car, all mine have had it? If so did you take any measures to remove it? I`m not up to date on removal but is wet sanding the only way, as it has been in the past?

 

yup, I've got orange peel. Mine isn't as bad as some of the others I've seen though. And from what I understand, wet sanding is the only way to effectively get rid if it, which sucks.

 

Sucks is a very kind way of putting it! I`ve had 5 white Mercedes and all had it. I just don`t get it, I had other colors and no orange peel. my BMW`s none, I could go on and on but I won`t bore you but it seems very strange that the white has been the only color, well maybe not the only one but my others didn`t. This car didn`t have a lot, it was the best of the 4 they had but it`s still there.

 

I use the following:

Menzerna PO106FA Nano Polish (Super Finish)
Chemical Guys JetSeal 109
Dodo Juice Supernatural Wax

And the Iridium Silver looks awesome. I have the Porter cable 7424XP as well and use the tangerine buffer because i keep the car garaged. All these products are very easy to use.

 

I`ve looked at the Nano Polish 106 and was intrested talking to someone that has used it. You use a tangerine pad, I`m not familiar with it, is it soft? Does the Nano have a good working time or does it dry faster? Is it one that you wipe off wet or let it haze? I have been looking at 85R from Menzurna, I want to remove as little paint as possible. Do you think the Nano is a finer cut?

 

Stick with the white pad, jcash. An orange one mostly is used with a stronger abrasive such as M105.

White and PO106FA or PO85RD is the way to go

 

To be honest, polishing is all about trial and error.

Ceramic clear coats like Mercedes clear are hard, resilient, and simultaneously difficult to correct without the proper tools. If you already have a PC, then that is a great start. I think that you just need a few pads, and polishes and you can definitely remove any defects that are in your paint surface.

First I will address a few assumptions.

Polish and Pad combos - there isn't a one size fits all combination. There isn't a specific combination that is going to work perfectly in every case, in fact it is almost a case by case basis on every polishing job.

Your pads have a degree of cut, just like your polishes. Your pads can also marr your surface and leave marks of their own, just like your polishes. So, depending on the level of your paint defects, depending on your paint condition, preference, etc you have to choose a combination of pads and polish that is going to work best for you.

We typically recommend for enthusiasts three different polishes, and two different pads. That way, you can have a variety of cutting options, and finishing options.

The pads that we recommend are Orange, and White. The polishes that we recommend are Menzerna Power Finish, Menzerna Super Intensive Polish, and Menzerna Super Finish.

This combo can basically correct 85% of issues that you are going to find on your paint finish. The combo of SIP and Orange is going to be great for levels of pretty intense correction. That is going to help to remove a lot of bigger scratches and more intense swirls. The combo of the White pad and Power Finish is what we use a great deal of the time to do a one step polish. The White pad finishes really cleanly so you are left with a defect free finish, and the Power finish has enough cut to remove marring and light swirls. Super Finish is our finishing polish of choice. It still has a light cut so it can remove defects well, but it finishes really cleanly so you are left with a clear and bright finish.

The best way to know what is going to work for you is honestly trial and error. As un-scientific as that sounds, it is how all the pros do it because honestly every polish and pad combo is going to work differently from day to day on every different paint finish. Start with something light, like the White Pad and Super Finish or Power Finish, and see what result that you get. If that is something that you are happy with, then that is great, if you need a little bit more cut then first change out to a more aggressive pad and see what you get, then start going with a more aggressive polish.

The White Pad is going to be a bit easier to use than the Orange Pad, so if you can go with the white and a polish combo that is going to be a little bit easier to work with than something involving the Orange or an even more aggressive pad.

Either way, it isn't rocket science. Just simply start slow, and see what result that you get. I am sure that with something basic like a few different pads and polishes, you will come up with something that will work well for your situation.

Menzerna Power Finish
Menzerna Super Finish
Menzerna Super Intensive Polish
GP White Polishing Pad
GP Orange Polishing Pad

 

The White Pad is going to be a bit easier to use than the Orange Pad, so if you can go with the white and a polish combo that is going to be a little bit easier to work with than something involving the Orange or an even more aggressive pad.

Either way, it isn't rocket science. Just simply start slow, and see what result that you get. I am sure that with something basic like a few different pads and polishes, you will come up with something that will work well for your situation.




>>>>>>>>>>>
Thanks for all the advice "starting out as lightly" thats what I wish to do, removing the least amount of paint possible. I`ve heard so many good recomendations for Menzurna products that, thats the route I`ll be taking. From what you say it looks like the super finish with a white pad [I have] would be the choice. My car has just a few thousand miles and the paint is showroom new and has no marks at all under 1400 watt Halogen lights but as I said I want to bring it to its glossiest level I can.

One question If you looked at a white Mercedes with no marks on it, lets say it just came from the factory [ I have looked closely and there are no marks, swirls, lines or anything just some orange peel which I will not deal with] the customer says I want it as glossy as it can be what would you use the Power Finish? .......Thanks Jim

Menzerna Power Finish
Menzerna Super Finish
Menzerna Super Intensive Polish
GP White Polishing Pad
GP Orange Polishing Pad[/quote]