Tchan1

iTrader: (1)

I just finished detailing my car and this is what I used.

Optimum compound II w/ orange pad
Optimum polish w white pad
Optiseal
Natty blue paste

After I was done with the compound I still see fine scratches. Should I go heavier with a different pad? How long should I work each panel with the compound? Any recommendations would help. Thanks.

Oh by the way, my car is black.

eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

Fine scratches as in super light ones? I'm not familiar with Optimum products but you may have micromarring from not breaking the polish down all the way. Its common for black cars to show everything so you just need to find a finer polish/pad combo I think

varcity64

iTrader: (2)

i have actually used Optimum products on a friends black car as well. the results were great, but i prefer menzerna products (double the price, but well worth it). the heavier cutting stuff is for getting to deeper imperfections. if the scratched are very fine, as in not deep, itd may be what eyezack said about not breaking the polish down all the way. how **** are you about these scratches? personally, if i JUST put the sealant/wax on, i may wait a little while before going through the trouble of removing your LSP's and polishing again b/c of how time consuming it may be. but if you have the time, then go for it. let us know how it turns out

Tchan1

iTrader: (1)

Cool, thanks for the suggestions. That's what I was thinking about the polishing. How long should I be working the polish? This is pretty much my first time doing this. I will probably do this in a few months again or sooner since I just finished it.

detailguy

if its short little scratches that ARENT in a circle, then you are not removing the scratches in the first place! If they are in a circular formation, then its the polish you are not breaking down completely! you need to work the polish until it flashes, or until the product isnt doing anything at all - no defect removal, no gloss enhancing.

I would grabs some meguiars 105, some menzerna SIP/optimum compound/meguiars 205, and Menzerna FPII/optimum polish...

start off with the 105, then move onto the next step of SIP, then optimum polish or FPII with the proper pads to make sure you are removing the micromarring from the previous step! orange pad with 105, green pad with SIP, blue pad with FPII.