EddScott

I need some advice on how best to look after my Sonic Blue paint (classic MY00)

Sometimes I park mine next to other Sonic Blue cars and I just feel that mine doesn't shine quite like others I've seen.

I've also been thinking of getting a PC rotary but I'm a bit worried about damaging the paintwork. I want to get rid of all the swirl marks and get that "wet look" shine some Sonic Blue cars have.

I've gone through lots of products over the last few years - Autoglym, Meguiars and Klearkote but I just don't think I'm getting the best out if them.

Any help much appreciated

TonyFlow

To damage the paintwork with a Porter Cable (random orbit), you would have to be going some!

What products have you used in the past, as you would need to clean and polish the paint before adding a wax/sealant to get the look you are after. To clean, you will need to use a clay-bar (as in 6 years of use, there is bound to be contaminants sticking to the paint (Meguiars Clay comes with lubricant and can be found in halfords for around £15), use this after washing, and you will get the paint feeling like glass (it pulls out contaminants making the paint smooth).

From here, a poish will be needed, the idea of the polish is to remove/hide any blemishes in the paint (severity of blemishes will affect which polish to use), to remove the blemishes, a polish withg a cut will be needed, and I favour the Poorboys SSR range of products (by hand or PC) these effectively "cut" the clearcoat down to the level of the blemishes (i.e. swirls), therefore removing the blemishes permanently (until they are re-added due to incorrect washing procedures etc). Other polishes have "fillers" which fill th eblemish up to the level of paint, making them less noticeable, but these fillers will wash away in time (revealing the blemishes again).

After this is done, You can apply a glaze (which will give insane wetness to the paint, as well as "nourishing" it) then, I would apply a sealant (this will give intense reflections to the paint, I like Poorboys EX-P, which also "pops" the metallic flake out a treat).

I would then apply a Carnauba-based wax to add to the wetness of the paint (I like P21S, but Nattys Blue or similar is as highly rated).

From here, use decent washing techniques (i.e. woll mitt, micorfibre drying cloths etc), and top up the wax every month or so, and you will be gleaming with the best of them!

Rich @ PB

iTrader: (3)

As above, a great summary of essentially what is contained in the in depth guides to car care on my site. Start here...

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acata...ides_wash.html

My recommendations for use by hand would be...

Meguiars Quick Clay
Menzerna Intensive Polish (to remove swirls and minor scratches)
Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish (a glaze to enhance wetness and gloss)
Blackfire Wet Diamond (awesome sealant)

scoobyverysoon

iTrader: (1)

I have a sonic blue my 00 classic and Ive used the setup above but after the intensive polish I went over the car again with Menzerna final polish 2 - I would post pics but my broadband is broke so I am using 56k dial up

I had loads of swirls and the intensive polish did the job (using a porter cable)