Vauxhall Paint... hard soft?

[A3Tom]

Hello,

Any experts had an experience of Vauxhall paint?.

My GF's booked her Arsetra in with me tomorrow when she's at work for a day of cleaning. Paints generally good on first inspection but I'll see what its really like after a good foam, wash and claying etc. There are a few scratches (back bumper under boot) but nothing major.

I've got a selection of polish so I'm thinking I'll go in soft as I'm used to hard VAG paint, so something lin Menz final finish on a Megs buffing pad and then step it up after that if its not tough enough.

Car is a really nice dark metallic grey so it'll be given a couple of coats of Colinite for durability (she never cleans her cars) and then a couple of goes with red mist or Z8.

Anyone done a Vauxhall before and know what the paints like?, I dont have any paint guages etc which is why I'm going in light rather than with my size 12's on like I had to with my paint.

Ta

Tom

 

[JD09]

From a recent Insignia, medium really. Lime Prime cut it down well enough. Not 100% correction, but pretty damn good.

Rotary or Orbital Tom?

 

[A3Tom]

Either mate, I have both. Not sure I'll be letting the rotary near it though so it'll be a DA with soft-ish Megs pad, I've got both Menz Power Finish and Final Finish so I'm going to go in low witht he FF first and up it to the Power Finish if I need a bit 'more'. I've got some Chemical Guys stuff (bit harder than the Power Finish) so I'll break that out in moderation if needed.

T

 

[JD09]

Good stuff. I would get a bottle of Lime Prime Tom mate, you will be very surprised at it's abilities on all paint types.

Always use to be anti Dodo as I don't feel their lower end waxes and other products are worth the money they charge. But Lime Prime and Super Natural Wax really are good items.

 

[A3Tom]

I'm going to switch over to Lime Prime when I use up all my Menz... need to do a few cars as I have quite a bit left!. So far I've got the GFs Astra to do, my folks S Type, my bro's Type R, mates Cooper S, a Mk4 Golf R32 and a couple of other cars in the pipeline. Taking a while to get through them all as I work shifts and the weathers a bit random at the minute.

I like Dodo stuff, I use Diamond White on my A3, its no where near as durable as the Coli but its a lot easier to work with and gives a nicer 'pop' to the paint.

I made the mistake of ordering a load of stuf and should have gone for tester kits before commiting to a big bottle. Although the Menz is quality stuff though, I want to try Lime Prime due to the reviews it gets.

T

 

[JD09]

I still have my Menz products as a step up.

Final Finish is still used on mine from time to time. Really is superb stuff. Power Finish is still IP in my eyes/cupboard And as mentioned, still in my cupboard.

Keep them, but get a taster of LP.

 

[A3Tom]

Cars here now so I'm just going to polish off a bacon sarnie and crack on

 

[JD09]

Good man, got your priorities right! Do a write up/post some photos if you can lad

 

[Mr.G]

Depends on which FF products you have as PO85.RD has less cut than that of PO106FA. As you've point out go in light and go heavier if you don't achieve what you want from the first few passes.

Risky with no PDG though. No mates with one? Or someone local to help you out? Bit late now probably.

G

 

[JD09]

With a rotary with FF products I would not be that worried. But as above, something I would invest in if you are going to be using more abrasive compounds/polishes.

 

[A3Tom]

Well its done...so this is what I did...

Car foamed with valet pro foam and all shuts, nooks and crannies done with a brush
Rinsed
Wheels cleaned with Bilberry, tyres scrubbed
Re foamed and left on for washing (gives me a super slick wash)
Washed with Megs Gold Class and lambswool mitt, 2 bucket method
Rinsed with pressure washer
Open hose rinse to get most of the water off
Dried with waffle weave towel
Cup of tea
Clayed with Megs clay kit and Megs QD.

At this point I had a good chance to look at the paint and to be honest for a 56 plate car its obviously been looked after as swirling was minimal although there was a couple of bird poo marks on the roof.

Tea polished off so it was time to get busy.
I used my Final Finish on a fairly soft Megs pad as the paint only needed very little correction but to be honest it wasnt cutting it so I stepped up to Power Finish and I'd say I got 75% correction which I'm happy with. I need to get some harder pads... I did have some but could I find them??...no.

So after a good going over with the PF (I opted for using a DA today over Rotary for safety reasons) it was looking good. I gave the car a good wipe down and it was looking good.

Nice coat of Colinite Marque De Elegance or whatever its called (the stuff in the blue tub) and left it to gas off for a while. Had to be carefull as the sun was baking hot now so tucked the car behind the garage to stop it baking the wax on.

As the wax gassed off I gave the rims a coat with poorboys rim wax and left that for a while before buffing off and giving the tyres a dressing with Megs Endurance.

Buffed off the wax next and then gave it a couple of hits with som Red Mist to bring things to a really nice deep shine. The cars got a bit of chrome trim on the back and front that was looking a bit dull so that was given the Autoglym treatment...good as new now. Glass was cleaned with Auto Glym Fast Glass before having a layer of Rain-X put on it.

Inside was vacced out to within an inch of its life and all the pastics cleaned with warm water and a little bit of fairly liquid in it. Mainly because here was quite a lot of scummy old crud on some of the controls which had to go (previous owners skin and bogies I'm guessing). All the trim was then given a ncie wipe with a clean damp cloth and all windows cleaned on the inside, again with Fast Glass.

Thats about all of it to be honest... didnt get many pics as it was so hot but I got a quick before and I'll get some afters and post them up in a minute.

This is a new car for the GF and she wasnt too happy about coming down from a TT to an Astra but to be honest I prefer this. Sure its not quick but its a hoot to drive, does 500 miles on a tank of petrol and costs ****** all to insure. For a cheap hatch I'd suggest one to anyone.

I was going to do the engine bay too but couldnt be bothered....I'll do that another day

Pics to follow

T

 

[Mr.G]

Will look again when I'm home for pics to be uploaded, but sounds like a great days work, can't wait for the results!

Collinite 915 would be the product you used! Larger blue sticker'd container than the smaller 476s which is painted white with red lines and on it.

Get those pics up Tom!

G

 

[JD09]

Too quick for me today Gav, as above 915. Better looks than 476 but less durable. Good wax though.

Look forward to pics.

I wouldn't suggest you necessarily needed firmer pads today lad, don't forget how massive the gap is between the cutting ability of the rotary and the DA. Always amazes me - had to go back to the DA while my Rotary was out of action, just did not touch the deeper marks in my car below.

 

[A3Tom]

Yep, thats the stuff Mr G. Had it in the garage for ages and I've never really used it but its done a good job today.

I think I'll stick with the soft pad for when I use my rotary again but I think I prefer working with the DA so I'll only break tthe rotary out for serious correction I think.

Pics are on the way, although there's only a few as I was too busy working my tail off

 

[A3Tom]

Before....not too bad really....bit of volcanic ash perhaps

Anyway...straight to afters...

Inside looking nice and clean...

Pedals cleaned...

All done, pretty pleased with the results really as I'm a bit out of practice after the winter break

T

 

[JD09]

Looks good pal.

No offense ; hate the dash. Think it ruins an all round fantastic looking car.

 

[A3Tom]

Yeah the dash is a bit bland which is a shame but it all works (unlike her TT)

 

[JD09]

Just re reading the process I love the "started with a vengeance and got right to it" then " couldn't be *****" at the end haha!

 

[A3Tom]

Yeah, one of those jobs where you think "Great,....lets crack on" but after 4 hours when you're backs trying to give up things change a bit.

I could have done a LOT more on it to be honest but for now it'll do. She wont know anyway, she wont even notice its clean knowing her!.

 

[Jimmeh]

Good work there, Tom. Was it the yellow Megs pad you used, or the burgandy finishing pad? I think the yellow with Menz 203s would have given pretty decent correction! I have a e46 330 cab in at the end of the week which will be having a single hit of 203s.. That couple with a light-cutting pad, I should be able to finish down nicely on the german paint and leave some nice results. Result!

Did you tackle her TT at any point?

 

[Sarah's A3]

Really good job! She does have you trained well! Love it! Drops it off and picks it up sparkling....what a girl!

 

[Mr.G]

Great Job!

 

[A3Tom]

Jim,

the pad I used was cream in colour which thinking about it is a buffing pad so I'd have been there all day trying to get the paint 100% corrected.

I didnt bother with the TT apart from a quick wash now and then...being as you cant polish a ****

 

[A3Tom]

And ta for the feedback

 

[Mr.G]

Was the GF happy? I would have been with a detail like that.

G

 

[Jimmeh]

Is Power Finish Menz 203s? (their names are crazy and difficult to know which is which!!)

the finishing Megs may have struggled to break the polish down OK - how did it go? Did it break down well and leave a nice finish..? It might be worth trying the same combo but with said yellow polishing pad as it'd have that bit more 'bite' to it.

 

[A3Tom]

Yeah the pad broke the polish down nicely and the finish was spot on.

I'll try a yellow pad I think if they have a bit more bite. I managed to clear some buffer trails and some RUBBISH marks left by the dealers trying to mop small areas but it struggled on bird etchings etc...which I'm guessing is down to the tame pad.