{"id":3468,"date":"2011-04-21T06:54:06","date_gmt":"2011-04-21T10:54:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.detailedimage.com\/Ask-a-Pro\/?p=3468"},"modified":"2016-11-16T10:35:41","modified_gmt":"2016-11-16T15:35:41","slug":"assessing-paint-condition-and-deciding-on-a-correction-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.detailedimage.com\/Ask-a-Pro\/assessing-paint-condition-and-deciding-on-a-correction-process\/","title":{"rendered":"Assessing paint condition and deciding on a correction process"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the most common questions I see on the various auto enthusiast and detailing forums is, “how do I know what pads and polishes to use on my car?” While most experienced detailers can just look at a car and have a very good idea of what pad, polish, and tool they’re going to use, this assessment can be very hard for someone who is new to detailing. For example, I have been polishing cars for over 20 years, and approximately 90% of the time I use the original process I planned from my\u00a0initial\u00a0assessment\u00a0of the paint. Even so, there always seems to be that one car that comes along and throws me for a loop, and that my DI blog readers is the reason we do a test spot<\/a>. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

So how do I assess the paint and decide my process? Keeping in mind that we always want to use the least aggressive method to achieve our goal, I base my decision on the criteria below.<\/p>\n

Evaluate the customer<\/span><\/h1>\n

This step is one of the most important. You should always be cognizant of\u00a0your\u00a0customer’s expectations and not every car has to have 100% correction with a show car finish! Not being aware can lead to unpleasant invoice surprises for the client and wasted time on your part. The polishes and pads you use should be specifically tailored to your customers needs. For instance, if your customer is only looking for a 1-step polish, and simply wants the paint to be clean and shiny, then deciding your process should be pretty easy. At the opposite end of the spectrum is a vehicle that is in pretty rough shape and a customer desiring full\u00a0correction. In this situation, and many in between, you will want to determine your process based on more of the criteria listed below.<\/p>\n

Make and model of the vehicle<\/span><\/h1>\n

Automobiles leave the production line sporting a wide variety of paint\u00a0hardness. This is normal, and the ability to recognize and accommodate for the\u00a0differences will become more natural as time passes and a detailer has the opportunity to work with a variety of different manufactures. When using the same pad and polish on a car with softer paint, such as you’ll typically find with Honda or Toyota, the paint is more easily corrected but can also be more difficult to finish down when compared to a vehicle with harder paint, such as an Audi or Mercedes. So if I have two cars, a Honda and an Audi, with paint in similar condition, I know that I should be able to use a less aggressive method on the Honda in order to achieve the same results. You may also find that you have to use a much more aggressive polish on harder paints just to get a\u00a0noticeable amount of correction, though they tend to finish down better than that same aggressive combination would on a car with softer paint. It is also important to note that on cars which have had prior body work, those panels may respond differently to polishing than the OEM panels. Thus, some adjustments may be needed in your process to achieve the results you are looking for. While we detailers tend to have a generalization of paint hardness on specific cars, it’s important to note that this is not set in stone. In fact, you could actually have two identical cars (same make, model, year, and color) with completely different paint hardness. You also need to keep in mind that opinions vary and not everyone will agree on a particular cars paint hardness.<\/p>\n

Evaluate the finish<\/span><\/h1>\n

You always need to evaluate the vehicle\u00a0finish\u00a0when the car is clean and, if possible, stripped of any\u00a0protection. This will allow you to assess the true finish. Waxes, sealants, and\u00a0especially\u00a0glazes can conceal some defects. This is especially important when dealing with new cars or cars that have just come out of the body shop. You will want to look for swirls, holograms, bird dropping staining\/etching, water-spot etching, over spray, and Random\u00a0Isolated\u00a0Deep\u00a0Scratches\u00a0(RIDS). Try and look at the car in direct sunlight as well. If natural sunlight is not an option, then having a good light Source like the Brinkmann Dual Xenon<\/a> or LED<\/a> is critical in spotting defects. Also be sure to look over the vehicle for signs of previous correction that could cause reason for concern, such as edges that have been\u00a0rubbed\u00a0through. If you have a paint thickness gauge (PTG)<\/a> you can also check for consistent and healthy paint\u00a0readings.<\/p>\n

Understanding the nuances and intended <\/span>use of different pads and polishes<\/span><\/h1>\n

Since paint correction is all about leveling and refining the paint, it’s important to understand the differences between the various polishes and buffing pads. I like to categorize polishes and pads into 3 general categories: Compounding or cutting,\u00a0polishing, and finishing. Typically, one will use a cutting pad with a compound or cutting polish, polishing pads will be used with a polish, and finishing pads will be used with a finishing\u00a0polish. You can also interchange the pads and polishes to get different levels of cut and finishing, which is useful for finicky paints, but typically it’s best if they are paired up within the same category.<\/p>\n