# Help needed, Meguiars M105 & M205



## steve_184 (Mar 31, 2013)

Hi there,

This is my first post on here so i apologise if this is in the wrong section! :newbie:

I own a 2005 Honda Civic in Nighthawk Black pearl (B92P), which as with any black car shows up swirls like nobody's business! Because of this i purchased myself a DAS6 PRO along with the Meguiars M105 / M205 and CG Hex Logic combo which was reccomended to me by the guys at CYC. 

As you will know the M105 is considered to be pretty aggressive so i started out with the M205 and white pad but this really didn't cut it as it just wasn't removing even the deeper swirles, let alone scratches!, so for the scratch / swirl removal stage i used the M105 with the orange pad and took extreme care using light to moderate pressure using speed setting 5, followed up by the M205 on the white pad, again light to moderate pressure on setting 5, This combo pretty much got rid of most of the defects in the paintwork accept for any deeper clear-cote scratches (did not want to cut the clear back too far as i feared i would go too far!) or scratches that had gone through the clear-cote.

The only problem i have is that even though most of the defects in the paint have been removed the finish seems some-what dull, and really lacks that deep, wet and mirror look shine the Nighthawk Black paint usually has!, It is actually less shiny than it was before! To look at close up the paint looks pretty good as it is so smooth but when you stand back it just looks dull, Also for some reason after the polishing process the "orange peel affect" in the paint is actually more noticable than it was before!

I am stumped as to what is wrong here, Could it just be my technique? Or could it be that the M205 simply does not finish down finely enough on the relatively soft Honda paint? I am really dissapointed in how this has turned out and i hope there is something i can do to get that lovely mirror shine back that it used to have!!

Thanks for taking the time to read through my post :thumb:

Steve


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## steve_184 (Mar 31, 2013)

Oh, I forgot to mention that after the polishing process i then followed up with PB Black Hole Glaze and PB EX-P Sealant which didn't really add to the shine at all!

I will get some pictures as soon as i can to show the before polishing shine and the after polishing dullness / almost extreme orange peel affect.

Steve


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## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

I'm not advising you to be fearless but generally its pretty hard to go through paint on a DA although I guess you need more experience and or at least a paint gauge to give you the confidence but in all honesty I'd have tried the same pad with 205. Although its seen as a finishing product it still has cut and we all know how notoriously soft Honda paint is. Perhaps you didn't work the 205 polish long enough after you had gone over with the 105. 


Have you got a black pad? I'd possibly try that one with the 205 if it still isn't shiny from a distance. 

On mega soft paint I've managed to get rid of swirls with very fine cutting power and a polishing pad (white to be specific). I forget which polish. A that point I'd say it didn't even need refining any more.


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## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

Also I'd have possibly gone for a wax on a black car to give it that little extra wetness. I've not used poor boys exp before but if its like other sealant I've used it will really need a panel wiped own or the polishing oils may be masking swirls or or reduce durability.


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## deegan1979 (Mar 6, 2012)

Polishing can intensify the look of orange peel im told.
Sorry I cant be more help.
First thing id do is get the psint thickness checked before going at it again


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## James Bagguley (Jul 13, 2013)

In my limited experience, you should be okay to try a couple of passes with the 205 on the white pad just to see if it will shine up.

The only thing i have done on my Cosmic grey '04 Civic, is 105 the crap out of a nasty scuff on the bumper that a previous owner left me.

Used an orange pad with that, and followed up with the 205/white combo. 

Its not the same as a large "flat" panel, and not black either, but i dont appear to have gone through the paint at least.
Hope that provides some reassurance!


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

You say you used 205 at speed 5 with light /medium pressure.

Did you work down the speeds and reduce pressure to refine the finish? Work down to speed 2/3 and don't apply pressure - just let the machine take the strain for a couple of passes or so. This really helps to add shine.


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## Rascal_69 (Sep 20, 2009)

If its dull? And not as shiny as before have you left holograms behind? 

In which case to remove them use 205 again. 

Spread it low speeds. 4 or so passes at speed 5. Then start reducing speeds on machine and pressure. Also slow down your passes.


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## Rascal_69 (Sep 20, 2009)

This is what I got with 205 on 3m yellow pad using only 205. 
On Audi paint.


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

On your finishing sets try it on speed 3, or even 2, with just the weight of the machine so it's almost gliding over the paint, that should ping up the gloss levels.


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## steve_184 (Mar 31, 2013)

Thanks for the advice  It sounds as if it's down to the fact I haven't worked the 205 long enough and I wasn't dropping the speed down for the last few passes! The problem is that the day I set myself to do the job started a little later than I would have liked so the final stage with the M205 was slightly rushed!

Is there a finishing compound out there anyone could recommend that would give it a real mirror like shine, more so than the M205 finished down properly? Or would it really not be necessary?


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## great gonzo (Nov 4, 2010)

Finish it with Lime Prime the oils will help to get the wet look you are after, but use a wax on top not a sealant.
If you must use a sealant replace the Lime Prime for dodos micro prime this was designed for soft and tricky finishes and can be topped with a sealant. 
I would use a black hex pad to finish not white, especially if the paint is soft as you mentioned. 
Gonz.


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