# DA To Improve Shine



## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

My car is 6 months old and has minimal swirls (I won't say no swirls) with a few minor scratches on the bonnet which annoy me every time I hand wax it.
I would like to buy a DA from CYC and reduce the scratches but mainly improve the shine on the bodywork so as a complete newbie should I use M205 on a black or red pad and would these be OK for applying Prima Amigo and lsp's
Thanks for your help.


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## Bill58 (Jul 5, 2010)

Is it CG Hex pads you are thinking of getting? The black and red have no cut but are good finishing pads. For the minor scratches look at the green or for harder paint the orange pad.


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

Yes,, CG Hex pads but also seen where LC Hydrotec pads are recommended.
It is Audi paint but read where you should not assume that it is going to be hard.
Thanks for your advice, am I right in thinking that this set up would remove minimal clear coat and not allow me to cause any damage eg marring etc


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## Bill58 (Jul 5, 2010)

The orange has more cut than the green and can leave some haze. The green is a light cutting pad and with a DA will remove some clear coat. Do you have or have access to a paint thickness gauge?


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## Jimmysmith86 (Oct 6, 2014)

I'm in the same position as you mate, I've got a reasonably new car with some light swirls which I'd like to get rid of. I haven't machine polished before but have some hex logic pads for my DAS6 and have a couple of polishes in the cupboard, Sonax 04-06 which Tim from CYC recommended as a single stage DA polish and I also have some Menzerna Final Finish PO85RD, though which is better for the job I'm not sure. 

If you don't mind me hijacking the thread slightly, does anyone know how many pads you should use in a session for polishing a whole car? I've got a Mazda 6 and it's a big beast! I have one of every colour in 5.5" and 4", but may be best off loading up on whites, greens and blacks?


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

No problem jimmysmith, hope to learn something also from the replies.


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

Hi Bill, no paint gauge at the moment but when I buy the DA will probably also get one of those as well.


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## Bill58 (Jul 5, 2010)

Jimmysmith86 said:


> If you don't mind me hijacking the thread slightly, does anyone know how many pads you should use in a session for polishing a whole car? I've got a Mazda 6 and it's a big beast! I have one of every colour in 5.5" and 4", but may be best off loading up on whites, greens and blacks?


Everyone has their own way of working. Some guys will change pads over after 1 or 2 panels whereas others will use the same pad for the whole car, cleaning as they go. For the more commonly used pads I have 3 or more but generally work with 2 or 3.


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

Saw one of Junkmans video last night he recommends buying 2 orange and 3 white pads if that's any help


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## Bill58 (Jul 5, 2010)

camerashy said:


> Hi Bill, no paint gauge at the moment but when I buy the DA will probably also get one of those as well.


That's a smart move. I personally wouldn't use any cutting compound on a car without using a PTG.


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## Bill58 (Jul 5, 2010)

camerashy said:


> Saw one of Junkmans video last night he recommends buying 2 orange and 3 white pads if that's any help


I would also go for the green pad as there is an overlap in the CG's range. The green sits between orange and white.


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## Jimmysmith86 (Oct 6, 2014)

Thanks for the replies gents. I read about the overlap on a pad guide on here, for soft paint it recommended a green pad for cutting, a blue pad for polishing and a black pad for finishing. I was probably going to start with the Sonax Polish on a blue pad, then move to white if needed and then green if I'm still not getting enough cut...the gloss level on the polish is apparently enough that I shouldn't need an additional finishing polish. 

Bit of a science all this isn't it?! :buffer:


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

Jimmysmith86;4716526 I was probably going to start with the Sonax Polish on a blue pad:[/QUOTE said:


> Is that the Sonax 04-06 polish you are talking about


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## Jimmysmith86 (Oct 6, 2014)

camerashy said:


> Is that the Sonax 04-06 polish you are talking about


Yes Camerashy, it came highly recommended by the CYC team so who am I to argue lol.


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## The_Weasel (Nov 23, 2006)

Camerashy, what make of car is it?


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

The_Weasel said:


> Camerashy, what make of car is it?


Audi A4, mate, in lava grey pearl effect


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## Davemm (Mar 9, 2009)

Unless its got a lot worse since i last saw it there wont be a huge difference in looks. The parts i saw and checked were very tidy. 

have a look at the menz polishes also.


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

Davemm said:


> Unless its got a lot worse since i last saw it there wont be a huge difference in looks. The parts i saw and checked were very tidy.
> 
> have a look at the menz polishes also.


Hi Dave - trust you are OK and thanks for your post and kind words, it hasn't got any worse if I'm honest as I'm pretty careful about touching the paintwork with anything and cannot see an swirls but 2 light scratches on the bonnet which I did when my powerwasher hose accidentally scraped over the bonnet.
So you don't think a machine polish would make that much of a difference from when you saw it which is about 5 months ago. I just thought a machine polish would sharpen up some of the orange peel and add a little sharpness to the reflections
I will check out the menz polishes and thanks for your help
Dave


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## Davemm (Mar 9, 2009)

Im good thankyou.

You will always get a better finish from a machine and a person who knows how to use it. however in the wrong hands holograms can be quite common one reason i suggested the menz polish as it breaks down with working time. things like megs 205 have to be 'worked ' meaning the cut they do is on pressure, speed and pad choice. The menz can be easier to start with. 
personally if it was me id leave it this side of winter and just use a nice filler heavy glaze and wax which i know you like using as this will mask the light swirls, come spring and the sun i would then see how the car was looking.


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

OK will do thanks for your advice


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## The_Weasel (Nov 23, 2006)

camerashy said:


> Audi A4, mate, in lava grey pearl effect


That will be a hard paint then so a finishing pad might not do much for you. You might be better starting with the next pads up in the range, especially on the known marks you have.

Another vote here for the Sonax EX04-06, very long work time and no dust :thumb:

If that doesn't touch the scratches then I'd step up again to a harder pad and the Sonax CutMax, as above long work time and no dust.


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