# First time with a DA, a few questions. - BMW F10



## David ODwyer (Aug 28, 2015)

Hi, I'm looking for some advise when it comes to approaching my 520d F10 (2011 Reg) with a DAS-6 PRO PLUS (Just arrived). I have a few questions and any advise or tips would be welcomed.
Unfortunately I have no photos of the car, that aren't horribly dark (Until tomorrow hopefully).

I've a few concerns mainly harming the paint, worst of all burning the clearcoat. 
I have the idea in my head that this is only going to be a possibility on edges and seems.

The choice of polish's and pads I have are listed below:

CG Hexlogic 6.5" Yellow, Orange, Green, White, Black and Red pads.
CG polishes & compounds V series 32, 34, 36 and 38
Megs swirl x & uc.

My plan:
1. Wash / Iron X / Clay bad areas / Quick IPA wipe.
2. Attempt to remove my swirl marks with v38
3. Apply Jetseal by CG

My questions:

1. I don't have a paint depth reader, should I be concerned? it was a lease plan company car beforehand, I'm second owner and no obvious signs of any respray. 
*Is a paint depth reader considered essential equipment? *I know a detailer I could visit and give him a few quid for a few quick readings.

2. My bonnet and doors have some ledges/contours (Reference pic courtesy of Wiki) that I fear burning with the 6.5 pad.
*Is there any specific technique to approach the ledges / contours? Any tips to avoid harming these ledges or are my fears unfounded? 
Should I be concerned about using the 6.5" pads on the mid-bottom section of the pad between the two ledges (Less than 6")?
*
3.* For very mild swirls should a green hexlogic pad with v38 be enough to make a mild difference? * 
I'm happy to move up to a polish with more cut, but due to my lack of experience don't want want make any expensive mistakes.

4. All new pads. Is a spritz or two of water enough to prime the pad with a bit of the polish mushed in? Or is a pad conditioning spray an essential?

I'm lucky enough to be off work next Sat - Weds and have access to a nice big yard and shed to work in for the week, have a spare car to use for the week as well! So this isn't a rushed job and hoping to the best finish my ability's will allow!
Any advise or tips would be appreciated, I hope to get a few quick photos of the car in the morning before I go off to work.


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## lowejackson (Feb 23, 2006)

1. A paint depth meter is well worth paying a few quid to get a sense of how much paint you have. Everything else is just guessing, you may be lucky and have no problems or you may not be lucky...

2. Using masking tape at panel edges and treat ledges with a lot of care. Smaller pads would be easier to work with, the ones you have are considered quite large. 

3. Sorry, no idea as I have not used any of the CG polishes. Always do a test section by starting with the least aggressive products and slowly work up the aggressiveness products until you find what combinations work. On very soft paint you may well not move beyond a finishing pad and polish

4. I would prime the pad with the polish however it is worth checking what the official recommendation is

Use IPA after polishing to remove the polishing oils, there is no real advantage in using it before


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## ASDEC (Mar 24, 2014)

3. IMO v38 will do almost nothing  It's very fine, jeweling polish.
My recomendation: 
start with orange pad and V36, but it will be probably not enough
rather better combination (for remove swirls but not deeper RIDS) will be orange with V34
finish it with V36 on white pad

I did 2 F10's in the past and to achieve good 80-90% correction MF pads / wool pads with strong compound (M101, Zephir) were needed.


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## camerashy (Feb 9, 2014)

If you do have the car checked with a paint depth guage then also check the readings under the bonnet or door shuts and this will give you an idea of the clear coat thickness.
Dave


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## David ODwyer (Aug 28, 2015)

lowejackson said:


> 1. A paint depth meter is well worth paying a few quid to get a sense of how much paint you have. Everything else is just guessing, you may be lucky and have no problems or you may not be lucky...
> 
> 2. Using masking tape at panel edges and treat ledges with a lot of care. Smaller pads would be easier to work with, the ones you have are considered quite large.
> 
> ...


2. 
-By a lot of care, do you mean do not let the edge of the pad touch an adjacent vertical ledge (A issue I may encounter on the door and bonnet)?
So ill be best off putting a very fine line of tape along the edges of ledges to avoid buring?

4. Offical CG's advise is 5 pea size dots and a spritz of their conditioner to the pad, dab pad on panel to spread, hold on panel, start on 1 spread on panel so on so forth. 
-Generally speaking should i be safe with a few spritzes of water as opposed to a spray conditioner?



ASDEC said:


> 3. IMO v38 will do almost nothing  It's very fine, jeweling polish.
> My recomendation:
> start with orange pad and V36, but it will be probably not enough
> rather better combination (for remove swirls but not deeper RIDS) will be orange with V34
> ...


I haven't even picked up the machine yet and just want to take care as I doubt at this stage I'll get a paint gauge near it. 
I think I'll start off with the v38 & White none the less to get a feel for the machine and work my way up as needed, take my time at it. All while giving a IPA wipe between switching polishes, or finishing off?


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## lowejackson (Feb 23, 2006)

This may help


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## David ODwyer (Aug 28, 2015)

I got to go around the whole car with v36 and a orange pad, made a good difference to the swirls. Although there are still some minor swirls I can find in certain lights. Happy with the finish none the less.
I've no good before and after photos unfortunately, or very good after photos as it was a very overcast day.

I got to do one coat of blacklight afterwards, going to do another this weekend.

Thanks for all the help and advice.


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## D7ntk (Nov 4, 2013)

When i first started i taped up contour lines with strip of tape so i gave myself flat panals to work with then just hand pollished the contour lines ... tbf german paint is hard and well built up but even so its hard to burn through paint with a da. Rotary on the other hand is a different story . But like everything practice makes perfect . I also use hex logic pads orange medium cut with 2/3 passes depends on area . Then i go to red and 2 passed with finishing compound or liquid wax


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## REVERSiN (Sep 28, 2015)

David ODwyer said:


> I got to go around the whole car with v36 and a orange pad, made a good difference to the swirls. Although there are still some minor swirls I can find in certain lights. Happy with the finish none the less.
> I've no good before and after photos unfortunately, or very good after photos as it was a very overcast day.
> 
> I got to do one coat of blacklight afterwards, going to do another this weekend.
> ...


Nicely done mate, sexy looking car for sure and I love that color 

Keep it clean  as this color likes the cleaning routine hehe


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## slim_boy_fat (Jun 23, 2006)

Nice choice there! :thumb:

If that's a fabrication shop there, don't drive in if/when there's work going on - you don't want grinder sparks etc near her.


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## David ODwyer (Aug 28, 2015)

REVERSiN said:


> Nicely done mate, sexy looking car for sure and I love that color
> 
> Keep it clean  as this color likes the cleaning routine hehe


Shes kept very clean, washed weekly or biweekly. Trying to leave it a bit longer these days as the power washed died. Don't want to be inducing to many love marks.
After some time to inspect the work under different lights, there are quite a few more light deeper scratches in some areas. Got myself a DoDo Juce Yeti mitt and need to pick up some smaller 5" pads to try work these marks out in the new year.



slim_boy_fat said:


> Nice choice there! :thumb:
> 
> If that's a fabrication shop there, don't drive in if/when there's work going on - you don't want grinder sparks etc near her.


It's just a sizable shed, not a workshop. Wouldn't have it near anyone working with an angle grinder! :doublesho


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## REVERSiN (Sep 28, 2015)

David ODwyer said:


> Shes kept very clean, washed weekly or biweekly. Trying to leave it a bit longer these days as the power washed died. Don't want to be inducing to many love marks.
> After some time to inspect the work under different lights, there are quite a few more light deeper scratches in some areas. Got myself a DoDo Juce Yeti mitt and need to pick up some smaller 5" pads to try work these marks out in the new year.


Tell me about it XD I have the same color and the lightest rain when it dries turns it white personally I think it's a hard color to maintain just as the black I do wash no e every end of the weak still this color best shows under sunlight with its beutifull flake. Mine is called (midnight blue) it's identical but it's not a BMW you gotta love it even bugs do


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