Ok guys I just got my 8k original mile 71 200d.
Ive been cleaning it up a bit..... But the car has some major oxidation!
Ive used Turtle rubbing compound, Meguiars Diamond Cut cleaner, and Buffing.
The worst parts of the car are the Hood, Roof, trunk, and The tops of the fenders. It was parked in a garage in 88 but was left outside under a carport since 99.
Anybody have some Pointers or what I should use to get the best results?
Im just not getting all the stains off of the trunk? Ive cleaned it and waxed it out but doesnt seem to have a true shine like my 2000 Bmw 5 series has?
I know that the Mercedes doesnt have a clear coat but you would think I could get a great shine out of the paint?
If you are a novice, make sure you use a RANDOM ORBITAL buffer like the Porter Cable 7424. You can get a PC at Lowes for quite a reasonable price (under $100). It is too easy to damage paint if you are a novice using a rotary buffer.
If you get a PC make sure you get a seperate set of good pads and a velcro backing plate. The pads that come with the PC are crap. There are several good places out there that supply pads and such. The one I most frequently use is www.properautocare.com
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"The true delight is in the finding out, rather than in the knowing." - Isaac Asimov
'99 SLK230 Sport
'00 ML320
'95 BMW 525iA (RIP)
'99 Honda Passport
....
Ive got some 9-10" wool pads that are great. Will those be ok?
No.
Go to the above site for proper auto care, and look in the "how to" section. There you will find expert advice on how to use a buffer to remove oxidation. The recommended pads are foam - of which there are several types.
Ive got some 9-10" wool pads that are great. Will those be ok?
Wool pads are used when you need a very heavy cut. If the finish is very heavily oxidized, then wool pads may be what you need, however, you can get other pads that are appropriate with just as good a cut.
I would suggest getting one of the "green" pads for cutting. These are supposedly made for German paints. You could opt for the "orange" pads too instead of the green. Basically you need a 6" velcro backing plate, a 6" medium cut pad, a 6" polishing pad, and, if you want to apply wax with a pad, a no-cut pad for that. You can also get pads to buff off the wax. I prefer to apply and remove wax by hand.
And..by the way...a 1971 with only 8k miles???? What a find!!!
The products you described are very strong and designed to work with a rotary buffer. You can cause damage using these products by hand and even more damage using a rotary buffer incorrectly. Actually, they are not intended to give a shine, they are intended to remove material. If you want to use a buffer consider Meguiars #66, it's a medium polish/wax one step product. If you want to do it by hand, it's tough as you may already have caused more damage than can be fixed by hand. Meguiars ColorX or ScratchX are good mild hand applyable polishing products.
I was always a big fan of the Maquires #3 . However it is hard to find in stores. This weekend I purchased a 1983 300D and the paint was terribly oxidized. While searching for my favorite Meguires product I found some stuff called TR-3 resin Glaze. It worked wonders. I was able to restore 90% of the original shine using my brother-in-laws $19.95 Walmart orbital buffer and a few terry cloth pads. Just remember, the terry cloth pads will absorb all of the oxidation and they will turn the color of your car. I recommend having 4-6 on hand to complete the car. I followed it up with Mequires Tech Wax Paste. Check out the photos.
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