I got tired of the small imperfections, small scratches from washing and other small blemishes, such as stone chips and decided to do the same thing I did to previous cars. But they were 5-10 years older and way less expensive than the beast. So I did some polishing of my newly bought M5 and have some tips to share to the ones thinking about doing the same.
I used 3M professional products.
I started out with the same products that I have used on my previous cars and soon discovered that something was different about this paint.
I used a Makita 9227CB 1200W buffing machine (rotating, not oscillating).
I started out by patching the stone chips with original paint and a very fine 1mm (1/25") brush, after cleaning with acetone.
Then sanded the patches and some deeper scratches with 3M P2000 wet sand paper.
After that I started buffing/rubbing the sanded areas with 3M 09375 Fine rubbing compound and a 3M wool buffing pad. The results where not good. The scratches from sanding wouldn't go away. After a couple of hours of buffing, I started getting worried that I had ruined the paint. I called 3M customer care and they asked what car I had and what paint it had and said that there are new products for this kind of paint. So I went to a 3M representative to get the new stuff.
This is what you need for a, dark metallic paint with so called scratch resistant clear coat:
3M Trizact Imperial P2000 wet sand paper
3M P3000 semi-dry sanding discs
3M 50199 mini sanding pad (for P3000 discs)
Acetone
Lint free cloth
Micro fiber cloths (good quality, 5-10 pcs)
Original paint
A super thin paint brush (approx 1 mm / size 0)
Hair dryer (to dry the paint quicker)
Buffing machine, rotating, with speed control and speed adjustment, covering the range 500-2500 rpm
3M 50417 Fast cut plus rubbing
Lamb wool buffing pad
3M 09357 Fine rubbing (might not be needed, but just in case)
3M Black rubbing pad (medium)
3M 80349 Extra fine rubbing
3M yellow polishing pad
3M 50383 Ultrafina SE polish
3M blue Ultrafina polishing pad
3M blue Ultrafina micro fiber cloth
3M 09377 Finishing glaze or other top coat (I actually like Turtle wax liquid hard wax or Autoglym HD wax better than the 3M wax)
This is how to do it:
I used 3M professional products.
I started out with the same products that I have used on my previous cars and soon discovered that something was different about this paint.
I used a Makita 9227CB 1200W buffing machine (rotating, not oscillating).
I started out by patching the stone chips with original paint and a very fine 1mm (1/25") brush, after cleaning with acetone.
Then sanded the patches and some deeper scratches with 3M P2000 wet sand paper.
After that I started buffing/rubbing the sanded areas with 3M 09375 Fine rubbing compound and a 3M wool buffing pad. The results where not good. The scratches from sanding wouldn't go away. After a couple of hours of buffing, I started getting worried that I had ruined the paint. I called 3M customer care and they asked what car I had and what paint it had and said that there are new products for this kind of paint. So I went to a 3M representative to get the new stuff.
This is what you need for a, dark metallic paint with so called scratch resistant clear coat:
3M Trizact Imperial P2000 wet sand paper
3M P3000 semi-dry sanding discs
3M 50199 mini sanding pad (for P3000 discs)
Acetone
Lint free cloth
Micro fiber cloths (good quality, 5-10 pcs)
Original paint
A super thin paint brush (approx 1 mm / size 0)
Hair dryer (to dry the paint quicker)
Buffing machine, rotating, with speed control and speed adjustment, covering the range 500-2500 rpm
3M 50417 Fast cut plus rubbing
Lamb wool buffing pad
3M 09357 Fine rubbing (might not be needed, but just in case)
3M Black rubbing pad (medium)
3M 80349 Extra fine rubbing
3M yellow polishing pad
3M 50383 Ultrafina SE polish
3M blue Ultrafina polishing pad
3M blue Ultrafina micro fiber cloth
3M 09377 Finishing glaze or other top coat (I actually like Turtle wax liquid hard wax or Autoglym HD wax better than the 3M wax)
This is how to do it:
- Wash the car with degreasing agent and a good shampoo and make sure it's absolutely clean. If needed clean it with cleaning clay also (I didn't need to do this step, since I have a very effective degreasing agent from Ditech)
- Take the car inside your garage, or other space with good lighting and ventilation and no dust.
- Let it dry or wipe it dry
- Locate and mark stone chips and scratches (I used small white stickers to mark all defects I found). Keep the markings until step 8 is done.
- Clean stone chips with acetone and fill with paint and clear coat
- Sand moderately with the P2000 paper, wet. I used battery water.
- Some scratches might need the P2000 paper too
- Decrease the scratches with the Trizact P3000 discs. I did it wet.
- Start buffing the sanded areas with the wool pad and Fast cut rubbing compound. Follow directions from 3M. Be careful not to burn the paint; never stop moving the buffer! Use moderate pressure and then light pressure at the end, when the scratches are gone. Be careful on edges and corners! You can penetrate the paint layer, if not doing this properly!
- I buffed the entire car with Fast cut compound and the black medium buffer, after removing the scratches from sanding. This is to flatten the paint surface and removing small defects and marks.
- On some parts, the hood for example, I had to use the Fine rubbing compound as an extra step, before the Extra fine compound.
- I washed the car after step 10, to make sure that none of the coarse compounds were left in the gaps between the panels or around the rubber trim.
- Buff the whole car carefully with the Extra fine compound and the yellow pad. This is worth some time. I buffed all areas about 5 times (dispensing the compound two times).
- Wipe it clean from compound residue carefully.
- Buff with Ultafina SE polish and the blue pad, according to the directions from 3M. Try to do small areas and polish away the greyish residue before it's dry. After drying it sits hard and may leave small scratches!
- Protect the paint with a good quality top coat. The wax should be without polishing agents!
- Enjoy the look of envy on your neighbors face's, when you pull out from your driveway. :cool2: