I use the Porter Cable polisher and the following products:

Sonus sfx-1
Sonus sfx-2
Sonus sfx-3

With a final coat of Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze.

I also use the DAS pads which offer different cutting grades for each of the Sonus steps above. The Sonus products are easy to work with and the Porter Cable makes the job a breeze.

A thorough clay bar treatment will make the paint feel as smooth as silk not to mention removing all of those contaminents from the paint surface.

__________________
Sam
1989 Mercedes 300E

Your car's appearance speaks for itself. Thanks.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

The bottom line here is if the best possible shine is what you are after, you just cannot do it by hand. You need a machine, I recomend the PC 7424, UDM 1000, and the Flex XC 3401 VRG. These machines are all DA and as such should be safe for a novice, but also have features that you will grow into later. I would be caution about starting out with a rotary, granted if you go at low speeds 1000 - 1200 rpms you probaly can't do any damage. But who buys a porsche and never checks out what it will do. As others have mentioned claying, polishing, waxing are all critical to getting the best finish, but I personally rank polishing first. There are many different stages to polishing depending on your car's needs. Search the net for articles on polishing. Some think polishing and waxing are the same thing, it is not!

__________________

1997 SL500
Sports Package
Dark Blue/Blue interior
145,000 miles

It sounds like the Porter Cable is the one I'll go with. I like their other tools for woodworking.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

It also does wonders on you windows. No scratch removal but ultra clean. I usually clay bar the front windshield before I put the rain-x on. It seems to last longer and it rains a lot here. (Seattle)

__________________

1981 300TD "The Green Lantern"
1980 300TD
1983 300D Euro "China Cat"

Cool. I'll have to try that. Is the clay bar considered and abrassive? I've used it, but never really understood the concept behind it.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Here is one of the better articles to give you a better uderstanding http://www.detailuniversity.com/detailing-process/detailers-automotive-clay-article-by-jon-miller/index.html

__________________
1999 E300DT (131,800) 154,000 Black on Black SOLD

2006 CLK 500 coupe Capri Blue on Grey (zoom,zoom)
47,000mi

04 VW TDI Passat 80,000mi
(Techno)

How to eliminate oil dependency through market-driven approaches.
“We could cut oil use in half by 2025, and by 2040, oil use could be zero,”
The Sound of Diesel Speed
Ode to MB

Great article. Thanks! Understanding the philosophy behind the process helps to avoid misue of it.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I use a cyclo dual head orbital polisher with white or green foam pads.
Also use STS3000 polish from detail king in P.A.

I've seen those. I think they're way more than I need. I'm too casual a user to put that much into it.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

So casual, in fact, that you've only been talking about polishing your car for 2 months.

__________________
Chad
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys

I know. With all the talking I've done, you'd think the damned thing would be shiny by now.

It's been either too cold, too rainy, or both every weekend for sometime. I'm waiting for one of those mild winter Saturdays to come along, so I can wash and wax everything.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I'm just kidding. Besides, as soon as you put the effort into it, it will rain or snow or a flock of birds will take flight over it.

__________________
Chad
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys

This time of year I look at waxing purely as a preventative measure. As soon as I have some time to get my garage cleaned the rest of the way out, I'm going to park the SEC in there. Maybe then I can continue with some of my projects . . ..

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Do you have a heater in your garage, Chad? I may have to buy one of those, too.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles