Polish/pad setup
 

Spring is here and looking to do a 2 stage polish on my 04 TL NBP. It has a few imperfections and swirls from washing over the past year.

My plan is to attack my TL with a PC 7424XP.

Start with - Menzerna PO203S Power Finish with LC Orange Pad
Followed by - Meg 205 with LC White pad
Then finally Optimum Opti-Seal for sealant

Any recommendations on polish/pad combos?

Thanks

A little experimentation goes a long ways. As you detail your own car, and other cars for that matter, you will find that certain combinations work better than others. It has everything to do with the type and the condition of the paint you are polishing.

Without hesitation, I would say that Menzerna Power Finish is one of the best polishes for an one stage job. Sure it may be rated 5/10 or 3.5/5 in terms of cut or swirl removing abilities, but using a green pad vs. an orange pad would alternator its cutting ability - the orange LC pad being more aggressive than the green. Try both and see what works better for your paint.

Looking at your second stage, my opinion is that the Megs 205 may be a bit redundant as you are already using the Power Finish to do majority of your paint correction. I would recommend Menzerna's Ultimate Finish (aka 85rd) with a green pad to finish your job before the sealant. The 85rd finishes down any imperfections that may be left behind by the Power Finish.

Honestly, unless the vehicle is a show car, most daily drivers would only truly benefit from a well-approached one stage polish. Though a finishing polish would leave the paint looking oh-so-good, the realities of even the first car wash after a two stage polish would leave it looking no better than the one stage. Just some of my thoughts that can save you a lot of time cause the marginal returns on an extra stage of polishing is only marginal to the first.

As above. 205 doesn't finish down well on some paints for some reason. Power Finish/ Green pad followed by 85rd/black pad is all win on most cars. You may find that Power Finish leaves a finish that is more than good enough for daily drivers.

Thanks! The TL is a daily driver car and swirls/scratches are medium at most. If I find the Power finish/Green pad isn't enough for some spots, should I use an orange pad followed by m205/white? Or just cancel the M205 overall...

If the green doesn't do it, orange with power finish followed by 85rd/black if you think you want to amp up the gloss a bit.. I would just leave 205 out of it.

Thanks! Will 85rd/black really make the gloss shine THAT much on a black TL? I have the time, is it worth the trouble?

85rd is virtually a glaze with very low correction ability. Whether it is really worth it or not, you would have to really see for yourself. With 85rd, I noticed a difference in the paint's clarity and the metallic popped. The finish made the car look as though it had been waxed or sealed. Quite amazing!

How much time do you have? and what is your time worth? that should help you make the decision.