To polish or to replace...

[Ethan1996]

So I followed some stupid guide online and ruined my bonnet. Filled in a scratch with touchup paint, then used wet and dry while the bonnet was soaking wet to smooth off the painted bit, now it looks very smooth, but also totally dull and a bit awful where I sanded it down.

I think I have two options, a bloke near me can machine polish it for "around 40-60 quid" including a few other scratches on the car, or I can get a reasonable condition bonnet in the same colour from the breakers for 40-50 quid. My question is this, which one would you go for? I imagine it's a massive pain changing a bonnet to be honest! But could be the cheaper option, and as my bonnet has a small dent anyway it could be the best option too! But then it would be alot easier to just polish it up and I know the colour would match I suppose, or would it if only the bonnet is machine polished?

 

[aucky]

After flatting down with Wet & Dry you must polish it back up, thats the whole idea!

 

[Ethan1996]

After flatting down with Wet & Dry you must polish it back up, thats the whole idea!

Yeah that's what the guide said what should I be polishing it up with though? Or is it really a machine polisher job? Tried for ages by handusing every polish in the garage, from scratch x, to meguiars ultimate compound, to tcut and none seemed to actually do anything for me.

Edit: my main questions are can I get away with machine polishing just the bonnet or will it look out of place? And am i better off getting the bonnet sorted or getting a different one?

 

[aucky]

You'd be surprised what machine polishing will sort! I'd look for a member on here who is local enough and knows what they're doing with a machine polisher. Probably do it as a favour / for beer

 

[Ethan1996]

That's a good idea only problem is need it sorting for tommorow evening or my dad will literally go mental when I go see him!

What kind of price would it cost at a body shop roughly? This place I got a quote from was a scratch removal place, they said they'd have to see it to give a proper quote though and could do it there and then.
aucky

 

[aucky]

I've no idea tbh. If you've done a good job on the sanding (what grade did you finish up on?) Then for one area its only a 10minute job.

If you haven't, it will need enough time to make it good enough that the body shop will be happy putting their name on it.

 

[Knuckles]

Stick a thread up asking for a hand. I'm sure someone in tunbridge wells can use a polisher.

But, as above, what grade paper did you finish on? Any pics?

Tell your dad 'it'll look s**t hot when it's done so don't flip'

 

[Ethan1996]

Stick a thread up asking for a hand. I'm sure someone in tunbridge wells can use a polisher.

But, as above, what grade paper did you finish on? Any pics?

Tell your dad 'it'll look s**t hot when it's done so don't flip'

Used 800 which is awful, in my defence it was in the 2500 packet.

 

[Knuckles]

Used 800 which is awful, in my defence it was in the 2500 packet.

Oh dear, finish the job and do it up to 2500/3000 before asking for it to be polished

and complain to whoever you bought the pack off lol

 

[Ethan1996]

Oh dear, finish the job and do it up to 2500/3000 before asking for it to be polished

and complain to whoever you boughtbreakersk off lol

Ah okay, but if I do it up to 2500/3000 I still can't hand polish it back to perfect I assume? So tempted to just get the different bonnet st the breakers

 

[LiamR172]

Probably through the lacquer!

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

Post a photo up

 

[Coby.]

850?!?!?

Christ is there any paint left??

I'd probably go with the new bonnet approach if your current bonnet looks in the state I'm thinking it will.

 

[Daniel]

A new bonnet takes less than 10 minutes to fit if there's 2 of you.

Using 850 on paintwork is pretty dumb though. May as well have used a hacksaw.

 

[Gally]

I've finished filler off with 850!

 

[Sunglasses_Ron]

Get a wire brush on it. It'll be reet.

 

[Knuckles]

Ah okay, but if I do it up to 2500/3000 I still can't hand polish it back to perfect I assume? So tempted to just get the different bonnet st the breakers

Get some pics up so people can better advise mate

 

[Ethan1996]

You'd be surprised what machine polishing will sort!

I'm very surprised! He's just finished and I just got home. Looks perfect! Still swirly and he seemed to be rushing it, but all the sanding marks are gone and it's very shiny, looks as it should do, will post pics up asap just finished hand polishing it myself with G3 scratch remover to remove the last of the swirls, and now it looks perfect! Swirl and scratch free and not ruined by sandpaper either!

 

[Ethan1996]

So, the pictures for you all aucky Knuckles gally Coby. (there's still some paint left ) Before:

 

[Ethan1996]

And after...

(Artistic or what, never even noticed that massive bee!)

 

[Knuckles]

Top work! The wet sanding didn't look anywhere near as bad as I expected.

 

[Ethan1996]

Top work! The wet sanding didn't look anywhere near as bad as I expected.

I got up early (way too early!) this morning and went through the grits until I got to 2500 trying to smooth it all out as best I could, and then when it was properly light I took that photo! It looked far worse before I started sanding like you suggested so thanks for that

 

[ilovewilly]

Using a house brick as a sanding block FTL.

 

[JD]

Please tell me someone didn't charge you "about £40-£60" for the above after results?

 

[Ethan1996]

Please tell me someone didn't charge you "about £40-£60" for the above after results?

£25, I will admit there's still swirls and its not the 100% perfect finish like I expected a machine polish to be, I think he was far from a detailer but some of the paintwork he did there looked very good. I was just happy to get the bonnet back to its former shine, but I do wish it was all swirl free.

 

[JD]

That's fine then. Not great, but better than spending a lot of money on an average finish.

 

[Ethan1996]

That's fine then. Not great, but better than spending a lot of money on an average finish.

I had another quote from a proper detailer with the most immaculate van in the world for £40 and I do wish I'd taken that instead so it was immaculate, but it's done now and looks average/pretty good to me! He also gave me a go with the rotary on a spare/old panel he had which was useful, as I've always wanted to try one and he had the one I was looking at getting.

 

[Knuckles]

How did you find the rotary? I've only used one once with a sanding disc on and my god it was powerful! Took so much off with a slight touch. Kinda put me off using one to polish for the time being haha

 

[Ethan1996]

How did you find the rotary? I've only used one once with a sanding disc on and my god it was powerful! Took so much off with a slight touch. Kinda put me off using one to polish for the time being haha

Awkward really, sort of expected to be running the rotary around the panel for a while then clean the panel and it'd be swirl free and perfect, but if anything it was more swirled. Not sure if I had the right combination though of pads and compounds because tbh my bonnet isn't swirl free, just shinier with all the sanding removed completely. Think he must have had it on a low setting for me too, it felt powerful but not too fast it was more just awkward to hold! I'd still quite like to get a rotary, but definitely made me think a DA could be a better option.

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

Awkward really, sort of expected to be running the rotary around the panel for a while then clean the panel and it'd be swirl free and perfect, but if anything it was more swirled. Not sure if I had the right combination though of pads and compounds because tbh my bonnet isn't swirl free, just shinier with all the sanding removed completely. Think he must have had it on a low setting for me too, it felt powerful but not too fast it was more just awkward to hold! I'd still quite like to get a rotary, but definitely made me think a DA could be a better option.

You really want to start off with a DA.

Out of interest why do you want to get a rotary over a DA? Do you know the differences?

 

[Knuckles]

Awkward really, sort of expected to be running the rotary around the panel for a while then clean the panel and it'd be swirl free and perfect, but if anything it was more swirled. Not sure if I had the right combination though of pads and compounds because tbh my bonnet isn't swirl free, just shinier with all the sanding removed completely. Think he must have had it on a low setting for me too, it felt powerful but not too fast it was more just awkward to hold! I'd still quite like to get a rotary, but definitely made me think a DA could be a better option.

You should read up on proper technique. Have a look at the guides stickies at the top of this section.

Complete layman explanation, you need to work the polish from low up to high rpm to cut out the original defect, but by then you'll have inflicted your own defects in the paint. You then need to work the polish down to low rpm to remove these defects and get a swirl free finish.

Sadly it's not a case of turning it on and passing it over the paint. That's how hologramming occurs (not working/breaking down the polish sufficiently).

Its the same story with a da, but they're far easier to handle.

 

[Ethan1996]

You really want to start off with a DA.

Out of interest why do you want to get a rotary over a DA? Do you know the differences?

Tbh always wanted a rotary as never really read up on DAs and heard rotary could remove more, plus I've seen one being used properly in person and thought wow! But now I've actually had a go at one I've started looking at DA's, I know they have at different orbit so don't just go round which lowers the amount of damage you can do with one

 

[Ethan1996]

You should read up on proper technique. Have a look at the guides stickies at the top of this section.

Complete layman explanation, you need to work the polish from low up to high rpm to cut out the original defect, but by then you'll have inflicted your own defects in the paint. You then need to work the polish down to low rpm to remove these defects and get a swirl free finish.

Sadly it's not a case of turning it on and passing it over the paint. That's how hologramming occurs (not working/breaking down the polish sufficiently).

Its the same story with a da, but they're far easier to handle.

Yeah see the pretty much how the panel I did looked, but tbh it was more a "have a go for a bit while I go get other compounds" then he just took it off me and got back to my bonnet. To be honest though I don't think he is very good at polishing, either that or he had me down for a "yes my bonnets shiny!" Person rather than a detailer type person who eats it swirl free! Not sure if it'd be best to get a pro to detail the paintwork, then get a DA just to keep on top of it after.

 

[Knuckles]

Yeah see the pretty much how the panel I did looked, but tbh it was more a "have a go for a bit while I go get other compounds" then he just took it off me and got back to my bonnet. To be honest though I don't think he is very good at polishing, either that or he had me down for a "yes my bonnets shiny!" Person rather than a detailer type person who eats it swirl free! Not sure if it'd be best to get a pro to detail the paintwork, then get a DA just to keep on top of it after.

Ah right, you may as well get a da and just do it yourself. Otherwise you'll pay the premium for the detail, then the da, then the polishes etc and it'll soon all add up

 

[Ethan1996]

Ah right, you may as well get a da and just do it yourself. Otherwise you'll pay the premium for the detail, then the da, then the polishes etc and it'll soon all add up

I suppose yeah, need help with the shopping list sometime though, all I know is alot of people seem to use Farcela G3 which I already have a bottle of!

 

[Jaff.]

to be fair you dont seem like a detailing sort of person, i mean you did use 800 grade wet & dry on paintwork...

 

[Ethan1996]

to be fair you dont seem like a detailing sort of person, i mean you did use 800 grade wet & dry on paintwork...

Didn't really think and thought it was 2500 I think im a detailing type of person, never happy unless my cars immaculate inside and out! Always cleaning polishing and hoovering it to try and remove scratches etc just tried something too far in the pursuit of a perfect bonnet! Ever since I started going on here I've wanted to machine polish my clio

Edit: just ordered black spray paint and primer from eurocarparts to sort out all my grills! Ordered with four day economy shipping for free and got an email from UPS saying it'll arrive tommorow! Not bad service haha

 

[Jaff.]

it wasnt a dig mate but think of it from your polisher guy's point of view...

"this guy just used 800 grade paper on his car, what a melon! he will be happy as long as its shiney!"

its good you have an eye for detail though, you will get pissed at it though! you start seeing swirls everywhere!

 

[Knuckles]

its good you have an eye for detail though, you will get pissed at it though! you start seeing swirls everywhere!

Such true.

You start to see defects everywhere!

 

[Ethan1996]

Knuckles Jaff. Yeah I see defects everywhere already! I'm already getting pissed off at it to be honest, always been like this though used to help my dad snag the houses he builds in the summer holidays when I was at school, means I always walked away spotting everything wrong everywhere! You do get an eye for it!