Quote:
Originally Posted by whitebimmer09
Unfortunately, I don't really care for the products that I have. I ordered the FG400 and plan clay and apply with my orbiter the when I get it. This shouldn't damage anything, right? I mean I polished the car with the #3, then a few weeks later I sealed it and now I will use this stronger compound. I take it these paints are pretty tough? I just don't want to polish the thing to death with my Groits Random Orbiter.
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Sounds good - I think you'll be happy. The most important thing is to remember to strip off all that sealant and work on the bare clear coat, otherwise you won't get the results you're expecting. Some Original Dawn or Joy dish soap followed by an IPA wipedown should take care of this for you. The claying may not be necessary depending on the condition of the panel since (I'm assuming) you clayed it before using the #3. To check, put a latex glove on your left hand with the clay in your right. Spray your preferred lubricant on the panel and move your glove over the panel. You should be able to feel embedded particles very easily. Use the bar in your other hand to pull them out of the paint. Repeat until you can't feel any particles embedded in the area and then move on. Remember to use the IPA wipedown with a clean microfiber after claying to remove any clay and detailing residue. Some people insist on a full wash after claying, but I personally feel this is a bit overkill.
About the tool and product, you should be fine with the RO and the FG400. Be patient with the product and remember that it's a one-step polish and may take some time to completely work down. Read the directions on the bottle for proper RO speed and product volume. Some people have noticed very very faint marring left behind after the FG400, but you may/may not. It seems to vary by the paint on the car in question.
In regard to overworking the paint, modern BMW paints should (imo) be considered a "moderate" paint to work with (which varies by color type). It's nothing similar to other models such as Nissan which generally use a very, very soft paint or other marquees that have very hard almost-impossible clears to work with.
That being said, BMW clear coat, just like basically every other modern volume manufacturer, is water-based and very thin. The chances of you burning through the clear with the tool and product you mentioned is extremely low, but you also shouldn't keep working the same area over and over. If FG400 isn't giving you the results you desire, you may want to take it by a body shop and get a professional opinion before diving deeper into the rabbit hole.