DI blog reader Tom seeks polish choices to use with a Porter Cable 7424 on his black Corvette:

Hi, I have an ’06 black Z06 that is in really good condition with the exception of spider webbing and some light marring. I recently bought an off brand rotary polisher and was planning on using that after practicing with it but I am starting to have doubts about using it. I also have a PC7424 that I would like to try on the vette first. Will I be able to get as good of a finish with my PC as I could with the rotary? I am looking for your advice on products and pads for the PC. From the reading I have been doing I have it narrowed down to Menzerna or Meguiars. I am sort of leaning towards the Meguiars but wanted your opinion on the easiest and quickest way to really improving the finish. I do plan on finishing the process with some Optimum Opti Seal that I recently purchased. Thanks for any advice that you can give me.

-Tom

Hi Tom, and thanks for your questions.

As you’re probably aware, most Corvettes are known for having hard clear coats, so you’ll want to consider your polish and pad combinations accordingly. If you have deeper defects, then you may require the extra power of the rotary to achieve a high level of correction given the hardness of the Vette’s clear coat. If you have milder defects, then you should be able to get the correction you need with a PC7424.

While I like (and use) both Menzerna and Meguiar’s polishes, I would opt for the Megs M105 / M205 combination when using the PC. Menzerna would also work in this case, but it would take longer because the diminishing abrasives in the Menzerna polishes require more time for them to properly break down. The Megs M105 and M205 polishes are non-diminishing abrasives, and are designed to produce results more quickly.

As for pad selection on the hard Corvette clear coat, I would recommend Lake Country’s Hydro-Tech pads. You could team up the more aggressive Cyan pads with the M105, and the less aggressive Tangerine with the M205 finishing polish. When you’re just doing a regular maintenance polish, then simply do a quick one-step with M205/Tangerine. Proper pad priming and technique are keys with achieving successful results with these Meguiars polishes, so I highly recommend that you read through my tutorial for using M105 and M205.

Once you’ve achieved the polishing results you were looking for, then seal it up with your Optimum Opti-Seal and go out and enjoy that beautiful black Vette!

I hope this helps you with your decisions, and we look forward to hearing back on your results.