Correction..........

[Johnny_tro]

For starting up (newbie) there are some great packages available. Generally, what do you guys feel is a good starter set (quality/results)

1.  Auto Finesse Revitalise kit ?
2. Meguiars Hex Kit?
3. Meguiars  Microfibe kit?
4. Chemical Guys kit?
5. Sonax kit?
6. Other?

I know they all aim to offer correction but which would you say is best? from those that have use them?

I don't have the knowledge to be able to select pads/compounds so kits are ideal?

[dansmith180]

For VAG paint my preference on a DA would be the microfibre kit

[xjay1337]

second vote for the above 

[Johnny_tro]

Thank you gents - never expected that  but thank you

So the M/Fibre is everything I need? a correction polish and a finishing wax? would you guys add another wax to this or just stick to this simple two compounds supplied?

I was tempted with the Chem Guys.


Is there a good key/site/database to knowing what cars best suite what polishes? how do you guys know what cars have best suite what polishes? pads? and how thick/thin paint is?

How do you guys know which car(s) to use to use what paste? what pads etc.

[dansmith180]

Me and Jay have each polished a large variety of cars and many of them so you get a feel for what combo works on what car, to know what works where is really a matter of experience and being able to try as many different combos as possible.

Rule of thumb is anything German will be hard paint except Porsche's which tend to be a bit softer but sometimes sticky. Although I've done a couple of new ones and they seem to be as hard as VAG cars now  .

French and Italian are soft except Lambo's which use VAG paint.

Ford is soft

And others just fit in wherever but mostly between soft and medium.

I would put another wax over the top of the 'finishing wax compound' or I would use Megs 105 and 205 with the corresponding pads and put some wax/ sealant over the top of that.

[xjay1337]

 

That's it

I did my old GTI originally first time around with Menzerna FG400 with a chemical guys orange hexlogic. I worked very slowly working polish fully and it didn't need any refinement but removed 90% of the defects on the first hit.

I used the Megs Microfibre system on the roof which was really bad.

as Dan says there's no real go to place you have to try  a variety but for the home detailer you don't need to really worry too much.
chemical guys pads are pretty good, if you choose to use chemical guys pads i would recommend gettting an orange or yellow, a green and a black one.
use of some compounds like scholl s3 / s17 / s40 would do you good.
orange or yellow on the metal panels with s3 (or your cutting compound of choice) green on the plastic (can't take the heat, use a medium abrasive here, be prepared to work additional passes on these panels) and then black and a finishing polish to refine.
depending on how you polish you will probably find you will have none to minimal hologramming however it's always best practise to reifne.

[Johnny_tro]

Thank you kindly for all the information, really is good - thank you.

Have a few cars in the family and looking to work through them one by one. I'm just don't really fancy the 'give it a go' without some more information behind me.

Thank you.

Finally - do you guys polish all the panel(s) with large pad them move down to a smaller 3" pads for all the fine detail? how do you guys hand polish the tricky bits? hard to get bits like bumpers hard to polish spoilers, inside doors, sills etc?

[dansmith180]

I work a panel at a time from the top down, so roof can nearly all be done with a large pad then do spoiler/ round the Ariel and any other bits you couldnt really get into, then the pillars and wing mirrors with a small pad.

On a MK5 nearly all of it can be done with a machine but what can't I use a firm hand pad and Gtechniq P1 polish as its very good by hand, or something with a few more fillers depending on your needs like britemax AIO.