How do you remove swirls from Black Finish??

[RedWolf4000]

I often go through automatic car washes due to my limited time after work. In result, my black car has many many swirl marks. In direct sunlight, the car looks pretty bad, and its only 1 year old. I have tried many products to remove swirls but i have never had any luck. In fact, every product i use i just wind up putting more swirls from the rubbing and buffing on the finish.

What should I use, or should i say have done. What is the key to remove swirl marks, not hide them, but totally remove them? What products? should it be buffed at high speeds? Done by hand? What is the products and steps needed for me to finally remove the horrible swirl marks for good, so i can start washing my car by hand and never return to an auto wash again?

 

[seotaji]

do you have car detailing experience?

are you familiar with random orbit buffer/polishers? you should always apply wax and polish with one for the best results.

wash the car with a good car wash solution (duragloss is a fine choice).

use a clay bar and spray (mothers) on the car to remove surface dirt.

if the swirls aren't deep (you run your fingernail across it and it doesn't catch), then you can use a cleaner wax on it followed with a coating of carnauba wax.

if they are deeper, then you will most likely need to use polishing compound to even out the finish. there are many products sold (turtle wax, mothers, meguires professional, duragloss, zaino, etc...) that will fit the bill, but their prices vary. you'll most likely pay more for a popular brand.

[ June 21, 2004, 01:20 AM: Message edited by: seotaji ]

 

[benjamming]

One culprit in your past may have been the cloths you used to apply & buff the wax, swirl mark remover, etc.

I would recommend 3M Hand Glaze. Get some good cloths or microfiber cloths and do one section. Inspect the results. You can use the 3M Machine Glaze but there's not anything you need to be doing with a machine that you can't do with some "elbow grease", especially when you are just starting out.

I don't know if you have swirls or scratches (can feel them with your finger). But you always want to start with the least aggressive product first.

 

[Schmoe]

Get a random orbital buffer. You can get a whole complete system by Craftsman at Sears for about 40 bucks. Yeah, I'll get slammed here because everybody talks about the Porter Cable and other top dollar orbitals, but if you don't use it professionally and just once or twice a year, this will work for you. Has the orbital buffer and all the pads you'll ever use. Then get some Meguiars swirl free polish and get busy.

 

[JohnnyO]

Clay bar it, then a coat of 3M Fill-n-Glaze, then a coat of Mother's or Meguier's wax. Do it all in straight lines and don't rub in circles. Afterwards, stay out of automatic car washes unless they're brushless and buy a chamois or California Water Blade to dry it.

[ June 21, 2004, 09:51 PM: Message edited by: JohnnyO ]

 

[HOndaGuy]

#1 Wash the car with a natural sheepskin wash mitt and use the 2 bucket method(one bucket filled with car soap and water, the other to rinse the mitt off after washing each panel). #2 Get a waffle weave microfiber towel(from www.pakshak.com) to dry your car along with a california water blade to remove the excess water(use the mf after using the water blade).

 

[tweeker43]

steel wool and ajax!

don't do that. if you're a detailing rookie, i recommend a glaze with a wax or sealant over it.

the random orbital buffer is a good way to get your feet wet with minimal risk.

the other things you might try are meguiars nxt or eagle one nanowax. these won't eliminate swirls, but they will certainly improve the appearance.

there are other good suggestions in earlier posts, but i'd recommend a cautious approach.

try autopia for lot's of good advice (and some bad as well!)

 

[tweeker43]

quote:

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Originally posted by tweeker43:
steel wool and ajax!

don't do that. if you're a detailing rookie, i recommend a glaze with a wax or sealant over it.

the random orbital buffer is a good way to get your feet wet with minimal risk. like schmoe, i have a craftsman, which does an admirable job.

the other things you might try are meguiars nxt or eagle one nanowax. these won't eliminate swirls, but they will certainly improve the appearance.

there are other good suggestions in earlier posts, but i'd recommend a cautious approach.

try autopia for lot's of good advice (and some bad as well!)

---

 

[tweeker43]

doh! wrong button.

like schmoe, i have a craftsman, which does an admirable job.

 

[joatmon]

I've had black cars since my 1968 Z/28. I happy, but not quick! Here's what I've learned in all these years of black car maintenance.

Use a Porter Cable 7428 random orbital buffer. It's the best for non-pros. Now get some Einszett polish. If you have a European car with a soft clear coat, use the Einszett Metallic Polish in the red can. If you have a domestic car with a hard clear coat, use Einszett Paint Polish in the green can. If your car is older with lots of swirls, etc., use the Einszett Ultra Paint Polish in the gold can. Use the buffer to apply and a microfiber towel to remove. Step back and admire your paint and then apply your favorite wax. I like Sovereign for black cars.

Nick at http://www.detailersparadise.com/ sells the Einszett and Porter Cable and is very helpful in answering any question you may have. No connection other than a happy customer.

Good luck,

Jack

 

[GMBoy]

I own 2 black vehicles that look great thanks all to Griot's garage! They have a great system that uses the fantastic porter-cable random orbital buffer. Check out www.griotsgarage.com for more info. There Best of Show wax and carnuaba is the best and I have tried everything out there. Since finding their products in 2000, I have never gone back. Just my opinion!!! Please don't respond that whatever you use is the best because whatever product works for you is great - this one just happens to work for me.

 

[Spector]

In all honesty, Black sucks and I will never own another Black car. Looks great when clean/polished etc but virtually impossible to keep the swirl marks away. Everything shows up triple fold. removing snow is a pain, everything scratches Black. I have tried most of the remedies talked about above but if the marks are anything more then superficial it is a losing ballgame. they are there forever!

 

[oilpan49]

Removing swirls is a pain in the butt, time consuming, but the end results will reward you

Ok I tried looking for the article over at Autopia but I do remember for sure reading over there somewhere that a DA polisher does not have the capability to "remove" swirls and that it only can round off sharp edges of the swirl so it looks like the swirl is removed but it is to a point. I know the article is over there but just need to find it.

If you want to remove swirls, a rotary buffer and a cleaner polish will work great. I'm a Meguiars fan myself and I think a good product and pad would be Meguiars W-7006 and there #83 DACP would work magic. If you do not know how to use a rotary buffer, that's cool because some people don't. Start off with the PC on speed 5, DACP and a W-8006 pad. This should help cut down on the swirl problem. I do advice against using a cutting pad because Meguiars and from my own experience, the PC will not generate enough heat to make the cutting pad effective enough.

Also check out Meguiars Ultimate Wipe MF towel for removing product. Hope this helps,,,,AR

 

[robbobster]

My 97 Expedition has a ton of swirls. I've been using Zaino Z-5 show car polish for swirls, makes the swirls pretty much disappear.

I've got 110K miles on it, and I get a lot of compliments. People can't believe the age/mileage of my truck.

 

[Lola]

This I have been through!!! Random orbit sanders have there place, but, that place is not on a "BLACK" finish! Do it by hand in straight lines or pay the price!
Lola

 

[davefr]

That's funny. Almost 99% of the professional details at autopia say that a PC is the best tool for removing swirl marks from a black finish. (with the correct pad and polish)

quote:

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Originally posted by Lola:
This I have been through!!! Random orbit sanders have there place, but, that place is not on a "BLACK" finish! Do it by hand in straight lines or pay the price!
Lola

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[tweeker43]

well, meguiars was on sale at advance auto, so i bought a bottle of #7 (glaze) and #26 (yellow hi-tech wax). washed the car in the (heated) garage today and then tried the goods.

my car is silver, so what works well on mine may or may not work so well on yours.

the glaze works fairly well, but when they say apply sparingly and do one panel at a time, they mean it. do not let it haze, or it's a real mother to get off. the light swirls in my paint were eliminated or reduced, depending on their severity.

the wax was more impressive. it applies and removes easily. be sure you let it dry for 10~15 minutes before removal. you should be able to quickly swipe it with a clean finger and leave no smudges or streaks before you wipe it down.

i don't know how long it will last, but my car looks great. my swirls were pretty light and fine to start with, so hiding them on a silver car isn't too hard.

i didn't use my buffer; everything by hand.

 

[malibu jimbo]

Red Wolf 4000, if you don't stay out of the automatic car washes, your next step is a new paint job. Seriously, the car's only 1 year old and you've got swirl marks from the car wash !! That's why you don't see car dealers using automatic car washes and you don't see any "classic" cars going thru automatic car washes.

 

[Palut]

quote:

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Originally posted by malibu jimbo:
Red Wolf 4000, if you don't stay out of the automatic car washes, your next step is a new paint job. Seriously, the car's only 1 year old and you've got swirl marks from the car wash !! That's why you don't see car dealers using automatic car washes and you don't see any "classic" cars going thru automatic car washes.

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What about those "no-touch" carwashes?

 

[malibu jimbo]

No Touch car washes have an advantage that the swirlling brushes aren't scratching your paint, but then if your car's really dirty, they won't clean good either. I think a major problem is that some car washes recycle the water. Yes, they run it thru filters, but it depends how fine the filters are and how often they clean or rpl them. Also, most of them, "JET BLAST" the water, as this helps knock the dirt off. Just not good for paint!