swirls and scratches

[powerwagon05]

when i see a really nice gn or any black car at a show they have no or very little swirls and scratches in the paint! my car is orig. paint and i know it was not the best paint. i had a good shop buff it out last fall before storage,it cost me 200.00 and the guy did a fantastic job, well id like to keep it nice. what products and techniques are you all using to avoid ruining the paint with swirls and scratches thanks

 

[Dabigguy]

Make sure that you have high quality cleaning equipment. I use a "nappy" microfiber wash mitt. I change my wash water several times per wash and make sure that the wash mitt is clean. If you drop the mitt, do not use it until it is washed. It will pick up dirt from the ground and when you rub it on your car it is just like sand paper. Some guys use a seperate bucket with clean water to rinse your mitt before you dunk it back in soapy water.

Drying your car can cause swirls and scratches as well. I use my leaf blower to dry my car, but you can use several CLEAN microfiber cloths to dry it as well. I have used as many as 6 cloths to dry my Expedition.

 

[DetroitMuscle]

I have two black colored cars and the Meguiars Scratch-X works best for me. It removes light scratches, swirls and light oxidation.

 

[powerwagon05]

thanks for the info i guess the real trick is just be extra careful and dont rush

 

[DIAZ 87]

I would recommend not to wash the car,just detail it before you take it out and when you bring her home. And then put her under the covers.In 6 years having my gn she has only had 3 baths

 

[turbopete]

I have original paint, too

IMO scratches are unavoidable. I use Zaino Z-5, which does a great job filling in the scratches. Good enough for me.

 

[theCATman]

Meguiars paint cleaner & then a Mother's glazer, then a Mother's wax.:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

 

[aminga]

Make sure that you have high quality cleaning equipment. I use a "nappy" microfiber wash mitt. I change my wash water several times per wash and make sure that the wash mitt is clean. If you drop the mitt, do not use it until it is washed. It will pick up dirt from the ground and when you rub it on your car it is just like sand paper. Some guys use a seperate bucket with clean water to rinse your mitt before you dunk it back in soapy water.

Drying your car can cause swirls and scratches as well. I use my leaf blower to dry my car, but you can use several CLEAN microfiber cloths to dry it as well. I have used as many as 6 cloths to dry my Expedition.

Use 2 buckets. One for the soap and one for the rinse. The mitt goes from the soapbucket to the car and to the rinse bucket. Dirt and debris are left in the rinse bucket and don't touch the paint.


Dispite what some waxes claim you can't fill scratches and swirls. You have to remove paint to restore the finish to a gloss condition ie you have to use an abrasive.

 

[qwks6]

All good advise above. To start you should have a good paint job with a good amount of clear. Every time you polish you take a little clear with you. I like the idea of cleaning the car with spray detailer before it gets bad. You'll have to wash it when it does get bad. But using the spray to get contaminants off the paint, a good microfiber towel to pick up the dirt, and a clean towel to polish it up works. Then use a three stage wax system to remove old wax, polish, and seal in with a protective coat. A random orbital buffer with the right pads works well too. I'd really talk to a professional or a representitive to get the whole run down.

 

[wile87]

for black i've had the best results using ebony polish with a foam pad on a high speed buffer. in my opinion orbital buffers are worthless and if you don't know what your doing will really screw up your paint job

 

[Kent Buckles]

All of the above info is right on. Also you might look into a RANDOM orbital buffer and do a little research before using it. With a random buffer is hard to screw up the paint as long as you use care and common sense. Also, No matter what you are doing, NEVER move you cloth, towell, buffer or mitt in a circular motion. Always go up and down on vertical surfaces and always go front/back on horizontal surfaces. I am a strong believer in ZAINO products. I have used every wax and polish known over the years and always return to Zaino. Many years ago after my first use of a buffer and Zaino products, I had 12-15 people ask or comment on my "new" paint job.