Author Topic: Eliminating swirl marks - best stuff and method  (Read 8489 times)

davidguthrie

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Eliminating swirl marks - best stuff and method
« on: 28 June 2018, 09:50:36 PM »
Many people compliment me on the appearance of me black Saab 9-3 convertible ... but I can't help noticing that many (previous owner) five quid or bob-a-job week washes have left swirl marks.
Took a trip to a local clean/detail shop, who quoted £400 for a thorough job. That's about a quarter of what I paid for the car, so it's a no-go.
To find a DIY solution, I made the mistake of going on YouTube and confused myself with all kinds of yankee gotta-dos, but there seems to be a case for Meguiar's Ultimate Compound or maybe just their Swirl-X.
Why I went to the detailers' in the first place is that I have to work at the roadside where I'm obliged to park me little darlin'.
Has anyone undertaken a similar endeavour and would you please advise on the best stuff to use and the best method?
David Guthrie

sgould

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Re: Eliminating swirl marks - best stuff and method
« Reply #1 on: 28 June 2018, 10:52:57 PM »
I rather lost the will to live when a professional said that he wouldn't touch a car without using a paint thickness meter first, just in case there wasn't enough paint depth to get below the grooves in the polish...

He then declared that most polishes were rubbish because "they just fill the grooves. To do a proper job you have to remove everything on top of the paint and then polish it flat".

So it just depends on how far you want to go.

I take the view that hard polymer (paint) is quite a good protection for the bare steel of the car body.  A few microns of something shiny added on top to replace what you have rubbed away seems a poor substitute.

Although I plan to "fill the grooves" this week prior to the Saab show at Kimbolton on Sunday 8th.
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davidguthrie

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Re: Eliminating swirl marks - best stuff and method
« Reply #2 on: 28 June 2018, 11:00:17 PM »
Yep. They must think we're made o' money!
So what will you use to 'fill the grooves'? Polyfilla!? ;)
David Guthrie

Max Headroom

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Re: Eliminating swirl marks - best stuff and method
« Reply #3 on: 29 June 2018, 06:14:51 AM »
David,

the best place to start looking for those answers is  Detailing World. There is a lot to know and learn.

BTW £400 was relatively cheap - I know that  a professional full internal and external detailing can cost well over £1k  ???

Sgould is right - paint depth is important if you are using mechanical polishers because you can go through the paint with those! He's also right about polishes being fillers.

I'm just about to set off for work, but can add a few tips here later, because in actual fact, its not all bad news!
Dark colours however, are more prone to showing up fine scratching, but on the plus side a dark colour will always look more shiny than a light colour; white and silver are notoriously difficult to make look shiny


davidguthrie

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Re: Eliminating swirl marks - best stuff and method
« Reply #4 on: 29 June 2018, 10:52:17 AM »
Cheap! Cheap! Not for an OAP like what I is!
Thanks, Mark. I shall look forward to your additional wise words. And there's no way I'd use anything powered on the motor. Too many DIY disasters in my past for that!
David Guthrie

David

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Re: Eliminating swirl marks - best stuff and method
« Reply #5 on: 29 June 2018, 12:21:58 PM »
David,

Here is a cost effective option.

Wash car thoroughly.
Get some Blutak and a spray bottle of water, then wipe Blutak over the bodywork, using the water spray as a lube.
It will lift all contaminants, leaving a glass like surface to the paintwork.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bostik-801103-Blu-Tack-Handy/dp/B0001OZI70

Wash car again and apply a coat of Autoglym super resin polish. A light coat is fine. It has fillers so will hide the swirl marks. A second application may help.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Autoglym-Super-Resin-Polish-1L/dp/B009LHHHZE

Use a wax to seal the paintwork. Simoniz Car Wax is good.
https://www.halfords.com/motoring/car-cleaning/shampoo-polish-wax/simoniz-original-car-wax-150g

HTH
« Last Edit: 29 June 2018, 12:24:14 PM by David »

davidguthrie

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Re: Eliminating swirl marks - best stuff and method
« Reply #6 on: 29 June 2018, 04:19:23 PM »
Many thanks, David. I guess the Blu-tak acts like a clay block. Sounds like a good way to go. Much appreciated.
David Guthrie

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Re: Eliminating swirl marks - best stuff and method
« Reply #7 on: 29 June 2018, 08:38:15 PM »
Hello again!

I've not tried the Blu-tak method - I can't see why it wouldnt work other than blue tak would be more 'squishy' than a proper detailing clay.

Claying the paintwork is an effective way of removing tar and tree sap. Tree sap is not that visible.
But to stop the clay sticking, a clay kit will supply you with a clay 'lube'.
If you run out of clay lube you can make your own with some Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner mixed with water in a spray bottle or you could use a mix of a couple of small capfuls of car shampoo. Water on its own doesn't work too well.

I dont carry out claying every time I wash the car - probably once a month or once every couple of months - I guess its all about how much youre into having a really clean car - some people dont do any of this stuff!

My Routine is as follows

1) Pressure wash the car. Knock as much dirt and crap off as you can. In the wheelarches, underneath  - everywhere!

2) Using the pressure washer, apply a thick blanket of Snow-Foam; leave it for a few mins to 'fall off' the car pulling dirt with it as it drips off (While I fill my buckets is time for me)

3) Pressure wash again, removing the last of the snow-foam

4) Using the "two buckets method with Grit-guards" wash the car with shampoo (I like Mequiars Gold Class) a lambswool wash-mitt (dont buy Halfords lambswool mitts - they fall to pieces - I have Meguiars ones). Start at the top and work down as more grit will be on the lower paintwork. Dont forget the door, boot and bonnet shuts; fuel filler cap door; bottoms of doors etc. I always leave the wheels to the very last.

5) GENTLY pressure-wash the last of the shampoo off the car with a fine mist rather than a blast, and until all trace of soap has gone

6) Dry the car with large blue fluffy microfibre drying towels

7) Polish - Apply with foam applicator (I use Autoglym Super Resin Polish - it fills fine scratches quite well and gives a small amount of protection) Leave it to dwell for about 30 mins or so before buffing off with midrofibre cloths. Work it well into scratched areas; it will build up and may remove a light scratch.

8 ) Wax - Apply with foam applicator (white or silver cars benefit from Colinite 845 Insulator Wax - it gives a great "wet" shine). Let it dwell for 40 mins or so. Buff with fresh Microfibre cloths.

9) I sometimes apply a second coat of wax.

10) Using Kimberly Clark Wypall blue roll paper, clean all the glass. I like the Halfords glass cleaner in the green bottle - its dramatically good. Or Meguirs glass cleaner.

11) Use a tyre dressing to black up the tyres - it really finishes and sets off the whole jlook of a cleaned car!



Mechanical polishers need polish and waxes suited to that method due to the heat that can be generated.

A lot of this is trial and error - you may prefer different polishes for darker colours. You may hate washing your car and never do any of this!

Create an account on Detailing World and use the search function to speed up the trial and error routine! But be warned - detailing can become quite addiictive.

There is also a new school-of-thought on not using the two-bucket method, or even using shampoo...

Two Bucket method

Alternative Method










« Last Edit: 29 June 2018, 08:50:14 PM by Max Headroom »

davidguthrie

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Re: Eliminating swirl marks - best stuff and method
« Reply #8 on: 29 June 2018, 11:20:03 PM »
Thorough as ever, Monsieur Dev! I have copied that whole routine and pasted it into a Word doc to keep a permanent record!
By the way, I've always found that glass cleaners can cause a blurring effect when you run the wipers. I did try Rain-X, but it smeared on wiping. Maybe you just have to get the glass cleaned right back.
I have bottles of stuff for cleaning from Meguiar's and the Collinite 845 wax.
I got a bottle of Bilt & Hamber wheel cleaner; did a fairly quick job with it just before our French trip and it worked well; I plan to do a more thorough job with it on the Big Clean.
The roof has developed a 'flat spot' where water doesn't bead nicely, so there's another job for me (I still have a print-out of your roof restoring schedule!)
If only it would stop being so dad-blamed sunny I could get on with it. Instead, I'm forced to find excuses to drive hither and yon with the top down and Charlie Parker blasting out of the stereo. It's hell, you know ...
Many, many thanks.
David Guthrie

Max Headroom

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Re: Eliminating swirl marks - best stuff and method
« Reply #9 on: 01 July 2018, 06:37:19 AM »
Cant beat a good bit of BeBop - or Hard Bop, even better! I like most stuff from Haydn to Hendrix, Rachmananov to Rush, Bach to Black Sabbath - just so long as it hasn't fallen from the bowels of X-Factor..

Windscreen - it's smeary because of the Rain-X not the glass cleaner; go to the Range store and get a bottle of 'Bar Keeper's Friend' its a bottle of powder that you mix a small amount with a drop of water and using a pad or cloth, get that dreadful RainX off the glass - nothing much can touch Rain-X once its on unfortunately; even MEK (Methylethylketone) won't get it off.
Also you can try try silicone remover from Screwfix; I've heard that can remove it.
You may need to clean the screen several times with the Barkeeper's Friend.
Rain-X is only for the sidewindows and rear windscreen in my opinion; once it starts wearing it does become dangerously smeary. Clean the wiper blades groove with a nail brush and shampoo. Next time you change the blades get the Bosch flat blade equivelant.

Wheels - polish and waxes won't tolerate the temperatures from the brakes; you'll  need to use a sealant.
Try Planet Polish wheel sealant or Poorboys wheel sealant. I use Planet Polish but my neighbour swears by Poorboy's - I've not used it.

Price at The Range

Price in Lakeland!

I'm off to dig out my Horace Silver and John Coltrane albums now  8) 8) 8)


« Last Edit: 01 July 2018, 06:39:20 PM by Max Headroom »