saltydog7seas

This is the first black car that I have ever owned. As far as appearance there is no color that looks better IMO. On the other hand I work so hard to keep it looking good that I don't think I will ever own another black car. I spend (on average) about 8 hours every weekend trying to keep every single inch washed and waxed.

I have some minor scratches, swirl marks that are a constant source of aggrivation. I have never had a car detailed or owned a buffer. I have been told that a detailing/high speed buffing can make those minor scratches and swirl marks disappear. So at first I decided to just take it to a good detailer and have them do it for me. Then I started thinking that If I could do it myself it would save money in the long run and give me more reason to take pride in my car because of doing the work myself.

I started learning about buffing from watching videos and doing research. I thought that I was ready to go ahead and start ordering stuff but then it occured to me: I have no idea what I should even be looking for. The place by me that has been recommended does full interior and exterior detailing for $140. I thought I should be able to pick up what I need for around the same price, therefore justiying the expense. As I started looking I see "kits" around the $200 range and up. I saw the other post for detailing products in the $200 range but the problem is I don't have the buffer. I am beginning to think that it might not be worth it for me and that I should just let someone do it.

I have the washing part down. I have wool washing mit, brushes for the wheels, use the two bucket method, microfiber towels,etc. I have a clay bar. I use Turtle wax's black box (I've been rather happy with the way it covers up small imperfections) and meguires 2.0 tech wax for the final step.

Can I get a buffer, pads, compound and polish that will remove the surface scratches and swirl marks for < $200? Also, I saw a video where they used light wet sanding to remove some minor scratches. Should I leave that to the pros or is that something I could do? If so what would I need?

Thanks for any help you guys can give me.

302_HBU

In my honest opinion., I would make sure without a doubt that you know exactly what you are doing. I made the mistake with my first car to go ahead and buy a buffer and whatnot before I knew exactly what I was doing and I ended up with MORE swirl marks than before!

First thing would be to determine just how bad it is., Post up pictures and people can get a better idea of how bad the swirl marks are..And then you would need to figure out exactly what you need for it..I.e Orbital Buffer, Rotary buffer, just a wax, or a cutting agent..etc

What I did which may have cost me a little more but was worth the knowledge, was I took my first car (After I made it worst) to a detailer and asked that he show me how he does it and what steps he takes to make it look right, He was more than willing to teach me if I was willing to learn. Thats where I got most of my knowledge in it, but than again there is still ALOT that I don't know

$140 actually sounds like a decent price for full interior and exterior..Around here I have been quoted 200-300+ for a full detail + paint correction..

I'd leave the sanding to the professionals, unless again you know without a doubt that you know what you are doing then go for it..

mario23_15

If you've never wet sanded don't do it especially if you don't have experience with a rotary or a DA (dual action). That it something you want start by practicing on test panels to get it down before you do it on an actual car. You said that it was minor scratches and swirls anyways so they most likely don't need to be wet sanded out.
You can pick up the basic stuff you need from plenty of places online. You should probably start off with a DA such as the Porter Cable 7424xp, Meguiar's G110v2, or the
Griots Garage 6 inch random orbital polisher. It is pretty hard to mess up with a DA but it can happen.
Then you want some foam pads. A few cutting pads, polishing pads and finishing pads. Even the wax pads if you want to apply waxes with the DA.
Now you need products. There are a TON of different products out there and will probably be over whelming at first but you will get it in time. A lot of people start with meguiar's 105 and 205. They work great together.
Places like Autogeek.net and autopia-carecare.com sell starter kits that include a DA (mostly the PC7424xp) for about $200.
They are great places to work with and buy products from.
It is worth it in the long run to be able to detail yourself and not worry about paying anyone else to do it for you.

mario23_15

Oh and +1 on posting picture up to show what you are working with.

302_HBU

I used meguiar's #7 and #26 I think they were that worked wonders on my cars too!

Dudewright0715

K i dont know alot. But I do know car detailing . I detail cars on the side. And people love what I do. I seriously can take a dirty as crap car and make it look good.

So the answer to your question is do it yourself . Here's what you will need.

1. Armoral (I like the turtle wax brand myself.

2. Microfiber towels . ( very soft ones. A normal towl will scratch the clear coat.)

3. Vacuum

4. Maguires ultimate compound
( can get at Walmart for less than 9 bucks)

5. A Waterhouse and water and car soap! And car soap only!
Some people use dawn or dish soap. Very bad Idea. It fades the clear coat! And when you wash use only a soft microfiber towl.

6. Eagle one nano wax . (spray wax) can get at autozone for 7 or less bucks.

7. A orbital buffer. Don't get scared go to Walmart and get the. Blue turtle wax brand one. For 19 bucks. I have It and yes it works fine. Not as good as high end but it works! Beat the hell out of using your own arm.

8. Clay bar and lube. (at Walmart or autozone or orielys ext.

9. Carpet extractor. Yes they are extremely expensive. So do the ulternitive. Got to homedepot. And rent one! Not rug doctor!!!! Homedeopt has a better one will cost 28 bucks . And use the upoltry attachment for your carpet in your car.and it's clear so you can see the grime comeing up

Those are things you will need to go buy.. Which guess what. You won't use all of the chemicals you will use a portion of them so you can detail your own car again !!! Like alot more! (meaning you will use all of them just not the hole bottle or all of the wax ext you'll have plants of left overs.



Now for the facts. Maguires ultimate compound is an amazing product . It takes away squirls and and polishes it as well. Use the product on the yellow buffer pad of the buffer and go in a overlapping motion. After you have done an area for a while take a microfiber towl and wipe clean. Then after you have done the whole car come back with the nano spray wax. Yes spray wax it's amazing ! And it water beats like crazy good!

(of course wash and dry your car fist before this lol) dry with microfiber or the absorber towls at Walmart the work very well.

So
1. Wash and dry
2. Use the clay bar and lube
3.use ultimate compound
4.wipe off then use nano wax.

And get ready for your cars new sexy look.! if you have any questions just hit me up. My 01 gt still looks brand effing new. People say"wow this car looks brand new" and guess what I drive it everyday!!! Rain snow! Everything! And it still looks brand new! Cause I know how to take care of it.

mph07alloy

Black is my favorite color for most cars, but it's a G. D. bit¢h to keep clean. I've had 4 black Mustangs, and after each one I said to myself that I would never buy another black car because they stay clean for about 15 minutes. One trick that an old pro who I know who details cars professionally told me is to take your wash mit, Shammy (Chamois) anything you regularly use to touch the surface of your car and run it through the washing machine before each use. Otherwise all the dirt and gritt will build up in the fibers in these and leave tiny scratches on the paint surface when you use them to wash the car.

20_PONY_06

Where can you get good micro towels? I've seen them at AutoZone but heard they are cheap and my scratch the paint.

saltydog7seas

302_HBU I had thought about that. Unfortunately with funds being the way they are it was one or the other.

I watched a youtube video that made the wet sanding look about as simple as typical sanding so I thought that it would take care of a few extra scratches that I might not be able to get any other way. I had planned on being extremely gentle and erring on the side of caution. However you guys know a lot more about this stuff than I do and it seems like everyone is agreeing it's a no-no so I will pass on sanding myself.

mario23_15 the porter cable one was the one I was looking at. It seems like that is what is most recommended from what I have seen. What was throwing me off on those were the pads. There are so many different ones and I don't know what is what. Could you recommend the specific pads I will need?

I have heard a lot of people mention the Meguire's 105 and 205 so it seems like those two would be the best choices.

Dudewright0715 very good info. I hadn't thought about renting a carpet extractor from Home Depot. I tried using an orbital before but didn"t use any compound so that could be why it didn't take anything out. How is the ultra compound compared with the 105? Maybe I should get a compound and try it with the orbital first and then if it doesn't work go with the porter cable DA.

Here are a few pictures. It's hard to take pictures of swirl marks and clearcoat scratches. Most of these are light but there are a few that would probably need sanded to be removed.

mario23_15

Megs 105 has more cut than Ultimate compound but you almost always have to follow 105 with something with less cut. It doesn't look like UC(or 105) would be needed. From the pictures you provided it doesn't look too bad honestly. You should be able to get that out with just using megs 205 on an orange pad then finish with a white pad. Like you said it's only light swirls and a few deeper scratches. The deeper scratches are going to be harder to remove.
BTW can you catch your fingernail on any of those scratches? If you can, they are most likely too deep to safely be removed.
Here is the hood of an '07 GT I did in December with a PC.

Here's before


50/50


After


That was with megs 105 on an Orange Lake Country CCS foam pad followed my Megs 205 on a White Lake Country CCS foam pad. Do not use a pad larger than 5.5 inches. Anything bigger wont cut that well using a PC.

Also don't go cheap on buying a polisher. The cheap ones do not spin fast enough or produce the heat required to cut. Honestly the cheapest you should buy is one of the three I listed earlier.

EDIT: If you want to get a good shot of the swirls and scratches, take the car out into the sun and get a sun shot, kind of like how the flash was in the pictures I posted. It sun is the best way to show defects in the paint. Especially in black.