hey guys, i know this doesn't belong here but i already posted in the detailing forum and got no luck yet. i own a 2006 gt redfire. unfortunately, it has a lot of swirls. it is a 6 month old car and it has some swirls on the clear cot. i used some meguiars paint cleaner and polish (from the deep crystal system) applied by hand and i could only remove a very small amount of them. i rubbed the produvts in pretty hard and using those meguiars apllicators. then buffed residue with microfiber towels. i ended up pretty tired so i'm wondering if there is a way of getting this swirls out with just adding a new coat of clear coat??

does anybody know if this would work??

thanks a lot!!!

 

Usually if the swirls arent deep, they should be easily removable by waxing and/or buffing. The question is how deep are the scratches/swirls. You can get a good idea of how deep they are by taking your fingernail and glazing it over the scratch and if your nail catches then its deep. But from what it sounds like it should be easily buffed out. Try taking it to a detailing shop, they are professionals and will be able to tell you by looking at it wether its removable or not.

 

thanks man, there are not many detailing shops where i live (mexico city), they are more of a paint/body shop and they have very little knowledge about detailing. but i did the fingernail test and it doesn't catches so i guess i'll try a few more times to get rid of those.
i'll post some pics as soon as i can.

 

Use 3M hand glaze. easy to use. just do one section at a time and remove it before it drys completely (easier). this is what professionals use on new paint as the final buffer. use it once or so a year to get rid of fine swirls and then wax. your clear coat will look deeper and deeper.

 

Are the "swirls" from previous attempts at polishing with an over abrasive applicator? All you need now is a very mild polish... Griot's has a "Fine Hand Polish" for very minor swirls. The deeper the swirl, the more abrasive the polish needs to be... but it doesn't sound like you're there yet. Did you try a good wax? A lot of ugly swirls disappear with a decent wax and buff.

 

haven't tried any waxing yet. i have only applied meguiars scratch x and the polish from the 3 step system. i think i should try it several times to see them dissappear. silly me thought they would dissappear with just one use.
thanks a lot man.

 

To remove swirl marks, you may need to use a dual action buffer like a Porter Cable 7424 with a Meguiars #8000 foam pad. I use Meguiars #80 cleaner/polish and it works very well with this buffer. You must work the polish slowly and do a small section at a time. Follow up with a good quality wax/sealer, I use Meguiars NXT wax applied by hand with a foam applicator. Make sure you use microfiber towels to remove the polish and wax. Swirl marks can be difficult to remove by hand, but you can try.

Good luck

 

I recommend that you keep looking for a professional shop that does a lot of high end cars. You want an seasoned expert on a rotary buffer (not orbital). Once the detail shops gets the car back to what will be slightly better than OE, you can maintain. Keep in mind you can create swirl marks very easily by washing and by waxing (wax removal typically). few things to do to minimize creating swirl marks.

- get a screen plate for the bottom of your bucket.
- use quality car wash liquid soap
- use microfiber mit and don't rub hard; try to let the water and suds do the work.
- do not wash, dry or wax in circular motion (check on internet for technique; few schools of thought out there)
- after wash and thorough rinse, remove nozzle and sheet rinse (much less to dry)
- pull car in the garage and dry inside
- wax inside, never outside (unless you have no garage)
- do not let wax dry completely so haze is hardened and feels difficult to remove (major cause of marring)
- wax on and off with separate microfiber cloths
- I personally recommend BlackMagic Pro-Dry Absorbing Cloth. You lightly pull it over the surface w/o applying pressure
- wash dirtiest areas last (around wheelwells, rockers, rims, door jams); dry these areas last as well

I am not trying to tell you how to make your finish look terrific but giving you some info on how not to marr it; creating fine scratches and swirls. ...after the detail guy makes her look better than new. Good luck.

 

thank you fairlane and all others who replied to this.

 

Anytime, good luck. Just be glad you don't have black.