ZoomZoom2007
Member
My car is black and swirled badly, due to careless washes at the dealership. Once I get these taken care of, what's the best way to avoid the swirlies?
Best way to clean BLACK
- Thread starter ZoomZoom2007
- Start date
Always wash it yourself. If they are real bad then you will need to have them polished out via a foam pad and swirl remover. If minor than after washing you can use a sealer/glaze followed by a wax or sealant.
Never wipe it off in between washings. Make sure that you rinse it off well prior to washing it. Also make sure that your wash rag is clean and soft. Dry it with micro fiber towels.
Never wipe it off in between washings. Make sure that you rinse it off well prior to washing it. Also make sure that your wash rag is clean and soft. Dry it with micro fiber towels.
The MS3 was my first black car, and most all my previous cars have been silver which IMO are the easiest to keep clean and least likely to show paint damage and swirls.
Anyways, I've had my MS3 for about 5 months now and have done the Claybar 1x and waxed it 2x and I've noticed some swirling. After going onto some detailing forums, like autotopia, I've picked up the following tips to reduce the swirls in the paint on darker color cars:
Wash in the shade - I think this should apply to all/any color car
Wash only sections at a time - Wet and wash only one section at a time like a fender, the hood etc..
Wash from the top down - This will also keep you from grabbing the "chunks" from the lower portions of the car that will scratch the paint.
Wash with two buckets - One for rinse, and one for the soap
Wool mits - If you use a microfiber towel, get used to throwing it/them away after every wash. No matter how well you think you wash them, they hold the abrasive particals that will damage paint (mine quickly become house and tool box rags)
Aside from waxing and using a polish those tips should really help you out.
To get rid of Swirls that you have now, it's going to take a good polish and some wax and a lot of time. Save yourself a Sat or Sun to make a day of it.
Source of much my info
http://www.autopia.org/forum/index.php
Anyways, I've had my MS3 for about 5 months now and have done the Claybar 1x and waxed it 2x and I've noticed some swirling. After going onto some detailing forums, like autotopia, I've picked up the following tips to reduce the swirls in the paint on darker color cars:
Wash in the shade - I think this should apply to all/any color car
Wash only sections at a time - Wet and wash only one section at a time like a fender, the hood etc..
Wash from the top down - This will also keep you from grabbing the "chunks" from the lower portions of the car that will scratch the paint.
Wash with two buckets - One for rinse, and one for the soap
Wool mits - If you use a microfiber towel, get used to throwing it/them away after every wash. No matter how well you think you wash them, they hold the abrasive particals that will damage paint (mine quickly become house and tool box rags)
Aside from waxing and using a polish those tips should really help you out.
To get rid of Swirls that you have now, it's going to take a good polish and some wax and a lot of time. Save yourself a Sat or Sun to make a day of it.
Source of much my info
http://www.autopia.org/forum/index.php
you call it lazy, I call it being efficient.
My wife just traded in her Graphite Pearl Accord coupe a few weeks ago. It's essentially a dark dark grey, almost black car. That car would take me 2x as long to wash and dry compared to my Protege MP3 when I had it and now my Mazdaspeed3.
For comparison, she got a silver Ford Edge. I washed and dried both my Mazdaspeed3 and her Edge this weekend, and it probably took less time to do that than it used to take me to do her Accord and my MS3 by a good 30 mins or so. It was an hour to wash and dry the Accord and I got both ours done in 1 hr 20 mins.
Sure, it was swirl free when we traded it in, but it also was a pain in the ass to keep clean and swirl free. Can it be done, absolutely. But do I want to spend all my time cleaning her car, not to mention that in 2 days it would be dusty and dirty all over again and need another washing!
As a person who's got a side business detailing cars for 5+ years, there are 3 cars I'd personally buy in black:
Grand National
BMW M5
Typhoon
Any other car won't be had in black by me, ever.
ZoomZoom2007
Member
Thanks for all the input. The dearlership actually agreed to polish it for me, since I screamed to the rafters that even though it's a 2007, this was a NEW never-owned car and shouldn't look like it was washed with a brillo pad. So, it looks really good now, and I intend to keep it that way. I always wash my own cars, and I do it well. Just needed some tips on BLACK. Never had a black car before.
ThrillRide
Member
- :
- Truck
NO!!! Pardon the insistence
, but don't let those clowns anywhere near your paint with a machine polisher. If you thought they jacked things up washing it, just wait till you see what happens when they use a machine. The chances that anyone there actually knows how to use a machine polisher is very slim. Not even body shops do a good job. Dealerships sell cars, body shops paint them, detailers detail them. So get them to agree to having a reputable detailer correct the issue. Make them pay for my travel expenses and I'll come do it 
lolBut seriously I wouldn't allow them to do that. Unless you like holograms, burnt paint, too much clear removed, burnt trim....
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What,...no Syclone?
BlackCherry06
Member
- :
- '17 CX-3 GT
After taking a Porter Cable to my car to get rid of the swirls, spiderwebbing, etc. I'm finding that using microfiber whenever possible is really helping maintain a smooth finish. Wash mitt, towels, detailing cloths, etc. are all microfiber.
Having such a dark car myself has taught me that it's counter-productive to dust the car off between washings. No matter how soft the cloth, the dust will scratch. If you aren't able to wash it, just leave it dusty until you can.
Having such a dark car myself has taught me that it's counter-productive to dust the car off between washings. No matter how soft the cloth, the dust will scratch. If you aren't able to wash it, just leave it dusty until you can.
NO!!! Pardon the insistence
But seriously I wouldn't allow them to do that. Unless you like holograms, burt paint, too much clear removed, burt trim....
Exactly. Seen it happen so many times to. It's sad.
I have a question. I have a black car as well, I can normally keep swirl marks off my car by using Scratch X two times on the whole car the some paste wax. I had some body work done and like you said ThrillRide, they didn't know what they were doing...they did an OK job, but they missed some spots with the clay bar for sure. So if i clay my car, do i have to polish it after with something, or does a wax work?
Also ThrillRide around where in Texas are you...I might take you up on that detailing offer. I want my car looking perfect!
Also ThrillRide around where in Texas are you...I might take you up on that detailing offer. I want my car looking perfect!
Well you should wax anyway after your clay, but it should be polished to remove any marring added by the claybar.
On a side note, scratchX by hand isnt really meant to be used on the entire car. Its a hand compound, and im pretty sure leaves its own marks, as in, it doesnt finish down to a swirl free finish. So your probably removing some swirling, but adding smaller, finer swirls.
The only real way to correct paint is by machine polishing. Save your time and your elbow, and pick up a DA polisher. If Thrillride is in your area im sure he wouldnt mind showing you how to use it properly.
There are also alot of fabulous great detailers in texas, so if he isnt in your area, Im sure you can find someone off autopia to get the job done properly
On a side note, scratchX by hand isnt really meant to be used on the entire car. Its a hand compound, and im pretty sure leaves its own marks, as in, it doesnt finish down to a swirl free finish. So your probably removing some swirling, but adding smaller, finer swirls.
The only real way to correct paint is by machine polishing. Save your time and your elbow, and pick up a DA polisher. If Thrillride is in your area im sure he wouldnt mind showing you how to use it properly.
There are also alot of fabulous great detailers in texas, so if he isnt in your area, Im sure you can find someone off autopia to get the job done properly
ThrillRide
Member
- :
- Truck
Ah! I just missed you. I was in San Antonio a couple weeks ago for some clients. I'm in DFW. Don't know when I'll be back again.
To your question...If clay is used properly and with caution you can avoid any maring (see the clay FAQ for more info). So if done right you won't always need to polish after. Wax is a must as the clay is removing wax as well as contaminates.
ScratchX is a decent product and can be used by hand just fine. It won't add any aditional swirls. It is a very fine product and is really only good for minor issues. It can even be used my machine now too and it finishes down just fine. But if you have any heavier issues it probably won't do the job.
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ThrillRide
Member
- :
- Truck
Actually scratchX can be used on the whole car by hand if you so choose. Its a lot of work though. But the new scratchX (couple years old now) can also be used by machine. It won't add any additional maring and it finishes down pretty good. Its a decent OTC polish. Its just meant for fine swirls and won't really handle anything significant. If you don't want to spend the money on a pro grade product its a good option. The old scratchX was crap but they did a good job with the new one.
Im just going by what it says on the bottle. which says it shouldnt be used on the entire car.
I guess I just havent found a real reason to use it for what its supposed to do? the only time Its been put to use is to remove paint transfer scrapes when I dont feel like busting out the polisher and pads.
edit: so i just went down and read the bottle i have. And it says in contains diminishing abrasives. So it must be a different product im thinking of that says shouldnt be applied to the entire car.
Either way life is much easier with machine polishing, and produces results you never thought possible when your doing things by hand.
I guess I just havent found a real reason to use it for what its supposed to do? the only time Its been put to use is to remove paint transfer scrapes when I dont feel like busting out the polisher and pads.
edit: so i just went down and read the bottle i have. And it says in contains diminishing abrasives. So it must be a different product im thinking of that says shouldnt be applied to the entire car.
Either way life is much easier with machine polishing, and produces results you never thought possible when your doing things by hand.
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ThrillRide
Member
- :
- Truck
Yeah I can't imagine why you wouldn't use on the entire car, unless they mean not on other surfaces aside from paint.
But yes by hand is not fun. I've done it many times. Thats why you should always call your local professional and let them take care of it.
But yes by hand is not fun. I've done it many times. Thats why you should always call your local professional and let them take care of it
.Thanks for the all the advice.
I think I just really need to learn how to use a clay bar and polisher correctly, since I do plan on doing that a few times a year. I wonder if I can find someone around here to show me. But for now i'll read about how to use the clay bar so that I don't have to Machine polish it, but that link doesn't work :/ Can you try to resend it ThrillRide
-Ross
I think I just really need to learn how to use a clay bar and polisher correctly, since I do plan on doing that a few times a year. I wonder if I can find someone around here to show me. But for now i'll read about how to use the clay bar so that I don't have to Machine polish it, but that link doesn't work :/ Can you try to resend it ThrillRide
-Ross
