[Kauai Guy]

My cars paint is in pretty bad condition. And after using some of my friends Poorboys rubbing compound on the hood, i could see the difference from where i used rubbing compound and where i didnt.

So my question is after i use rubbing compound i should go with a swirl mark remover correct? Then glaze/polish and wax correct?

also, can i use the swirl mark remover with an orbital buffer? (no access to rotary). As for the rubbing compound ill probably go by hand.

 

[skikid89]

Here is what I have always been told.

1. Use the least abrasive rubbing compound you possibly can to get the result you want.
2. Use a less and less gritty compound.
3. Use a polish by buffer. (here I know you can use either but orbital is recommended)
4. Use a cleaner wax.
5. Hand wax (twice for good measure)

I think a swirl mark remover is just a very light grit rubbing compound. If you are not super skilled with a buffer it is best to do by hand so you don't burn the paint. Play it safe and put in more elbow grease. This lessens the risk of burning the paint. That is major dollars and days at a body shop.

 

[ExclusiveDetail]

you have your glaze in the wrong spot. A glaze is just designed to fill scratches....it wont fix or protect anything,,,, its really just to show a car.

Ski is right use the least aggressive method.

I would try

swirl remover
polish
wax


I bet you will be happy with the results

When you use compound and you dont know what your doing your likely to not be too happy with the end product

 

[ExclusiveDetail]

ps

if your gonna do anything twice.... polish twice

 

[Kauai Guy]

I see... You guys recommend any good polishes for black paint? as far as swirl mark remover ive have seen very good results on black paint with the 3M one.

 

[skikid89]

I work for a crop dusting company and we have 3 planes, 6 trucks, 3 tractors, a combine, and multiple other pieces of farm equipment. And my boss being the most anal S.O.B. on the face of the earth keeps every single piece of equipment looking like its never been used. It looks really cool when you walking into our hanger (we call it the show room ),.

We use 3M rubbing compounds and polishes followed by at least 2 coats of New Finish wax on every single one. We have one show tractor that we then use a Miguiers show car wax on. We buy everything in super bulk and my boss is cool enough to let me swipe a bottle of each once a year or so. Those are what I have used on my focus for years. Just tried turtle wax show car wax paste on top of the new finish for the first time a few weeks ago. Gives a super deep shine.

 

[oldman]

3M Scratch Remover

I used 2 applications on my white 2003 and it only removed about 70-80% of the swirls. Maybe my swirls are too deep. I used claybar 1st and finished with Stoner Beadmax synthetic wax.

 

[skikid89]

oldman. Your scratches are one of two (maybe more) things.

1. Your scratches are through the clear coat and into the color. If this is true, then it is very hard to get all of the swirls out. It may not be possible just depending on how deep they are, how old the car is, condition of the paint, etc.

2. THIS IS THE MORE LIKELY CASE. The method of claybar and syth wax is not a very aggressive combination. Clay bar is good for dirt and small scratches as well as minor fading. You probably need to start with something much more aggressive. You probably need to start with a rubbing compound. Use a Very light rubbing compound by hand and follow the steps we laid out in this thread. I would think you just weren't aggressive enough. It is smart to start out very non aggressive.

Hope this helps.

 

[TommyBlackST]

[rant] got my car back from the body shop...junkman's truck dropped stuff right in front of me...got the hood and some of the driver side...my car looks like crap with all the swirls and the paint job absolutely sucked...I used the company previously...got keyed.. and paid with my own money and they did a great job...insurance paid for this and it looks like they took sand paper and did the wax on wax off from karate kid...I am gonna have to totally work my butt off to hopefully get my car back to what was pristine condition before this happened...I don't have an orbital so I guess I am gonna need to do all I can to make it right again by hand...ticks me off to no end and I am no detailer, but I guess I am about to learn how...not trusting my car to the body shop and can't pay a bunch of money for someone else to do it If I did have the money to spend I am having trust issues with people working on the exterior of my car...I love my car, but right now I wish I didn't own it cuz it looks so bad...[rant]

EDIT: I found this orbital buffer thing called a Porter-Cable 7424 and found out about different pads and how to use it watching this really long you tube video...I will be able to hopefully re-take my car's paint back....I hope it is as easy to use or learn to use as the 15 min video indicated...

 

[skikid89]

That totally sucks about the body shop butchering your car. I firmly believe you have to know the owner personally to get a quality job done on your car. My best friend's dad owns a body shop in town, and he is like my second father so I get lucky when it comes to major body work on my car. I do like to do as much of the work as I can myself so he has coached me through a lot of it.

Using a buffer shouldn't be over complicated. What I would recommend is to either 1. go to a junk yard and get some panel off of a junk car that has some decent paint, and practice on it to get used to the buffer. OR 2, get a super super super soft pad, and practice on your car by just using a very non aggressive polish or wax. This will not get the scratches out but give you a good opportunity to get used to how the buffer feels and works with out worrying about damaging your paint.

Then I would follow our steps from above. Also I would be sure to start with the least aggressive method that will work. Since its your first time, I would determine the step you think will do the job, and then start with one a step less aggressive. It is easier to try again if you weren't aggressive enough, than to try and fix a too aggressive method.

Good luck!

 

[ShamrockSVT]

If your car has just been painted, don't use wax! You cannot wax new paint on anything for 3 months.

 

[TommyBlackST]

thanx ski...yeah i can't wax it until february, but I gurantee it will be too freakin' cold to do anything....I'm just gonna wait until a really nice early spring day and make a day of getting the paint in swirless shape...spary car wash till then...and when it hit's 60 a hand wash...But man I hate washing the car...shamois dry and see those swirls...somebody once toldy me patience is a virtue...they don't have the swirls I have after over 3K spent at a butt munch body shop...

 

[thisdude_05]

Do you guys recommend it in this order:

Claybar
rubbing compound
cleaner wax
polish

 

[ShamrockSVT]

1. Clay bar
2. compound
3. polish.glaze
4. polish/glaze again
5. wax

 

[thisdude_05]

1. Clay bar
2. compound
3. polish.glaze
4. polish/glaze again
5. wax

Thanks!

 

[skikid89]

Yea Shamrock SVT is right on the whole 3 months thing about not waxing if you have just had a panel painted. Good catch that I left that out. Swirls are super super annoying. We once made a mistake to have a dealer fix the paint on our truck. They put a scratch on the fender, and they said they would fix it for free. I spent a weekend getting the swirls out of one damn fender. It totally sucked but it was good practice

 

[mrm1149]

Also may want to give Meguires #2 fine cut cleaner a try.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

i waxed my car 3 days after i painted my own car cut it and glazed it i have been painting cars for 2 1/2 years now and i have never had a problem with waxing a car after i cut and polish. a glaze will not seal a paint job it will fade and look like shitz. i use maguires gold class to protect and seal the job.

 

[speedpeacock]

for black paint id check out what 3m has. i used to detail and 3m had a compound that worked wonderfully and wasnt even gritty. and everytime you wash your black car you should use final finish iff you can find any