I washed my car with meguiars Gold class shampoo with new new microfiber wash mitts (separate towels for top and bottom) I then used the clay magic clay bar (with lubricant) on the hood, trunk and spoiler. I then used Zaino pre-polish and then applied the Zaino polish/wax.

After I buffed every thing off with several 100% cotton towels (different towels for top and bottom), I had a ton of micro scratches and wax residue. The paint looks considerably worse than it before.

I've had this problem with every car I've washed before which definetly tells me it's in my method, or the product I'm using.

Any ideas? I feel like I've ruined my paint/clearcoat.

 

what color is the car......

did you do it by hand or did you use a buffer???

the only thing i could think is that you used the buffer wrong

 

Is your car black?

I always say never use a buffer....do everything by hand.

 

I was always worried about the buffers damaging the paint but then I got the PC 7424. This is the best purchase I have made as far as car care goes, hands down. To me it is worth its weight in gold

 

Unfortunately, if your car is not prepped properly, Zaino will highlight many of the flaws. After claying, you should have examined the finish to see if any swirls were present. If so, then instead of applying the Zaino, you should have polished the finish to remove any swirls or scratches.

Also, did you use Z2 or Z5? I know Z5 is supposed to fill in swirls, but I found that it won't eliminate all swirls. Like a previous poster said, investing in a Porter Cable is a good choice. It's a pretty safe way to eliminate those pesky swirl marks.

What color is your car? If it's black, then it's going to be difficult to always keep the finish perfect. Washing your car will likely induce surface scratches. Polishing with a PC every 6 months or so is the best way to keep the finish looking brand new. Good luck.

 

I've had a similar problem... lots of streaks on the car where you rubbed the clay bar? You''ll likely need to use some scratch-X or something similar to get those off.

The problem likely is - (I haven't tried to clay again myself since this (paid my detail guy who is much more proficient than me)) - that you didn't use enough lubricant when you clayed the car. It needs to be really constantly wet not to leave marks. You also need to fold / turn the clay very often. If you drop it, toss it.

 

You missed a stage in the process. After claying you need to use a polish like Meguiar's #80 or ScratchX. After removing the swirls you then can finish off with your process. If you don't want to polish you need to use a product that will fill the swirls. You could use Meguiars #7 Show Car Glaze to fill the swirls but Zaino doesn't bond well over a glaze. In that case you could use NXT Tech Wax which also does well at filling swirls and bonds well over a glaze.

What are you drying your car with. I'd highly recommend a waffle-weave microfiber drying towel. Chamois will scratch as will cotton towels. Microfiber towels come in various quality grades. Get the best as they are worth every penny. Use microfiber towels to buff off the polish and wax. They can remove the residue with a couple of swipes where cotton towels seem to require much more pressure to get the same results.

 

Yea, make sure EVERYTHING is dry. You will notice if you try to use a polish or swirl remover (i use 3M Swirl Mark Remover) that it will just haze up when mixed with water and not buff out cleanly. I use a California Water Blade for the roof, hood, trunk, windows, all fenders, and doors (in that order). Then I touch up the mirrors and door handles, spoiler, and any other missed areas using a microfiber towel. THEN I park it in the garage for half an hour just to let it dry up anywhere that I may have missed. 3M Swirl Mark Remover removes light water spots cleanly, so it's not a big issue to have a few water spots. Then I start my process with Clay, Swirl Remover, Swirl Remover, Polish, Wax, Wax.

 

Your 100% cotton towel may have polyester base, like most cotton towels. Only use towels that are 100% cotton AND 100% cotton base. Examine the label carefully.

Don't use terry cotton towels sold at Walmart & Target. They are made of low quality cotton and will scratch. Get the expensive stuff from JCPenney or Bed, Bath & Beyond. Your car will thank you.

You'll need some scratch remover to repair the damage. See other posts for product recommendation.