swirl marks
04-04-12, 04:23 PM
#1
Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: NC
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
swirl marks
CL members i know you guys hate this but do any of you know how to get swirl marks out? mine are not bad but when you see it in the sunlight **** looks ugly. didn't know if anyone had a proper method or just went to a professional body shop and got it done.
04-05-12, 07:35 AM
#3
you need to get a dual action polisher like the porter cable xp, griots garage 6 inch, Shurhold, or Meguiars units, pads, and polishes
I had good results with Menzerna power finish and orange light cutting flat pads from Lake country but there are lots of options out there. I could open a store with all the stuff I've bought over the years...
no use going to all the trouble of learning how to get your car swirl free though if you don't plan on changing your car washing/drying habits or the car will just get swirled up again in no time...
I had good results with Menzerna power finish and orange light cutting flat pads from Lake country but there are lots of options out there. I could open a store with all the stuff I've bought over the years...
no use going to all the trouble of learning how to get your car swirl free though if you don't plan on changing your car washing/drying habits or the car will just get swirled up again in no time...
04-05-12, 08:22 AM
#4
Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: NC
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
yeah i screwed up with the way i washed my car, i use to run it through automatic car washes and i didnt think about the brushes killing my paint. but from now on im just going to hand wash and dry it to prevent anymore scratches forming.
which Dual action polisher would you recommend? im looking into meguiars but that price is a killer! also what kind of product did you use to get out the swirls? like swirlx from meguiars?
which Dual action polisher would you recommend? im looking into meguiars but that price is a killer! also what kind of product did you use to get out the swirls? like swirlx from meguiars?
04-05-12, 10:28 AM
#5
I got a Griots Garage 6 inch, then bought a 5 inch Lake Country backing plate for it and 5.5 inch flat LC pads (2 orange, 2 white, 2 black). I've since gotten the new hybrid LC pads but haven't used them yet. I don't think our paint needs the aggressiveness of microfibre pads so I haven't tried those yet. Best thing to do is tape off a small area of the trunk lid and try out various combo's of pad and polish until you get something that works best for your paint. Experience and reading detailing forums like Autogeek will help. I went there and did a search for people who detailed IS's and noted which products they used before I got started.
I got the Griots b/c of the lifetime warranty. I've had it for a couple years now and so far so good. It's the most powerful of the units above and is relatively quiet. If you're scoffing at the price of the Megs unit then I guess you wouldn't be interested in the Flex 3401 which is the cadillac of DA polishers. If you think about it though, a pro detail with paint correction starts at $400, which can buy you a nice machine plus everything you need to get started. Swirl X is a fairly mild polish. If you've been taking your car to the brush washes, it'll probably need something much stronger like ultimate compound or M105. Compounding is not something you want to be doing every year though or you'll quickly run out of clearcoat. That's why it's important to wash and dry properly so only milder polishes are required to keep the finish looking great.
Can you post a pic of your paint in the sunlight? It'll help people chime in on how aggressive you might need to be. Keep in mind that 100% correction is not realistic on a daily driver. Crap happens and anything that catches your fingernail can't safely be polished out. Once the car is corrected you'll also be able to see the remaining imperfections much more easily and they will stick out to you so be prepared mentally for that.
Read up on how to wash with 2 buckets and grit guards, and how best to dry (sheeting water, waffle weave towels, even leaf/car blowers). The less you touch the paint, the better...
I got the Griots b/c of the lifetime warranty. I've had it for a couple years now and so far so good. It's the most powerful of the units above and is relatively quiet. If you're scoffing at the price of the Megs unit then I guess you wouldn't be interested in the Flex 3401 which is the cadillac of DA polishers. If you think about it though, a pro detail with paint correction starts at $400, which can buy you a nice machine plus everything you need to get started. Swirl X is a fairly mild polish. If you've been taking your car to the brush washes, it'll probably need something much stronger like ultimate compound or M105. Compounding is not something you want to be doing every year though or you'll quickly run out of clearcoat. That's why it's important to wash and dry properly so only milder polishes are required to keep the finish looking great.
Can you post a pic of your paint in the sunlight? It'll help people chime in on how aggressive you might need to be. Keep in mind that 100% correction is not realistic on a daily driver. Crap happens and anything that catches your fingernail can't safely be polished out. Once the car is corrected you'll also be able to see the remaining imperfections much more easily and they will stick out to you so be prepared mentally for that.
Read up on how to wash with 2 buckets and grit guards, and how best to dry (sheeting water, waffle weave towels, even leaf/car blowers). The less you touch the paint, the better...
Last edited by embolism; 04-05-12 at 10:32 AM.
04-08-12, 06:13 AM
#7
Washing and drying a car usually is the main source for swirling. Tunnel washes are pretty bad. You might consider getting new wash mitts and drying towels for hand washing as this is can also be a problem. Keep in mind that anything that touches your paint can cause swirls. Look up the "two bucket wash method" and be **** about keeping the mitts and towels clean.
I've had fantastic results using the latest Meguiar's Microfiber pads and polish kit. The kit consists of two polishing and 2 finishing microfiber pads and a bottle each of cutting compound and finishing wax/polish. The microfiber pads are the fastest cutting pads I've found for the DA. They finish out very well and last a long time. Ideally you clean them with an air compressor after every panel as you use them but you can use a pad brush as well.
I've had fantastic results using the latest Meguiar's Microfiber pads and polish kit. The kit consists of two polishing and 2 finishing microfiber pads and a bottle each of cutting compound and finishing wax/polish. The microfiber pads are the fastest cutting pads I've found for the DA. They finish out very well and last a long time. Ideally you clean them with an air compressor after every panel as you use them but you can use a pad brush as well.
Trending Topics
04-08-12, 03:28 PM
#8
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: FLORIDA
Posts: 953
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Polishing your ride is fairly easy, here are some tips and a little technique that will help you in this area.
Work only a small area at a time, only about 2 ft by 2 ft so you can concentrate on your work on the paint.
Move SLOW! Most new beginners move the polisher way to fast over the paint and they don't allow the polisher to get the work done for them.
Use SLOW, overlapping motions. (Up and down then side to side)
Keep your pad level. Beginners tend to look at the paint and forget what the pad is doing.
Please don't dry buff! You need to work the polish so you get results but stop when the polish goes clear on you before it dries on the surface.
Always keep the cord over your shoulder and away from the paint to avoid scratching the paint.
ALWAYS use the correct pad, polish and speed combinations.
When removing defects, use a little pressure. Not enough to bog down the DA machine, just enough so you can remove the defects.
and never lift the DA polisher off the paint while it is turned on.
Work only a small area at a time, only about 2 ft by 2 ft so you can concentrate on your work on the paint.
Move SLOW! Most new beginners move the polisher way to fast over the paint and they don't allow the polisher to get the work done for them.
Use SLOW, overlapping motions. (Up and down then side to side)
Keep your pad level. Beginners tend to look at the paint and forget what the pad is doing.
Please don't dry buff! You need to work the polish so you get results but stop when the polish goes clear on you before it dries on the surface.
Always keep the cord over your shoulder and away from the paint to avoid scratching the paint.
ALWAYS use the correct pad, polish and speed combinations.
When removing defects, use a little pressure. Not enough to bog down the DA machine, just enough so you can remove the defects.
and never lift the DA polisher off the paint while it is turned on.
04-08-12, 06:51 PM
#9
Washing and drying a car usually is the main source for swirling. Tunnel washes are pretty bad. You might consider getting new wash mitts and drying towels for hand washing as this is can also be a problem. Keep in mind that anything that touches your paint can cause swirls. Look up the "two bucket wash method" and be **** about keeping the mitts and towels clean.
I've had fantastic results using the latest Meguiar's Microfiber pads and polish kit. The kit consists of two polishing and 2 finishing microfiber pads and a bottle each of cutting compound and finishing wax/polish. The microfiber pads are the fastest cutting pads I've found for the DA. They finish out very well and last a long time. Ideally you clean them with an air compressor after every panel as you use them but you can use a pad brush as well.
I've had fantastic results using the latest Meguiar's Microfiber pads and polish kit. The kit consists of two polishing and 2 finishing microfiber pads and a bottle each of cutting compound and finishing wax/polish. The microfiber pads are the fastest cutting pads I've found for the DA. They finish out very well and last a long time. Ideally you clean them with an air compressor after every panel as you use them but you can use a pad brush as well.
04-18-12, 06:20 PM
#10
Pole Position
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: CA
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I went to the free Meguiars seminar (aka product pitch, though I did learn a lot about the proper way to use their products) and they didn't recommend the Microfiber polishing set for newbies.
If you don't want to make a big investment in doing it yourself and buying everything, you can try finding someone local that is willing to show you the ropes and lend you some tools to see if it's right for you. Going to a professional could take just as much if not more money (some of them don't know what they are doing anyway, otherwise you are paying big bucks)
Meguiars Ultimate Compound is great, but ideally you will want to go over it with another finer polish, and if you do it by hand it's quite a lot of work.
Do you have photos of how bad it is?
If you don't want to make a big investment in doing it yourself and buying everything, you can try finding someone local that is willing to show you the ropes and lend you some tools to see if it's right for you. Going to a professional could take just as much if not more money (some of them don't know what they are doing anyway, otherwise you are paying big bucks)
Meguiars Ultimate Compound is great, but ideally you will want to go over it with another finer polish, and if you do it by hand it's quite a lot of work.
Do you have photos of how bad it is?
04-23-12, 08:07 AM
#11
Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: NC
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank a lot for the help guys, but to answer the question how bad it is, there not noticeable from far away But when it's a nice hot sunny day and sun is shining on my car it looks pretty bad in my eyes like its noticeable in the sun. I just want it gone. The Lexus dealership where I bought my car from said they can get it all out for 150 bucks. I'm thinking of doing it cause if you look at it 150 bucks a year to detail a car is not bad at all
04-23-12, 09:37 AM
#12
Thank a lot for the help guys, but to answer the question how bad it is, there not noticeable from far away But when it's a nice hot sunny day and sun is shining on my car it looks pretty bad in my eyes like its noticeable in the sun. I just want it gone. The Lexus dealership where I bought my car from said they can get it all out for 150 bucks. I'm thinking of doing it cause if you look at it 150 bucks a year to detail a car is not bad at all
Hopefully the dealership will polish the swirls out before wax/sealing the paint up. If not, a locally owned/operated reputable detailing shop may be a better option (they may charge you more than 150, but at least it will be done right - get some quotes)
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
