TrevorR

iTrader: (2)

Eh, I guess I suck at cleaning my car since on my door, there is noticeable swirl marks even when not in the sun.... Crap...

I was thinking of using clay bar and then use swirl mark removal from chemical guys and polishing the area. But then I got to thinking, what about this "self correcting paint" gimmick? Some say that the clearcoat is softer than regular clearcoat and I was thinking about how polishing the car would affect or hurt the clearcoat?

Is it safe to polish with a buffer or should I do it by hand as to not heat up the clearcoat and ruin it?

UDel

You just experienced how well "self healing paint" "works", it pretty much doesn't in real life. You won't harm the self healing clearcoat by polishing it because it is very similar to regular clear. Polishing by hand is a pain and often does not yield the greatest results. Random Orbitial buffers like a Porter Cable are very safe for clearcoats, it is really really difficult to burn through your clear with a RO. Soft clearcoat just means you don't have to work as hard or use as aggressive products when correcting swirls and scratches, it also means it is easier to scratch and swirl the clear coat as opposed to harder clearcoats.

Are you using microfiber rags and towels when washing/drying your car? Try using a grit guard in your bucket and also the two bucket method where after you wash a panel, dunk your rag in a empty bucket and give it a squeeze and then dunk the rag in the different soapy bucket so you cut down on dirt/stuff that can leave swirls and scratches. A foam cannon can help too, when you wash and dry go slow and soft, not fast and hard and start from the roof and work your way down. Don't use the same rag for the very bottom parnel of your car that you use on the rest of the car, sometimes it is best just to hose that off.

pmezo33

You really need to be careful with all cars and washing. Clear coat is just easy to scratch up if you're not washing the car correctly. Best and safest method is a two bucket wash method, microfiber mitt, and a quality soap. If you care about a car's paint, you'll never use any type of car wash. Even the hand wash places are terrible. They do more damage than good.

The good thing is swirls are fairly easy to remove with the right equipment. A good polisher for beginners is the porter cable 7424xp. Good for learning on and next to impossible to burn clear coat with. Get yourself a good backing plate and some lake county buffing pads. The meguiars ultimate line is very effective and easy to work with. Try out their ultimate compound and ultimate polish. That's all you need to get those swirls out and have it looking like new. Not a big fan of chemical guys. It's all advertising with them and a lot of their products are just watered down and overpriced.

TrevorR

iTrader: (2)

I actually do use the two bucket method and have a grit rack in one bucket where I try to get the dirt off. I also use a microfiber wash sponge and multiple microfiber towels to dry. Was surprised to see the swirl marks to say the least.

But it is good to know that I can buff the clearcoat without damaging it. Thanks!

SeanO

iTrader: (1)

When using microfiber towels to dry.. try using a quick detailer or spray wax to add a layer of protection, you can spray the car or spray your microfiber towel - the spray wax or detailer will help cut through the water that is still on your car and make the panel much more "slippery"

If you really want you can purchase a blower (or blow dryer) to push all the water off your car with air - no wiping involved. They are also really handy for blowing water out of door jams, door handles, trim pieces, mirrors, etc.

pmezo33

Agreed with both. Meguiars D156 works great as a drying agent. And i always prefer to use an electric leaf blower to dry - no touching involved and it works great.

97-SC300

iTrader: (17)

Do a full vehicle self-healing PPF install and forget about ever seeing swirl marks again.

GSRockstar