Hey guys a couple days ago i noticed some light swirls marks on my car after polishing and waxing it? I got the car late Dec. last year, i have washed, waxed, and polished it my self. I use only microfiber cloths for everything, wax is Meguiars NXT, detailer spray is NXT also. Dry with microfiber. I dont know whats wrong, how can i fix this?? I am pretty **** about my car so i might be overreacting about the swirls but i dont know why they are there?

 

what kind of wax are you using...

for somthing like that you might want to try like a 3 step process..


after wash

cleaner wax
regular wax (carnuba)
polish



if all else fails threre is always the ziano process that should do it.

 

Chances are most of the swirl marks were there before you waxed, and when you waxed it they became more noticable.

It sounds like you are moving in the right direction. It's very hard to NOT get swirl marks.

All waxes (Meguiars, Zaino, <wax name here>) will only cover the swirl marks. It will NOT get rid of them.

To get rid of them you need a product designed to polish the clear coat (which is really taking off a very thin layer) to the point where the rest of the paint is at the same depth as the swirl. (This is a bad description, but if you want more details, go to www.meguairsonline.com or www.autopia-carcare.com -- tons of info on both these sites).

 

examine the process you use to wash. i'd imagine it was either installed by the dealer or was from a dirty wash mitt/sponge

 

How do you apply and remove the wax?

Try to apply and remove product on the horizontal panels straight back and forth motions.

On the vertical panels apply and remove product in up and down motions.

 

i've got a DG around the same time. i wash every other week or more. wax every other wash or so. no swirls or anything to see.

2 buckets. one w/ clean water one w/ soapy. rinse off the mitt in the water after each time. i never apply much pressure and as mentioned above i only do straight left/right or up/down motions. I use NXT sometimes but always top w/ 3M paste wax. i don't really like using the microfiber wash mitt... but i use the big blue waffle weave towel for drying. and w/ drying i try not to drag the cloth across the paint... more of a "soak up as much as possible" And to reduce the amount of drying time... i run water off the car. people look at me like i'm crazy... like i'm watering my car or something.

 

To get rid of the swirls I would recommend 1x coat of Poorboy's SSR 2.5and then follow it up with the SSR 1.0. This should just about eliminate any swirls or scratches you may have. Then I would put a couple of coats of wax on the car. Don't get me wrong the NXT wax is good but you can get even better wax like Menzerna FMJ (one of my personal favorites), Klasse and P21S for carnauba wax.

I would also make sure the car is getting a thorough wash because sometimes remaining dirt on the surface can cause problems. After I wash the car I take the spray nozzle off the hose and let the water flood down from the top. This helps flood off contamination and other loose debris instead of just pushing it around with harsh blasts of water.

It's good to see your using your microfiber towels, as long as they're not the cheap kind. Some of the cheap ones you see in stores have nylon threading or firm seams that can cause scratches. Make sure that they are super clean and that you only use one per product. I keep enough good microfiber around to have enough to use like two or three different ones for each coat I put on. I'm also very **** about the quality of my work too.

 

From my experience swirls are most often caused by washing/drying techniques. It sounds like you're doing everything right though. Have you tried drying with a leaf blower? I first dry with the leaf blower, then finish off the hard to dry places with a microfiber.

Also, to add to the 3 step process, here's what I like (Meguiars Deep Crystal Clean - 3 Step Process):

First wash with Dawn Liquid Soap, then,

1) Step 1: Meguiars Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner - It safely removes road grime, surface contamination, light oxidation, swirls and light scratches to restore damaged and dull finishes. In some cases, I recommend using ScratchX for if the Paint Cleaner is unsuccessful.

2) Step 2: Meguiars Deep Crystal Polish - The formula creates a dazzling, high gloss finish by conditioning and nourishing the paint, making dark colors darker and reflections deeper and more clear. It is that extra step necessary to create the ultimate, wet-look show car shine.

3) Step 3: Meguiars Deep Crystal Carnuba Wax - In order to “lock in” and protect the eye dazzling finish you created with Steps 1 and 2 of the Deep Crystal system, you need to apply a protective coating that will not dull the gloss. Our Deep Crystal System Carnauba Wax delivers durable, long-lasting high gloss protection with superb water beading action.

OR

Step 3: substitute Carnuba Wax with Meguiars Gold Class Wax or Meguiars
NXT Wax.

As you can see, I like Meguiars products. I do plan on trying Zaino next, but haven't got up the nerve to place an order yet.

Good Luck!

 

If thats a true carnauba wax that won't give you the long term protection you need. I would recomend a harder wax that lasts longer and then top off the paint with the carnauba wax.

 

one word: ZAINO!

i have a black car with swirls and you cant even see em anymore!

i dont know how the rest of you dry, but i dont rub at all.. i just get huge towels and lay em on the car so it soaks in.. i take em off and thats it

 

i just ordered some zaino z5....id try that before anything else...seeing as though most people on this forum swear by it!!!

 

There is no such thing as a 'true' carnauba wax. If you had 100% carnauba wax, it'd be as hard as a brick. Plus, wouldn't the carnauba wax not bond to the first layer of wax you apply? The only point of applying additional coats of wax is to smooth out any irregularities that occured when you put on the first coat of wax. Other than that, you are just wasting product and muscle, and in this case you wouldn't get the entire effect of what a carnauba offers.

The point of a carnauba wax is that it gives a depth and clarity that a typical paint 'sealant' or a synthetic wax does not supply. If you are waxing a daily driver, a carnauba wax isn't the way to go at all unless you want to wax all the time (which I personally do not mind). It's all about the shine, not the protection.