I'm using Mother's Pure Carnuba on this car (three full coats in the first 6 weeks) and it does an awesome job. I laid down a coat of Mother's Sealer/Glaze before I started with the Carnuba topcoats and it freaking glows.

:-)

In my book you're not obsessive, you're normal. Dig it.

 

I swore I would never buy a black car again and I was set on IP or DG when I went to get my car but when I saw the Black G35 coupe with full aero kit inside the showroom that all changed. I am now finding myself obsessing over swirls and scratches everyday when I get home (Thank God for the time change so I have some daylight).
I hate the upkeep on a black car but nothing else looks like a mirror finish on a black car.

 

The key is to avoid allowing the car get too dirty before washing.........especially on black. Dust it off and wipe it up after a day or two and this will keep the swirls away. If you already have swirls, then machine buffing is the best way to remove it.

 

Passion breeds obsession... one suggestion for the obsessed would be to check out autopia.org. Great site for novice through advanced in the art of detailing. My cars have neer looked as good as they do now, actually better than the day they arrived from the dealer.

 

How does this work - to fill in the scratches to the clearcoat. Can I use this before a snyth coat of wax. Anyone find benefit in applying a sythetic coat and then a carnuba coat over that?

 

What about power buffers, Good, bad? I have used one on my wifes SUV but I can see the potential to really screwup a paintjob witha dirty bonnet. how often do you have change the bonnets.

 

Answer to original Q- Zaino Z5. Zaino (Sal Zaino to be specific) recommends against doing anything on the car in circles. Don't wash the car, detail the car, polish the car, remove polish... Straight vertical lines (towards the ground, or on hood roof and trunk front to back) where possible. You will find that the swirls you have will go away with 1 or 2 coats of Z5, unless you've really done a number on the car. Check their website tips and tricks for more. www.zainobros.com or www.zaino.ca.

 

Exact name of the Zaino products you used please?

 

Porter Cable 7336 + Meguiar's speed glaze followed by S100 over here.

 

Wash the car first with regular Dawn dish detergent. Then apply Z5 (polish for swirls and scratches). If you want to do a bunch of coats in 24 hours, recommend using the ZFX with the polish (see the website). Between coats, Z6 (detailing spray, which helps to make their polishes perfect), if the car was dark in color and really swirled, I'd do another coat of Z5, then the Z6, then the regular polish for clear coat paints- Z2, and wrap it up with a final of Z6. You don't need to do this all at once, it's not a lot of work, since it simply wipes on, wipes off, 30 minutes or so to set (time enough to get a beer and admire your work). No random orbital required- in fact counter-productive. Just some white cotton towels. I really like the plastic polish too for the headlamps and tail lights- I had the folks at Infiniti give me the complimentary car ruination, er wash with what had to be dirty water. The entire car was swirled from their one wash. Especially the tail lights, that are made of such a soft plastic. Zaino plastic cleaner/polish took everything right out, as good as new. And if you have a problem with the heat of the HIDs hazing the outside of your headlamps, it'll take care of that too.

Cheers,
D

 

i think most people start out obsessive compulsive when they get a new car. always washing, waxing, dusting.... funny thing though, the longer you have the car the months between waxing and then days between washing get more and more until you've come to the realization that..... you are cured! was getting like that because of all the paint chipping up front but just got the front end of the car repainted and the entire car buffed out. guess i'm feeling the obsession setting in again!

 

If you don't like swirls... you need to spend more time figuring out what is causing them, not what will eliminate them.

Point is... don't cause as many swirls in the first place, and you'll have less to worry about in the future...

There is no perfect solution, but using a little care and proper techniques when washing/waxing can go a long way...

And STOP using circular motions with dirty wash mitts !!!!!!!!

 

You mean California Car Scratcher right ? They hold more dirt than you clean off of your car...guess what that does???

Like some others have said, if you want to not have swirls you have to stop putting them in there yourself. Trust me, driving down the street does not add swirls to your car--YOU DO! I had a 2001 BLACK GTP and that mf'er had swirls in 2 weeks. I was new at washing a car color other than white and I used a regular towel to clean it. Man I learned fast!

And the Zaino craze....I blew $80 bucks on that stuff and might as well have just dumped it down the drain. They can brag it up all they want but it is BS. They tell you "the more coats you put on the more shine you get". Ummm after your first coat or *maybe* two you have made the surface smooth, the wax you are putting on is not sticking...what would it stick to? If you put on 10 coats don't you think you would see a layering effect and be able to scratch it off? My .02 says they tell you to use more coats so you can buy more of their crap in 2 weeks.

Happy cleaning!

 

Lots of people in this forum use the California Car Duster, Even on black cars. No complaints from them or me!