paint swirls

[raj27]

what is the best probuct to remove paint swirls?

[DustenT]

what is the best probuct to remove paint swirls?

Fresh paint.

[mss318ti]

Haha, raj27 do you mean swirls in the clear coat or in the paint itself, if its in the clear coat I usually use a buffer and some Meguiars rubbing compound, start with the least abrassive try it and work your way up to a more abrassive compound (BE CAREFUL DOING THIS YOU CAN MESS UP YOUR PAINT). Or if you dont want to take the time or if your scared I would check around at local paint shops or detail shops and see if they cant take care of it. Again I dont know your situation or your skills so do what your comfortable with. Anyone else have any ideas for him?

Greg Scrivner
SEAM
OEM & Performance BMW Parts

[BobbyDigital]

My dad has some swirl remover or something like that. Its a paste you use like wax. I really think a good buff would probably do it, though. IF its the clearcoat.

[J!m]

Always start with the least aggressive product and work up until you just get it.

Also, don't try to get rid of swirls by applying a swirl remover in a circular pattern. Always apply any product in the direction of wind flow BY HAND to eliminate the possibility of a swirl mark.

If you don't swirl, there won't be a swirl mark.

Check out http://www.carcareonline.com/

For serious car car advise and products. This guy really knows his stuff.

You can tell him I sent you, but I don't know if that will do any good...:confused:

[stormos]

Farcla G3!! Valeting guy i know swears by it.

http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=210695&highlight=farcla

[J!m]

I'd just like to point out that that is a Japanese car, and they use VERY different paint from the German cars, and also different from both of these is the US cars, and different from the Italian cars.

I'm not saying it won't work, but the first product seems quite aggressive, and I'd be leery about using it on MY paint.

Many products that work well on one type of paint, do not do as well on other types of paint.

Go to the web site I conveniently posted for you all, read EVERYTHING there (several hours reading) and make your own informed decisions.

I have posted what I use, and this weekend is when I will be detailing my car. If we want, I can do a similar article to the Nissan one...

Finally, Juni saw my un-waxed car. He can attest to the methods I use to preserve my paint, even though I felt it was in horrible condition when he saw it!

[photo below is of un-waxed car, after 1.5 hrs drive in rain]

[twomato]

What's with the lift kit J!m?

[J!m]

No lift; actually its lower than the stock US M3. Those are the Euro M3 springs in front (10mm lower/20% stiffer than the US springs). Yes, it sits a bit high for my taste, but notice how low the splitter is? Yeah, it hits everything. Replacement cost for the splitter? Well, let's just say I could find another ti for less if I kept looking long enough...

I MAY go with some drop spring hats for 1/2 inch or so.

Also remember these are 17" wheels- larger wheels = same ride height, but better filling of the wheel openings.

It handles well, despite the appearance...

[lkwd318ti]

what is the best probuct to remove paint swirls?

For removing swirl marks, you should wash your car, then properly clay bar it, as this will remove all the embedded dirt and contamination in the paint.

Then use a random orbital polisher by Porter Cable (Meguiar's sells one) with the proper pad (the one I use is yellow also from Meguiar's).
I applied the Meguiar's Speed Glaze professional polish #80 and go over 2' by 2'. When you go over it with the PC, use a speed between 4 and 5.
You should go over each 2' by 2' area 3 times.
After the 2' by 2' area, wipe the product off immediately, don't let it dry up.

The paint should look something like the bottom half...
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/data/531/many_products.JPG
Repeat for the whole car.

On a side note, when you're doing this, you should tape up or remove the plastic parts (moldings ect...), so you can prevent them from becoming white.

After polishing, you should wax the car and you will have a car with shiny non-swirled paint :biggrin:

Kinda like this...
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG_0282.JPG

-Randy

[raj27]

oops, sorry i didnt make it that clear.
but yeah its just the clear.

sorry again.

[vwt3]

I bar clay my white ti, 2-3 times a year deep cleans the paint. Most swirls are in the clear coat and bay claying takes the edge of the swirls so light won't reflect off of them so they less noticeable also makes paint smooth as glass gets all the pollution off. Been useing Pinnacle Poly Clay good stuff .

vwt3

[J!m]

Um... You DO realize you are grinding off clear coat every time you clay bar it, right?

Three times a year will spell no clear coat in just a few short years.

The clay bar does 'clean' the paint, but it does so by grinding down the high spots of the paint (does not lift out grime in low spots).

I only clay bar if absolutely needed! Clean the body with P21S total auto wash (actually a citrus degreaser) that will remove tree sap, bugs and other gifts. THEN (and only) if needed, is clay baring the paint justified.

The bar was originally developed for body shops to remove the fine paint mist from old paint when a single panel is painted. The bar literally grinds the surface of the paint smooth.

I have owned my car since 1998, and clay bared it twice in that time...

Be careful!

[aceyx]

J!m, watch out using citrus degreasers. They often say it doesn't affect rubber components, but I've found the opposite to be true. As long as you pflege it after, you're fine though. I generally stick to Meguiars hi-tech wash if I'm not going to wax it, and good 'ol fashioned Dial dishwashing liquid (NOT lemon or orange) to strip the old wax.

As far as polishing products go, I'm currently swearing by 3M products.


Just take your time with polishing and you'll have better results. Rush it, and you'll probably burn the corners.

[J!m]

Oh, let me clarify this: I only use the citrus stuff in lieu of a clay bar- Yes, some cleaners (especially Simple green which will burn your paint off) are quite aggressive. I normally use P21S auto shampoo (or whatever they call it) for normal, not stripping the wax washing. Dish soap for stripping wax (like you), and the citrus P21S when the paint feels like you might want to clay bar it (and NEVER full strength- about an ounce or two in a five gallon bucket do just fine).

If the citrus does not do it, THEN I reach for the clay bar. Since the car sat out side for it's first winter ever this past winter, it may be due for a clay bar treatment. Only after I get the paint as clean as possible will I know for sure.

The point I was making is that the clay bar is the LAST RESORT, not part of a typical car care regimen.

And, I know it's difficult, but all buffing and polishing should be done by hand, unless you are buffing out freshly wet-sanded paint. In this case, only the first cut should be with the machine (and the PC random-orbit is one of the best for this job), and the subsequent cuts by hand, following the air flow direction to limit the visibility of swirl marks.

Make no mistake- the care and feeding of paint is hard work!:smile:

[stormos]

everyone has their own special ways... :rolleyes:

[J!m]

I agree 100%.

I don't have to pay for the re-paint on someone elses car...

[vwt3]

Wow didn't know that about clay bar I thought that it did clean the paint but I can see it would take down the high spots also.It does to take the edges off the swirl. Is useing a poly bar easy on the paint then the standerd bar??


vwt3

[vwt3]

P.s.I agree takeing care of your paint is hard work, always looking for the best way. When I get to that point were it's clean and smooth it makes general washing go faster.


vwt3

[J!m]

Again I recommend to check out http://www.carcareonline.com/.

This guy REALLY know his stuff. TONS to read in there, but take the time and read all that applies to you (obviously 'convertible top care' would only apply if you had a Cali roof)

He sells many products, but not until after testing them for a year or so on the 'company' cars first. And, he does not stock ANY products with a Silicone base, because these products do more harm than good to whatever they are applied to.

He has never steered me wrong before- and I have spent several hundred dollars over the years with him because of his integrity and knowledge...

For example: He sells Zymol wax among others (some for several hundred dollars a can), and makes a good profit selling this expensive stuff. BUT, he has the decency to ask you the right questions to get the perfect product (in this example case wax) for your particular car and how often you wax it etc. He did not make as much off of me by suggesting the One Grand Blitz wax over the Zymol (which, by the way lasts "about as long as it takes to apply"), but I continue to go to him as a repeat customer (and recommend him to anyone who will listen) because he is extremely knowledgeable, and will be straight-up with you about the products he sells to get you using the right product for your particular car and requirements. So, he made his money through repeat business from me, rather than the quick buck. (some supercharger companies could learn a lot from this guy... HINT).

Read it, buy a few things based on his recommendations (he covers all price ranges), and see if he is not the best guy to deal with for car care stuff.

[stormos]

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/ - for detailers, by detailers.

[vwt3]

Good stuff there, Carcareonline, will have to rethink my cleaning habits.

vwt3