swirly paintwork

[A160DSB]

After having the car cleaned yesterday, I've noticed lots and lots of little swirls where the light is reflecting off it.


How do I correct that?.. is it polishing or waxing or something else?
Cheers

 

[BoyracerAU]

None of my cars have swirl marks.

I'm not actually sure which process removes the swirls, but this is what I do to all my cars. Leave an entire day aside to do the job properly. I have found my old classic Mini took just as long as a 5m saloon.

1. Wash in the usual fashion
2. Clay bar
3. Rinse and Wash again
4. Paint Clean (apply in a circular motion and buff off with a fresh microfibre towel)
5. Polish (apply in a circular motion and buff off with a fresh microfibre towel)
6. Wax (apply in a circular motion and buff off with a fresh microfibre towel)

Here's a pic of my 1996 E220 taken just a couple of weeks ago after all of the above were followed.

 

[e55]

You need paint correction from a detailer and then you will have to wash your car using the two bucket method to avoid causing more swirls on the car.

 

[A210AMG]

Or go on the detailing world forum amd ask questions.

You don't 'need' to spend fortunes as some do on their and you don't need to get a orbital polisher thingy..

even get an old bonnet from a scappy or door and practice.

Once you get it right its easy to keep you car clean

 

[Gollom]

My 11 year old CLK was the same - think it had only ever been washed in an automatic carwash place.

Had it polished by a small body shop in Preston (run by an old boy who has been there years) using a buffing machine etc. Cost me £80 and it looks totally amazing - ask Ian Walker or Shude! Also had it debadged which IMHO makes the back look much "cleaner"


Note to self: Must get pics up

 

[C43AMG]

Adam is getting rid of my swirls from the S-Class then next week from the CL.

 

[Rory]

Collected my daughter's new VW the other week and the salesman said he was glad it was silver as the black ones come with little scratches "in the paint" which they can't remove.

I said they're swirl marks caused by your valeters, but he said again, "no, they're in the paint."

 

[billywhiz]

^^ lol swirl marks in paint - tosh - swirlmarks are in the clearcoat - RDS ( Random Deep Scratches ) go into paint.

to remove swirl marks properly they need to be machines polished out - there are plenty of polishes etc that 'fill' the swirls reducing there effect but nothing that you can hand polish out.

i.e people that offer 'machine buffing' - this is not doing the job properly - the car needs to be worked correct and proper LSP ( Last Stage Protection ) applied.

 

[Dieselman]

Collected my daughter's new VW the other week and the salesman said he was glad it was silver as the black ones come with little scratches "in the paint" which they can't remove.

I said they're swirl marks caused by your valeters, but he said again, "no, they're in the paint."

You made the mistake of thinking a car salesman knew something about cars, not just the finance packages.
The cars are just a means to an end.

 

[Rory]

You made the mistake of thinking a car salesman knew something about cars...

He was a big-mouthed know-it-all. I like to think that we used that to get a good deal on the car but I was losing the will to live by the end of it.

 

[adam87]

Adam is getting rid of my swirls from the S-Class then next week from the CL.

Couple of teaser shots...

 

[brocco]

Swirls are most easily added by using a sponge for carwashing (assuming you steer clear of those dreadful automated car washes ;-) ). Sponges trap dirt/grit on the washing face of the sponge and press them against your paintwork as you wash, causing swirls. Best bet is gettin a deep pile washmitt , lambswool or similar.