kellyk75

I need some help......... I have some slight swirl marks I want to get rid of by hand (if possible)...... some self induced.

The reason I want to do it by hand is:

a) don't want to F&#! it up
and
b) I hear you get a better job when you take the time.

I have had my '97 Eucaliptus Green Lude for a year and a half and have not waxed it since I bought it. I noticed that there are swirl marks (very minor) that wax would prob. hide but I would like to kill them completely without machine polishing (if possible).

I also did something stupid after a body shop experience.... I went through a whip brush car wash 1 month after my passenger side had some repainting done.... (long story and not totally my fault ) and of course it left shallow swirl marks, so I have alot of work to do. Before anyone lays into me, I NEVER use thoes frigging things, but I got stuck....... (like I said, long story).


I am also going to be wet sanding some touched up paint chips flush with 2000 unigrit sand paper and I will need to buff that out as well.

I have some Meguiars products that I am planning to use (like Meguiars Scratch X swirl remover) but I am not sure if it is strong enough.

I could really use some advice on the steps I need to take to get that showroom shine and have it stay that way for more than a few weeks.

Also, anyone know if there is a diff. between the Meguiars #9 Swirl Remover and Scratch X?

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

JoeW

If the marks are minor then they may come out by hand. I would use #9 over ScratchX just because I think it is a superior product. I have never gotten the results from ScratchX that I can get with #9. You will get better results if you apply the polish by machine since the machine will break down the abrasive particles in the polish more effectively.

With that said, if you take your time by hand and apply using straight movements then you should see a noticeable improvement (but I can't gaurantee that the swirls will be completely gone). #9 has some light fillers, but don't expect them to make a big difference. You'll notice the most improvement from polishing the clearcoat down to a level surface. If you prefer a polish with no fillers, 3M Perfect-It II should do a good job as well.

If you do #9 by hand, then follow up with a glaze (3M Imperial Hand Glaze or Meguiars #7 Show Car Glaze) and top that off with a good carnauba wax then you should get some nice results

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kellyk75

Thanks, Your right.... Scratch X took alot of work to do. I think I will try #9.

What price range in Canadian would I be looking at a decent dual action buffer?

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JoeW

You're probably looking at $150-175 CD for a good one (Porter Cable or Makita)

If you have a Lowes up there, I think they usually have a low price even compared to the online distributors.

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KB798

If you're going to be polishing by hand, use a 100% cotton terry towel folded into 1/8ths. That way you'll be applying pressure onto the surface of the car more evenly. As Joe already said, use straight movements when you're polishing.

The #9 is a more abrasive product than ScratchX. If you want to step up to an even more abrasive product, then consider using #83, or more commonly known as the Meguiar's Dual Action Cleaner Polish (DACP). It'll leave a slight haze after working in the product, and following up using a milder polish like Menzerna Final Polish will work great.

You won't be able to achieve the results that could be made through a machine, but if you don't feel confident enough or just don't want to spend the money, then make sure to take your time in polishing by hand. It's a long, hard process that will be sure to break your arms and your back .

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Brian

kellyk75

Maybe I will pick up or borrow a polisher. My Boss might have a good one...... he is a car enthusiast with some nice z cars he works on himself. Do you know if you can rent them?

#83 is the one I was looking for ........would you recommend clay bar before the cleaner/polish?

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KB798

Depends on the condition of your paint, but since you said that you haven't waxed the car in a long time, I think it'll be a good idea.

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Brian

kellyk75

The paint is actually in decent condition. I am a perfectionist....... but probably a couple of coats of wax would make it look new....... but I will know that there are swirls under it and it will bug the crap outa me until I do it right.

I tried the scratch x on my girlfriends car and it took ALOT of work to do a small 4"x4" area by hand. Mind you...... her paint sucks compared to mine, but I either need something stronger..... or a buffer.

How many coats of waz should I put on after the cleaning and polishing? What kind should I use....... and then should I put on a glaze like the Meguiars Gold Class Detailer or their new NTX wax?

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godfather16

Nothing compares to the result of a buffer, I have seen and experienced it, IT WORKS! Invest in a Porter Cable or a comparable buffer!
I have a NBP lude, and swirls are a usual thing! Porter Cable 7424 works wonders along with Meguiars Wirl Remover 2.0! Follow with Polish then NXT WAX! and BAAAM!
SHINY SHINY!
I just done this for HIN!

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KB798

Polishing by hand is definitely a lot of work especially if you're really trying to level down the clearcoat to get rid of the marring. About how many coats of wax you should apply after polishing is really up to you. Some waxes look the same after many coats, whereas others make the paint become deeper and richer. The 2 main waxes widely used and available would be synthetic wax and caranuba wax. Meguiar's NXT wax would be synthetic, where as S100 is caranuba. Whether to use one or another is really up to user preference. I use S100 and have nothing but comments, but this weekend I'm gonna pick up a bottle of NXT and give that a try.
Definitely

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Brian

kellyk75

Thanks Guys........ I think I will go for the porter cable. I am getting a bonus soon, so it is time to buy some toys.

Is it easy to burn through your paint with a dual action? What about plastic mouldings, door handles, bumper covers etc. Will it burn or warp plastic? I just don't want things to be worse than when I started since I am a newbie!!! I guess I could practice on my girlfriends 626 POS.

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KB798

It's really hard to damage the paint, but I can't say that it's completely safe, since you are after all working with a machine so it is possible to damage the surface. However, you have really want try to do so. I cover up all the plastic moldings, metal linings, etc with blue painter's masking tape. It's saved me a lot of time since I don't have to scrape out the residue from the cracks. 10 minutes of covering up your moldings is definitely worth it.

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Brian