Three Year Old car - Full of Swirls

[Sarao]

Hello,

I have a Toyota Fortuner, Black Mica Color, three year old. This car is full of swirls. When standing in Sun, you can see the swirls from atleast 20 feet away.

I tried contacting a Detailer, hes charging way too much for detailing. I want to know, since I have a Buffer Machine, I can manage with the Swirl Remover. But I want to know, Which is best for removing Swirls, ScratchX 2.0 or Any other Product?

Reply Awaited

[Jarhead0754]

What's ur buffer machine? Cuz what some thing do actual paint correction are just really wax spreaders. What u would need is either a rotary or da polisher. If they are bad as u say they are then ultimate compound or 105 is what u want. But let's 1st here what machine u have to work with. Then we can go from product and pad use. Also pictures would tell a great deal too.

[Ghawk]

Re: Three Year Old car - Full of Swirls

Honestly, around here you will be recommended products that will sum up to the value of getting your car detailed by a professional to get rid of your swirl problem.

I see you as having these options for removing the swirls:

1) Listen to the crazy amounts of products and tools needed to properly and effectively remove all of the sails and defects in your car's paint, and go and purchase a ridiculous amount of supplies that will out last your need most likely.

2)Reduce the visibility of the swirls and scratches through a product like swirl remover, and possibly a glaze, leaving a better, yet far from perfect finish behind. Also, swirl removers used improperly (which is very easy to do by hand or by using the wrong method, and takes a considerable amount of practice to do by hand) will leave what are called holograms in the paint, where the abrasive unevenly marred the paint leaving, in essence, just smaller swirls.

3) Do more research on local detailers and see who offers the best results and price. These do not typically go together, as a careful professional should and will charge more than the lesser qualified and less reliable detailer. I understand detailing sounds like much money for such a seemingly simple job, but I am sure as many of us who roam these forums can attest, it is a very detail oriented, passion driven, and laborious job. These people must make a living, and the task of removing swirls is quite difficult if done correctly.
Now, I understand your hesitancy due to price, but yet again think of what you must buy just to remove all the swirls your self
A buffer: if yours is not adequate to remove the swirl (such as a wax spreader as JarHead mentioned) runs about $120+
Products: at least $30, if not in excess of $100, depending on how well you want the job to turn out
Pads and tool: polisher pads are not cheap, neither are microfibers, and both are necessary $50+
Finding the time and working on your own car: This is the enjoyable part, yet expect to spend roughly 6-12 hours depending on what level of correction you want to accomplish.

We are all glad you came to us for help, and I hope we can answer any questions you may have!

As for recommended products, which are useless without the right machine, M105 and M205, Ultimate Compound and Polish, D300 and D301 are all very effective, yet again require practice with the machine.

Griffith Hawk

[rickylexus250]

Re: Three Year Old car - Full of Swirls

As a novice I would suggest.
DA Buffer
M105
M205
and a couple of appropriate pads
Finish with micro fibre cloths.
Try a 50/50 to give you piece of mind.

[davey g-force]

Re: Three Year Old car - Full of Swirls

Griffith, it doesn't necessarily have to be "crazy amounts of products" to fix his problem.

Also if he purchases the products and tools to do the job, he can do it again himself over and over as required, saving money in the long run.

[Jarhead0754]

I guess it boils down to is what equipment ur gonna need to do the job. is this a 1 time thing for u cuz if u have to purchase the right equipment then a detailer might b the way to go. Also what is the price u were quoted and can u give us pics so we can give u an accurate opinion.

[The Guz]

Re: Three Year Old car - Full of Swirls

Griffith, it doesn't necessarily have to be "crazy amounts of products" to fix his problem.

Also if he purchases the products and tools to do the job, he can do it again himself over and over as required, saving money in the long run.

Agreed.

My question is what products do you have at your disposal? A DA polisher is definitely the way to go.

[Ghawk]

Re: Three Year Old car - Full of Swirls

What is crazy to us and crazy to others is a very different story. I don't find it crazy, because this is how I invest my time and money, but time after time, I see new comers to forums and the detailing world, told they must buy products after product to do what we all know would be an adequate job. This being, most likely, the first car the original poster would ever have corrected, we must weigh wether he really needs all the best to do it himself, and if that is something he really wants to do.
Not everyone is willing to spend a lot of money and time just to make their car look perfect.

I believe he was asking what product should he use to accomplish the task of removing swirls from his car, and I gave a recommendation.

Now, where most people would find this "crazy," as that is the word that seems to be catching the most flack around here, is that even buying a DA polisher is a major investment for a car owner. As far as I understand the poster wants to reduce the swirls, and yes the best way to accomplish this is to buy all the appropriate tools and use the proper methods.

But, even RickyLexus recommended almost exactly the same products as I, and as I pointed out in my first post, that is an investment of at least $200+ USD and as the OP is in India, and as far as I know, the detailing products tend to run a little higher.

All I was suggesting is that we evaluate what HE, the person doing the job, wants. Not what WE, the people telling him what to buy, want. After all, it is his money and not our own.

I am sorry for using "crazy" to describe the needed products, yet I do stand by the recommendations and think that we should weigh in what is best for Sarao and his needs. Thats why I provided 3 options.

Thank you all,
Griffith Hawk

[davey g-force]

Re: Three Year Old car - Full of Swirls

I completely agree Griffith.

I suppose I was just giving the OP a fourth option - which basically a toned-down version of your Option 1.

[Jarhead0754]

I agree also. But at the same time we need to know what his goals are and if this is something that he will continue on in his future. Is this is a 1 time thing that depending on the amount he would b charged would outweigh what it would cost him in material. But if this is a hobby he wants to start to Persue, well than we would like to get him on the right track. Basically we are all waiting for his reply to see how he wants to handle this.

I think that is u a majority of people aren't just throwing out products to buy to do the job as well as not getting to detailed in the steps it's gonna take to do such. We just need to hear what he wants and then we all can go from there.

Plus this is a forum and people are just trying to help out as best they can. That's what were all here for is to teach and learn.

[Sarao]

Re: Three Year Old car - Full of Swirls

Sorry for the late reply

These are swirls I am talking about

[davey g-force]

Re: Three Year Old car - Full of Swirls

Yep, they definitely look typical and fixable.

But we need to know what products and tools you have at your disposal, what is your experience level, and what is your goal?

Do you have or are you willing to purchase, or do you have access to a DA buffer? That really is the best way to tackle this, along with some products such as UC / UP etc. You may even need MF pads for that, but again we need some more info (as above).

[Jarhead0754]

I second what davey said. Start with UC and UP. Also get u a da cuz doing this by Hand will take a long time and will b excrutiating painful on ur arms when done. But overall the da will just do a better job all around and come in handy for future projects as well.

[Sarao]

Re: Three Year Old car - Full of Swirls

I dont have DA as of now as I said in my first post. I can buy one if I can find it locally. I can either hire a professional to come by after working hours to do the work. I just dont believe the local products. I want to know , for the swirls like you in the photo, would SwirlX be enough? Or I need UC or ScratchX?

I intend to seal the paint there after.

[davey g-force]

Re: Three Year Old car - Full of Swirls

I doubt SwirlX or ScratchX would be strong enough for that.

If you already have them, I'd say try the least aggressive method first (SwirlX then ScratchX) but honestly, if you have to buy products and money is an issue, I would just go straight for UC in your case.