swirl marks on a black truck.

[fordraceing_man]

now on my black truck if i did
Clay: Removes surface comtaminants (tree sap, tar, etc)

http://meguiars.com/?auto-detailing-...tailing-System

Wash:again, self explanatory

Paint Cleaner: Further gets rid of the "crud", works out some of the swirl marks, oxidation, etc

http://meguiars.com/?auto-paint-clea...-Paint-Cleaner

Polish: Helps to work out the swirl marks, oxidation, gives it a deep, wet look

http://meguiars.com/?car-polishes/De...-System-Polish

Wax:Seals all the work you just did. Give protection from the other stuff.

http://meguiars.com/?liquid-car-waxe...m-Carnauba-Wax

do you think if i did this by hand it would take most my swirl marks out? i have lots of them. or would i be wasting my time doing it w/o haveing a buffer.

[Mike Phillips]

Hi fordraceing_man,

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

I appreciate that you went to www.meguiars.com and copy and pasted the URL Addresses for the pages with the products you referenced, but I'm sorry to say they are not working because the URL addresses are so long that the forum software cuts them up and jumbles them so they will not work.

I apologize for this, i know the folks at www.meguiars.com have been re-writing pages and URL addresses for search engine optimization but it play havoc on our forum and likely all forums in the world.

Anyway, to your questions...

Removing swirls means removing a little bit of paint as the only way to remove a defect in the paint is to remove the paint surrounding the defect until the upper most surface is level with the lowest depths of the scratches and swirls.


Now everyone pay attention to the words I use so no one gets this wrong...

Generally speaking, clear coat finishes are harder than traditional single stage paints, paints like lacquers and enamels. Note, some clear coat finishes are soft, thus the reason I couched my words/statement by using the words generally speaking.

If your truck has a clear coat finish, this means chances are good removing small particles of paint over the entire truck is going to likely be difficult and take you a while, thus one of the primary reasons the G100 Dual Action Polisher aka the PC have become so popular with enthusiasts that want to remove the swirls out of their car and truck finishes on their own.

You can remove the swirls in your trucks finish and you can also fill them in and sooner or later they will show up again.

I'll include some links below that show you how to remove swirls by hand. Your best bet if you're serious about taking care of the finish on your truck an any other car you own would be to invest in a dual action polisher and a few products and pads and learn to remove the swirls yourself versus taking a chance that you can find a detailer that knows what they're doing, uses quality products and won't make things worse at the end of the day.

Here are some threads to read, this first one is a powerful demonstration of what you can do using your hand with ScratchX


How To Remove Swirls By Hand

How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX


Here's what a young man with no prior experience accomplished his first time using the G100

Each one, teach one... Ferrari Fiorano 355 F1 Spider

[Magic]

Polish: Helps to work out the swirl marks, oxidation, gives it a deep, wet look

This statement really depends on the polish you use. #7 and DC2 will not remove swirls or oxidation, but will give it a deep wet look. Both are pure polishes. #80 is a cleaner polish that is in the pro line, and will remove swirls, and oxidation. (Most popular product used by most here)

As for removing swirls by hand, almost impossible if there all over the truck. Using the consumer line products (DC1-2-3) will not do it either. You'll have to use Scratch X and rub that stuff in so much, your arms will fall off before you remove all the swirls.

As you can see from my sig, I have a black Dodge Ram. I tried removing swirls by hand. It looked better but no where near swirl free. It wasn't until I invested in the G-100A, that my results were to my expectations. I tired using the $40.00 buffer from Sears, and it didn't have enough power to remove the swirls. The G100 is foolproof, and someone (me) with no experience, was able to use it right out of the box.

[Mike Phillips]

I try to provide the below to all new members when they post as many of the topics below will answer one or more of your questions...

List 'O Links

Many of the things we cover in our Saturday Classes are discussed and talked about in the threads found in the sub-forums of the Information Station


First read this,

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle


Then read these...

Circles or Straight Lines?
Which LSP is Best for Light Colors
How To Remove Swirls By Hand
Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line
How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX
How to locate Meguiar’s Professional & Detailer products in your hometown
How to tell when a Meguiar's wax is ready to remove - The Swipe Test
The Dual Action Counterweight "Controversy"
What are the Differences Between Meguiar's Waxes
What's the Deal with "Layering"?
Measuring Clear Coat Thickness
Rotary vs. PC vs. Regular Orbital Buffer
Glass Polishing...Deep Cleaning
NXT Tech Wax Cure Time
Suggested Products for Taking Care of a New Car
Colored Waxes - Do they really work?
PC + #83 not "Cutting" it! - The Limits of the Dual Action Polisher
What it Means to Remove a Scratch
Why Meguiar’s Recommends Polishing Paint
A Lesson From White Paint
Each one, teach one... Ferrari Fiorano 355 F1 Spider

[fordraceing_man]

lol holy cow this is a lot of stuff to take in.
so basically what i though won't work i do need to get a buffer and the paint cleaner and polish then wax won't be enough to do the job.
can can someone dummy proof this for me?
i will start off with a clay bar, then i should do pain cleaner, can then polish then wax right? and i should be using a buffer correct? ok now can you post what paint cleaner and what polish i should be using?

thanks

[fordraceing_man]

ok, i never used a buffer before i just called the auto parts place and they have 6 inch cord, 7inch cordless and a 10inch cord buffers all around 25 dollars i was thinking about going with the cordless just because i don't have outless in my garage and would have to run and extension cord from the house to the garage, they also have step one 1 paint cleaner and step 2 polish, so this is what i would want right?

[Murr1525]

Probably not.. dont just go running out and getting any old thing...

The G100 is going to cost a lot more than $25, but it is pretty much the best tool there is. It is completly safe for a newcomer, and yet strong enough to remove paing defects, like swirls, mild scratches.

Very few corldess models have the power to remove any defects either. They are really only best for spreading wax.

Definately give these a read over again..

Recommended Products - G100a Dual Action Polisher

Rotary vs. PC vs. Regular Orbital Buffer


Also, browse this website...

autodetailingsolutions.com

they have good prices, and some packages that offer a pretty good discount over buying everything separately.

[fordraceing_man]

ok, well i really can't afford 200 dollars for a buffer right now, but i would like to get this truck cleaned up so by hand that scrach X looks like the best thing, so i think i will safe up for that G100 and get one in a few months or in fall but right now i can't so i guess i will do the best i can by hand.
so the best would be to clay bar, then scrach x then polish then wax

is that correct or am i missing something? also for the ploish would the pure polish deep crystal be ok after that scrach X or would i want something else?

thanks

[Murr1525]

Yes, we certainly dont want you to waste $25 bucks either...

Your detail order is good..

Wash
Clay
ScratchX
DC#2
Wax of your choice...

ScratchXing a whole car/truck will ****, horribly... but it can be done. You might want to plan on a panel or two a day.. dont rush. You will probably want to have some sort of terry cloth to apply the ScratchX to get a bit more bite. Try to work in small areas at a time, and work the product in with a good amount of passion, so to speak. And plan on at least 3 applications per area.

Be sure to read the How-to for ScratchX in the links Mike showed.. it describes the process better than the back of the tube.

Remember, after your truck is in better shape, you can use a milder and easier to use cleaner like DC#1 in the future, at least till you get the fancy buffer.

[fordraceing_man]

well its not bad its a 03 F150 with 20k miles on it but i take it though an auto car wash , now can you link this DC#2 please? what is that?

also something else i also plan to do this to my car but last weekend i washed, clayed then waxed my car cause i didn't know about all this other stuff until i started looking a few days ago, can i do this to my car now with the fresh wax on it? or do i need to re clay and stuff?

thanks

[Mike Phillips]

Until you can get the dual action polisher, try this,

Wash
Clay
ColorX x 2

Here's what I did with one application of ColorX

1986 Ford Bronco II - Extreme Makeover

ColorX





Then to inspire you, here's what young man did his first time using 3 products,

M80 Speed Glaze
NXT Tech Wax
G100 Dual Action Polisher

Each one, teach one... Ferrari Fiorano 355 F1 Spider

[fordraceing_man]

ok so here is my plan,
wash, then
clay

http://www.meguiars.com/?auto-detailing-clay/Quik-Clay-Detailing-System

paint cleaner

http://www.meguiars.com/?auto-paint-cleaners/ScratchX

now is it bad to do my whole car/truck with this?

polish

http://www.meguiars.com/?car-polishes/Deep-Crystal-System-Polish

wax

http://www.meguiars.com/?liquid-car-waxes/Gold-Class-Liquid-Wax

heres thats the plan

EDIT= ok we must have posted that the same time, was im looking to get started on this today and all the stuff i listed i can get down the road but that colorX i called and they don't have it, do you think the scrach X will work ? now this is an 03 so paint is still nice but its black and been though a lot of auto washes so has lots of swirls. is it bad to ScrachX the whole thing? t

thanks

also what about my car that i allready clayed then waxed i need to Scrach X that also can i just do that now with frish wax on it then rewax it?

thanks

edit again lol well now i just read a thread about scrach X marring someones hood mabye i should reconsider this step, if i do small spots and use meguiars applicator and remove it before it drys with a 100% terry towel i shouldn't have a prob right?

[Magic]

edit again lol well now i just read a thread about scrach X marring someones hood mabye i should reconsider this step, if i do small spots and use meguiars applicator and remove it before it drys with a 100% terry towel i shouldn't have a prob right?

The Scratch X marring was because he had an old tube that he used recently. The current Scratch X will not do that to your vehicle.

also what about my car that i allready clayed then waxed i need to Scrach X that also can i just do that now with frish wax on it then rewax it?

When you use any paint cleaner (Scratch X) it will remove anything you've had on it before. So remember to rewax after a paint cleaner.

is it bad to ScrachX the whole thing? t

No it's not bad.. If you want the swirls out, that's what it's going to take.

[Magic]

fordraceing_man

Check your Private Messages... I just sent you one

[Mort Corey]

Just and added note....with Scratch-X DON'T follow the directions on the tube regarding letting it dry before removing. IIRC, that's where one fellow had problems with the product.

Mort (who gave up trying to do the whole car with Scratch-X after just the hood and bought a G100)