HELP!! swirl marks on black Z-71 Tahoe

[xjtoms]

I need advise and help on how and what product to use to get swirl marks off my new tahoeZ. They can't be seen unless the sun hits the paint just right but it is noticable then. I don't own a buffer and nor do i know how to properly use one but i would greatly appreciate if someone could give me advise soon b4 winter hits. PLEASE HELP!!! Thanks

[Murr1525]

Re: HELP!! swirl marks on black Z-71 Tahoe

Here are soem starter links:

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle

Step 1 Wash

Step 2 Clean

Step 3 Polish

Step 4 Protect

Step 5 Maintain

Suggested Products for Taking Care of a New Car

My honest answer is don't worry about it, and save up for a G-100 buffer over winter. Here are some links about it:

Recommended Products - G100a Dual Action Polisher

Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line

But, if you really want to, you will want to use ScratchX, and a lot of passion and effort. Here are the links for how to use it properly.

What it Means to Remove a Scratch

How To Remove Swirls By Hand

How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX

[xjtoms]

Re: HELP!! swirl marks on black Z-71 Tahoe

thanks a million Murr1525..i will try the Scratch-X , check results , then polish, then the NXT. Hope this does the trick! New to site so very helpful....Thanks again.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: HELP!! swirl marks on black Z-71 Tahoe

I need advise and help on how and what product to use to get swirl marks off my new tahoeZ. They can't be seen unless the sun hits the paint just right but it is noticable then. I don't own a buffer and nor do i know how to properly use one but i would greatly appreciate if someone could give me advise soon b4 winter hits. PLEASE HELP!!! Thanks

If you want to do all your work by hand, then pick up a couple tubes of ScratchX and here's the secret to getting great results by hand...

Shrink your work area down

In most cases, not all, but most... modern clear coat paints are harder than traditional single stage paints, because modern clear coat paints re harder, in order to remove swirls, which in reality means removing paint, you need to shrink the size of the area you're working down to a smaller size, for example about 16" inches square, basically the size of the average microfiber polishing cloth spread-out.

Then, after working one small area, move on to the next small area to work and overlap into the previously worked area.

For each area, work the ScratchX into and against the paint, put a little passion behind the pad. Most people don't work this product hard enough, fast enough or long enough. Each Saturday out a Detailing classes, after watching how to properly use a hand applied paint cleaner, (ScratchX), we'll often hear people say something like,

That's what I've been doing wrong"


The point being they, like many people have been applying the ScratchX, spreading it around gently and with not focused intent, and then wiping it off only to be dismayed that the swirls are still there.

They don't understand their car's paint, (hardness), they don't understand the technique for removing swirls, (removing paint), and they don't understand how to properly work the product into and against the paint.

This is the primary reason the dual action polisher has become so popular, it takes all the work out of the paint cleaning process, and it takes the need for "user skill" out of the process.

Anyway, if you do a good job of applying ScratchX and going all the way around the vehicle, the next steps are quick and easy because in the next steps you're not trying to remove defects, i.e. you're not trying to remove paint.

The next steps are polishing and protecting and both of these are just applying each product, spreading it out and gently into the paint, for the pure polish you apply it and then wipe it off, for the wax you apply it, allow it to dry and then wipe it off.

Read the articles Murr1525 they'll cover their particular topics in good detail. Here's a couple more,

Tons of information in this forum,

The Information Station


Specifically in these two sub-forums
Meguiar's How-To Articles
Hot Topics

and here's a couple of good articles...

What it means to remove a scratch out of anything...
Which products need to dry before removing?