New (and scared) car owner

[alecjhangiani]

Please help! I just bought a new black Cadillac. It's my first car purchase and I'm pretty anxious about it and already have some paint concerns. First of all, it was a loaner car, so it did have about 2,000 miles on it. The paint is new except it does have lots of swirl marks, which, until reading your website, I assumed was normal. I've taken it to the self serve a couple times and after this last time, I notice I was putting some light scratches in from using the foam brush. I guess my first question, if it can be answered here, is should I bring the swirl mark issue up with the dealership? Assuming that's not an option, what is the best way to remove them without having to but a buffer and do it myself? Same goes for the scratches. Finally, in general, are there any must do and do not's for taking care of new car paint, especially black? Thanks so much.

Alec

[Mike Phillips]

Re: New (and scared) car owner

Hi Alec,

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

First, swirls and scratches are the norm for any clear coat finish and black and dark colored cars will show them best. Even if you remove them 100% they will reappear over time from normal wear & tear, things like washing.

The best thing you can do is to always take ownership of the washing process and always use the best car wash and mitt you can find as swirls and scratches are instilled in the paint by the way we, (that's you and I), touch the paint.

It won't do any good to spend a lot of time and energy to remove the swirls and scratches if you going to continue taking the car to a car wash. The only way to take control of the car wash process is to do it yourself or hire someone that cares just as much about your car as you do.

Just wanted to point that out so you have realistic expectations. The problem is with clear coat paints, while they last a long time they are scratch-sensitive - this means they will scratch easy and in most case clear coat paints are harder than traditional single stage paints and that means it will be difficult for you and I to remove the swirls and scratches.

If you're still interested in learning how to remove them we can show you how, if you think you would rather just learn how to mask them by doing a good job of waxing your car this is what a lot of people do that don't want to invest in the time to maintain a dark colored finish.

As for dealerships? Read this...

Worried the Dealership instill Swirls into my new paint job?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: New (and scared) car owner

Moved out of the FAQ section and into Detailing 101

[BlueZero]

Re: New (and scared) car owner

One thing to help out. Stay away from the foam brush at those car washes. Bring your own wash mitt or just use the spray soap. Those foam brushes tend to not get cared for very well. I see them laying brush down on the ground all the time. Then the owner comes and puts them back in the holder with out even rinsing them off.