Paint Protection

[lexus5544]

I recently purchased a 2007 EOS and along with the 101 other things the dealer offered a paint protection addon. I declined as I didn't figure anything could protect the car as long as they were claiming.

I have noticed how every the car tends to scratch or swirl very easy. I noticed a few scratches and marks in the paint right away and the dealer has agreed to deal with them, but I myself have caused one when using a very soft cloth.

A bird paid the car a visit on the hood and rather than washing the entire car I washed this small spot. You can now clearly see in the paint a swirl and what look like scratches where I cleaned it off. I don't like swirls.

The car is black so everything shows a 1000 times more than on my previous white car, but I'm still pretty sure this isn't normal.

Any advice would be VERY much appreciated.

Thanks
Beth

[TrufflePig]

Re: Paint Protection

WELCOME TO MOL!!!

Hope you enjoy your stay.

Okay so on to the car. COngrats on the purchase. PICS PLEASE!!!

So you want to keep it clean and keep birds away. both can be difficult and time consuming. but well worth it for the results you'll get.

First, instead of just washing the spot, why not wash the entire car. it'll look better.

are you doing this all by hand?

machine polish?

Did you apply scratch-x to the area where the bird paid a visit? that should help. bird deposits can etch the paint if left on for long periods of time that's why i carry an MF and bottle of QD with me for emergency's.

grab some scracth-x and an applicator pad and work in small sections say 10 x 10 or the area where the bird dropped. put a lot of passion (elbow grease) behind your work and then wipe off with an MF. you might have to go at it two or three times to ge the results you want.

since you have a black car, and seeing how you already now that all the imperfections show up 1000 times more, you might be best to schedule yourself some detailing time every week. even if its a quick wax. i'd also look into getting your self some Meguiars #66 as your car may be scracth sensisitive and M66 is great for that.

you are best to read the following links to further help you out.

The 5-Step Paint Care Cycle.

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle

Step 1 Wash

Step 2 Clean

Step 3 Polish

Step 4 Protect

Step 5 Maintain

How To Wash Your Car using the Two Bucket
Method
How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX

Suggested Products for Taking Care of a New Car
What it Means to Remove a Scratch
How to Avoid Swirls and Holograms?
How To Remove Swirls By Hand

these should all help you out.

any other questions you can feel free to ask away or PM.

all the best.

[CWM3]

Re: Paint Protection

Welcome to MOL!

I would first recommend that you don't take it back to the dealer. Probably do more harm than good, or so I've read.

Go buy yourself the following stuff:
2 buckets (w/ grit guard if possible) (clean "rinse water"/ soapy water)
Some Megs Car Wash (NXT, Gold Class)
Megs Clay System
Deep Crystal Step 1 - Paint Cleaner
Scratch X
NXT Wax or Gold Class Wax (liquid or paste)
Some tire stuff and interior spray (optional, but why not go all the way?)
Absorber or Water Magnet to dry
MicroFiber Cloths used to remove product
Applicator pads (little yellow foam ones)

Start by washing, then clay, Scratch X, DC#1 followed by two thin coats of either wax above. Simply follow the instructions on the bottle and be amazed. Initial payout is going to be around 70 bucks (maybe) but this stuff is worth it.

Good luck, post pics and read these boards. TONS of useful info here.

[OhioCarBuff]

Re: Paint Protection

Beth,

I don't mean to sound like a Meguiars salesperson here, but I only let meguiars brand applicator pads, terry cloths, wash mitts, microfibers, etc touch my paint. One time I used another companies brand of terries and noticed swirl marks in the pattern I buffed after doing a ton of work. On another occasion I bought another brand of microfiber- and it wasn't exactly inexpensive, well same thing happened but even worse, almost immediately after using it on the hood I could see swirls in the pattern I had just buffed.

[lexus5544]

Re: Paint Protection

Then this will scare you - I used a wash rag with soapy water and dried with a towel. I've never had a car this picky about what you use on it.

I figure this is the time to start with this one. Rather than making a ton of mistakes (1 down), I'l get the right advice and right equipment now.

Thanks for the links and the shopping list. Doesn't seem like a $70.00 start up would be that much for long term savings.

[TrufflePig]

Re: Paint Protection

don't stress about it to much.

just fro now on take really good care of it.

you'll be happy with your results when your hard work pays off.

ALL THE BEST!!!

[d.mopar]

Re: Paint Protection

TO MOL!!!!
with everyone. you will soon learn with meguiars that nearly everything revols around the 5 basic steps. when u come to understand them better u will take each step into even more detail. example....

1)wash
2)clay
3)cleaning-(paint cleaner)(scratchx)
4)polish
5)wax
6)maintain


u will also find that some of the steps can be allterd.

for example.......just to name a few

1)wash 1)wash 1)wash
2)clay 2)clay 2)clean(paint cleaner,scratchx)
3)cleaner wax 3)colorx 3)polish
4)miantain 4)maintain 4)wax
5)maintain


it all depends on wat u feel like doing in ur time and wat u really need to do. as u can see depending on the conditions of ur car u can alter things. i hope this info was helpful.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Paint Protection

to mol. with the above posters. Learn the Meguiars Steps and your well on your way to a "show car shine". Good luck.

[OhioCarBuff]

Re: Paint Protection

Then this will scare you - I used a wash rag with soapy water and dried with a towel. I've never had a car this picky about what you use on it.

I figure this is the time to start with this one. Rather than making a ton of mistakes (1 down), I'l get the right advice and right equipment now.

Thanks for the links and the shopping list. Doesn't seem like a $70.00 start up would be that much for long term savings.

Ha, don't feel too bad. One time I told my friend to give his black truck a good hand wash before I come over to show him what he needs to do to buff it up, when I got to his place his truck looked clean but I didn't see any water in his driveway- so I asked him why. He said "Oh, it wasn't all that dirty so I just windexed it, I do it all the time". He sprayed windex onto the paint and wiped it with a regular bathroom towel just like you would clean glass. It isn't suprising that his black paint is so loaded with swirls that it practically looks dark grey.

[lexus5544]

Re: Paint Protection

Ok, that make me feel better. Althought after reading many of the post, I feel like I've never washed a car correctly before.

I've found 100s of different MF options. How do I know that the one I'm getting it right?

Also is a leather or synthetic chamois my best bet?

[CWM3]

Re: Paint Protection

Eh..go with the Supreme Shine by Megs (I mean why have hamburger when you can have steak right?) if you're worried. Personally I think it goes more in how the MFs are treated than who makes them. I have MF Towels by EagleOne, Meguiars, Some Wal-Mart Brand and Some Target Brand. All work well for me.

I like Synthetic Chamois although I just bought a Water Magnet to see what the fuss was. That Water Magnet is a thing of beauty.

[TrufflePig]

Re: Paint Protection

Ok, that make me feel better. Althought after reading many of the post, I feel like I've never washed a car correctly before.

I've found 100s of different MF options. How do I know that the one I'm getting it right?

Also is a leather or synthetic chamois my best bet?

personally i recommend and only use Megs and one other brand.

but to give you advice i say get what you can afford really. i don't want to force you to buy anything or push you to buy something you may not be able to afford because of other priorities. or maybe you can afford them.

know what i'm saying?

[Monk]

Re: Paint Protection

Ok, that make me feel better. Althought after reading many of the post, I feel like I've never washed a car correctly before.

I've found 100s of different MF options. How do I know that the one I'm getting it right?

Also is a leather or synthetic chamois my best bet?

Congratulations! You now have a new part-time job--a black Lexus.

I have 2006 Black Lexus SC430. You have your work cut out for you if you want to keep it as swirl/scratch free as possible.

First, don't let the dealer wash it. I have a sign that says "DO NOT WASH" that I put in the windshield when I take it in for service, AND I tell the Service Writer not to let them wash it, and he writes it in big letters on the service order. They will wash it with a long-handled plastic-bristled brush using a bucket filled with the dirt from a hundred other cars. Everytime they dip that brush in the bucket, they bring up all the dirt that has settled to the bottom. Grit guards help prevent this--see below.

Second, you probably have been washing your car wrong. Stick to Mequiar's Products. Get a wash mitt. Use two buckets, with grit guards. Only wash about a two square foot area, then flip the mitt around on your hand and do another two square feet, then rinse in the rinse bucket. Don't ever work from the bottom up--the dirt is heavier down there and you will pull it up and scratch the paint. Don't use a chamois to dry it-that will trap particles against the paint and scratch it. When it is time to dry it, use the water magnet to get most of the water, and then use a MF cloth with some "quik detailer" for the final dry--this will prevent streaking. ANd do your drying in the garage--this will help stop the sun from drying too fast and causing streaks.

Oh--and don't think that you can just "dust" your car since it has only been outside for a day. Either wash it or live with it. This is not just with black--it just that it shows up easier on black. A white or grey car gets swirled in just the same way, it is just harder to see.

No amount of wax or sealant will prevent scratches. The good news is that, if you wash your own car, you are in control of how bad it gets. If you get a Dual Action Polisher and learn to use it, you can clean up the swirls, when you do get them--which you will over time, but there is no substitute for minimizing them in the first place with proper washing technique.

As far as bird poop goes, IMO, you are probably better off putting a little marring on the surface while getting it off (you can fix it with the Dual Action Polisher or Scratch X), than leaving it there for a day or more and letting it etch into the paint. Bird poop is
very acidic. Just don't go crazy getting it off. I keep a little Quik Detailer and a MF cloth in my trunk, and try to gingerly remove it without rubbing or scouring a larger area than is necessary.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Paint Protection

The car is black so everything shows a 1000 times more than on my previous white car, but I'm still pretty sure this isn't normal.

Actually, clear coats are scratch-sensitive and the swirls show up very easily to your eyes in most good lighting conditions.

They tend to last longer than a traditional single stage paint like cars were painted with back in the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, etc. Just don't confuse the words last longer with look good longer because a clear coat can look all swirly and still last a long time as long as you do the minimum maintenance. (Wash regularly and wax a few times a year for a daily driver).

[HagFan]

Re: Paint Protection

Beth,

I think you've had cars that are this sensitive before, but a black finish is going to show you the flaws you introduce. Especially if the finish is in good shape and the new flaw(s) stands out.

I can vouch for the Meguiar brand MF, Water Magnet, and terry cloth drying and polishing towels, grit guard, etc. Howerver, I also have some comprable towels I bought at local Target and Wal-Mart stores, just out of convenience. Let's be honest, I seriously doubt that Meguiar's is in the business of manufacturing towels. While I'm sure they have their specs and standards, someone else is making those products and they are not the products that I would say differentiate Meguiars. I think those differentiators come mostly in bottles. Don't use old bath towels-- as I have done for years before reading here-- and don't use softener on MF towels when you wash them.