Clearly, I'm doing something wrong, what is it?

[JaguarXj6L]

I already asked this on Auto Geek, but I wanted some more opinions.
Right, I've been fighting swirl marks, and cannot seem to get rid of them. I can get most of them gone, 90%, but they seem to come back for some estranged reason. I want to make sure I'm doing everything right because I'd like to start professional detailing.

Here's what I do as a weekly wash:
Two buckets, microfiber towel, and Meg's Gold Class soap
I wet the car, and work from top to bottom, rinsing as I go in 3 stages (1. roof, windows 2. Trunk, hood, doors 3. Lower portions of doors and bumpers) and a simple washing of the wheels.
I dry with a squeegee, and microfiber towel.
I follow with some spray wax with a microfiber.

For a full detail with swirl removal:
After the wash, I clay with Turtle ICE (or Megs, whatever I've got).
Then, I'll go for Meg's UC, or ScratchX 2.0 with my Porter Cable. I use the 6" Cobra Cross Orange pad, and have a few passes 3-4 at speed 5-6. I'll remove the product with a microfiber.
Recently, I've followed with Meg's Professional Show Car Glaze or Meg's yellow Gold Class, Cobra Cross 6" White or Blue pad, apply at speed 3-4, 3-4 passes. Remove with clean microfiber.
When I'm done, I'll run the whole car with a clean microfiber to shine it up nicely.

I've cut the squeegee out of my regime. From what I've read and been told, After the UC, I need to go with a polish. I've got some SwirlX, and Swirl Remover 2.0 on the shelf, as well as some Nu Finish (orange bottle, cheap-o walmart stuff). Would any of that work well as a polish?

Here are some photos of work I just did (with the above steps), and the still existing swirls. The photos were taken the morning after so ignore the bit of dirt that's already settled.

[dc2_]

Re: Clearly, I'm doing something wrong, what is it?

try a few more passes with UC moving slowly over the paint, work small section at a time...yes u can use swirlx as a follow up for polish...idk about that nu finish stuff.

it takes extra passes to remove swirls sometimes...once i did a white car i just couldnt remove the swirls on my test spot with UC,i was about to give up. but with a few more passes i got it perfect. just make sure when u wipe off u use a clean good quality mf towel and wipe slowly and carefully

[rapport25]

Re: Clearly, I'm doing something wrong, what is it?

I agree with dc2. Try a slower arm speed and apply more pressure. You need to work u/c for longer. I use a megs yellow pad.

Also I would suggest getting a swirl light. I have a brinkman dual xenon and its great to check your progress with.

As for a polish I would suggest using swirl x on a black megs pad to refine the finish further. It has a medium cut and is a cleaner polish.

Sometimes you will find u/c does not always get rid of all the swirls. Following up with swirl x will on speed 4 and again check your progress with a swirl light. My pearl black is almost 100% defect free.

Just need to maintain it now.

Hth's,

Rappy.

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Clearly, I'm doing something wrong, what is it?

Well you have two possible problems going on here, you need to determine if you are failing to remove the swirls with the compounding/swirling, or if you are, but then you are putting them back during the washing/drying.

After you finish the defect removal step, have you checked your work in the sun? Is it good then?

Also, I am a bit confused about your washing product list... are you just using a regular microfiber towel as your wash mitt? If so, that's not optimal. I suggest something like the Meguiar's microfiber wash mitt for sure.

As for the drying towel, you just say microfiber. What kind? How many do you use?

Were you using the squeegee on the paint? If so, I can all but guarantee that was by itself introducing swirls and/or straight line scratches.

In any case, we need to isolate the problem, or possibly the problems. You may have an issue in the washing, drying, or defect removal steps - or any combination of the three.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Clearly, I'm doing something wrong, what is it?

Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, the paint will be so delicate that almost anything you do to it will induce fresh defects. Case in point, I used to have a Mazda Miata, dark green metallic clear coat, that was only driven about 2500 miles a year and was otherwise garage kept. I treated it exactly the same way I treat my daily driver, same wash process, same wax, same everything. Except that the daily driver was washed many times more often than the Miata, was quik detailed many, many times more than the Miata. In short, the daily was "touched" waaaaay more often than the Miata, and "touching" is ultimately how you put swirls in the paint. Yet I was constantly fighting swirl marks in the Miata while the daily remained defect free. The paint on that Miata, fantastic car that it was otherwise, was so scratch sensitive it was almost like a trained dog. Just say "scratch" and it did (or was).

So, if after doing a full D/A correction process the paint appears totally defect free, then you've done that part of your job admirably. Something else is going on, whether that's your wash/dry process, quick detailing wipe downs, or you've just got very scratch sensitive paint.

[JaguarXj6L]

Re: Clearly, I'm doing something wrong, what is it?

Well you have two possible problems going on here, you need to determine if you are failing to remove the swirls with the compounding/swirling, or if you are, but then you are putting them back during the washing/drying.

After you finish the defect removal step, have you checked your work in the sun? Is it good then?

Also, I am a bit confused about your washing product list... are you just using a regular microfiber towel as your wash mitt? If so, that's not optimal. I suggest something like the Meguiar's microfiber wash mitt for sure.

As for the drying towel, you just say microfiber. What kind? How many do you use?

Were you using the squeegee on the paint? If so, I can all but guarantee that was by itself introducing swirls and/or straight line scratches.

In any case, we need to isolate the problem, or possibly the problems. You may have an issue in the washing, drying, or defect removal steps - or any combination of the three.

From what I can see, I am removing the swirls. I check with a high powered flash light.

I WAS using the squeegee on the paint, but now just on the windows (can't really scratch them). The microfiber is a very soft drying towel I got from Walmart that really doesn't seem capable of adding swirls itself. For the washing microfiber, I actually just got a Meg's mitt and a similar sponge but haven't had the chance to use them.

From what Iv'e read, I need to refine my process a bit more following with the SwirlX after the UC. I think I'll try that tomorrow. UC, SwirlX, Wax. Should I need to clay again, or should I be fine with prepping the surface after wash with a 50/50 water/mineral spirits. I don't have any alcohol.

[rapport25]

Re: Clearly, I'm doing something wrong, what is it?

When was the car last clayed? If it was me I would clay as for a little extra work it will be worth it. As like most things the better the prep the better the shine

I agree. Go over the car with a polishing pad with U/C and check you progress with a light. Once you get to a point that you are happy follow it up with swirl x on a finishing pad. Apply nxt tech wax 2.0 x2 to seal the paint. Leave for 12 hrs. give the car a spray of speed detailer. Then top it with gold class plus wax. My black pearl pops. Just finished a 3 day detail and its the best it has looked. Total time spent 40hrs last year. 24hrs this year. Keep it shinny shinny
Rappy

[JaguarXj6L]

Re: Clearly, I'm doing something wrong, what is it?

I just clayed before going after it before the pictures. I'll usually give it a once over if I'm going for a 'full detail'. So, I know the steps, all I've got to do is get a few more pads. Pricey little buggers. Maby I'll go for some new MF towels while I'm at it. I'm going to a car show tomorrow, maby I'll pick some things up from a vendor or two.

[JaguarXj6L]

Re: Clearly, I'm doing something wrong, what is it?

Well, I went after the car with some SwirlX and then some Gold Class. The last picture is taken through the lenses from my sunglasses to reduce the glare. I think everything turned out well although there are still some slight paint defects, I'll let it pass since the car is my daily driver and 14 years old.