clear coat removed?

[stella2009]

hi all, is it possible for me to have removed my 6 month old cars (civic) clear coat in the hood as it now has a lot of swirl marks after claying and clear wax application? (I may have applied too little QD lubricant and too much pressure on the clay and the MF towel for buffing the cleaner wax.)

some background: this is in relation to another post of mine on my first time to use megs claybar kit. Its my first time to wash, clay, cleaner wax and wax my civic but at first I was using the clay properly (i think). but when i saw there was some paint stains (needle head size) from paint jobs outside (color white), i noted it could be removed with the clay but with more pressure. i also applied more pressure on the MF towel when buffing the cleaner was as I wanted to remove the rain stains/watermarks. I am happy with the results but i noticed swirl marks on the hood. i can't feel it with my nails and they can only be seen with direct light to the hood. its really bothering me. i already accept it is swirl marks but im afraid i removed the clear coat. Is this possible? after one application?

my car is only 6 months old.

[Murr1525]

Re: clear coat removed?

I doubt your clear coat is gone.

Most likely just a soft paint.

Do you have any pic of the current state? Is it just the hood, or all over?

[tcope1]

Re: clear coat removed?

There is no way you removed the clear... not even close. You could clay and use a wax/cleaner a few thousand times and not remove much clear.

You probably either did not use enough lube or used the clay or wax while there was some dirt on the paint.

Pictures would help but lacking a DA, you might want to pick up some SwirlX 2.0 and apply it by hand to see if this removes the swirls. As always, be sure that the paint is very clean (free of dirt). Also make sure your MF towels are clean.

[stella2009]

Re: clear coat removed?

sorry guys, i don't have any pics at the moment. I don't have a good camera to catch the swirls.

I think the swirls are mostly in the hood.

it's a comfort to know clear coat most probably is still there.

what happened is I washed it using mothers shampoo with my own megs washmits, clayed it using the clay kit set. but i started putting more pressure when i saw white paint stains (needle head size) in the hood. don't know how it got there. but it was really stuck there. i noticed the only way to remove it was using the clay but with more pressure and more scrubs. <--- this could be one reason for the swirls. another possible reason is that i wasn't so generous with the QD lubricant.

after claying, i used the cleaner wax. My MFs where barely used and just washed so they should be clean. But in my excitement to remove the rain watermarks, i may have put too much pressure.<--- another possible reason for the swirls.

I'll try to borrow a camera and post a shot.

I have swirlx but will apply it some time soon. too tired from the last session. just wanted to know if there is still hope for the swirls to be removed.

so i'll have to wash it, apply swirlx, then apply wax on the hood. no claying for me till after 6 months. thanks guys!

[Murr1525]

Re: clear coat removed?

what happened is I washed it using mothers shampoo with my own megs washmits, clayed it using the clay kit set. but i started putting more pressure when i saw white paint stains (needle head size) in the hood. don't know how it got there. but it was really stuck there. i noticed the only way to remove it was using the clay but with more pressure and more scrubs. <--- this could be one reason for the swirls. another possible reason is that i wasn't so generous with the QD lubricant.

Yes, probably.

after claying, i used the cleaner wax. My MFs where barely used and just washed so they should be clean. But in my excitement to remove the rain watermarks, i may have put too much pressure.<--- another possible reason for the swirls.

Ehh, probably not, but never know.

I'll try to borrow a camera and post a shot.

Do your best out in some sun, wont hurt.

I have swirlx but will apply it some time soon. too tired from the last session. just wanted to know if there is still hope for the swirls to be removed.

so i'll have to wash it, apply swirlx, then apply wax on the hood. no claying for me till after 6 months. thanks guys!

Yes, wash, SwirlX, and wax when you next feel like it. The SwirlX will need worlked in some. The bes tthing is two foot by two foot area and work the SwirlX across taht areas, and see if you can fix the swirls. Dont do everything until you can fix a small area.

[stella2009]

Re: clear coat removed?

thanks sir for the inputs.

last question, what are the polishing products of meguairs? what i have in my arsenal now is swirlx, claybarkit (with the cleaner and QD), collinite wax. from my research here, it looks like polishing is a key step. don't know if using cleaner wax is the "polishing" step.

thanks!

[Murr1525]

Re: clear coat removed?

You can get confused by comparing different companies meanings of words.

With Meguiars products:

Wash: Removing big loose dirt.
Clay: Removing bonded on dirt.
Clean: Removing dirt from the pores of the paint, and depending on the product, removing swirls.
Polish: Adding polishing oils to the paint to fill imperfections and nourish the paint.
Wax - Seal in polishing oils and and give a sacrificial barrier for the paint.

Now, some products may cover more than one step.

For instance, SwirlX can clean the paint, and remove some swirls, and add some polishing oils to the paint.

There are other products that are just polishing oils, like Deep Crystal Polish, or #7.

[stella2009]

Re: clear coat removed?

ok thanks. so i get from your post is that i can use swirlx already also for the polishing step...

i'll eventually use swirlx soon... just when my car is due for another round of washing and waxing, say in 4 weeks... thanks again.

is there a link here with each of the steps of meguiars and the matching products for it? (e.g. in tabular format)

best regards.

[Murr1525]

Re: clear coat removed?

Hard to say for one all around link... maybe some of these...

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle
Step 1 Wash
Step 2 Clean
Step 3 Polish
Step 4 Protect
Step 5 Maintain

Lessons from White Paint

Suggested Products for Taking Care of a New Car

How to Wash Your Car Show Car Style

What it Means to Remove a Scratch

How To Remove Swirls By Hand

How To Remove a Bird Dropping Etching by Hand using M105 Ultra Cut Compound

How to correctly apply ScratchX to remove swirls and scratches

1986 Ford Bronco II - Extreme Makeover

[stella2009]

Re: clear coat removed?

thanks again you've been very helpful.

[Andrew C.]

Re: clear coat removed?

Basically Murr hooked you up! You're good to go and keep us updated on how it goes.

[Cat]

Re: clear coat removed?

It's a Honda - the paint will swirl but as above using various Meguiars products can improve the looks of your paint and help to keep the swirls at bay. Never go through a hand car wash - always wash yourself using two bucket system and grit guard. Not all microfiber towels are the same - Meguiars sells the best ones - they are soft textured compaired to what you find at Wal-Mart or Auto Zone. My 2007 Honda Fit Sport will get swirls on it even doing it all right it is just the nature of the paint. However using Meguairs products can make the paint look great and give you the appearance you want. Here is a picture of me and the Honda at our last show where I won a trophy for Best Paint and Best Display - this is my DD:



This is from this summer notice the reflections of the blue sky and white clouds on the hood:



Cat :x

[stella2009]

Re: clear coat removed?

wow, nice pics....

I was surfing this forum and saw a pic in this thread (post number 2 by mike *******)

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23685

The "swirls" in my hood look like the pic. Made me think now... maybe they aren't swirls. Maybe they are not properly dried wax. Forgot to mention in my thread before that I used Collinite Liquid Wax and double coated it. Basically, in a span of less than one hour, after the claying and cleaner wax, I applied a coat of collinite (using applicator pad), buffed it using my hand and some MF towels, then applied immediately another coat of collinite, then buffed it...

hmmm...

I'll try to get pics tonight.

By the way, in the pic in the thread above, its not that bad in my case. my car actually looks nice and shiny, but the pattern of the swirls in the picture show when the hood is under some sort of light (sunlight, flourescent, etc). But it looks very similar.

thanks.

[stella2009]

Re: clear coat removed?

hi. related to my other post on the possibility that this is not swirls but rather, effect of my double waxing my car within a span of one hour. i'd like to share with you some pics i took of the car. note the swirl looking item near the light reflection. thanks.

[Andy M.]

Re: clear coat removed?

Some of those pics do look like dried wax. I can see a pattern. Have you tried going over the areas with a detailing spray?

Also remember "like removes like". Try a test spot in the areas where you have the swirls. See what happens and get back to us.

Andy