medicshane

I have some swirl marks on my car..nothing major but you can notice them up close ...is it because i wash my ride to often....will waxing again get rid of them....??

SK2003TypeS

At best, waxing might "fill" the swilrs/scratches, but will not remove them. You should look into a Swirl Mark Remover like Meguiar's #9 or something similar. Read the bottle first so you know what you're getting. If they're minor marks, use the least abrasive product and then work your way up if need be. Since it's an '03, I'm guessing your swirls are very mild. After you get the finish to the point you like it, protect it with a wax or sealant (does that sound like a commercial ?).

Also look into clay. Mothers makes a good clay bar and spray.
Anytime you wash, wipe or move anything across the surface of the paint, you run the risk of creating a swirl or scratch. If anything, washing your car is too often is better.
Good Luck.

Mr Zipps

Get some Swirl Mark Remover. I like 3M Swirl Mark Remover but Meguiars makes a good one also...

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Before you start repairing the problem, why not figure out why you're getting them. Give us some information:

What do you use to wash the car?: mitt, rag, steel wool (give us the brands)
What car soap do you use? brand?
What do you use to dry the car?: chamois, towel (give us the brands)

fsttyms1

^ agreed. we need to figure out where the swirl marks came from first.

groebuck1

You got them one of two places - commercial car wash (does your dealer wash your car when you take it in for service?? Just say no!).

or...not washing correctly (or..dirty applicator when applying wax).

If you home wash - use two buckets one with soap, one clean and your preferred washing (I use a soft lambs wool wash mit)

If your anal like me - I use a separate one for the wheels and lower panels (below bottom of door frame)..goes like this

Meguiar's gold class car wash - soap bucket, clean water bucket, use the lower mit for the afore mentioned trim and wheels, soaping, washing - dumping mit in clean water bucket, rinse section, ring out mit, repeat until all the lowers and wheels are done. I use a clean wash cloth and soap up and wash the tires..repeating the method above..then dump the soap and clean water buckets

Start again with fresh soap bucket clean water bucket and the "car" mit.

Same method (when I wash I follow the air flow pattern over the section - so hood bumper to winshield one direction only - same goes for roof, trunk and all side panels).

then - nozzel off hose, slow steady stream from roof to hood, trunk and all sides (sheeting should get most of the water off the car making it easier to dry).

Use what you want to dry I use a leather chamois, but MF towel or Absober works great - just make sure they are clean! and dry in the same direction you washed.

This *should* ensure a swirl free car -

To get rid of them - if they are tiny (you can see them in reflective surface but there is no halo effect when looking at if from about 3 feet in the sun) - a good compound that is clear coat safe like 3M finesse it II or Meguiars Body Scrub should do the trick. If it is a large enough area you can do it by hand but a polisher (like Porter Cable 7424) would make it faster and easier (but it's 125 bucks plus the cost of "heads" and not really necessary unless you are a professional detailer or really anal - guess what I got ).

I could type more but I don't wanna insult anybody if this is old news -

I'm not pushing the site since they sell products but

THIS PLACE
has some really good information on how to handle most detailing problems and some really good how to's.

hope that helps.

SK2003TypeS

Just to add to this. Also look at your car at night under the bright lights of a gas station or parking garage. Different lines show up under those lights.
I guess I'm not a professional detailer...
http://www.acura-tl.com/gallery/show...t=7&thecat=500
Did you get the free cycle glaze too ?

groebuck1

with that much product your a junkie !!

but then that's the pot calling the kettle black

I'm not saying you shouldn't but the PC - just that it's a lot of money to sink into something if your only going to do your car -

I'm betting the neighbors luvvvv you !

SK2003TypeS

Junkie ?!?! What, you don't slap a layer of Zaino on your quarter panels at 4 in the morning cuz you can't sleep ? :p
ok, maybe a slight problem.

Yeah, I agree, probably not worth buying a PC unless you use it a few times a year or do multiple cars. I think I'm at about the $200 mark with the PC and the pads.

Neighbors think there's something wrong with me. I can't figure it out.

groebuck1

I would love to live next to you - beer is cheap - detailing is forever!!

groebuck1

think i am pretentous becuase I wash and wax so much - that I have to show off I have an acura....


sue me I like a car that goes bling bling (but please no gold).

SK2003TypeS

Yeah, whatever does it for ya'. I'm big on the appearance and protection. Plan to keep the car for a while.

Sorry to threadjack medicshane !! Answer NSXNEXT's questios so we can all help resolve your swirls.

medicshane

i do not use commercial washes ...i always do it my self...i use 2 separate soft lamb whool mits for body wheels and under panels...i even use separate chamois for drying....i make sure there is no dirt on the mits ..i rinse frequently..
*i use maguires car wash
*mothers leather brand cleaners for the interior
*Maguires tire gel
*Simonez chamois
and 2 lamb whool wash mits
*I use the wax i got from the dealer ...it was free but it works very well...i wash very frequently and it still beads on the first wax.

SK2003TypeS

Well, good to hear that you don't use commercial washes. Are these the "baja sol" lambs wool mitts ? It might be a blended synthetic or something like that. I think they would pass a CD test, but I'm not a fan of lambs wool. Maybe it's the thought of the PC lambs wool pad and it's "cutting" action. I know the mitt and PC pad are different, but just a thought. Otherwise, it sounds like you keep your car very well.
You don't mention any clay bar in your list. Claying pulls out a lot of contaminents in your paint. So it is possible that your paint might be clean after a wash, but there might be some left over grit that a wash doesn't take out. Then when you go to wax, the grit creates swirls. Have you done the sandwich bag test ?
I don't know what wax you got from the dealer. Personally, I'd go with a name brand, but that's just me. A good cheap carnuba is S100 paste wax. You can find it at a Harley dealership for like $15 a tub.
Hope this helps.

groebuck1

you said it was an 03 right ? Sounds like you got some mad detail skills! (like I said no offense on the wash advice - ya just never know)

could be from the dealer prep then - and just now starting to show up - I have some nasty acid rain damage on my one month old 03 TL-S that I did not see until I got it in the garage lights (the night I got it home )!

(dealer to resolve we shall see).

One a side note - I use the Mequiars Leather Cleaner too - what do you think of it ? that smell is kind of ...strange don't you think? I love the matte finish on the buff out (their Vinyl protectant has the same smell but leaves the dash matte as well - no greasy armor all look) - not sure if that is supposed to be new car smell or what???

njtls

does megauries leather conditionner make your leather slippery and squeaky?..it did that to mine...so i stoped using it..maybe i applied it wrong..stuff for the dash is great tho...but i here its evapoates onto your weidsheild and stuff...so i lessed the usage...

groebuck1

cleaner/conditioner - not slippery at all - I wipe it on with a MF cloth and then buff off with a clean mf cloth - keeps it looking nice and matte like when I got it (but that was 3 weeks ago ). It's not the protectant that evaporates but the sealant (I guess ) that is put down on new vinyl - it's why new cars get that haze on the interior glass and what actually gives you that new car smell. The Meguiars is supposed to put back the plasticiser (sp?) that is being heated out of your dash - I have some 303 areospace protectant on the way (which is supposed to be THE best)

jbx35

I bought some Aerospace 303, $12, and used it on the dash, seats, and seals. That stuff is great. Doesn't last long on the tires, but inside, wow.

medicshane

i am still undesided with the maguires dash cleaner..the leather conditioner is fine..but the dash cleaner doesnt seem to do a good job on my door panels...kind of dull looking it also dosent work well on the front console (plastic) leaves streaks .....i tried using the conditioner on the leather parts on the doors and wasnt to bad...i would like to try a different brand next time but not sure which one to go with where can i get the aerospace 303.....

groebuck1

for the leather?? I didn't think it was good to put vinyl protectant on leather?

medicshane

i didnt use it on the regular leather and the perforated sections just the botom panel and the arm rest on the door..

SK2003TypeS

Here's a free 303 sample.
http://www.303products.com/store//mo...?Product_ID=54

I use 303 for leather and dash. Pinnacle makes some nice products for leather also. Nicer smell.
You can buy 303 or Pinnacle online at
properautocare.com
autogeek.net

groebuck1

that vinyl protectants damage the coating on leather? I trust 303, but I don't see it specifically list leather.

What are the results like - thing I like about Meguairs is that after buffing the leather looks like the day I got it - no messy sheen at all, just that nice satin/matte look.

SK2003TypeS

Good point groebuck1. Yes, some vinyl protectants are not meant for leather. So be careful what you use out there. This is why I have so many different chemicals for so many different uses. Especially be careful of those "safe" acidic wheel cleaners. My friends rims....they....nevermind...

I was hesitant using 303 on leather the first time around but had great results with it on a small portion of the dash and lower seat, so I've been using it since.
I found this on 303's site.
http://www.303products.com/techinfo/leather/leather.htm

For my interior care, I keep a MF in the center console at all times. Quick wipe on the dash and interior at least once a day. Not every part, but a general pass. When I clean the interior, I use a damp MF with a few dry MFs for buffing. After that I'll use the 303 and buff. I do the 303 every couple of months. It leaves a matte finish and is "controlable".

I haven't used Meguiar's so I can't comment on that. Is it #40 ?

nucleusTL

steel wool lol

groebuck1

I have gold class Vinyl protectant and it's pretty good and easily picked up at Target - Leaves a non greasy satin/matte finish but I wanted the 303 becuase I heard it was the best.

I have since switched to 303 for my car and use the gold class for the roomate's truck.

I use the Meg's Gold Class leather cleaner/condition combo (all in one not the separate bottles) - So far it's been great, leather seems to drink it in and buffs off to the original sheen - has a odd smell, but once applied seems to mimic that new leather smell better than any other.

SK2003TypeS

Hmm...like I said before, haven't tried the Meg's line for leather. I recently also picked up some Pinnacle stuff. The thing that sold me on 303 was the UV protectant.
Target is great for those "are you kidding me" size car washes.

sig1

i see alot of you using that mequires. is it because it is easy to find in stores.

Because i never liked it too much. just my opinion though! i don't like the wax cause it has a deep shine but the shine has a dull thick looking finish. Like the paint is 4 inches think.

if you feel like trying something new, check out www.automagic.com
it made the white paint on my wife's car reflect like i have never seen. real real shinny. infact you can see reflections better with this stuff than the mequires or any other i have used. i also like it cause it don't make the paint or shine seem real think looking, if any of you can get that.

but i have not found some leather stuff yet that i want to try. If that mcquires leather is any good i will try it, but if someone says they don't like the smell then i'm out. i will have to resort to something else. all these choices just kills me.

groebuck1

it's only out of the bottle - it's not bad or fowl smelling just odd, I think it is the oils and such used to condition the leather - I have smelled "leather" as a scent and it is similar.

Once on it's great, I tried Zymol Leather Cleaner but it seemed not to buff out at all and you could tell where it was and was not applied after dry wiping (my car is new) with the Meguiars I cannot tell once buffed out - it matched color and texture im my experience.

I am going to try the 303 since it had great UV protection and all my vinyl and leather are black - soaking up the sun.

sig1

ok i will check that one out.

medicshane

i will give the 303 a try...thanks..buy the way what do you guys think of my rims check them out ..i am getting slammed with negative comments from this site about them...thinking i made the wrong choice..
http://www.cardomain.com/member_page...page_id=421902

groebuck1

not so much ...

I'm not a fan they tend to look smaller on the car than the oem rims - but that is just my opinion - I don't hate em and would not slam ya for them

groebuck1

BTW -

I just detailed - used 303 on all the interior - looks very very nice!!! buffed out nice and satin/matte and I swear the black leather looks blacker!!

outside I just got and used my Klasse AIO and 4-star Platinum UPP (first coat) MAN O MAN the shine!!! slick as snot!! and mirror coat finish - I took pics but it was 8:00 by the time I got done and too dark to really show off the shine -

how shiny you ask?
well I was doing a final buff with my MF towel and I kept thinking I was not getting it off becuase I was seeing a stair step in the reflection - until I realized..it was the reflection of my house siding in the paint!!! DANG it be shiny!!!!

SK2003TypeS

haha, I did some interior cleaning due to this thread yesterday.

Hmm... another good comment about PUPP....may have to pick up some of that for the "sake of science". I'm a Zaino user myself, recently picked up the Klasse twins. Going to try the twins on a beige benz.
Plz Post your Pics groebuck1

groebuck1

Hurricane today then I am off to Cleveland for a wedding - I might try to get a second coat on tonight

SK2003TypeS

Oh shoot !! You're down there. Hope you hold up.

groebuck1

just cold, windy and rainy MY DETAIL JOB!!!