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I apologize if this has been answered already. I tried the search on both this forum and on google.
I have a black tl with swirls from auto-wash...
If I get a full detail of the paint to remove the swirls, are they really "removed" by the detailer or are they just polished and "covered up". By covered up I mean, if I was to properly wash the car with sheepskin mitt and two bucket method, will I be exposing the swirls again or have are they really gone?
A good, legit detailer will polish out the swirls not hide them with a product that would fill in the swirls.
As you have probably learned, don't go to a car wash, especially with a black car. However, you are headed in the right direction with the two bucket method of car washing
A good detailer will shoot for about 90-95% removal......It behooves you to ask the detailers process i.e. products used, machine method, foam/wool pads, is he solo or assembly line style, sealant vs. carnauba, as well as time involved. In other words, ask him/her exactly what you're getting for how much.
Also let them know if the surface has ever had a detailers attention before. This makes a difference on how much work he can perform.
Cars that are abused, then detailed year after a year suffer clear coat minimization.
Its common sense, if the swirls are removed completely with every detail, you're removing clear coat time and time again....
Also, too much of a good thing, is probably too much of a good thing. Dont be afraid to spend some serious money with a reputable detailer. If you could provide your location, I could find one for you.....
Oh hell I just noticed you're in the bay area. You might just find someone on here!
As excel said, you really need to have a discussion with the detailer. Some just wash then use a quick spray wax or spray detailer which just has polymers that fill in and hide the swirls that will come back after a couple washes. A detailer that washes, buffs, seals and waxes your vehicle will correct the problem but will also take a lot longer and be more costly.
Automatic car washes are bad because they get dirt and grime stuck in all of the washing pads which is what causes swirls in the first place. When you wash your vehicle yourself you can minimize how much dirt and grime is stuck in your wash mitt which reduces swirls. The best way to do this is by using Grit Gaurds in your buckets.
Check out some of the articles over at the Detailed Image website and you will have a better understanding of what to do. I would suggest reading Todd's guide on how to properly wash a car here: How To Properly Wash and Dry a Car
When you get done with that article i would highly suggest Todd's complete detail writeup on a Nighthawk Black Pearl TL located here: 2006 Acura TL Nighthawk Black Pearl TL It's somewhat of a long read but will give you a new appreciation of detailing your car.
I am a detailer and I will tell you that YES, you do remove the swirls. Always ask your detailers if they use products that contain silicone in them. The silicone fills the swirls temporarily until 3-4 washes have occurred. always use products that do not have silicone in them
would any professional here recommend using those self spray car wash booths? its not the exactly the auto ones but the ones with a spray gun where i put in like 5 bucks for like 8 minutes to use the sparyer with a variety of stuff (soap/foam gun/clear coat protectant/ plain water rinse). usually afterwards i dry it myself and spray some quick detailer and quick wax (clay bar +wax when time calls for it).
would any professional here recommend using those self spray car wash booths? its not the exactly the auto ones but the ones with a spray gun where i put in like 5 bucks for like 8 minutes to use the sparyer with a variety of stuff (soap/foam gun/clear coat protectant/ plain water rinse). usually afterwards i dry it myself and spray some quick detailer and quick wax (clay bar +wax when time calls for it).
those washes are possibly the worse thing you can put your car through. You have to know, those brushes are probably never cleaned, and those brushes has got the dirt from cars after cars attached on them.
The best way to wash your car is with the 2 bucket method, and make sure you use real soft MF towels to dry, when you are drying, try not to put pressure on the towel (let it kind of "glide" across the water when you are drying, and utilize "the dabbing method). Also, make sure you clean the wheels + wheel wells first!
those washes are possibly the worse thing you can put your car through. You have to know, those brushes are probably never cleaned, and those brushes has got the dirt from cars after cars attached on them.
The best way to wash your car is with the 2 bucket method, and make sure you use real soft MF towels to dry, when you are drying, try not to put pressure on the towel (let it kind of "glide" across the water when you are drying, and utilize "the dabbing method). Also, make sure you clean the wheels + wheel wells first!
The booth car washes are not bad as a spray down between a real handwash. I would never use the foaming brush attachment from one of those places only the soap spray and spotfree rinse. Doesn't get all the dirt off obviously but this wont induce swirls or at least not for me.
If you have to go to a carwash, find a touchless. It will hold you over as long as you have a good coat of wax on the car. Otherwise hard winter road sand and salt will stick to the paint. Bring your own sponge into the booth, and be sure to rinse thouroughly, before and after wash.
As for swirls, I use a polish and the swirls come out. I highly doubt they are just filled since they don't come back. But my paint has never been swirled to the point where you notice it unless your face is 5 inches from the paint.
Getting the swirls back over time is inevitable, but it WILL buy you time between details. Find someone with some experience and pictures of other cars they've done. I THINK I'm getting much better, but can't be totally sure. I DO know my car looks a LOT better now than it did when I got it though.
Good luck.
Another thing I will say...if you protect your car well and it has that nice gloss to it, I find that when it's dirty it looks a LOT less obvious as it's still reflecting everything around it really well and it detracts your eye from seeing all the dirt/grime.
Sorry to bring up such an old thread, but thought better than just starting a new one. I got my black Audi S6 detailed today by one of the elite shops in the area that comes highly regarded. It had a couple beautiful Lambo's and a Porsche GT3 in the shop along side my car. I had them do a detail, and they removed NONE of the swirl marks. They said that's part of a paint correction. I have never heard this, and always had a detail include removing swirl marks. A clay and decent polish is all it should rally take (I've done it myself both on this car and another black car). Am I wrong for thinking a professional detail should get rid of swirl marks?
Sorry to bring up such an old thread, but thought better than just starting a new one. I got my black Audi S6 detailed today by one of the elite shops in the area that comes highly regarded. It had a couple beautiful Lambo's and a Porsche GT3 in the shop along side my car. I had them do a detail, and they removed NONE of the swirl marks. They said that's part of a paint correction. I have never heard this, and always had a detail include removing swirl marks. A clay and decent polish is all it should rally take (I've done it myself both on this car and another black car). Am I wrong for thinking a professional detail should get rid of swirl marks?
yes, some deeper swirl marks require minor paint correction, that's expected.
Also, a trick I've learned is if you rub your hand over the car with your hand in a plastic bag, if it feels rough, it hasn't been clayed. I did this and it feels rough.
they charged you for a service they did not preform.
those swirls are indicative of multiple uses of car washes with bristles (the rotational swirl is a dead giveaway).
I would look at your receipt from the shop, if they claimed they did a paint correction, they lied.
even a step 1 paint correction with a medium pad would remove most of the swirls.
how is the rest of car looking?
my only thought besides them not doing a paint correction is did they possibly miss that area? or did they think you wanted a regular detail - such as a wash and interior clean of sorts.
they charged you for a service they did not preform.
those swirls are indicative of multiple uses of car washes with bristles (the rotational swirl is a dead giveaway).
I would look at your receipt from the shop, if they claimed they did a paint correction, they lied.
even a step 1 paint correction with a medium pad would remove most of the swirls.
how is the rest of car looking?
my only thought besides them not doing a paint correction is did they possibly miss that area? or did they think you wanted a regular detail - such as a wash and interior clean of sorts.
It's supposed to be a full detail. I suppose it's up to semantics as to what I believe a full detail is versus them. The entire car is like that. In fact it seems to have far more swirls, scratches, and scuffs than before I brought it in. There was most definitely no machine buffing done in the car. This was a wash and nothing more. Theyat have clayed it but the bag test I mentioned suggest no. If I had to guess, I'd say they cleaned it then used an all in one polish wax, and cleaned the interior and called it a day. For over $300, I expect much better results.
you'll be paying more than 300 for a paint correction....
Of course I will. 3 to 4 times, easily. But a detail should encompass a polish/ machine buff. Clearly none was done here. They washed the car, and hand waxed it. That's it
I often laugh when people tell me they are going to have their car detailed. I'm like, that's a fancy word for cleaned.
Honestly, their sales guy should be fired if you were able to walk away unclear on what they were going to be doing for $300 (and then should have tried to upsell you
which would have triggered questions that would have led you to a better understanding).
This is also why I encourage DIY. Even just an all in one on an orange pad with a random orbit would have cost you half that to own the stuff
to do it yourself from now on and would have given you the macro results you were after.
I often laugh when people tell me they are going to have their car detailed. I'm like, that's a fancy word for cleaned.
Honestly, their sales guy should be fired if you were able to walk away unclear on what they were going to be doing for $300 (and then should have tried to upsell you
which would have triggered questions that would have led you to a better understanding).
This is also why I encourage DIY. Even just an all in one on an orange pad with a random orbit would have cost you half that to own the stuff
to do it yourself from now on and would have given you the macro results you were after.
2 kids 3.5 and under and a torn rotator cuff eliminate my ability to do it on my own at the moment. I normally do and have everything, just cannot physically do it. Other places I got quotes specifically said machine polish for roughly the same price, but ghosted when time to setup an appointment. Went with this place based on reputation. The were the only one of 4 that actually returned calls to setup the appointment
Call them, ask to speak to someone in charge and tell them all of that. Then ask what a simple one step correction would run normally and see if they would be amenable to putting the $300
toward that and you paying the difference. If they say no, write a scathing social media review and tag them mainly citing the misinformation and unwillingness to make it right.
From my experience...detailing is that just that...paying attention to deals... From a car detailing standpoint
NEVER use a car wash
Wash by hand using the two (or three) bucket method
Rinse the wash mitt frequently
Clay if needed (it likely will be needed depending on frequency)
Get a quality machine and pads to do paint correction
Get quality products to do the paint correction
Get quality micro fiber towels - when washing NEVER use fabric softener or dryer sheets
After paint correction use quality wax. Remember wax won't 'fix' anything..it just protects what you did in the steps above
Don't; forget the details...gaps, between panels, rubber trim, etc.
There is no MAGIC PRODUCT that you wipe on/wipe off that fixes paint neglect and or defects...it takes work...If you are a details oriented person, detailing your car is great mind therapy!
06-26-2010, 10:34 PM
