Perfect painting

[DJJSR]

One other thing that I forgot to mention......Don't ever use any synthetic fiber cloth to wash or dry your car. Synthetics will scratch.

Sounds funny, but I use a small rechargeable electric leaf blower to dry. Gets rid of about 90% of the water. Works great in the mirrors and crevices, then finish drying with cotton or microfiber towel.

[Neil]

Funny but thats what i use Don, I've been told I look kinda stupid with the gas back pack blower, blowing my car .................but hey..I've been told that before. I have an 07 and water will sit under the bottom edge of the tail lights and in the gas door, the blower gets rid of that, and removes water from the discs. Its a good easy way to dry your car.

Neil

[trizzane]

Shopping list:

-new wash soap
-90$ boars hair brush
-new wax....maybe that paint sealant on the site you sent DJ?
-leaf blower

My wife already thinks i might someday divorce her for the car....wait till the gifts start showing up!

[stimpgsx]

Dude , just hire a detailer! they will charge you depending on how bad your car is between $100 -$230

Originally Posted by jeff_lee_rey

Hey, if you were me, what will you do?

After visited serval car washes in a car wash store, I found that there are a lot of circle scratches and deep swirl marks on my car. These scratches are too much. You know why? I found that the maxican guy who dry my car after washes use the same colth for wheel, inside the car, outside the car, anything! I was so angry with that. Each car wash was $20, it is not cheap!! I was so sad about this, only serval thousand miles on my car, and it is already like this>.<Really made my heart cry.

I tried many of wax almost anykind and scratch remover. I had used wax from eagle one, turtle, Ice, Meguair's, Black magic. But none of these help. Then I tried to start in another way, the scratch remover from Meguair's, 3M, Quixx. But those scratches and swirl marks are still here.

You can't see it when you are 4meters from the car, since I polish the car every week after car wash. But when you get close, they can been seen clearly under light. This kill me.

I had spent tons of hours on the painting. I really have no idea on what should I do next. I don't know would rubbing compound works, or I should visit the bodyshop?

If there are ways that I can do it by myself, I would like to finish it by myself rather than going to the body shop(expensive way).

Looking forward to listen from any advice or experiences.

[dezignpro04]

Originally Posted by stimpgsx

Dude , just hire a detailer! they will charge you depending on how bad your car is between $100 -$230

+1.

[bobby2002S2K]

I got to get a leaf blower, I wonder if my apt maintenance guys will let me use theres?lol.

[jeff_lee_rey]

Originally Posted by mlc

Do you have a DA polisher? There is no way to get the same results by hand that you can get with a DA. Can you post up some pictures of the problem?

If you want to get a DA the best deal that I found is here http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/S...zz1096fff1aff1

You will also need to buy a backing plate and some polishing pads. I use Meguiars so those are the products that I am familiar with. I would get W8006 pads and some #80 speed glaze(12 oz will do your car a couple of times) and a good wax and some micro-fiber towels. I would also buy the DVD on how the use a DA(worth it). The best place to get these items is www.autodetailingsolutions.com

Most of the products that you listed are quiet mild. The #80 is a little more aggressive and the machine will make a BIG DIFFERENCE.

Here are the basic steps to go though.
1. Wash
2. Claybar (this only gets off the bonded contaminents not scatches) The car should feel very smooth after this. Feel a mirror in your house thats how smooth it should feel.
3. #80 (This is what will get the scratches out and polishes the paint) Watch the DVD and take your time with this step.
4. Wax (this is to protect the paint) Let the wax cure well before you remove it. I do this step by hand but that's just me.

Don't rush! This will take you all day or even two days the first time you do it. Like I said to me the time and investment in the products was worth it. I also wound up doing my DD and my wifes car also and they all look great.

Good luck! Post up if you have questions.

mlc

Hey. thanks a lot. But the price of them have a big difference. The meguair's and the porter, which one is better? or are there a big difference in performance?
Meanwhile, i have 2 buffer, but they are not Dual action. Do I really need to buy the DA and through those buffer away?

[mlc]

Believe it or not the porter and the meguiars are exactly the same machine. I think the only difference is that meguiars gives you a warranty. A DA will do a much better job then a buffer.

It is alot of work and will take time to do correctly. Like I said in my post I would buy the DVD on how to do this properly. It will show you alot of little tricks of the trade to make it come out looking great.

if you have any more questions just ask away.

mlc

[jeff_lee_rey]

Thankyou mlc, i think i will take the porter.
I never tried the #80 speed glace you mentioned, but I had the "Swirl Remover 2.0", "Medium-Cut Cleaner ", Fine-Cut Cleaner ", and "heavy- cut cleaner".
Whats the difference between speed glace?
Mine is 06' only have 9000miles on it.
Recently, I tried to use the permium grade rubbing compound with hand, and those scratches start to be smoother and the edges of those scratches starts to melt together.
Is that what speed glace does too?
Or i am doing in a wrong direction?

[phins2rt]

Originally Posted by mlc

Believe it or not the porter and the meguiars are exactly the same machine. I think the only difference is that meguiars gives you a warranty. A DA will do a much better job then a buffer.

It is alot of work and will take time to do correctly. Like I said in my post I would buy the DVD on how to do this properly. It will show you alot of little tricks of the trade to make it come out looking great.

if you have any more questions just ask away.

mlc

mlc,
Thanks for the tip on coastaltool. I bought a PC from them last week along with the dvd. Plan on using it soon to refresh my S!

[mlc]

Originally Posted by jeff_lee_rey

Thankyou mlc, i think i will take the porter.
I never tried the #80 speed glace you mentioned, but I had the "Swirl Remover 2.0", "Medium-Cut Cleaner ", Fine-Cut Cleaner ", and "heavy- cut cleaner".
Whats the difference between speed glace?
Mine is 06' only have 9000miles on it.
Recently, I tried to use the permium grade rubbing compound with hand, and those scratches start to be smoother and the edges of those scratches starts to melt together.
Is that what speed glace does too?
Or i am doing in a wrong direction?

Here is a chart of the products and their abrasiveness.

http://dano.pocketrubbish.com/detail...oductchart.htm

The fine cut cleaner is in the same basic catogery as the #80. I would say if you have that go ahead and use that. I would not use the heavy cut cleaner unless you are not getting the results that you are looking for. It is best to use the least abrasive product to get the results that you want. The rubbing compound might work by hand but if you use that with the PC it will be way too much.

If you could post up some pics of what you are trying to fix that would help. if you only have 9K on your car definetly look at the way you are washing the car. You can put a lot of marks in the paint just by how you wash the car. Use good products when washing and drying the car and it will keep the marks to a minimum.

Keep posting up questions. And if you have pics that would definitely help.

mlc

[mlc]

Originally Posted by phins2rt

mlc,
Thanks for the tip on coastaltool. I bought a PC from them last week along with the dvd. Plan on using it soon to refresh my S!

The DVD is definitely a good idea. It just will help you so much. I have been in the middle of detailing and go back to it for reference.

Good luck. Post up pic's of the before and after.

mlc

[jeff_lee_rey]

Okay, I will post up some pic when the sun is out there....these days we have rains in chicago...=.=

[jeff_lee_rey]

The sun seems super today, wait for my pic guys!

[jeff_lee_rey]

I could hardly capture a pic that reflect those swirls and circles caused by car wash shop, this is the best that i took.

[jeff_lee_rey]

I received the Dual polisher today, and I am trying to work on it during this weekend, I will post new pic when I'm done with the work.
By the way, the DVD mlc mention is really good. I recoment everyone who are car nuts buy one and buff your car in a new way^.^

[Seattle2k]

Griot's Garage is definitely a great recommendation. I was recently invited out to their headquarters for a demo day. They'll let anyone stop by during the week to demo their products in their own shop. Cool stuff!

[mlc]

Originally Posted by jeff_lee_rey

I received the Dual polisher today, and I am trying to work on it during this weekend, I will post new pic when I'm done with the work.
By the way, the DVD mlc mention is really good. I recoment everyone who are car nuts buy one and buff your car in a new way^.^

So?

mlc

[S2K AP2]

I take my S2000 through a machine-operated car wash at a local gas station. I recently found out the hard way that those stupid car washes can leave scratches on your car. My S2K does not have an extremely deep nor very noticeable scratch, but it still bugs me. I haven't washed my car since then (Saturday); I guess I am going to have to take it to a car wash where actual people will wash my car. I'm not too sure, though, because I don't want them to damage my interior or exterior; also, hand washes cost somewhere around $20 at some places, while this gas station only charges $7 for the complete scrub.

[dezignpro04]

Not smart. If you RTM, it says not to take it through a car wash. Whatever mother honda says is normally for the best! Forget possibly causing scratches, we have a convertible car.

Originally Posted by S2K AP2

I take my S2000 through a machine-operated car wash at a local gas station. I recently found out the hard way that those stupid car washes can leave scratches on your car. My S2K does not have an extremely deep nor very noticeable scratch, but it still bugs me. I haven't washed my car since then (Saturday); I guess I am going to have to take it to a car wash where actual people will wash my car. I'm not too sure, though, because I don't want them to damage my interior or exterior; also, hand washes cost somewhere around $20 at some places, while this gas station only charges $7 for the complete scrub.