To machine polish or not?

su_dios

I look after my car rigorously but with the basics really ie. Pressure hose, then apply car shampoo wit sponge, wash off, chamoise dry and then the occaisonal polish with AutoGlym Super Polish Resin.

It looks great when I do this but I still have swirl marks from previous owner and possibly due to me using a sponge. So I'm going to buy a lamswool mit, microfibre cloth and a waffle weave microfibre towel to step it up.

Now I want to get rid of these swirl marks and give it a better shine? I've been reading over on polishedbliss.co.uk and theres a lot to take in. I don't want to damage paint so what should I be doing here? Any tips on what machine to use and pads etc?

There are also finger print marks which won't come off no matter what I do. Think it was done in the garage where I bought it, so I'm going for a clay bar. Paint also feels slightly gritty all over and its an 05 which has been in contact with a lot of sap lately so it is probably needed.

Hoping to return it to showroom condition ...or better than!

Eoin

The serious enthusiasts seem to go for porter cables. I believe that "Cyrus" on this forum bought one, and his cars tend to be kept in mint condition (for the little amount of time he hangs on to them!).

louie

recommended but not too often. It does make the car really shiny and clean if you use the proper wax.

MercMad

I would avoid the power buffer. If you do not know how to use it, and most folk dont, then you will end up with a lot more swirl/buff marks !

I highly reccomend the clay bar, used with liquid. I did both my cars this weekend, first time ver using it, on Friday the d1ckhead nextdoor spray painted his house, and most of my CLK. Polish would not remove it, and I didn't fancy a cutting compound, my car has never been carwashed so no marks on it !

Anyway the clayt bar made short work of it and the paint felt fantastic. Never felt as smooth. I then used a polish over the paint, as the bar leaves scum marks. Finally I gave the whole thing a good coating of Carnuba wax. It has never looked better and I am particularly fussy !

Up to know I have used products from Autoglym, Turtle Wax and Mothers. I did my other car after this, its an old car with gritty paint, despite regular polishing. It came up like new !

Anyway I had used all my products so when at the Mosney Show I bought some Meguiars product. They try to sell the whole system, but having read the blurb later I reckon they probably ARE talking sense!

To be honest it probably doesn't matter which brand you use, once its quality, though I feel products from the one manufacturer possibly compliment eachother !

So was, with proper cars shampoo, dry with product of choice, clay bar, polish then seal it all in with a good wax.

Good luck !

DirtyDog

where do u get the clay bar and the carnuba wax? i can only find the usual turtle wax etc

MercMad

Well I bought the first one in Germany, and the second at the car show last Sunday !

Sorry not much help !!

I would be surprised if Halfrauds dont have one !

There's some on ebay.ie right now ! http://stores.ebay.ie/H-A-S-Automotive_Meguiars_W0QQfsubZ10226094

and.......http://www.reelcarcare.ie/asp/default.asp?p=42

Or try meguiars.co.uk

zilog_jones

su_dios wrote:

There are also finger print marks which won't come off no matter what I do.

I had these mystery finger prints on my car too - T-Cut Color Fast got rid of them, though it's kinda made a feck of the rest of the pretty worn paint on my car ('98 Fiesta). It looked great just after using it, but I've noticed even more specks of paint coming off a few days afterwards. Though saying that I hadn't waxed the car since I got it last year and didn't know the difference between polishes and stuff like T-Cut until afterwards

There's a 3 for 2 offer going in Halfrauds right now on car cleaning stuff, though I didn't see any clay bars there. They do have Meguiars stuff there, including Carnauba Wax. Looked too fancy for me and my crappy Fiesta though

su_dios

I was just going to ask the same question as it sounds like you know what you're on about. Couldn't find any of those things after trying two diff car shops. Looks like I'll buy online. So any tips for buffing out the swirl marks then other than a power buffer?

Did you let your neighbour know he had painted your car?

MercMad

You wont need to do anything with the swirl marks. Doing all of the above will sort that out !

Problem was my neighbour is a nice old Gent and he got some geezer to do it who was gone by the time I realised the next morning !

If I was not able to sort it I would have found him alright !!

BTW I valeted cars for a living for a good few years...........wish I was still doing it !!

su_dios

zilog_jones wrote:

I had these mystery finger prints on my car too - T-Cut Color Fast got rid of them, though it's kinda made a feck of the rest of the pretty worn paint on my car ('98 Fiesta). It looked great just after using it, but I've noticed even more specks of paint coming off a few days afterwards. Though saying that I hadn't waxed the car since I got it last year and didn't know the difference between polishes and stuff like T-Cut until afterwards

There's a 3 for 2 offer going in Halfrauds right now on car cleaning stuff, though I didn't see any clay bars there. They do have Meguiars stuff there, including Carnauba Wax. Looked too fancy for me and my crappy Fiesta though

Yep I don't know much about the whole T-cut thing either really but don't think I need to go for anything too abraisive since the paint is in fairly good condition. If you look at polishedbliss.co.uk though you'll see it can never be too perfect. I have just got some touch up paint for the car to remove some previous chips, will I need t-cut with this?

su_dios

MercMad wrote:

You wont need to do anything with the swirl marks. Doing all of the above will sort that out !

Problem was my neighbour is a nice old Gent and he got some geezer to do it who was gone by the time I realised the next morning !

If I was not able to sort it I would have found him alright !!

I'm guessing out of all of those its the polish that will get rid of it and not the wax? I did have some luck with super resin polish but maybe needs to be done more often.

MercMad

I have just got some touch up paint for the car to remove some previous chips, will I need t-cut with this?

...........I would avoid anything with a cutting agent in it. If its really neccesary get the lightest grade you can. Do the other steps first. Best way to use a touch up kit it to also buy a kids paint brush. the ones that come iwth the kits are too big and messy. Also get some thinners and mix a drop with a drop of paint, build up the layers, till even with the original surface. dont rush it, do it over a few days allowing to harden in the meantime. If you have metallic, do the same with the thinners, and use the clear laquer as the last step. After a few weeks you can then use some 2000 grade sandpaper, wet, on a flat block, to rub the areas perfectly smooth, and the blem up with some polish !

su_dios

Thats some great advice there! Thanks! Any idea how long these shops take to order in?(the links you provided)

Dades

MercMad wrote:

BTW I valeted cars for a living for a good few years...........wish I was still doing it !!

There's one of these in it for you if you come and do mine.



I am also intrigued by this bar of clay device...

Cyrus

MercMad wrote:

You wont need to do anything with the swirl marks. Doing all of the above will sort that out !

Problem was my neighbour is a nice old Gent and he got some geezer to do it who was gone by the time I realised the next morning !

If I was not able to sort it I would have found him alright !!

BTW I valeted cars for a living for a good few years...........wish I was still doing it !!

depending on the car (and hardness of paint, to remove swirls you will need abrasive polish (menzerna is the best) and a porter cable if not a rotary, unless they are very light and you have soft paint.

Claying will remove containiments on the surface of the paint, nothing else.

su_dios

Basically it works like a rubber, taking off the crap thats stuck to the clearcoat to give a smooth glass finish.

TomMc

You can forget about removing swirl marks with a machine polisher out of the box, so to speak. It takes lots and lots of practice before you will develop the requisite skill levels to even have reasonable success. Your best option is to cover them up. AutoGlym's Super Resin Polish has fillers so will help to hide some of them, providing they are not too severe. Problem is, it is a short lived solution as the fillers will wash off sooner rather than later. The best product to fill them in long term is Glare Spider Polish (with its Liquid Glass composition called Glassplexin, which is chemically inert and so more permanent). It is easy to apply by hand, if a little laborious as other polishes have to be applied before and after as part of a whole system. It's only for people who take car care seriously and do not do everything on the cheap.

Failing that you may just learn to live with the swirl marks and wash very carefully from here onwards with a wash mitt and the two bucket method, so as not to inflict further damage.

DirtyDog

TomMc wrote:

Failing that you may just learn to live with the swirl marks and wash very carefully from here onwards with a wash mitt and the two bucket method, so as not to inflict further damage.

That or sell it and buy a new one and start all over again!

Doodee

I bought one of those Machine polishers from Aldi not too long ago, haven't had a chance to do the car yet, but i have no swirl marks or anything. Is it recommended that I use this polisher or should i just go the old fashioned way?

TomMc

Those are best put in the bin, so you are much better off continuing to work by hand. You can't beat a bit of elbow grease.:D

su_dios

Going to try out some of the meguires range then as they have everything I need here and hopefully it will do the trick! It would probably be cheaper to get this done professionally would it not? Any reccomdendations?

bennyx_o

The Autoglym Super Resin Polish you're using contains a filler which will hide the swirls so to speak. Two or three coast and you shouldn't see too many of them left. Topped off with a good wax should provide a decent enough finish.

su_dios

It probably wash off too easily as I didn't use a sealant wax with it. I'll try again once I get the clay kit too

TomMc

If you must use AG products, you are better off topping SRP with Extra Gloss Protection (several thin layers applied a day apart) rather than a carnauba wax, otherwise it will not last very long. AutoGlym's products are a bit old fashioned at this stage, remind me of the british car industry in the days of BL. Their products do leave a grey hue on paint over time. Their Ultra Deep Shine is the only modern product in their consumer line-up which is at all geared for modern water-based paints. The German & American chemical companies are now light years ahead of them, with far superior products.

deckie27

This is a local supplier of the clay
http://www.smartcarcare.ie/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=146

su_dios

Just ordered a few products from cleanyourcar.co.uk. Hopefully I'll get this nice and shiny now Thanks for the help guys

Gizmofreek

Just back from the states and was using products from a company called automagic are they available in Ireland..? does anyone know? They seem to be along the same lines as maguires in the states... any halp would be great?!