Im almost there....

FreshFish · 01-21-2011, 07:59 PM

So my car wasn't so perfect after the purchase from the dealer. I had slight hairline scratches on the front and rear bumper and swirls along the rear pass quarter and along the back trunk and spoiler. (I think they used a bad sponge when cleaning the car)

Here is what I've done so far:

1) Washed using the two bucket method and clayed using Meguiars

2) Meguiars Shirl Remover 2.0

3) Meguiars Show Car Glaze

4) Meguiars Tech Wax

Used a coworkers porter cable with the speed setting set on 5 for polishing and waxing. Grey pad with the swirl remover and glaze (rinsed inbetween). Yellow pad for the l

Was able to buff out lots of the swirls that were present along with making the hairline scratches a bit lighter. However a day after the polish a buddy of mine pointed out that I had light marring all over the car. And with my confirmation I sadly agreed. They look like teeny tiny little nicks all over where I had gone with the porter cable and were not present with the angle we were looking at the car (and this is when me and my coworker thought the car was virtually swirl free).

SO I guess I need one last step to take these guys out?

If I can use the current product that I have I'd be happy but if there are any products anyone can recommend I'm open to suggestions - pads, polishing product, etc.

BTW the cars black.. Thanks

FreshFish · 01-24-2011, 10:07 PM

Xan · 01-24-2011, 11:39 PM

I'm no Mequiars expert, but I'm pretty sure both the #7 and #9 are non abrasives. So you probably mostly filled up the swirls instead of removing them.

Also I don't know what pads you used, so I can't comment on those.
With all the brands, there is no more real color standard.

What you want to do is get a finishing pad and some finishing polish to get a nice finish.
I use mostly M205, but look here for options: http://www.detailersdomain.com/finishingpolishes_1.aspx

Before you do any finishing, I would get another swirl remover that does have some good abrasives and combine it with a light cutting pad.
Adam's Swirl & Haze Remover is pretty good. But again there are more options, also if you have some heavier swirls you can step it up to their severe swirl remover. The reason I'm advising Adam's here, is because they are pretty mild polishes, that can still get the job done.

Junkman2008 · 01-25-2011, 10:40 AM

I'm surprised that you didn't look at any of the stickies. There are a much better products that you can use other than that over the counter stuff you did use. No wonder you got the results that you did. In this thread, I show how to correct your paint using Adam's products. You should take a look and watch how this is done professionally.

Sandra Dee · 01-25-2011, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junkman2008

I'm surprised that you didn't look at any of the stickies. There are a much better products that you can use other than that over the counter stuff you did use. No wonder you got the results that you did. In this thread, I show how to correct your paint using Adam's products. You should take a look and watch how this is done professionally.

yeah! Junkie Babes is the bomb!!! his techniques worked great on my black cherry vert

kellyefields · 01-25-2011, 01:23 PM

i have never used adams polishes but I hear nothing but good things about it. for me I have a black z as well and I use the two bucket method and a leaf blower to dry the car. towels/shamies can scratch especially on black. a good polisher with a cutting pad and something like a mothers compound wax/sw remover. then you can followup with the wax of your choice. I use zaino and after a few applications there are no scratches. if your scratches are down deep you could also use turtle wax black box wax that is color matched for black cars. I have had success in the past with that as well.

Junkman2008 · 01-25-2011, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kellyefields

i have never used adams polishes but I hear nothing but good things about it. for me I have a black z as well and I use the two bucket method and a leaf blower to dry the car. towels/shamies can scratch especially on black. a good polisher with a cutting pad and something like a mothers compound wax/sw remover. then you can followup with the wax of your choice. I use zaino and after a few applications there are no scratches. if your scratches are down deep you could also use turtle wax black box wax that is color matched for black cars. I have had success in the past with that as well.

First off, there is no such product as something that is color matched for black cars. That is one of the most ridiculous marketing gimmicks on the market and here's why.

The product in the bottle has absolutely no clue as to what color your car is. It is going to do what it does, regardless of if the car is black or white. If the product had some type of black coloring agent in the bottle, then it would stain if used on a white car. I can guarantee you that this WON'T happen. Also, the product in the bottle cannot mix with the paint in any way. The paint on most new cars today has a layer of clear coat protecting the paint. The only thing that the product can do is BOND to the clear coat or paint (as all sealant waxes do). It is not going to penetrate the paint and add color to it in any way. Products on the market like that cater to those who don't know any better and are usually watered down and full of fillers. Using nothing but logic, this should make perfectly good sense when you think about it. It isn't rocket science.

Kelly, if you are smart enough to use Zaino, an outstanding product by the way, why would you then mix it with over the counter junk like Turtle Wax? Zaino as a system contains all the products that you need to achieve an outstanding shine and is best when used with other products from Zaino. There is no need to use anything other than the Zaino line when using any of their paint products.

The mixing of different product lines when it comes to paint correcting and wax is a major no-no. Products like Zaino and Adam's have been engineered to be used within their own family. When you start with one polish, you should follow it with the recommended polish from that same family. The cut in the polishes have been engineered to work together within the family line and all of the guess work has been removed for you, the consumer. All you have to do is follow the manufacturer's directions. Never will you see any manufacturer, or any professional detailer who knows what they are doing, mixing polishes and waxes from multiple brands. You have no clue what compounds make up each brand and thus, have no clue as to how they will react when mixed. The chemist who make these products do know and thus, have put together a combination of products that will yield you the best possible result. Mixing those products is a sure fire way to create negligible results, whether or not you realize or see it.

To the OP, don't make it more complicated than it is. There are quite a few of professional products on the market to choose from and you won't find them at Wally World, Pep Boys or Auto Zone and the like. Choose a line and stay within that line until you know what you're doing. Whatever you do, don't mix lines of products together. That is not how this is done. It just so happens that I have put together a video tutorial for you that shows how simple the process is when using Adam's. That saves you the guess work on how to do it. Follow the bread crumbs. They will keep you on the right path to remarkable results.

kellyefields · 01-25-2011, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junkman2008

First off, there is no such product as something that is color matched for black cars. That is one of the most ridiculous marketing gimmicks on the market and here's why.

The product in the bottle has absolutely no clue as to what color your car is. It is going to do what it does, regardless of if the car is black or white. If the product had some type of black coloring agent in the bottle, then it would stain if used on a white car. I can guarantee you that this WON'T happen. Also, the product in the bottle cannot mix with the paint in any way. The paint on most new cars today has a layer of clear coat protecting the paint. The only thing that the product can do is BOND to the clear coat or paint (as all sealant waxes do). It is not going to penetrate the paint and add color to it in any way. Products on the market like that cater to those who don't know any better and are usually watered down and full of fillers. Using nothing but logic, this should make perfectly good sense when you think about it. It isn't rocket science.

Kelly, if you are smart enough to use Zaino, an outstanding product by the way, why would you then mix it with over the counter junk like Turtle Wax? Zaino as a system contains all the products that you need to achieve an outstanding shine and is best when used with other products from Zaino. There is no need to use anything other than the Zaino line when using any of their paint products.

The mixing of different product lines when it comes to paint correcting and wax is a major no-no. Products like Zaino and Adam's have been engineered to be used within their own family. When you start with one polish, you should follow it with the recommended polish from that same family. The cut in the polishes have been engineered to work together within the family line and all of the guess work has been removed for you, the consumer. All you have to do is follow the manufacturer's directions. Never will you see any manufacturer, or any professional detailer who knows what they are doing, mixing polishes and waxes from multiple brands. You have no clue what compounds make up each brand and thus, have no clue as to how they will react when mixed. The chemist who make these products do know and thus, have put together a combination of products that will yield you the best possible result. Mixing those products is a sure fire way to create negligible results, whether or not you realize or see it.

To the OP, don't make it more complicated than it is. There are quite a few of professional products on the market to choose from and you won't find them at Wally World, Pep Boys or Auto Zone and the like. Choose a line and stay within that line until you know what you're doing. Whatever you do, don't mix lines of products together. That is not how this is done. It just so happens that I have put together a video tutorial for you that shows how simple the process is when using Adam's. That saves you the guess work on how to do it. Follow the bread crumbs. They will keep you on the right path to remarkable results.

I think you mistook what I meant. I do only use the zanio line on my cars now. before I found it I used many different products but would always only use that line of products until it was gone and would try something else if i did not get the results i wanted. I was just using the examples of different ways one can go with. I agree with you that you should choose one product line and stay with it. That is one reason I chose the zanio line because of the product selection. As far as the turtle wax that is something I used in the past before. I read alot of your posts and got smart in the wax department. I do bow to your knowledge about car finishes

just trying to give some examples and not sound like a zaino salesman. BTW when/who did you serve. Me I am still in working on my staff billet down in Tampa with MARCENT. (military Police)

Xan · 01-25-2011, 09:49 PM

If you aren't familiar with the products, I agree it would be best to stick to one line.

But with some time and experimentation you can find some killer combo's by using different products from different companies...

For instance my personal cars are all zaino-ed, but I do finish with a final layer of soft Dodo juice wax, as it gives some extra deepness to the shine...
(and allows me to have an excuse to add a new layer of wax, as the soft wax doesn't last nearly as long as the Zaino under it

)

Also Zaino doesn't have any good paint correction, (not a fan of the Z-PC), so I use another line for that as well.

Junkman2008 · 01-25-2011, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kellyefields

I think you mistook what I meant. I do only use the zanio line on my cars now. before I found it I used many different products but would always only use that line of products until it was gone and would try something else if i did not get the results i wanted. I was just using the examples of different ways one can go with. I agree with you that you should choose one product line and stay with it. That is one reason I chose the zanio line because of the product selection. As far as the turtle wax that is something I used in the past before. I read alot of your posts and got smart in the wax department. I do bow to your knowledge about car finishes

just trying to give some examples and not sound like a zaino salesman. BTW when/who did you serve. Me I am still in working on my staff billet down in Tampa with MARCENT. (military Police)

Don't hesitate to push the Zaino line, it is a very good product and I have successfully used it myself. I still have some in my garage right now. No one will fault you on pushing their product. It's a little more time consuming and a lot of folks don't read the directions on how to use it so it gets a bad rap from people wanting a quicker route to shiny paint. Thanks for clearing that up. When I saw Zaino and Turtle Wax in the same sentence, my head rotated all the way around.

I was in back during the Lebanon conflict (82-88). a lot of guys that I did ITS with were blown up in that terrorist attack on our barracks. If I wasn't so independent in my way of thinking, I would go back in (I think I still have one year of eligibility left). But knowing me, a second lieutenant would scream at me one time and find himself picking his teeth up across the parade deck.

I better stay a civilian.

FreshFish · 01-25-2011, 09:54 PM

In doing some research I like how the Adam's polish lets you know how much was worked in and when it's done working in with its diminishing abrasives. IMO leaves out a lot of the guess work.

Will bug my coworker for his orbital once I get a set of the polishes and wax (yes gonna go Adam's). Gonna place an order for a couple new pads as well. Will update this thread with pics of my results when everything gets in and I have a full day to do it. Hoping for a win here guys...

Junkman2008 · 01-25-2011, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreshFish

In doing some research I like how the Adam's polish lets you know how much was worked in and when it's done working in with its diminishing abrasives. IMO leaves out a lot of the guess work.

Will bug my coworker for his orbital once I get a set of the polishes and wax (yes gonna go Adam's). Gonna place an order for a couple new pads as well. Will update this thread with pics of my results when everything gets in and I have a full day to do it. Hoping for a win here guys...

Don't forget to use my discount code and save yourself some dead presidents.

LinPark · 01-25-2011, 10:15 PM

If you go here you'll see what my car looked like right after I got it from the dealer. Then after getting Adam's products and working with The Junkman and Dylan you can see how it turned out here (scroll down a bit). That was about 8 months ago and it still looks fantastic - I started the clay process again this weekend and plan to do it all over but this time it is going much, much faster because I know what I'm doing and the surface is already in very good shape.

Good luck!

Junkman2008 · 01-25-2011, 10:30 PM

That's the great thing about fixing your paint right the first time. Upkeep is a LOT simpler.

Cmike2780 · 01-25-2011, 10:34 PM

The Adam's stuff works great. Their MicroFiber towels & Detail sprays are a must. You won't be disappointed. I used the turtle wax Black Box and the results were pretty good. The "wax" in a pretty much fills-in some of the fine scratches and leaves for a near flawless look. The problem is that it's a temporary solution and the wax begins to break down after a while. To get rid of scratches you need to polish the clearcoat, working your way from coarse to ultra-fine cut polish and finished off with wax. This principle applies to all systems no matter the brand. Check out Detailers Domain too if you want to check out other options. Meguire's also has a good line of products you won't find in stores, so I would give that some thought also.

You should also clay bar before doing anything else.

01-21-2011, 07:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
FreshFish Base Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 201 Drives: on marshmallows Rep Power: 14	Im almost there.... So my car wasn't so perfect after the purchase from the dealer. I had slight hairline scratches on the front and rear bumper and swirls along the rear pass quarter and along the back trunk and spoiler. (I think they used a bad sponge when cleaning the car) Here is what I've done so far: 1) Washed using the two bucket method and clayed using Meguiars 2) Meguiars Shirl Remover 2.0 3) Meguiars Show Car Glaze 4) Meguiars Tech Wax Used a coworkers porter cable with the speed setting set on 5 for polishing and waxing. Grey pad with the swirl remover and glaze (rinsed inbetween). Yellow pad for the l Was able to buff out lots of the swirls that were present along with making the hairline scratches a bit lighter. However a day after the polish a buddy of mine pointed out that I had light marring all over the car. And with my confirmation I sadly agreed. They look like teeny tiny little nicks all over where I had gone with the porter cable and were not present with the angle we were looking at the car (and this is when me and my coworker thought the car was virtually swirl free). SO I guess I need one last step to take these guys out? If I can use the current product that I have I'd be happy but if there are any products anyone can recommend I'm open to suggestions - pads, polishing product, etc. BTW the cars black.. Thanks

01-24-2011, 11:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
Xan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: MA Posts:99999999999999 Posts: 3,301 Drives: 370Z 40th Aniversary Rep Power: 24	I'm no Mequiars expert, but I'm pretty sure both the #7 and #9 are non abrasives. So you probably mostly filled up the swirls instead of removing them. Also I don't know what pads you used, so I can't comment on those. With all the brands, there is no more real color standard. What you want to do is get a finishing pad and some finishing polish to get a nice finish. I use mostly M205, but look here for options: http://www.detailersdomain.com/finishingpolishes_1.aspx Before you do any finishing, I would get another swirl remover that does have some good abrasives and combine it with a light cutting pad. Adam's Swirl & Haze Remover is pretty good. But again there are more options, also if you have some heavier swirls you can step it up to their severe swirl remover. The reason I'm advising Adam's here, is because they are pretty mild polishes, that can still get the job done. __________________

01-25-2011, 10:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
Junkman2008 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 1,048 Drives: 2001 Corvette Coupe Rep Power: 10259	I'm surprised that you didn't look at any of the stickies. There are a much better products that you can use other than that over the counter stuff you did use. No wonder you got the results that you did. In this thread, I show how to correct your paint using Adam's products. You should take a look and watch how this is done professionally. __________________ "Marines - Making the other guy die for his country for over 200 years."

01-25-2011, 09:49 PM	#9 (permalink)
Xan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: MA Posts:99999999999999 Posts: 3,301 Drives: 370Z 40th Aniversary Rep Power: 24	If you aren't familiar with the products, I agree it would be best to stick to one line. But with some time and experimentation you can find some killer combo's by using different products from different companies... For instance my personal cars are all zaino-ed, but I do finish with a final layer of soft Dodo juice wax, as it gives some extra deepness to the shine... (and allows me to have an excuse to add a new layer of wax, as the soft wax doesn't last nearly as long as the Zaino under it ) Also Zaino doesn't have any good paint correction, (not a fan of the Z-PC), so I use another line for that as well. __________________

01-25-2011, 10:30 PM	#14 (permalink)
Junkman2008 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 1,048 Drives: 2001 Corvette Coupe Rep Power: 10259	That's the great thing about fixing your paint right the first time. Upkeep is a LOT simpler. __________________ "Marines - Making the other guy die for his country for over 200 years."

01-24-2011, 10:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
FreshFish Base Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 201 Drives: on marshmallows Rep Power: 14

01-25-2011, 01:23 PM	#6 (permalink)
kellyefields A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Lexington Ky #BBN Age: 47 Posts: 1,149 Drives: Supercharged Rep Power: 16	i have never used adams polishes but I hear nothing but good things about it. for me I have a black z as well and I use the two bucket method and a leaf blower to dry the car. towels/shamies can scratch especially on black. a good polisher with a cutting pad and something like a mothers compound wax/sw remover. then you can followup with the wax of your choice. I use zaino and after a few applications there are no scratches. if your scratches are down deep you could also use turtle wax black box wax that is color matched for black cars. I have had success in the past with that as well.

01-25-2011, 09:54 PM	#11 (permalink)
FreshFish Base Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 201 Drives: on marshmallows Rep Power: 14	In doing some research I like how the Adam's polish lets you know how much was worked in and when it's done working in with its diminishing abrasives. IMO leaves out a lot of the guess work. Will bug my coworker for his orbital once I get a set of the polishes and wax (yes gonna go Adam's). Gonna place an order for a couple new pads as well. Will update this thread with pics of my results when everything gets in and I have a full day to do it. Hoping for a win here guys...

01-25-2011, 10:15 PM	#13 (permalink)
LinPark A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 1,077 Drives: '17 Camaro 2SS A8 Rep Power: 23	If you go here you'll see what my car looked like right after I got it from the dealer. Then after getting Adam's products and working with The Junkman and Dylan you can see how it turned out here (scroll down a bit). That was about 8 months ago and it still looks fantastic - I started the clay process again this weekend and plan to do it all over but this time it is going much, much faster because I know what I'm doing and the surface is already in very good shape. Good luck!

01-25-2011, 10:34 PM	#15 (permalink)
Cmike2780 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Long Island Posts: 5,059 Drives: slowwww Rep Power: 28	The Adam's stuff works great. Their MicroFiber towels & Detail sprays are a must. You won't be disappointed. I used the turtle wax Black Box and the results were pretty good. The "wax" in a pretty much fills-in some of the fine scratches and leaves for a near flawless look. The problem is that it's a temporary solution and the wax begins to break down after a while. To get rid of scratches you need to polish the clearcoat, working your way from coarse to ultra-fine cut polish and finished off with wax. This principle applies to all systems no matter the brand. Check out Detailers Domain too if you want to check out other options. Meguire's also has a good line of products you won't find in stores, so I would give that some thought also. You should also clay bar before doing anything else. __________________ [09][MB][6-Spd MT][Touring][Stillen Gen III][K&N][Borla CBE][Evo-R] [ArchitTEK Photography]