Swirl marks in black paint
Discussion
A garage that shall remain nameless serviced my Griff recently and very kindly washed it after using a mixture of sandpaper and gravel, it's previous almost swirl free soild black paintwork is now covered in swirls and small scratches.
I know that some detailers can use porter cable type machine polishers to remove swirls, just wondered if my local body shop could achieve the same thing by "mopping" the paint, or will I end up with more swirls than I started with?
Your help and any recommendations for a bodyshop/detailer in Herts would be appreciated.
I know that some detailers can use porter cable type machine polishers to remove swirls, just wondered if my local body shop could achieve the same thing by "mopping" the paint, or will I end up with more swirls than I started with?
Your help and any recommendations for a bodyshop/detailer in Herts would be appreciated.
I would be tempted to take the car back to the garage and ask them about it - if they are going to offer that as a service - a wash and brush up after servicing, then they've got to do it right or they are going to (as in your case) ruin all the good work you've previously put in. And on a black car too - ouch - those swirls sure do show up on black.
How long ago was the car there?
How long ago was the car there?
Mikey the damage was done a few weeks ago, it was pouring with rain when I collected the car and has been sat in my garage for a few weeks until I had time to clean it last weekend when I noticed the damage. I don't think given the time elapsed that it is worth the hassle of contacting them I doubt they would accept responsibility for the damage, although I am totally p-ssed off 
Polishing out minor lacquer scratching (with a porter cable or any other polishing mop) can be done by either a bodyshop or a detailer.
The likely pro of going to the bodyshop is that they have technicians with a very great understanding of vehicle paintwork. The likely pro of going to a detailer is that they tend (though not always!) to have a lower hourly rate.
Maybe cross-post to the appropriate regional forum for a recommendation, or try the detailingworld forums?
HTH
Tol
The likely pro of going to the bodyshop is that they have technicians with a very great understanding of vehicle paintwork. The likely pro of going to a detailer is that they tend (though not always!) to have a lower hourly rate.
Maybe cross-post to the appropriate regional forum for a recommendation, or try the detailingworld forums?
HTH
Tol
I would be very careful here... a bodyshop will likely take high level compounds to the paint to remove the damage but at the expense of your clearcoat finish.
On most cars the level of clearcoat is roughly 30-40um... to put this into comparison the cellophane on a cig packet is 50-60um ...
So you can now see why we need to be careful removing clearcoat to remove swirls / scratches...
I would seriously advise a pro detailer - they will take measurements using a PTG and advise of what can be done to rectify the damage.
They will also then seal it up / protect it using correct methods and producing a finish that even decent bodyshops would struggle to achieve.
If you let me know of where you are in the country I can put you in touch with someone to sort it out for you.
I hope this helps.
Scott
(Obsessive Car Detailing)
On most cars the level of clearcoat is roughly 30-40um... to put this into comparison the cellophane on a cig packet is 50-60um ...
So you can now see why we need to be careful removing clearcoat to remove swirls / scratches...
I would seriously advise a pro detailer - they will take measurements using a PTG and advise of what can be done to rectify the damage.
They will also then seal it up / protect it using correct methods and producing a finish that even decent bodyshops would struggle to achieve.
If you let me know of where you are in the country I can put you in touch with someone to sort it out for you.
I hope this helps.
Scott
(Obsessive Car Detailing)
You need to be very carefull who you let near your car.
I have done a couple of tuscan's over the last few months and when we did the paint depth readings , they were showing depths averaging around 40 microns , which isn't alot when you cosider the average per car is around 150 microns.
I personally would avoid the bodyshops as they do tend to use the gritty based compounds.So IMO I think theres an increased risk of taking too much off or burning through.
If you use a professional detailer , you will find that most of us now use aluminium oxide based compounds with either porter cables or rotary's. A pro detailer should also have depth guages to aid them in their work.So the risk is far less.
The second car we did had a lot of swirls and buffer trails in from where it had been previously mopped with standard compounds.
This is no word of a lie ,it took me 3 days to correct it.
Due to the depth of paint on there we had to be sooooo carefull not to take too much off or burn through.
I have done a couple of tuscan's over the last few months and when we did the paint depth readings , they were showing depths averaging around 40 microns , which isn't alot when you cosider the average per car is around 150 microns.
I personally would avoid the bodyshops as they do tend to use the gritty based compounds.So IMO I think theres an increased risk of taking too much off or burning through.
If you use a professional detailer , you will find that most of us now use aluminium oxide based compounds with either porter cables or rotary's. A pro detailer should also have depth guages to aid them in their work.So the risk is far less.
The second car we did had a lot of swirls and buffer trails in from where it had been previously mopped with standard compounds.
This is no word of a lie ,it took me 3 days to correct it.
Due to the depth of paint on there we had to be sooooo carefull not to take too much off or burn through.
Dave Zymol said:
You need to be very carefull who you let near your car.
I have done a couple of tuscan's over the last few months and when we did the paint depth readings , they were showing depths averaging around 40 microns , which isn't alot when you cosider the average per car is around 150 microns.
I have done a couple of tuscan's over the last few months and when we did the paint depth readings , they were showing depths averaging around 40 microns , which isn't alot when you cosider the average per car is around 150 microns.
That is shockingly low!! Rather you than me lol!
mrandy said:
dave whereabouts in the midlnds are you i want an old white 911 making shiny again
I'm based in Stourbridge , but work mobile and cover the whole of the Uk , my number is 07970 713062 email info@sportscarprotection.com website www.sportscarprotection.com
space_cowboy said:
does anybody recomemnd a detailer in essex that can get rid of minor swirls on black paint?
Try Danny at www.clean-image.co.uk
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