Discussion
I have a question about swirl marks after polishing using Auto Glym Super Resin polish. Every time I give the car a polish you can always see swirl marks when the car is in direct sunshine, when the car is in the shade or around dusk its not a problem, but still a problem.
My polishing goes like this- wash car and remove excess water with shammy leather- apply polish with applicator pad or cloth- leave it for a couple of minutes and then remove with a seperate cloth or old T-shirt- buff with microfibre cloth.
Fairly simple or so I think but where am I going wrong??
Any comments are much appreciated!!!
My polishing goes like this- wash car and remove excess water with shammy leather- apply polish with applicator pad or cloth- leave it for a couple of minutes and then remove with a seperate cloth or old T-shirt- buff with microfibre cloth.
Fairly simple or so I think but where am I going wrong??
Any comments are much appreciated!!!
You're either not removing the swirls already in the paintwork by not working the SRP enough, or you're reintroducing them with your wash routine.
Chamois and old T-shirts are very old skool, and have long been superseded by microfibre and foam applicators.
Speaking of which, you'll need a fairly firm pad to work the abrasive in SRP, to make an appreciable dent in the swirls - the black side of the Sonus German Applicator springs to mind.
As it contains fillers, those will mask some of the lighter swirls, making it look more attractive - but they're still there come the next wash or two when the SRP will be removed - unless followed up by EGP to seal the fillers in for a bit longer.
Chamois and old T-shirts are very old skool, and have long been superseded by microfibre and foam applicators.
Speaking of which, you'll need a fairly firm pad to work the abrasive in SRP, to make an appreciable dent in the swirls - the black side of the Sonus German Applicator springs to mind.
As it contains fillers, those will mask some of the lighter swirls, making it look more attractive - but they're still there come the next wash or two when the SRP will be removed - unless followed up by EGP to seal the fillers in for a bit longer.
Edited by PJ S on Tuesday 2nd June 14:45
Thanks for the reply. So I need to spend a little more time working the polish into the paint. After I have done this how long would you advise before removing?
This may sound dumb but how would I be reintroducing the swirls with my wash routine. Would this have anything to do with the motion of the sponge when washing?
So I need to invest in a decent applicator, what is the Sonus German Applicator that you mention? And what is EGP? Sorry I am not very familia with abbreviations...
This may sound dumb but how would I be reintroducing the swirls with my wash routine. Would this have anything to do with the motion of the sponge when washing?
So I need to invest in a decent applicator, what is the Sonus German Applicator that you mention? And what is EGP? Sorry I am not very familia with abbreviations...
Use Google for info on the Sonus GA, and EGP is Autoglym's (AG) Extra Gloss Protection/Polish.
Working the polish is a term, and one that's hard to subscribe any definite timeframe to - it's trial and error, and instinct from experience.
Do small sections at a time - 18"x18" - but in all honesty, you'd be better off with spending a few £ on the likes of the Kestrel DAS-6 machine polisher, and some decent pads and abrasives from the likes of Menzerna, 3M, Gloss-it, Mark V which will make the job easier and quicker.
As for reintroducing swirls - ditch the sponge, and adopt a two bucket wash regime.
One bucket for shampoo solution, the other for rinsing the wash mitt - a good one to plum for is the wool one from www.carnuabawaxshop.co.uk
Starting from the top, after pre-rinsing the car first, do the roof panel, rinse the mitt out with your fingernails and remove excess water, then into the wash bucket, and do the glass the whole way round.
Work your way round and down to the dirtiest areas of the car, rinsing the mitt out every panel - this prevents debris being dragged around, adding back fresh marks, and undoing all your hard efforts previously.
If you want to be more pro-active, and have a pressure washer, then a foam lance and foaming pre-wash solution will remove more of the grime before you even touch the paintwork. Alternatively a 5% solution of Bilt Hamber Surfex HD sprayed on with a pressurised garden sprayer and left for 2-3 mins before rinsing with the PW or hosepipe/spray head is almost as good as foaming, and is a lesser ££ to put out initially.
The same or another sprayer with say 10% solution strength can be used on the wheels to dispense with brakedust and grime, along with a wheel brush to agitate the solution.
And then there's the clay bar - but I think your head is probably spinning enough already.
Working the polish is a term, and one that's hard to subscribe any definite timeframe to - it's trial and error, and instinct from experience.
Do small sections at a time - 18"x18" - but in all honesty, you'd be better off with spending a few £ on the likes of the Kestrel DAS-6 machine polisher, and some decent pads and abrasives from the likes of Menzerna, 3M, Gloss-it, Mark V which will make the job easier and quicker.
As for reintroducing swirls - ditch the sponge, and adopt a two bucket wash regime.
One bucket for shampoo solution, the other for rinsing the wash mitt - a good one to plum for is the wool one from www.carnuabawaxshop.co.uk
Starting from the top, after pre-rinsing the car first, do the roof panel, rinse the mitt out with your fingernails and remove excess water, then into the wash bucket, and do the glass the whole way round.
Work your way round and down to the dirtiest areas of the car, rinsing the mitt out every panel - this prevents debris being dragged around, adding back fresh marks, and undoing all your hard efforts previously.
If you want to be more pro-active, and have a pressure washer, then a foam lance and foaming pre-wash solution will remove more of the grime before you even touch the paintwork. Alternatively a 5% solution of Bilt Hamber Surfex HD sprayed on with a pressurised garden sprayer and left for 2-3 mins before rinsing with the PW or hosepipe/spray head is almost as good as foaming, and is a lesser ££ to put out initially.
The same or another sprayer with say 10% solution strength can be used on the wheels to dispense with brakedust and grime, along with a wheel brush to agitate the solution.
And then there's the clay bar - but I think your head is probably spinning enough already.
Brilliant I have some very good ideas to start with. I think first I'm going to try and work the polish in for a little longer, I have just washed the car and so now is an ideal time to give it a go. I'm going to invest in some good quality applicator pads and the like so I can be sure I'm giving my car the best possible chance of staying swirl-mark-free!
Thanks also for the idea of a seperate wash and rinse bucket and also the foaming pre-wash tactic. But one thing at a time I think so I can be sure of the effects of each new method I try.
I must admit I hadn't realised washing a car could be so involving although I get the feeling you have spared me a lot more extensive techniques...
Edited to remove the quote.
Thanks also for the idea of a seperate wash and rinse bucket and also the foaming pre-wash tactic. But one thing at a time I think so I can be sure of the effects of each new method I try.
I must admit I hadn't realised washing a car could be so involving although I get the feeling you have spared me a lot more extensive techniques...
Edited to remove the quote.
Edited by GTiRlover on Wednesday 3rd June 15:27
ipwn said:
SRP is only a filler.
To get rid of swirl marks the best way is with a dual action polisher for a newbie and some proper polish that will remove the swirl marks rather than filling in the scratches.
To get rid of swirl marks the best way is with a dual action polisher for a newbie and some proper polish that will remove the swirl marks rather than filling in the scratches.
You need a DA polisher (something like the Kestrel or the Meguiars G220), Some Mezerna cutting compounds & some patience. Then ditch the autoglym rubbish and buy some decent wax etc. If you really want to sort it out:Wash
Claybar (Mequiars will do)
DA with Menzerna Power finish (and componding pad)
DA woth Menzerna Final finish (and polishing pad) - actually try this first & if its strong enough to do the job then don't bother with the step above)
Zymol HD Cleanse (twice if you can be bothered)
Zymol wax (at least twice a week or so apart)
see www.cleanyourcar.co.uk & http://www.johnswax.co.uk/acatalog/index2.html (for example)
The Zymol stuff may look expensive (and some of it is stupidly pricy) but a tub of Zymol at 50 or 60 quid will last a lot longer/go a lot further than 5 or 6 bottles of autoglym. When applied correctly it lasts for months on the car as well
Lastly, learn how to wash your car properly. If you don't know what the "two bucket method" is then do a search for it. All those swil marks you have are as a result of how the car has been washed. You can avoid making them if you are careful with how you wash the car & it doesn't take any longer or cost any more to do it the right way.
ipwn said:
SRP is only a filler.
To get rid of swirl marks the best way is with a dual action polisher for a newbie and some proper polish that will remove the swirl marks rather than filling in the scratches.
Huh?To get rid of swirl marks the best way is with a dual action polisher for a newbie and some proper polish that will remove the swirl marks rather than filling in the scratches.
You can feel the abrasives in SRP, and I have used it with a machine polisher - not a half bad job.
Yes it does dust and contains fillers, but that's in addition to the abrasives.
Iain328 said:
You need a DA polisher (something like the Kestrel or the Meguiars G220), Some Mezerna cutting compounds & some patience. Then ditch the autoglym rubbish and buy some decent wax etc. If you really want to sort it out:Wash
Claybar (Mequiars will do)
DA with Menzerna Power finish (and componding pad)
DA woth Menzerna Final finish (and polishing pad) - actually try this first & if its strong enough to do the job then don't bother with the step above)
Zymol HD Cleanse (twice if you can be bothered)
Zymol wax (at least twice a week or so apart)
see www.cleanyourcar.co.uk & http://www.johnswax.co.uk/acatalog/index2.html (for example)
The Zymol stuff may look expensive (and some of it is stupidly pricy) but a tub of Zymol at 50 or 60 quid will last a lot longer/go a lot further than 5 or 6 bottles of autoglym. When applied correctly it lasts for months on the car as well
Lastly, learn how to wash your car properly. If you don't know what the "two bucket method" is then do a search for it. All those swil marks you have are as a result of how the car has been washed. You can avoid making them if you are careful with how you wash the car & it doesn't take any longer or cost any more to do it the right way.
That'll be the £60 tub of Carbon you can have for under £15 from Meguiar's as Mirror Glaze #16, you're referring to then?
PJ S said:
ipwn said:
SRP is only a filler.
To get rid of swirl marks the best way is with a dual action polisher for a newbie and some proper polish that will remove the swirl marks rather than filling in the scratches.
Huh?To get rid of swirl marks the best way is with a dual action polisher for a newbie and some proper polish that will remove the swirl marks rather than filling in the scratches.
You can feel the abrasives in SRP, and I have used it with a machine polisher - not a half bad job.
Yes it does dust and contains fillers, but that's in addition to the abrasives.
edwardsje said:
PJ S said:
ipwn said:
SRP is only a filler.
To get rid of swirl marks the best way is with a dual action polisher for a newbie and some proper polish that will remove the swirl marks rather than filling in the scratches.
Huh?To get rid of swirl marks the best way is with a dual action polisher for a newbie and some proper polish that will remove the swirl marks rather than filling in the scratches.
You can feel the abrasives in SRP, and I have used it with a machine polisher - not a half bad job.
Yes it does dust and contains fillers, but that's in addition to the abrasives.
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