manny_g

Guys, I do not have a lot of experience in car detailing. The question I have is what is the best method of removing swirl marks from the paint finish? What products do you uys use to protect your paint finish. Any recommendations will be appreciated.

Thanks, Manny.

TAILWAG

hope your car is not black...

manny_g

Its guards red. I had a black C4S and got rid of it in less than 4 months. Black is a beautiful color, but if your **** about keeping it looking good it will drive you crazy!!

Irksome

Go check out the concours & car care forum:
https://rennlist.com/forums/concours-and-car-care-86/


Or search in this forum. Tons of GREAT info here, I learned more about washing and detailing my own car here than I even knew there was to learn. And I still consider myself a complete beginner (though I think I now can wash my car without scratching it!). Someday I might even try clay/polish/wax, but I'll use my wife's car as the guinea pig...

cdodkin

Manny,

get yourself a Porter Cable polisher, pads and a swirl polish.

Autopia do good products and have great how-to articles.

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/son-450.html

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/sonsbfpp.html

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-pc7424.html

Here's a sample of my swirls before using the Swirlbuster polish and pad from Autopia



And Here's afterwards







It's easy to use, saves a lot of hand polishing, and is the perfect prep for your chosen wax or sealer.

I just wash and clay before I polish, then polish and wax/seal for final finish.

cdodkin

Manny, just saw that your car is Guards red like the wife's Boxster.

Same process used here - then Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze used to provide the final seal once the polishing was done.

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/kus-kls-gla.html



Gives a nice wet look gloss which is very hard wearing and easy to keep clean.

Chris.

manny_g

Wow looks great!! Thanks for the info. Do they also have clay and sealers as well?

cdodkin

Yep they do.

Clay: http://www.autopia-carcare.com/tps-clylub.html

Sealant: http://www.autopia-carcare.com/kus-kls-gla.html

There are great how to write ups on this website as well: http://www.autopia-carcare.com/how-to.html

I went to one of their actual demo sessions at the local Porsche club meet, and David (Mr Autopia) did some great demos on his Porsche Cayenne.

Nice guy, and he knows his techniques for keeping cars looking great.

TAILWAG

how can you put before and after pictures of different angles/lighting on the car?????????? Makes no sense. Your car looks beautiful and clean though...

cdodkin

Well if I'd remembered to take shots of the hood before I polished that part! .......

Here's another after shot to make your day - hood under a fluro tube in the garage - this is my acid test as fluro lights show swirls which you just don't see in normal daylight.

Bos

Just beautiful... Flouresent light will always show the flaws and I see none. Fansastic!!! I too love the Porter Cable RO

Chuck Jones

VERY NICE guys...something like that would cost you around $300 to have it professionally done. That black is especially difficult to get looking like that....and just wiping it off without dusting it first will leave swirls. Very nice job(s) indeed....all both of you.

Eharrison

Nice car cdodkin, but who in the hell convinced you to paint an oleander bush as a graphic on your hood?

cdodkin

Thank you sir!

With the $300 I save each time on each car - I've justified a decent set-up for detailing the P-Cars, and even Wifey fully approves!

The tent has made all the difference - means I can detail any day, sunny or not.

cdodkin

Believe me that would be a better look than the skating rink the previous owner had left all over the car!