Swirlmark Remover

T

tiffanyp

New member
Hello.

My friend has a black car and what swirlmark remover/filler would you suggest for hand application.

tks.
tiff
 
Meguiars #80 speed glaze is by far the easiest/most effective SMR for use by hand.

but the most important question is, how bad are the swirls? he might not need something strong or he might need something stronger.... let us know how bad/good it is.
 
I don't know of anything that is really effective for swirl remover by hand. The most you can really hope for is swirl hiding. To remove swirls you need to build up much more friction and speed than you can generate by hand. I've never used #80 so that may work. I just think that swirl removal on a black car is going to be rough. Its tough to remove swirls with a machine. I wouldn't even try it by hand.

I would tell your friend to invest in the proper tools for the job. For some reason people don't understand that you need a machine for some jobs. Trying to remove swirls by hand is like trying to remove lug nuts with your fingers. Just get the right tool for the job and it is sooooo much easier.
 
thanks for the info. i believe she needs something strong. history: 2001 black Lexus IS300 never detailed and uses car washes (unfortunately brushed car washes). The swirl marks are pretty visible in sunlight. do you think Meguires #80 should do the trick or do i need something stronger. i offered to detail her car.

tks.
tiff
 
Something stronger would require a machine. Most products that are designed for swirl removal are also designed to be used with a machine. I don't think you are going to have much luck doing that by hand. If you are going to be out detailing other people's cars then you really need to get a Porter Cable. If you want professional results then you need to use the right tools.
 
The only polish i've used by hand is Griots Fine Hand Polish. It is specifically formulated for hand use and contains fillers to help hide imperfections. It works well and you can minimize swirls on a small area, but just don't expect the results you will get using a PC. I know there are certain individuals that work by hand exclusively and I don't doubt that they get good results, but i'm pretty dilligent and I find it extremely difficult to do paint correction by hand. It's hard enough with a PC.
 
If I remember right, Lexus uses single stage on thier black. If that's the case then anything you use will turn black, just something so you won't wonder why the towels are black when you're done. Maybe you want to start with something a little more abrasive than just a SMR. Maybe try some SSR2 followed by SSR1/#82, then move to the SMR. I'd use NXT for the wax for it's filling abilities and if it's as bad as you say it is, you'll need all the fillers you can get.
 
It sounds like this Lexus wasn't well maintained at all. If that is going to continue, then fillers aren't very useful since they won't last very long on a car that is being taken to a brush car wash. The beauty of actually removing the swirls is that the results will last forever, or at least until new swirls are created. Using good protectants and washing frequently will help prevent new swirls and will yield long lasting results. The bottom line is, without a PC, you are never going to be able to remove the swirls, only hide them. And without taking proper care of the car, hiding them won't last long at all. I would say that your best off deciding whether or not maintaining your car is important to you. If it is, invest around 250 for the PC, pads and abrasive polish and do the job right. If its not worth the time and money to do that, just leave the car the way it is since you will probably never get satisfactory results anyway. Just my .02
 
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