Gentlest Polish for Very Minor Swirls/Scratches

E

E55

New member
My MB is just over 4 months old. While washing it yesterday I noticed that it now has some very minor swirls & scratches. I only saw them because the sun hit at just the proper angle & I was standing with my face practically against the paint.



I'm looking for the gentlest polish I can find to remove these marks. I have some AIO. Will that do it?



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E55
 
Meguiar's #80 Speed Glaze would be my bet. Maybe Scottwax can chime in since he used to do everything by hand and still get spectacular results.
 
I'd go with either the 1z Metallic or the #80, and even then I'd be prepared to use something more aggressive. Even with very light marring, you gotta cut clear and that takes a little doing by hand. The very mild products mentioned only work for me after all discernable marring has been removed using something more aggressive.
 
If it is that light I would just use AIO or something by hand and just fill it as much as I can. No sense grinding off clear for very minor swirls that you can only see at certain angles.



Just my opinion.
 
AIO never really hides anything for me, if anything it makes marring more noticable. If you want to hide it, I'd try something like 1Z WaxPolishSoft, or 3M SMR light/dark, or one of Meg's "pure polishes", or some other glaze and then top with a "heavy" carnauba.
 
I agree with Accumulator on this. I'd go for the filler/heavy wax combo on really like swirls. Something like RMG followed by a collinite or #16 would hide a good deal of swirling. Check my sig for my combo. It hides a good deal of marring.
 
How about preventing those swirls. Answer these questions?

Do you use two buckets when washing? One for soap and other to rinse the mit.

Do you use microfiber towels and wool mits? Or do you use terry cloths or cotton towels to wash the vehicle or dry?

If you use terry cloths or any cotton to wash or dry your car you will get swirls. Use two buckets to wash. One for soap and the other to rinse the mit, so you can release the dirt from the mit. Not put it in the soap water that goes back on the car. Use a high quality soap like sonus or p21s.

All these suggestions are great on how to remove them, but try limiting them. Use a finish polish ever 6 months to minimize micro scratches in your clear coat.

Good luck~!
 
audipower said:
How about preventing those swirls. Answer these questions?

Do you use two buckets when washing? One for soap and other to rinse the mit.

Do you use microfiber towels and wool mits? Or do you use terry cloths or cotton towels to wash the vehicle or dry?

If you use terry cloths or any cotton to wash or dry your car you will get swirls. Use two buckets to wash. One for soap and the other to rinse the mit, so you can release the dirt from the mit. Not put it in the soap water that goes back on the car. Use a high quality soap like sonus or p21s.

All these suggestions are great on how to remove them, but try limiting them. Use a finish polish ever 6 months to minimize micro scratches in your clear coat.

Good luck~!
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This is a good point. I do use good washing techniques & materials. However, I think I know how I caused the scratches & it's something about which I've been worried.



I have been a frequent user of QD sprays to remove dust & light dirt from the car. Several people have suggested that this is likely to lead to small scratches over time. based on what I saw the other day, I think they're right.



Sigh ... I think it's time I laid off the frequent QD'ing & let the dust build up until I can wash properly.



--

Hook
 
merci said:
Meguiar's #80 Speed Glaze would be my bet. Maybe Scottwax can chime in since he used to do everything by hand and still get spectacular results.
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Yeah, #80 is a great product and since an E55 most likely has the CeramiClear paint, to remove even minor swirling you will need a true polish like #80. You should also seriously consider investing in a PC or a Cyclo for future polishing.
 
Scottwax said:
Yeah, #80 is a great product and since an E55 most likely has the CeramiClear paint, to remove even minor swirling you will need a true polish like #80. You should also seriously consider investing in a PC or a Cyclo for future polishing.
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Yes, it's got the CeramiClear paint. I have been thinking about a PC/Cyclo, but I have never used one & am worried about screwing up big time :scared:



Is this something I can learn safely on my own? Hmmm ... maybe I can use my old F150 as a test vehicle?



--

Hook
 
E55 said:
Yes, it's got the CeramiClear paint. I have been thinking about a PC/Cyclo, but I have never used one & am worried about screwing up big time :scared:



Is this something I can learn safely on my own? Hmmm ... maybe I can use my old F150 as a test vehicle?



--

Hook
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Really only two hazards with either. Dropping them on your car or catching grit under the pad(s). Clean your pads regularly and don't drop the buffer on the car and you will be fine.
 
Alfisti said:
1Z Metallic Polish Wax.
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Yes, 1Z MP Wax might be a good choice. I consider it to be somewhere between a dedicated swirl remover and a simple cleaner wax. It also works great on plastic light covers. If your car is a light and/or metallic color, 1Z Paint Polish might be a more effective one-step product, though the carnauba wax protection will last only until the next rain or wash (MP Wax will last up to about 2 months in the right conditions).
 
Keep in mind that new Mercedes Ceramiclear paint is very hard. Some of the products might be able to somewhat conceal light defects but to truly remove them, you'll need a professional light polish. I've found Menzerna PO85RD and PO106FF,specifically for Ceramiclear, to do an outstanding job. Given they are scarce/discontinued now, FP II should do OK. However, even very light defects can be a big deal to remove on Ceramiclear paint. I even had to briefly use a rotary with a 4" pad @ 1000 RPMs to get a relatively minor blemish out. With PO, it was removed instantly. Truly the closest thing I've seen to "magic" yet.
 
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