05spectraSX
Love my 2005 Spectra SX!
oh. lol thanx
Meguiar's Scratch X.
- Thread starter 05spectraSX
- Start date
JaredPointer
COME AT ME BRO
05spectraSX said:
Any abrasive polish designed to remove swirls is going to remove a very finite amount of clear - that's how you get rid of the swirls, which are tiny micr-scratches in the clear. You are basically rounding off the sharp edges of the micro-scratches. If you never removed any clearcoat, you'd never get rid of the swirling.
05spectraSX said:
100% sheepskin mitts. If you use more than one during the wash, you reduce the risk of dragging a dirty mitt across the surface of your paint as well.
05spectraSX
Love my 2005 Spectra SX!
can you apply scratch X to a rotary duffer and use it that way?
plus how do you wash the sheepshin mitt. Can you put in the washer and drier?
plus how do you wash the sheepshin mitt. Can you put in the washer and drier?
JaredPointer
COME AT ME BRO
05spectraSX said:
According to Meguiar's, ScratchX is not for machine use.
05spectraSX said:
Yes, you can wash them that way if you choose.
Go to meguiarsonline.com and search for scratch x and there is a write up by Mike Phillips that explains how to use it. As previously stated you really have to work it hard using 3-4 applications in one spot and really working it in with a foam pad to see results, but you can remove the swirls by hand with this product.
05spectraSX
Love my 2005 Spectra SX!
damn. should i decide for polish or scratch X.
05spectraSX
Love my 2005 Spectra SX!
hey if i just have dust on my car, can i just dust it off and then use the scratch x, or do i really have to wash the car?
Big Leegr
Swirls?!?! NNOOOOOOO!!!!!
I would wash it. At least the section that I'd be working on. Better to be safe than sorry. If you already have marring, why would you want to induce more?
Oh, and as Jared mentioned, be prepared to use ScratchX repeatedly. It's not a wipe on, wipe off product.
Also, I find you'll get better results from doing more applications with a lighter touch than from a session of "vigorous" rubbing. I'm not saying you shouldn't have any pressure, but if you are rubbing hard, you run the risk of inducing more marring, especially if you aren't familiar with the product/techniques.
Edit: Are you using a machine or is this all by hand? If by machine, what type? How much experience do you have? The answers to these questions will have an effect on what your next steps may be.
Oh, and as Jared mentioned, be prepared to use ScratchX repeatedly. It's not a wipe on, wipe off product.
Also, I find you'll get better results from doing more applications with a lighter touch than from a session of "vigorous" rubbing. I'm not saying you shouldn't have any pressure, but if you are rubbing hard, you run the risk of inducing more marring, especially if you aren't familiar with the product/techniques.
Edit: Are you using a machine or is this all by hand? If by machine, what type? How much experience do you have? The answers to these questions will have an effect on what your next steps may be.
05spectraSX
Love my 2005 Spectra SX!
no, i don't have a machine. I am going to do it by hand.
I tested my clearcoat, and it sucks. I wiped my finger through the dust on my paint like a distance of half an inch and it scratched the clearcoat. I barely even touched the damn thing. And how am i suppose to wash the thing the car without a scratch.
this is imposible!
I tested my clearcoat, and it sucks. I wiped my finger through the dust on my paint like a distance of half an inch and it scratched the clearcoat. I barely even touched the damn thing. And how am i suppose to wash the thing the car without a scratch.
this is imposible!
Big Leegr
Swirls?!?! NNOOOOOOO!!!!!
You likely won't be able to keep it swirl free. Black shows off defects quite readily. If you have buffer holograms like you posted, You'll be in for some long hours to fix it by hand. You may want to get the car "fixed" by a pro first, then work on maintaining it afterwards. A "quick" fix would be to use a glaze to hide the marring until you can get around to fixing it "properly."
As to the scratching by rubbing your finger through the dust, it doesn't surprise me that you induced marring. I wouldn't recommend anyone doing that to any car, regardless of color of paint/quality of clearcoat. You are dragging dirt across the paint. It's like a little bit of sandpaper.
When you are washing a car, you *should* have a layer of lubrication between the mitt and the paint that should help *reduce* the abrasion incurred.
When washing, try to have a plush mitt, and don't keep using it "to the last drop." After it loses its "fluffiness" you run a greater risk of marring the paint when using it, as it isn't able to "capture and hold" the dirt as well as it used to, and it may well have an accumulation of dirt that hasn't rinsed out over the many washes it has been used on. I've seen people using mitts that looked like they had them for years. Threadbare and tattered. Not good for paint.
I have a black car, and I would say that it is possible to keep a black daily driver looking very nice. Obviously not "showroom new" all the time, but better than a vast majority of cars out there. But it takes some time and patience. Washing is an area that is relatively simple to learn "correct" techniques, and once you have that mastered, the rest will be able to add to the overall appearance. However, if you don't wash your car "well" you can undo all your previous work lickety split.
I don't put any pressure on my mitt. I just glide it over the paint so as to get an even film of shampoo over everything (lots of shampoo/water). Then I'll go back to the bucket, rinse out the dirt from that panel, then glide over the same panel again. You might want to consider having a separate mitt for upper and lower areas of the car, so you don't bring the mud from the lower parts to the upper parts next time you wash.
As mentioned by many others, try reading the links offered, then use the "search" button for specific questions you may have. I'm confident there are many threads on DC that will help educate you far better than a couple quick reply posts will.
Good luck!
As to the scratching by rubbing your finger through the dust, it doesn't surprise me that you induced marring. I wouldn't recommend anyone doing that to any car, regardless of color of paint/quality of clearcoat. You are dragging dirt across the paint. It's like a little bit of sandpaper.
When you are washing a car, you *should* have a layer of lubrication between the mitt and the paint that should help *reduce* the abrasion incurred.
When washing, try to have a plush mitt, and don't keep using it "to the last drop." After it loses its "fluffiness" you run a greater risk of marring the paint when using it, as it isn't able to "capture and hold" the dirt as well as it used to, and it may well have an accumulation of dirt that hasn't rinsed out over the many washes it has been used on. I've seen people using mitts that looked like they had them for years. Threadbare and tattered. Not good for paint.
I have a black car, and I would say that it is possible to keep a black daily driver looking very nice. Obviously not "showroom new" all the time, but better than a vast majority of cars out there. But it takes some time and patience. Washing is an area that is relatively simple to learn "correct" techniques, and once you have that mastered, the rest will be able to add to the overall appearance. However, if you don't wash your car "well" you can undo all your previous work lickety split.
I don't put any pressure on my mitt. I just glide it over the paint so as to get an even film of shampoo over everything (lots of shampoo/water). Then I'll go back to the bucket, rinse out the dirt from that panel, then glide over the same panel again. You might want to consider having a separate mitt for upper and lower areas of the car, so you don't bring the mud from the lower parts to the upper parts next time you wash.
As mentioned by many others, try reading the links offered, then use the "search" button for specific questions you may have. I'm confident there are many threads on DC that will help educate you far better than a couple quick reply posts will.
Good luck!