Swirls: Fighting A losing battle

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imported_HiTek21

New member
Hi all, this is my first post but I've been lurking on these forums for awhile. I apologize if this is the wrong section or has been discussed to death but I'm not really sure where else to put it.



I have a 07 Tacoma X-Runner in speedway blue and I absolutly love taking care of it. I wash it weekly and have already done a through detail. Clay, polish, seal, & wax. I always took care of my previous vehicle but since I got my new truck I stepped up the products a bit and am taking almost every single precaution to keep it in great shape. My friends call me insane for all the stuff that I buy.



Using the two bucket wash method with grit guards, I even pre-soak with the gilmour foam gun and rinsing off before washing. I use a sheepskin wash mit (I've tried natural sea sponge but I don't really like it) and some waffle weave microfiber drying towels I got from Excel Detail.



Well I'm always checking it over and today is when I really noticed how many swirls my paint has now. It was a kick in the stomach seeing how bad it was since I try so hard. I try to blot it dry but since it's such a large vehicle it takes too long and the water dries up (we have fairly hard water). I'm looking into buying a water filter system to hopefully give me more drying time but I don't know what else to do. I'm looking for some advice to hopefully help
 
Hi, I am also new here, i have just an old 03 F150 that i am currently trying to keep looking good.

Its my first car i'm still in high school and i seem to be the only guy at my school that cares about keeping my truck looking nice.

I have heard a lot about the 2 bucket method of washing but have recently given up washing my truck at home and decided to go up to the car wash to do it. However, with this new knowledge of the 2 bucket system i am willing to give it another try. I would greatly appreciate it if you could explain your method of the 2 bucket.

thank you, Avaitor16:think2
 
HiTek21 said:
Well I'm always checking it over and today is when I really noticed how many swirls my paint has now.
Click to expand...



I think no matter how careful you are in washing/drying, dust and dirt particles in the air will eventually abrade your paint as you drive you car. When dirt particles stick to your paint after a few days, the wind over the car surface as you drive along can push those dirt particles over the paint, causing light scratches/swirl. That's my theory anyway, haven't got scientific proof on that! But I've been careful in my washing/drying also, and still end up with light scratches/swirl.



Also when you brush against your car some time after washing, light dirt/dust may already have settled on the painted surfaces and you may cause light abrasion there. It's a constant battle so I think you need to just occasionally use light polishes to get rid of them. I'm getting my first ever set of polishes next week (SSR2.5 and 1) and a PC, I'll see if I can even out the battlefield!
 
it is the color that is the problem.



Not much you can do but live with it except if the swirls were there when the car was new.



Were they there?



Maybe someone close by you can buff it out and just go from there.



Some colors swirl very easy.
 
dark colors show their defects more than light colors. all colors get defects. trick is to reduce defects and reduce the need for frequent polishing.

not easy with black but if you can perfect your technique on black you know you are doing it right.

i use the same techniques on all paint colors but they are based on the care i use on our black daily drivers.

a black car is sort of like a black shirt. one flake of dandruff or dust and it shows. that isn't the case with a white shirt.
 
HiTek21 said:
Hi all, this is my first post but I've been lurking on these forums for awhile. I apologize if this is the wrong section or has been discussed to death but I'm not really sure where else to put it.



I have a 07 Tacoma X-Runner in speedway blue and I absolutly love taking care of it. I wash it weekly and have already done a through detail. Clay, polish, seal, & wax. I always took care of my previous vehicle but since I got my new truck I stepped up the products a bit and am taking almost every single precaution to keep it in great shape. My friends call me insane for all the stuff that I buy.



Using the two bucket wash method with grit guards, I even pre-soak with the gilmour foam gun and rinsing off before washing. I use a sheepskin wash mit (I've tried natural sea sponge but I don't really like it) and some waffle weave microfiber drying towels I got from Excel Detail.



Well I'm always checking it over and today is when I really noticed how many swirls my paint has now. It was a kick in the stomach seeing how bad it was since I try so hard. I try to blot it dry but since it's such a large vehicle it takes too long and the water dries up (we have fairly hard water). I'm looking into buying a water filter system to hopefully give me more drying time but I don't know what else to do. I'm looking for some advice to hopefully help
Click to expand...
Try getting a cheap leaf blower from Sears (30 bucks) this will get most of water off the surface without having to touch it. It will also get the water out of crevises and places your mf can't reach, especially the side mirrors. You can then QD with a mf towel.
 
Legacy99 said:
Try getting a cheap leaf blower from Sears (30 bucks) this will get most of water off the surface without having to touch it. It will also get the water out of crevises and places your mf can't reach, especially the side mirrors. You can then QD with a mf towel.
Click to expand...



rather than go to sears, get this one from walmart... Weed Eater WEB150 Electric Blower - Wal-Mart :up

0002476101554_500X500.jpg
 
Aviator16 said:
[FONT="Verdana"

I have heard a lot about the 2 bucket method of washing but have recently given up washing my truck at home and decided to go up to the car wash to do it. However, with this new knowledge of the 2 bucket system i am willing to give it another try. I would greatly appreciate it if you could explain your method of the 2 bucket.

thank you, Avaitor16:think2 [/FONT]
Click to expand...



Glad we have a young'un here who cares for his cars!



text:

Auto Detailing Guide - Washing & Drying How-To, Tips, & FAQ - Detailed Image



video:

How to Video - Pinnacle Car detailing video from wash to wax
 
HiTek21- A few sorta-random thoughts follow. It's taken me a long time (decades) but I've beenab to basically eliminate marring, I hardly ever have to polish my vehicles any more.



Use a slick LSP and don't let it get/stay too dirty between washes.



Use a high-lubricity shampoo.



The foamgun presoak is an OK idea, but IMO that's the *least* significant foamgun benefit. The real benefit to a foamgun is the ability to provide constant flushing and lubrication during the wash process.



For the initial pass(es) spray the foam through a BHB at the point where the bristles contact the paint. Use hardly any pressure...this is just to get the "big stuff" off. Think "dislodge and flush". Rinse the BHB frequently, once it's dirty it can scratch.



Then rewash with a mitt, again spraying the foam at the point where the mitt contacts the paint. I fill the mitt with shampoo solution and hold it shut at the cuff, I then gently whisk it across the paint while spraying the foam with my other hand. I rinse the mitt frequently, always more than once per pane and sometimes after only cleaning a few square inches. I do *not* believe that dirt migrates up into wash media away from the paint, at least not to the extent that you won't get marring.



Never press hard with any wash media...hold it away from the paint so it barely makes contact.



Wash, rinse, inspect, repeat.



I'll wash a single panel numerous times as I do it so gently that I barely disturb the dirt. It can take me several minutes (think about that...several *minutes* is a very long time) to wash a single panel. If something doesn't come off the panel with these very gentle wash techniques I remove it with Sonus green clay.
 
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