A few days ago, I was in a hurry to meet up with a couple of old firends and wanted my car to be lookin' good... so I took it to one of those "gentle" hand car washes for the first time. My S2K is now covered in paint swirls, (made even more visible by the normally beautiful black paint) every time I look at my baby I cringe. How do I get rid of the damn things? If I leave them there too much longer I think she's going to kill me in my sleep.

 

Unfortunately, that is one of the problems with a black car. The swirls are so visible.

Take it to a professional detailer but I think about all you could do would be a cut and polish to get rid of it - but don't do this without speaking to a professional first.

 

Ok BnB calm down,
doc's going to make everything all better.......without a lecture on "gentle" car washes....... YOU IDIOT!!!! sorry I'm just kidding
Ok let's get a good hand wash on it, then get some Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing lotion (or something very similar)with some miracle cloths or 100% cotton terry toweling. Do small area at a time (back and forth motion, hopefully your familar with that type of movement ) and after an hour or so of good hard work those swirls are going to be gone. The reseal with a polymer and wax with Souveran or Blitz (or something simlar) After of full afternoon of work sweat and penance your black beauty will be back. As you must suffer as your poor Stook has suffered, no beer, wine or alcoholic beverages of any kind while you redeem yourself "playing with your paint". When you are finished a great calm will engulf you and we will once again welcome you back into the "Brotherhood of Black".
Mark
01 TheBlackBeast (and dispenser of absolution)#0090

 

The first day I had my car, I took it to our local, very expensive, hand car wash. I was the first customer. My car was in the booth for 25 minutes. When it came out it had a ding. I've never taken my car to a car wash again.

The swirls you see aren't a fault of the car wash. It is the fault of the buffer someone used on your car before. After buffing some places use "swirl remover" which is actually "swirl cover-upper." My recommendation is simple but time consuming:

1. Hand wash car with Mothers, Zymol, McGuires' car wash;
2. Use a new (and always kept clean) California car squeegie thing;
3. Use polishing cloths to finish (100% cotton) from autofanatics or some other reputable place (only made in USA so 100% cotton means just that)
4. Use McGuires or Mothers wax remover;
5. Mothers or 3M rubbing polish (clear coat safe)
6. Use McGuires or Mothers wax remover;
7. Wash;
8. Finish with a good carnuba.

Stand back and smile, and never let anyone else wash your car.

Just my $0.02

2x6spds

 

You're now speaking to 'The Professional'!!!!

I used to be a professional prestige car detailer about 9 years ago. I used to do contract work as well for the local Honda dealership. Having owned 5 Honda's, I know them very well.

If the swirls were put on by a touchless car wash or a buffer, they should be able to be removed by hand.

Before you get the car detailed, at least try this first procedure first. Go out and buy:

1 x bottle of 3M Swirl Remover for DARK colored cars (available from Pep Boys or maybe Napa)
3-5 x 100% white/creme color Cotton bath towels (NOT the packaged cotton towels at Pep Boys - they contain polyester that scratches the shit out of your car). Get the good ones like Cannon or Fieldcrest from Sams Club. Cut off all labels and avoid using the side with the embroidered/recessed trim. DO NOT wash them in fabric softener first!!!

Wash the car with Dawn liquid detergent (you need to strip all the existing wax/polish off the car). By the way, DO NOT use a wool wash mit. Only use an open pore sponge or a 100% cotton towel like what you just bought above.

Get two buckets with extra warm water (bearable to put your hands in). Fill one bucket with wash and keep the other bucket filled with plain water. Don't dip the sponge/towel all the way to the bottom of either bucket. Use the soap bucket, apply to car, and then rinse in the clean water bucket, BEFORE you put the sponge back in the soap bucket.

Dry the car (read directions below).

Then, read the directions on the 3M bottle. On horizontal surfaces, polish in a front-to-back action, with even pressure, NOT in circles. On vertical sections such as doors and rear quarter panels, go in an up and down action, NOT in circles. Use reasonable pressure and with low humidity. As you are in CA, you don't need to worry about the cold (don't do it if it is below 60). Also, don't do it if it is too hot. You might need to do the 3M process a few times on the most affected parts. Keep the car out of the dust....do the whole process inside a garage if you can.

Follow the 3M swirl remover with Zaino Brothers products http://www.zainobros.com Believe me, I have used everything under the sun, and Zaino is the shit! There is nothing, I.M.H.T.G.F.O. better than Zaino. You'll want to get some of the Z1 Polish Lok, then Z2 and the Z6 Gloss enhancer. Z2 works like magic on a black car (any color actually) and even increases the time between washes because it has an anti-static inhibitor that reduces the amount of dust particles that clings to the car. Believe me, this stuff works! Your car actually looks cleaner and glossier for longer.

When washing the car from now on, use a good car wash product, not the Dawn this time!!! (Zaino wash is good, or Meguiars Gold Class wash). Take the nozzle off the hose so that you have a steady 'unasisted' stream of water coming out of the hose. Don't use a pressure washer unless you know what you are doing! Dry it out of the sun with a synthetic chamois (The Absorber is good) - NOT leather. Once again, dry the car in the same manner as you polished the car. To remove extra water off the paint, drape the chamois across the car and let it absorb the water as you pull it lightly over the surface of the paint.

DO NOT use tools like the California Water Blade. I don't care HOW CLEAN it is, this shitful product is guaranteed to scratch your car! Believe me, I know this from experience. 2x6spds is just lucky this hasn't happened yet to his cars.

If you have access to an air compressor with an air gun, this is ideally the best way to dry the car. Just use the air pressure to blow dry off the water.

By the way, the more coats that you put on of Z2, the better/richer your car's paint will look.[/b] I had 7 coats on my C5 'vette last summer and it looked spectacular. If that was GM paint, imagine how good Honda paint can look?! Just take your time (set aside the whole day - yes, really!)

I know that some people think Carnauba is a great wax. Actually, Carnauba by itself is a very hard product. It is old news. In the 13 years I have been looking after cars, I have tried everything...3M, Meguiars, Zymol, Simonize, Autoglym, Boyds...you name it, I have tried it. I cannot endorse Zaino Brothers highly enough. There is absolutely nothing better (I do really like the 3M Swirl Remover though, so this is why I have recommended it to you).

NOW, repeat after me.....

"I WILL NEVER TAKE MY CAR TO AN AUTOMATIC (TOUCHLESS OR NOT) CAR WASH FOR THE REST OF MY NATURAL LIFE. I WILL NEVER RUSH THE JOB, AND I WILL ALWAYS LAVISH MY CAR WITH THE LOVE AND CARE THAT SHE DESERVES!!!".

ALSO, make sure that when the car is in for service, that you instruct the service manager to put on the repair order AND to brief the mechanic NEVER to run the car through their car wash. In fact, put a big sign on the dashboard for all to see!

Hope this helps!

[Edited by Sime on 03-06-2001 at 03:09 PM]

 

Please help a newbie out here. Just got my black/black s2k a week ago and don't feel comfortible to bring to ANY car wash place. What are my right 'procedures' to make sure my new baby stays shiny and slick? Your help is MUCH appreciated.


J.

 

Bluejay....see my post above. Just omit the swirl removing step.

Cheers,

 

J
There's alot of this info in our archives but it's tough being new so.....
Ol doc's goin' strart you out on the straight and narrow
1) we never use dish soap or any other soap other than CAR WASH stuff. I use Liquid Gold Wash with a natural sponge and a boars hair brush.
2) natural or synthetic chamois ok to dry
3) Polish is used to remove swirls, gunk etc. Not used often but I use Pinnacle Paintwork cleansing lotion.
4) Now we want to seal the paint with a polymer, I use Liquid Gold paint sealant.
5) after curing a couple layers of the seal we want to "wax" the car with a good carnuba. I use Souveran but Blitz is good at 1/3 the price.

Always use miracle cloths, 100% cotton towels etc, NEVER synthetics (polyesther) paper towels etc.

Top, I use a natural sponge and Porsche shampoo
This is very basic but a good start for you. Study and learn grasshopper
Mark
01 TheBlackBeast#0090

 

Hello Bluejay

See my post above for your 12 step path to joy and great happiness for the care and maintenance of black S2000s.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by drmark

1) we never use dish soap or any other soap other than CAR WASH stuff.