right guys - i have just picked up my s2000, lovely car and really want to get it in really good condition.

couple of quick questions - the car is red and has a lot of swirl marks on it.

the marks are only light and you cannot feel them when running your fingers over - it has obviously been caused by having "cheaper" cleaning products used on it but i think it could be sorted.

i know this is only my second post but any guides as the getting the paint back to its former glory would be much appreciated.

advice on what order to do stuff in and also which products to get would be great.

cheers.

 

welcome to the board!

we can help you get that car better than new...
first, you really want to do some reading - swirl removal is about polishing technique. it is the most difficult and widely discussed procedure of detailing, imo...
and you will need a machine - to do a whole car. can do it by hand, but since i have been there/ done that i can tell you its not a real option (way too much work- its not a wipe on wipe off type of procedure- its a work the heck outta the polish until it dusts and then do it again sorta thing)

my suggestion is that you read (check our how tos on the main board, and especially the video on polishing) first, then post up in your local forum to see if someone would help you - they supply the machine (assuming you dont have one) and know how... you supply products and refreshments. this combo works-

after you polish, you need to protect the paint with a good synthetic and/or wax.

 

I think Im in the minority here, but I really like the Poorboy's SSR line of products. Granted, they dust like crazy, but they do work. If you can find someone local with SSR2.5, SSR1.0, and a Porter Cable 7424 or a UDM (Ultimate Detailing Machine), that will get those swirls out very well. Like Wanabe said, you should follow that up with a synthetic or wax to protect the hard work since the swirl removal products do not have any protective qualities, (as opposed to a wax that protects your cars finish from the elements).

-Matt

 

I can't really add anything that the others haven't already suggested. The basic cookbook is along these lines:

- Wash
- Clay
- Polish
- Wax or sealant
- Smile

The others are right about the polishing - opinions vary on what's best and what folks like. I agree wholeheartedly that you want a machine like a Porter Cable 7424 along with a handful of polishing and finishing pads. I'm new to the machine thing myself and, so far, I'm totally enamored with the Menzerna polishes I bought from our sponsor, Detailer's Domain. Easy to work with and the results are money.

Phil (detailersdomain.com) can definitely help you with your selection, as can we all. Everything I've bought from him has been awesome and well priced. Just tried P21S wheel cleaner for the first time, and my gosh this stuff is magic!

Good luck. You of course will need to post pictures of your work when you're done...

 

Do you have a good orbital? I have a Porter Cable (PC), and have had good luck with both Orange and yellow LC pads using Pinnacle XMT 1-3 polish.

I think certain types of aggressive polish may not work well with a PC/cutting pad combo, as the finish may become rough, although a yellow pad combined with Pinnacle XMT worked great for me.

I experienced a slight cloudy condition, but the millions of nearly microscopic scratches that I instilled were so very uniform, I was able to very easily polish it to an ultra fine finish using a white pad with the XMT #1.

Up to this point, I had been experimenting with XMT for about a year, off and on. You want to start out with the least aggressive pad/polish combo because it is easier to remove paint, than to add paint.

Some folks will give the advice (not going to mention any names) that if you cant easily removes defects/swirls/scrathes with a PC, then you need to pay somebody to do it with a rotary x2

I believe it's to the effect of a cutting pad combined with an aggressive polish on a PC leaving the finish too rough, whereas a rotary finishes finer than a PC with the same aggressiveness.

In my case, I don't have a rotary, so I used my PC and achieved an excellent result in the form of a flawless finish. This was due to the Pinnacle XMT polish. They are not that abrassive in my opinion, and they are also diminishing.

After experimenting with the PC and the XMT polishes for a while, I mastered swirl removal with a PC. Because the XMT line is not that abrasive, I had a need to use both the Orange, as well as the Yellow cutting pads by Lake Country to get rid of some damn scratches and swirls.

I bought some XMT #4, which is supposed to be more like a true cutting compound (with diminishing abrasives), which would have made my job of removing the scratches on my S2000 a hell of a lot easier, because with the #3/Yellow pad combo, I really had to press down and work the product for a long time and repeat 2-3 times in one detailing session to rid my hood of ALL the scratches.

I can use the #4 on future jobs (if necessary) for defect removal. I wish I had the #4 when I was busting my ass on my S2000 earlier, but now, it doesn't need it

 

Sorry for wring a book hehe

 

i have a similar problem, a 2 month old NFR with swirl from the dealer,

the problem i have is, i dont have a PC as of the moment, still need a couple of months to save for it and the pads, liquids i need to buy, this will prolly cost me about $250. from my estimate, i don't have that yet. so my question is,

what's a good product, that i can use?

my criterias are,
1. no machine, i will apply it by hand.
2. i know it wont be perfect, i'm looking for temporary solution.
3. something that will not take out to much clear coat, im saving it for the really good polishing i will be doing in the future, im planning to keep my S for a very long time.


does a product like this exist, or my only option is to save up as fast as i can and buy an orbital?


help!!!! hehe

 

I'm in the NFR dealer swirl boat, too. I have some 3M