I've tried polishing my trunk using a swirl remover (Turtle Wax - which I bought a few years ago, I tried looking for 3M's swirl remover for light colored cars, but the local auto parts stores only carried the one for dark colored cars), and while it did visibly reduce swirl marks, it didn't completely remove them.

My car is brand new, bought four five months ago, and in the shade, the paint looks almost perfect, now that I've fixed the rail dust problem. However, under direct sunlight or a xenon lamp (white lights used in parking lots, I think they are xenon, but I'm not sure), you see tons of swirls.

So here's what i did. I used a masking tape to divide my trunk into two halves. I polished one half (a few dabs of swirl remover on an applicator foam, and rubbed it, not too firmly, in straight back and forth strokes against the paint surface, about 20 strokes from front to back, and another 20 strokes left to right) and left the other half unpolished. I then park the car under direct sunlight, and while I can definitely see a difference between the polished and unpolished side, the polished half isn't exactly swirl free yet.

I'm thinking about two possibly routes to go from here:
1. Get 3M's swirl remover online (or Meguiars or something else), because maybe Turtle Wax just isn't up to the task.
2. Use a stronger polish and see if that helps (I'm pretty sure I can get some 3M fine cut polishing compounds locally).

What do you guys think?

 

It sounds like you are doing this by hand. I you know someone that has a Porter Cable, or can buy one yourself, I think that would help. I got one for Christmas, and it is one of the best detailing tools to have. I just did my Berlina last week, and it made a big difference. But I still cannot get all the swirls out. I used Menzerna products. I keep telling myself, do not obsess or lose sleep over your paint

 

Yeah, I'm not going to lose sleep over it. In fact, I was perfectly happy with the car, even before polishing it. I just figured that if I could get the paint to look perfectly smooth, even in direct sunlight, all the better.

 

Swirl removal is not an easy task nor one learned the first time out (unless your lucky) . There are multiple products and pads and success will be dependant on how you work it; and it could be different for different products. Unless you really work a product until it breaks down properly you will not get the swirls. I have never been successful removeing much by hand.

 

Turtle wax wont really do the trick. Go and buy yourself a porter cable best investment to take car of your car.

 

By hand you will never remove all swirls. To do so you NEED a machine unless you can spin your hand at 1,500 rpm? Find someone who knows how to use a rotary buffer and the proper cutting compounds/pads or hire a good detailer. I own a Detailing business and also do training so if you have any questions please feel free to PM me.

 

err seems like a few not so profess boards have gotten to you. The machine you are refering to is not called a "porter cable" by any real detailer only the weekend warriors. By telling him the company name he will never find what he needs please use the correct name. He will need a Dual-Action polisher/buffer and even then that may not remove all swirls a good rotary buffer is what is needed for the best job.

 

I am a "real detailer" and I call it a Porter Cable.............I also call you a newbie

 

I know very few who call it by its brand. Unless you hit the few forums like "autopia" where they use this detailing "slang". But yes I am new to these forums due to my recent purchase of an s2000 but detailing is nothing new to me. I own a buisness, train for a school, and am actually in the process of starting my own school/ product line with a team ran by a former head chemist from meguires. Needs a nice amount of $$ to start off with but will hopefully pay off in the end. Also please dont take my past post in any negative ways Im just trying to help this guy find the right equipment to do the job.

 

Thanks for the information guys.

The swirls don't bother me all that much right now, so I guess I'll just remove what I can by hand, and buy a rotary buffer later (maybe in a few years) if they start bothering me.

Thanks again! Welcome to the board, KMAzz.