Swirls On New Car!

DopeCelicaGT · 06-09-03, 04:01

Ok guys I bought a 2002 Toyota Celica (liquid silver) about 9 months or so ago, well up until about 3 months ago the car has looked great, real shiny had depth and so forth to it, and for a silver car that says a lot! Ok now my problem is I started noticing tiny swirls in flourescent light, I know this kinda light shows everything, well so I just kept doing what I have been doing for years, same wash detail methods. On all my previous cars these methods worked just fine, never seen any swirls until they were at least 3 years old, some of them were 10 years old and had less swirls than this car does. My problem is no matter what I do more and more just keep coming.
Here is what I do:
1. I always rinse the car thoroughly from top to bottom, hard rinse at first then I just let the water run down the car next.
2. I mix car wash and water, wash each body panel individually and spray mit out each time just in case I might have some dirt stuck in the mitt.
3. I use a really good mitt for the top body panels, a different one for the front and rear bumpers, also the side skirts.
4. I use a seperate mitt for the wheels and underside of bottom body panels, then a mitt for the fenderwells.
5. I do all of this seperately, take as much care as I possibly can but more of these swirls keep coming. I mean it takes me at leasty 1.5 hours to wash my car!
6. I rinse the whole car down thoroughlywith water when I am done!
7. I dry the entire car off with The Absorber!
Now knowing all of that for washing can someone please tell me why I still keep getting these swirls? How to get rid of them? Oh and I wash my car at least once a week! Somebody please give me some insight on what to do or NOT do LOL! Thanks!! Oh one more thing I also machine wash all my towels and or mitts and stuff after every wash!!

4DSC · 06-09-03, 06:52

Welcome to Autopia.

To get a really good grasp on proper washing technique, I'd suggest downloading the Autopia eBook and/or running some searches for some of the older archived threads. That said though, your technique is pretty good already and you're doing well if you can keep other cars swirl free for that long.

Just a few things:

1) What kind of wash mitt(s) are you using? This is pretty important.

2) What kind and how much car shampoo are you mixing up? This is less important.

3) It's usually better to rinse panels/sections off as you go rather than waiting until you are done, but this is a little thing and shouldn't harm much. Just FYI.

4) Do you blot dry or drag the Absorber? With flat drying materials like that blotting is preferred so you don't drag any missed dirt or wind-propelled dirt across the paint. Many people here have switched to drying with waffleweave (or waffle weave) towels because they are gentler and superior. Do a search on this stuff.

Kudos that you realize how important this all is - washing and drying are very important processes because they're when damage is most likely to occur.

DopeCelicaGT · 06-10-03, 08:15

What about blwo drying the car with an electric blower I notice a lot of people have started doing this, so whats your take on that?? Thanks for the input, oh and I use lambs wool wash mitts!

DopeCelicaGT · 06-10-03, 11:10

Deanski · 06-11-03, 03:44

I'm kind of a waffle/blade dry. I used the CWB (CAL Water Blade) which works so quickly, great for if the sun is working around to give you spots. I follow up with the waffle weave for final dry. To wash, cotton wash block, ya know the ones with the sponge in them.

I always inspect all washing/drying materials and buckets prior to washing. The buckets get a interior wipe, just to avoid small loose dirt and rinsed. Same for the cotton sponge. The blade get same... wipe/rinse as well as the waffle.

Never can be too careful you know.

Regards,
Deanski

DopeCelicaGT · 06-11-03, 08:32

Nope u never can be too careful!! Thanks for the input guys, keep it coming!

4DSC · 06-11-03, 11:23

Sheepskin mitts should be perfectly safe, and I prefer them.

You'll find mixed reviews about the CWB. I use it too and like it, but you have to be attentive and cautious since you are basically squeegeeing your vehicle.

Sorry, I don't know anything about using a leaf blower, but I know people do this. If you haven't already, run a search on some of these items (CWB, leaf blower). Sometimes older threads are more helpful.