Sonus Swirl Buster

LightngSVT · 08-09-06, 10:26

After the great reviews I recently bought the Swirlbuster Polish and pad. I have a detail this weekend of an 04 SVT Lightning, black, that the owner wants perfect so I thought this would be the ticket. Im not blamin ghte product, but I had major issues. It must have been my technique.

I used a panel of my wifes 06 black MAriner as a test panel. In the year she's had it I have found the paint to be pretty resistant to swirls and marring even when she hits the carwash (sigh). After cleaning, I loaded 4 rings of the pad with polish (not full) and gave the pad 2-3 squirt of Megs Final Inspection to dampen it. I think I used to much polish because it took a loooong time to break down.

When I buffed off the residue I was shocked to see the panel was nothing but one huge patch of micromarring!

I have never had results like that with any product by PC before, I did shake the polish for about 10 seconds before use too. I then went over the panel with the SBP and a regular, white polishing pad. It improved but the marring was still very evident under 1000w of halogen light.

I ended up using Optimum OC / OP 50 /50 mix on a polishing pad and followed that with OP on a polishing pad, then a pass with VM and topped with Soveran and it looks like new again. Im not sure exactly what I did wrong, can anyone see a flaw in my technique? But I may just stick with my regular pads and Optimum as Ive always had excellent results with them.

dmxsoulja3 · 08-09-06, 11:52

I too tried it this past weekend and was unable to get it to do anything, I made multiple passes each time slower than the last to try and maybe fabricate the idea that I was doing it wrong..I ended up giving up going with a polishing pad and just got it looking decent again, luckly I only tried it on my hood, can always go carbon fiber lol

Guy · 08-09-06, 12:55

I found the Swirlbuster worked better after I polished with 3M perfect it foam pad polish. I ordered the opitmum polish hoping that it will get out, not just cover the swirls as the 3m isn't aggressive enough. The swirlbuster is a good last step in the polish stage to get rid of some of the marks that you just can't get out.

BlackSunshine · 08-09-06, 02:14

Interesting... SB was the only polish/pad combo that would effectively eliminate the minor cobwebbing on my dark blue metallic GTO. One or two slow passes at 6 on the PC and the marring was gone. Maybe you weren't holding your mouth right.

dmxsoulja3 · 08-09-06, 02:22

blacksunshine can you post more info on how you used it, what the polish looked like after being broke down..I too had not good results with the SBP and pad

Pb2theMax · 08-09-06, 03:13

I just did my truck with SB polish and pad, and it turned out awesome!

The paint is absolutely perfect and has never looked so good. It removed all the micromarring. I then topped it with UPP and the results were amazing. I would have taken some pics, but it just wouldn't do it justice.

One application of SB topped with UPP rivals the results from a 5 day-long detailing job that I did on my truck's paint last year.

IMO, the SB polish & pad should be awarded Best Detailing Products of the Year.

dmxsoulja3 · 08-09-06, 03:34

man then what are we doing wrong lol

BlackSunshine · 08-09-06, 04:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmxsoulja3

blacksunshine can you post more info on how you used it, what the polish looked like after being broke down..I too had not good results with the SBP and pad

I applied one small bead of SBP around the pad in the middle of the three grooves on the pad. I then took the pad with polish on it, and pat down the panel to spread the product. I started out at a low speed (3 or 4) to further spread the polish and cover the panel. I then bumped the speed up to 6, applied heavy pressure on the PC, and made a couple of passes. Just when the polish started to dust (very minimal dusting btw) I removed the polish. The swirls (or cobwebs, whatever) were gone. Whether they were removed or filled in, I do not know.

Pb2theMax · 08-09-06, 05:10

^ I did the same thing, but I misted some QD (S&G) on the pad before starting.

I just used medium pressure because my paint had minimal microscratches to begin with.

I got a lot of dusting before the polish was fully worked-in. No big deal though. The results on the paint is worth cleaning off the dust

LightngSVT · 08-09-06, 09:55

Well I used meduim to firm pressure and speed 5.5 on my PC. Also, I must have used way to much polish because it never dusted. Ill have to try another panel with the new technique and see what happens.

Capt. Paintball · 08-09-06, 10:18

I have done several hundred black Ford cars, and I have to say their paint is crap to work with. A fellow detailer had to revive a Lincoln Navigator, and for whatever reason, had to call the Ford/Lincoln factory rep. The Factory rep told my fellow detailer NOT to use any compound on the paint, and to leave it alone! When my fellow detailer asked what they are supposed to do if they could not buff/polish/compound, the Ford rep said, "YOU'RE the detailer, you should know what to do!"

I just did my 35th BLACK Lincoln LS today, and I used Meguire's DACP with yellow Meg's pad, followed by 60% Optimum polish/40% Ardex Seal B (black car SMR-type of filler) on a 3M black pad. It took out the haze from 3 years of automatic car washing, and looks much, much better. In fact, a young kid wants to buy it, but only if I can do a major wetsand job on the trunk. But as long as your lightning's paint was not abused with a nylon brush, I think this is a good way to go.

LightngSVT · 08-10-06, 07:52

I used to use Seal-B alot back in the day. The paint on her Mariner has held up to a year of daily use including car washes with only showing very minor swirling. I consider that good, maybe we're lucky? I was able to use a 50/50 mix of optimum compound and Optimum polish on the vehicle with great results, so the paint on her car doesnt seem overly soft to me.

Ill play around with SBP a bit more before I throw in the towel, as Im sure it really is a great product.