Paint swirls

[Duba]

Newbie here. First thread.



I recently bought a Mercedes that needed help with the black paint it had. It was recommended that I use Meguirs Fine Cut and Meguirs Polish and then carnuba wax.



I now have paint swirls thru out and would like to correct. I have read much about the the types of pads and colors and its confusing. Can someone direct me to a inexpensive investment to correct for my own car?



Do I need to wash car with soap to cut the carnuba wax before polishing??



Please help?!!!!



Thanks in advance.

[longdx]

Basically, my advice(as well as Meguiars) is to use the least aggresive method to correct your paint defects. If you want to strip any pre-existing wax, use Dawn dishwashing soap ( only use this to remove wax) Then, next step is to clay the vehicle (this will remove bonded contaminants on the paint) that would not easily come off during a wash. I would suggest going to the Meguiars forum for their brand specific pad choices.



A brand specific kit (like Meguiars) will include the polisher(G110) pads and products required to correct the vehicle. There are several vendors on this forum that are highly recommended and can walk you through product choices and approaches to correcting your paint problems.



Late model Mercedes vehicles use a hard clearcoat that was designed to help protect paint from automatic car washes. The problem is that it is harder(but not impossible) to remove defects from the paint. Merzerna makes a polish that was specifically designed to correct MB paint. There are many autopians that use Mezerna and can better answer your questions.

[SoCalB6]

Newbie here. First thread.



I recently bought a Mercedes that needed help with the black paint it had. It was recommended that I use Meguirs Fine Cut and Meguirs Polish and then carnuba wax.



I now have paint swirls thru out and would like to correct. I have read much about the the types of pads and colors and its confusing. Can someone direct me to a inexpensive investment to correct for my own car?



Do I need to wash car with soap to cut the carnuba wax before polishing??



Please help?!!!!



Thanks in advance.



Depends. How much is at your disposal to take car of the problem? I maybe cheaper to hire someone on here to take care of it for you if you don`t plan on polishing somewhat often. If you buy a nice little basic set up, you could spend $250 easily...about the same *more or less* as an exterior detail.



If you do not have rotary experience, but feel comfortable using a machine you could get a PC/UDM/G110 or Flex type polisher; OR, read and practice A LOT before getting a rotary. Rotaries are really the fastest and best way to get your paint into *better* than showroom condition. I suppose you can try M105 by hand? if you don`t want to get a machine, but be ready for WORK! You would also need a finishing polish after serious correction like 106ff/fa or Ultrafina.



You could also completely go the other way and, *fill* in your swirls. M21 or Z5pro both hide stuff pretty well. Just wax over them or layer to make the effect last longer, cheaper too.

[Accumulator]

Duba- Welcome to Autopia!



I think the best way for you to get your Benz looking good *and* learn how to keep it that way would be to find somebody from here who`s in your area. Have them do the car/help you do it and see what`s involved.



You *could* polish out the marring (swirls/etc.) yourself and there are machines that`re easy enough to get the hang of, but having somebody there who already knows what`s what would make the whole thing go infinitely better.



Then you can concentrate on the real toughie: washing/drying it without reintroducing the marring. Much easier said than done. This is the one thing you`ll need to concentrate on as you can`t keep polishing away clear forever.



If you *do want to tackle it yourself, and are willing to settle for "much better" as opposed to "perfect", then we can advise you regarding products/etc. But as noted it`s gonna cost a few hundred to get set up with a decent polisher and the correct pads/products/etc.

[whitesands]

Yep, you want to clean your car without creating self induced imperfections...And you want only what is needed and as little contact with the surface as possible to achieve the desired results....





In the future you may want to consider drying your car using the flooding method and a leaf blower to eliminate potential swirls from towel drying...



Also consider a synthetic sealant that you can wipe on without having to buff it off...Just wipe it on and let it dry and eliminate potential swirls caused by buffing....And you do not need a polish if your paint is in good condition...Now that you have swirls you may need it but it needs to be done correctly the first time and you want to do as little as neccessary.



Most swirls are induced by the washing, drying, waxing process..

[imported_DetailDan]

I agree with Accumulator. Correcting any car for the first time is a very long and tedious process, and can be very complicated. Especially if its a black Benz.



Id get a local Autopian to correct the paint and teach you how to maintain it.

[SoCalB6]

I agree with Accumulator. Correcting any car for the first time is a very long and tedious process, and can be very complicated. Especially if its a black Benz.



Id get a local Autopian to correct the paint and teach you how to maintain it.



Probably the only way you`ll be satisfied.

[billium]

I was in your same spot several years ago, Duba.



My opinion is similar to other posts here, find a local autopian/reputable detailer and have them make the correction. Plenty of threads here to learn proper washing method to keep future maring to a minimum.



The problem with the initial "two - three hundred dollar" investment described previously is that it quickly turns into several hundred dollars with a black car. Once you`ve seen how your car can look, it will turn into an obsession. Then you`ll strip all your hard work off to try a different product. Then another, and another. I have 040 black with ceramic clear on my Benz, so I know the road you`re about to go down.



That being said, the good folks at The Perfect Shine/Autogeek/Auto Detail Solutions/ Detailer`s Domain anxiously await your call. They`ll graciously offer to add you to their mailing list. You`ll accept. They`ll giggle. You won`t understand. They`ll giggle louder.



Welcome to hell.



Good luck.

[Duba]

All,



Thanks so much for the feed back. This is a used `92 300 CE with 040 black and the paint is original so it does have some places that are not perfect. However, for a 18 year old car is is pretty good paint. As previously stated I have applied Meguires fine cut with a 7" buffer but I am sure that I did not have the right pads. Would someone in So Cal (San Diego) be able and willing to guide me? I don`t know if someone would want to give up their proprietary info.



I am washing with just clear water and a wash mitt from the auto stores then drying with a chamie.



Is this not the right approach? I have another `97 Merz (gold) that it seems to work fine on.



Sounds like I really messed up and its going to cost me a few hundred to correct?



Wow, I screwed up.

[billium]

Duba;



The Benz ceramic clear is tough stuff and can take a fair amount of abuse. The downside, once mared and scratched, it can be a pain to correct.



I`d suggest you start by going to the "forums" section and click on the "helpful threads for newbies" thread in the "car detailing" forum.



Under the "technique" section of the "Newbies" thread, you`ll see articles by Accumulator and Scottwax as to the more anal ways of washing ones car. Both these guys know what they`re doing (much more than me), but I can`t bring myself to get to a five bucket approach Accumulator recommends. You`ll quickly see you can drop a hundred bucks just on wash products.



Anyway, I find myself referring back to this "Newbies" thread at least a couple times a year. It`s a good place to start - return to. Covers much more than the basics. Spend an hour or two here and many of your questions will be answered, only to bring up questions you didn`t know you had.



Welcome to Autopia Duba and good luck. :welcome

[Accumulator]

..Thanks so much for the feed back. This is a used `92 300 CE with 040 black and the paint is original so it does have some places that are not perfect. However, for a 18 year old car is is pretty good paint...



Ah, useful info. That vintage Benz does *not*, IIRC have super-hard paint. That`s probably good news overall, at least in your case.



Those are cool little coupes too :xyxthumbs




As previously stated I have applied Meguires fine cut with a 7" buffer but I am sure that I did not have the right pads.



The Meg`s #2 Fine Cut is kinda aggressive and needs to be broken down just right. That 7" buffer (esp. if you didn`t use the right pad on it) might not be the ticket.



Many of Meguiar`s "polishes" (scare-quotes intentional) are not abrasive, so they will only hide, as opposed to *remove* the micro marring that the Fine Cut leaves behind.




Would someone in So Cal (San Diego) be able and willing to guide me? I don`t know if someone would want to give up their proprietary info.



Check the appropriate regional forum. There`s gotta be *somebody* out there who can help you.



With the conventional paint on your car (and if you keep realistic expectations), this shouldn`t be all *that* big of a challenge.




I am washing with just clear water and a wash mitt from the auto stores then drying with a chamie.



Is this not the right approach? I have another `97 Merz (gold) that it seems to work fine on.



Nah, that`s not the way to wash ;) It *appears* to work OK on the gold car because that paint doesn`t show flaws as readily as the black.



ScottWax and I use the two methods at opposite ends of the spectrum. Both work/don`t for some people and there`s a huge middle-ground.



But you simply *gotta* use some kind of good shampoo that encapsulates dirt and lubricates the finish, and you gotta use it *right*. Here`s the issue: how do you dislodge the abrasive dirt and then move it off the paint without pressing it *against* the paint and causing scratches? It`s a big challenge.




Sounds like I really messed up and its going to cost me a few hundred to correct?



Wow, I screwed up.



Well, yeah, it will cost a bit to get things sorted out, and they you`ll have to work to *keep* them that way. But hey, people make bigger mistakes than you have.



See if you can find somebody to help you out. IF not, we can try to come up with something you can DIY.



But study up on the washing thing, as that`s the #1 priority. No sense in getting the paint all nice and swirl-free if you`re just gonna mess it up again :D