Swirl mark removing

[kpinks]

I have a dark blue 2018 Toyota Tacoma and decided to try and get rid of the swirl marks and fine scratches. First I washed and dried, then applied Meguiars ScratchX by hand. Next I used the Meguiars Ultimate polish and finally a coat of wax, all by hand. I notice in the sun that there are still fine scratches? Why would this be? Maybe I didn`t do it long enough or intense enough?

[Older]

I have a dark blue 2018 Toyota Tacoma and decided to try and get rid of the swirl marks and fine scratches. First I washed and dried, then applied Meguiars ScratchX by hand. Next I used the Meguiars Ultimate polish and finally a coat of wax, all by hand. I notice in the sun that there are still fine scratches? Why would this be? Maybe I didn`t do it long enough or intense enough?

You`re going to have a very difficult time doing a vehicle by hand.

I wouldn`t even attempt it.

[The Guz]

The limitation is what can be done by hand. It can be made to look better but the moderate to deep defects will stay. I would recommend getting a dual action polisher and make it easier on yourself.

Check out this thread for some good deal. A PC7424XP or Griot`s 6" are a good place to start.

https://www.autopia.org/forums/autopia-carcare-com/189401-box-deals.html

[Accumulator]

I have a dark blue 2018 Toyota Tacoma and decided to try and get rid of the swirl marks and fine scratches....[but]... I notice in the sun that there are still fine scratches? Why would this be? Maybe I didn`t do it long enough or intense enough?
Right, not enough. As noted, doing this by hand is very difficult, or at least very time consuming. It *CAN* be done, but I sincerely doubt you`ll want to do it that way. Note that I`ve spent *hours*, and I don`t mean just a few, removing fingernail scratches from behind door handles, maybe a 1" x 2.5" area where a polisher can`t reach. So it absolutely can be done, I just don`t see anybody doing that effectively on larger areas.

Hey, people were polishing all sorts of hard surfaces (e.g., granite and metals) for centuries before the dawn of electricity, much less the advent of electric polishers. But how many days do you want to put into this? Easy for us to spend your money, but if you want to correct marring efficiently you really do need to buy a good polisher.

[Mike lambert]

To do your truck by hand, set aside a week of day long work! Modern clears are not only thin, but hard. You may start out like gang busters, but as you become tired your work will decline. The machine doesn’t get tired!

[Accumulator]

To do your truck by hand, set aside a week of day long work! Modern clears are not only thin, but hard. You may start out like gang busters, but as you become tired your work will decline. The machine doesn’t get tired!

That`s very good advice, especially the part about how fatigue *does* factor in. No matter how self-disciplined somebody is, after hours and hours...

And yeah, they used to call the PC "a fast hand that doesn`t get tired or careless". But even when using a polisher, there`s the human factor of the operator ;) All this stuff can take a lot longer than most would ever suspect.