scratches after polishing

I've never used Leatherique myself but I have read and heard of quite a few raving testimonials. Might want to do some more research on that product line. Laters.
 
Okay, yesterday I polished out an M3(E46) metallic blue. Today I went back to detail the engine and wipe the dust off of it. After I was done with the engine I took my quick detailer and went to rid the car of all the dust. It was in a shop but only a light amount of dust. I took the car outside and noticed only on the top panels(hood, and roof) that I was very lightly marring the paint. I did the exact same thing with a porsche I did for them last week and this didn't happen. Some cars I have this problem with right after I polish but others I don't. It is like the surface is sensitive after polishing. I don't understand why it does that, and why only some cars. The paint was pretty hard also, if it was an infinity I could understand with the super soft clear but not with this car. Any explanation with this?
 
Ok so I'm not the only one. But you get what I'm sayin, it's VERY light scratches that are in the direction of how I'm wiping that you can only see in certain light in certain angels. If I never looked under the sun I wouldnt have noticed and I know it wasn't there yesterday cause I washed it in the sun. But like I said, some cars I get this with and some I don't.
 
Cleaning and Care
Polishing pads can "load-up" with residues reducing their effectiveness. Don't let polish residues dry in the pad as dried hardened polish can cause scratches. If you don't want to stop in the middle of polishing to clean pads, plan on using 2 or4 pads for each polishing step on the average vehicle. Don't let polish residues dry in the pad.

When you remove a dirty pad from your machine, immediately place it in a bucket of water with a d-limonene (citrus) based cleaner (P21S Total Auto Wash), micro fibre detergent, or use a pad cleaner, to keep the products from drying in the pores. When you are ready to clean them, rinse well, re-wash and leave to air-dry Velcro side up on a grit guard or drying rack

Duospur? Cleaning Tool - this patented tool is effective for "on the fly" cleaning of both foam and wool pads. Features large non-staining nylon spurs for fast cleaning while spinning on the buffer. Also has an abrasive plate on both sides of the tool for reshaping and rebalancing damaged foam pads.
 
Mobilejay said:
Ok so I'm not the only one. But you get what I'm sayin, it's VERY light scratches that are in the direction of how I'm wiping that you can only see in certain light in certain angels. If I never looked under the sun I wouldnt have noticed and I know it wasn't there yesterday cause I washed it in the sun. But like I said, some cars I get this with and some I don't.
Click to expand...

yeah and i know the last time i did the wifes bimmer the paint was 100% perfect until i used a dried m/f polishing pad. i had used the same lsp but it had dried and it scratched the clearcoat after i had gotten it the way it should be. i'll be sure to do it differently this year...
 
TOGWT everything you mentioned I have/do when polishing. The light scratches I am getting once finished with polishing and re-washed. I use a foam gun with dawn/shampoo mix and let it sit on the car for a little bit. When I rinse there is no beading, nothing left on the car.
 
How are you removing the polish?

Its possible to induce surface scratches with a soft micro fibre even on 'hard' paint
 
TOGWT said:
How are you removing the polish?

Its possible to induce surface scratches with a soft micro fibre even on 'hard' paint
Click to expand...

I'm wondering the same thing as TOGWT... how's the polish residue coming off?

I've learned, the hard way I guess, that it takes a LOT of microfibers to do the last stage. I probably go thru 25 to 30 towels, at least, with the final polishing stage. It doesn't matter much before final polishing but at the last stage it's crucial.

In the past, I've occasionally had similar problems until I upped the towel change out rate dramatically... no problems now.

This also seems to be a "polish dependant" thing as well... some polishes come off the surface very nicely and some are stubborn, especially if they're not all the way thru their cycle... which is another reason for leaving slight marring. If I'm not jeweling, M205 comes off about the best of any polish I've used, it's always very easy to remove. Another reason I love 205.

Are you doing IPA wipedowns with every panel?
 
Gary and TOWGT are on the right track - how are you removing, and are you changing microfiber towels alot?

I also go through enough on each car and I dont have enough apparently, to have me have to do a medium sized load of microfiber towels after each Detail; using the majority of them at the remove polishes/waxes stage.

If you have good lighting, and I mean better than flourescent, something like the 1000watt twin halogen lights they sell at Home Depot, etc., then you really cant see the paint as well as you need to, and if you were scratching the surface and watching what you were doing under these lights, you would know within a couple of passes if you are introducing further defects.

Another thing I always try to do is never wipe the new finish dry, except when removing product; after its removed, I always use a QD to wipe it off for any reason.

One more thing I do to lessen the opportunity to scratch is to use air to dry as much as the vehicle as possible, before using microfiber AND a QD to finish drying..

I hear that Metro VAC has introduced a new 8hp Air Force Blaster machine that is made specifically for drying vehicles; comes with heat settings, and is supposed to put out alot of air to help dry your car..
PAC - Angelo - Jack - do you have this machine available yet? Is it on Sale ?? :)

Good luck with this, I have also had a Jet Black Bimmer, Barry, and know how much fun they are !

Dan F
 
I see the same thing on occasion. After polishing the car and wiping it down for the final. Next day come out and using a clean MF towel. I ni=otice that sometimes I am introducing new very light scratches in the finish. After changing out towels it does not happen. But when inspecting the towel that was casuing the issues, I find nothing at all wrong. Nothing embedded, nothing visable.
 
No i'm not doing an Ipa wipe down. Once I'm down polishing I foam the car with dawn and let it sit on the car for a few minutes. I waxed the car and removed the wax, the next day I went back and wiped the car down with a quick detailer and mf, that was when I noticed I was putting minor scratches on the paint.
 
Roadrunner said:
I'm wondering the same thing as TOGWT... how's the polish residue coming off?

I've learned, the hard way I guess, that it takes a LOT of microfibers to do the last stage. I probably go thru 25 to 30 towels, at least, with the final polishing stage. It doesn't matter much before final polishing but at the last stage it's crucial.

In the past, I've occasionally had similar problems until I upped the towel change out rate dramatically... no problems now.

This also seems to be a "polish dependant" thing as well... some polishes come off the surface very nicely and some are stubborn, especially if they're not all the way thru their cycle... which is another reason for leaving slight marring. If I'm not jeweling, M205 comes off about the best of any polish I've used, it's always very easy to remove. Another reason I love 205.

Are you doing IPA wipedowns with every panel?
Click to expand...

25-30? man i don't even know if i have that many m/f towels...wow!!!!
 
The polish and wax are the cause in my opinion

Mobilejay

I have been a professional detailer since the early 90's, and I have done
mobile detailing and worked in shops. I have seen guys who do alot of
work called "correction". My experience is that a clear coat is really just clear paint,and only several mils thick.Using a polish or compound to take out scratches will wear down the clear,and effect the clarity of the shine.

A person on another car forum had a similiar problem as yours. He had the same situation with swirls in the sunlight from a car dealership detailer who
polished his BMW. I feel your problem comes from a combination of polishing/
wax residue or build up on the clear coat. The scratches are coming from
smearing the build up or residue with the dry cloth.

What I would suggest is to stop applying more wax and more polishing. Instead, wash the vehicle with Dawn and use a claybar to break down
the film. Several washing should slowly break it down, and the marring or
swirls will go away.Lastly, go to a sealant and forget using wax.
 
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