Swirl removal, is this enough??

R

ResidualFreedom

New member
I know everyone has their personal gratification point, espically when working with old cars. It is a fine ballance between, time spent, paint condition, customer's expectations, tools, methods, etc...



My friend (the owner of this accord) told me the car HAS to be parked on the streets of downtown Toronto all night long, so I shouldn't make it "perfect" just "tidy it up".



I didn't want to wetsand any scratches out due to time restraints and the owner was there and wasn't concerned about the scratches, just the swilrs and grey coloured paint on his black car. The car is over 8 years old and the odometer stopped last year at 169k, car stilll goes just the odometer doesn't, lol.



here are a few pics of the car's trunk, I had obviously taped off the trunk.



My question is : Are the results of this positive enough to feel like I have done a good job? Do many of you stop before all of the scratches and swirls are out? or do you just go by what the customer says? if they say "make it look good", you do so, if they say "make it look perfect" that'll take alot more time and much more inspection of the car's condition.





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Basically is this considered an adequate enough of a detail or still, for lack of a better word, "amateurish"? Remember time was the main factor here.



thanks for any input..
 
You could definatly continue on. We're you doing this by hand!?! That would be very good for by hand. I can't get the buick any better than that.
 
Wow now that is a good pic! If it were me, I would have to keep going.. I would try to see if I could get as many out as I could, Look like a great car to try all kinds of products on....
 
nice job on removing those swirls. i'd say that is a job well done. and not all swirls can be removed. personally, i like to remove as much as i can, and if it doesn't come out after 2 attempts, i leave that swirl alone and continue on to other parts of the car.



i'd consider it a very good detail as long as you do the rest of the car in the same manner as that one half of the trunk. it be incomplete if you just did half of the trunk. :p
 
That car needs a rotary bad. Not even a pc can touch that at all. Rubbing Compound followed up with a milder polish would make that car look great.
 
I'd say leave it. First of all, it's a daily driver, parked outside downtown. Second, if the owner let it get that bad in the first place, it won't be long before it gets like that again, and he'll come back to you or someone else for another fix. You don't want the paint to thin out to the point where it fails.



I'm not blaming the owner at all.. everyone has different priorities and sometimes there are circumstances that no one can help (like not having a garage). You just can't expect to maintain perfection in that situation.



I'm sure your friend is more than thrilled at the amazing work you've already accomplished. :)
 
if your wanting to remove everything it isnt going to happen, thats when you keep trying and trying then you eventually become a perfectionist. I dont think you should lead yourself in that direction. In the long run you will think everythingdoesnt look right when all in all the only one that can tell the difference is you and another experienced detailer.

Unless you get a very meticulous customer. It looks great what you did but dont beat yourself for it. You can remove a majority of swirls with a rotory then go to a pc and you will fine.

But hey you may be able to be the next SCOTTWAX :)
 
good god that is swirled to hell.



Anyways, I did a friend's car recently that was super oxidized. I asked for the weekend to work on it. Within the time I alloted myself, I simply tried my best to make it as nice as possible. I couldnt get everything out, but I took it as a learning experience for the next time.



I have to ask though, did your friend see what you've done to half of the trunk? I'm sure he/she would be amazed at the transformation.
 
canisestinvia said:
I have to ask though, did your friend see what you've done to half of the trunk? I'm sure he/she would be amazed at the transformation.
Click to expand...



yep, he was there the whole time.. I was inspecting after the removal of the DACP and said "you see how there is still thoes larger swirls there, but the majority of the small ones are gone.."

he looked at me like I was insane, and said "are you kidding me! look it's black again! this car has never looked this good!" (he bought it used)



6']['9 said:
But hey you may be able to be the next SCOTTWAX
Click to expand...



cue inflation of head



Thanks for all the positive criticism everybody, :bounce, I do wish I had more time to play on this car, so many products to try and this would be a great tester. I actually didn't have a cutting pad on me for that detail so it was done mainly with a polishing pad and a PC. Obviously I would have used a cutting pad if one was available, I actually resorted to the pad supplied with the PorterCable 7424, it's crap by the way, not worthless, but I would never spend money on one. Keep it as a back-up, as I'm sure many of you do, because it did come in handy even though it wasn't "that" great of a pad.
 
This one is from Darknights (car show around Toronto) last weekend, notice me in the pic actually taking this picture!!!



I am reflecting off the rear passengerside bumper of a Black 2003 Acura CL-S, which we detailed, and taking a pic of the Black 1999 Acura TL which we also detailed, we being my friend and I.



The TL won 1st place of Acura Others category,



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I had a lot more time and the correct products for these ones, a much better result.
 
So how many passes did yoou do on that trunk?

Most of us here learn to pick out defects while most people don't notice smaller swirls or don't care. I know I'm unhappy with my finish right now cause I managed to get some minor marring back into it by bad washing I suppose. Yet, I still get compliments and from a couple of feet away it does look flawless so I'm leaving it at that before I polish off the paint.
 
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