horizontal "swirls"?

[supergus]

I washed my '11 Ram the other day and after it dried I polished the paint with Meguiar's Ultimate Polish. I used a padded microfiber applicator and then buffed with a MC towel. For the final wipe I used a super soft cotton towel, not the cheap thin ones that are like Econo Lodge wash cloths. Now when the sun catches the paint just right, I can see horizontal lines (is what they call holograms?) I used to think those marks were from an over-aggressive DA user.
But I worked only by hand. What is the cause and can I eliminate them?

[AllenB]

Re: horizontal "swirls"?

How did you wash and dry the vehicle? It sounds like the kind of light scratching that you get during the wash process. A car wash will also cause horizontal scratching. How long have you had the truck? Could the scratches have been since you bought it? What color did you buy?

[Echelon]

Re: horizontal "swirls"?

In my opinion, it's pretty safe to say that you didn't cause the holograms by working with your hands. I don't even think you can make 'em with a DA. Holograms are actually called rotary buffer swirls and are pretty much only caused with improper use of a rotary buffer, I can't imagine how you could have done it by hand. What might have happened is after the polish was applied, when working by hand, sometimes the polish can dry and become difficult to remove with the wipe down. Even though it looks like you have removed all of the product, some of it can be visible in the sunlight and look like smears or swirls. Just a quick spray of QD and a wipe down should do the trick if that's the problem.

Pictures would help diagnose the issue as well. Let us know how it goes.

[CHzo6]

Re: horizontal "swirls"?

Cotton towels can produce these marks on certain paints. It's always best to finish with high quality microfiber towels, especially on delicate or "softer" paints, which you may have.

[supergus]

Re: horizontal "swirls"?

Thanks for the quick responses. I'll try to answer all the questions: Truck is new, and the swirls were not there. The color is blue. I washed it using Meguiar's car wash and a MF mitt.
Echelon, that's what I have always understood, that holograms were the result of over aggressive DA use. But sure enough, that's what they look like. I'll try to post pics. With only two posts will the site let me post pics from Photobucket?

[Murr1525]

Re: horizontal "swirls"?

Is it like a all over/holographic/cob web affect? or like perfestly straight lines/scratches?

[Echelon]

Re: horizontal "swirls"?

Not over-agressive DA use, I'm pretty sure it's near impossible to hologram with a DA, you need to be using a high speed rotary polisher to cause holograms. At this point, you definitely need to get some pictures up to see what it really is. If you truck has holograms, I'm going to be seriously confused seeing as it's new lol.

[supergus]

Re: horizontal "swirls"?

Here are some pics of the hologram swirls. Let me know what you guys think. BTW the truck is 6 months old, and until the other day has never been hand washed or polished or dried by hand. It gets washed once a week with a touch free automated car wash with blow dry.

http://s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh272/supergus1/truck%20swirls/

[Echelon]

Re: horizontal "swirls"?

You know what, it actually kinda does look like holograms lol. Maaaaaybe you could have caused them by hand? Anybody more knowledgeable than I care to chime in?

[supergus]

Re: horizontal "swirls"?

Obviously by looking at the photos the marks are VERTICAL not horizontal. Anyhow, those marks appeared after I used Ultimate Polish, but once I waxed it with Ultimate Wax, the "holograms" have appeared to have disappeared. I would like to pose a question to the paint pros. We all know how impeccable factory paint jobs are! Is it possible that the polish revealed high spots in the form of holograms, and then when I applied the wax it evened out the finish?

[Echelon]

Re: horizontal "swirls"?

I'm wondering if maybe the dealer had someone detali their cars aftre sitting in the lot, I've heard of that happening and SOMETIMES it's a crappy job. As for them disappearing, light holograms can be covered up by wax, weather is just being the reflection overpowering the marks or it actually filling in the spots I don't know, but I have also heard of crappy body shops rotary polishing and holograming an entie car, then just waxin the hell out of it to cover it up for a few weeks.

[supergus]

Re: horizontal "swirls"?

Well my wife bought a new car from the same dealership and her car has the same marks, however I wash my truck once a week and have never noticed them until now. I hate the idea of the wax just covering them up; I want them gone I may take a ride to the dealership and look at the cars on their lot. Maybe they have a detailer that...$ux?

[Echelon]

Re: horizontal "swirls"?

If you really want them gone that bad, pick up a DA and they should polish out pretty easily, if they are in fact holograms. I hologramed my friend's STI REALLY bad and hit it up with a few passes from the MF kit and correction compound and took 'em right out.