Swirls and scratches on New Black Car

[rover137]

Hi all

I'm new to detailing but have been reading quite a bit. I have a 3 month old black car and requested the dealer not touch it on delivery and as soon as i got it I:

- Washed with nxt gen
- Clay bar
- UP
- Ultimate liquid wax
- a week later applied the 2 coats of hybrid ceramic wax

The car looked amazing with minimal swirl marks when an LED light was help up close. I worked by hand as well.

Since then I have been using the 2 bucket wash technique with grit guards in both (every 1-2 weeks), and i have put on another coat of HCW. I also use the Mequiar's microfiber wash mitt. is it just me or does this mitt feel a bit too harsh?

I am noticing more and more of what i think are swirls. Some are deeper than others - but none seem to be deep enough to catch my finger nail. They appear to be especially bad on the bonnet on curved angular edges - they almost look thicker and darker though on these curved bits - maybe marring or deep scratches? I've only just noticed these ones. I even noticed this morning i can see them with no light shining on them if i go right up close. I don't know how the car got so bad given the care I've taken and the small amount of time that has passed?

After washing with gold glass it still looks so nice and sleek - unless you shine a light on or direct sun is shining and you get real close. The scratches or marring on the bonnet (hood) edges are present in indirect light though (as of yesterday).

Anyway, should i go over again at some point with UP or maybe go straight to UC? I do plan on doing a clay/UP every 12 months but maybe i need to throw in UC as well? I'm hesitant to use UC as the car is so new.

I also have a few clear coat 'chips' - small silver marks that are not rough. I've managed to get some of these out with a microfiber cloth and UC but others remain. Any ideas on removing these?

Thanks all!

[Blueline]

Re: Swirls and scratches on New Black Car

Nobody owns a black vehicle, they own us. They like to show every tiny imperfection. With that said, if the car looked amazing after you performed your detail, than perhaps you are inadvertently putting them there. I don't use the Meguiar's wash mitt, however it is unlikely that is the problem, unless you are not sufficiently cleaning it and are very aggressive in your washing. You make no mention of how you dry your car, and that is another process that can introduce swirls. I do not use a drying cloth or anything that touches my black cars. I heard about using a leaf blower but I was not about to annoy my neighbors with my monster gas unit, so I bought an electric leaf blower. Amazing. Blows all the water off and out of cracks and crannies. With the little water left you can blot off gently with a towel. Do not drag your drying towels over the car. Good luck.

[rover137]

Re: Swirls and scratches on New Black Car

Thank you for your response Blueline!

I am beginning to think that! I dry the car with the Mequiars yellow supreme shine drying towel and i have also added Bowdens big green sucker to the mix - both high quality drying towels from what i understand.

Interesting - re the leaf blower. You really think that using drying towels (even so called top end ones) could cause swirling? I guess nearly anything can cause swirls on a black car.

I'm more intrigued on how the darker yet smaller marks got on my hood curves as they are very new.

[Blueline]

Re: Swirls and scratches on New Black Car

I don't want to dis Meguiar's drying towels, as I don't use them so no experience with them, and I am fairly confident their stuff is good. I just wanted to mention another way swirls show up and a way to avoid that possibility.