POPE

A friend spilt some water on the side of my truck just after I had finished washing and drying it. Well without telling me he took a paper towl and tried cleaning it up. Well after he did all that it left some swirl marks that are petty bad when the sun hit's the side of the truck. O yeah for those of you who dont know I have a 2000 Black GMC Z71 Seirra. I was just wondering what to do to remove these. I havent waxed the truck since ive owned it, but have used some of that spray mequires wax, and it hast helped. What should I do, any info is app.

0rion

iTrader: (1)

They should just buff out. Get some zaino z-5 and put on it and buff the **** out of it. Better yet, have your friend that wiped it with a paper towel buff the **** out of it. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

Joe "Preachers Sheets" DIESO

iTrader: (4)

Zaino is not abrasive, it hides swirls, it does not fix them.

If you buff the **** out of it, more than likely, your going to induce more swirls.

You need to decide what you want to do about the swirls, if you only polish twice a year then go the Zaino route or use a Glaze, Wax or Sealent. If you would rather spot polish then go with a mild abrasive such as 3M Swirl Mark Remover or Meguiars Swirl Remover 2.0

There are alot of other products you can use but those two are commonly found in auto stores and very inexpensive.

Have fun, too bad you couldn't take some pictures before and after.

POPE

How long will the swirl removers last compared to the zaino? If the more common applicants have to be re-applied then I will go with the zaio, but will the zaino have to be re-applied? I know it's not a permanent fix, but I dont want to ride around all summer looking at swirl marks. O yeah where's the best place to git the zaino? If that is what I need, and what should I use to apply it with , and to wipe off with. Thanks for the help

BIGBOS

Get the 3M swirl mark remover for dark colored cars, you can find it at almost any auto store...you can apply by hand, or use a buffer, the buffer will do a better job, but just make sure your paint is clean, no grit stuck in the clear coat..

The 3M stuff is amazing...I use it on my NBM car when I get a scratch or swirls..

I usually follow up with zaino z2 or z5 mixed with ZFX <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

Joe "Preachers Sheets" DIESO

iTrader: (4)

A polish (what you call a swirl remover) last's forever; or until you induce more swirls. A scratch is nothing but a little bit of missing clear coat. When you look at your car in the sun, the light is reflecting off your clear coat, not your paint, that’s how you get the shiny look. Your clear coat is very smooth but soft which is its downfall. When someone takes a harsh paper towel like your friend and wipes your car, he actually scratched your clear coat, that is why when you look at your car in the sun you see the swirls, the sun is reflecting off of the sides of the scratch mark and it really stands out because the rest of the clear coat is smooth and flat. Basically your clear coat is damaged <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="gr_sad.gif" />

With Zaino, you are literally filling this scratch in with a "filler". Zaino’s fillers are not oil based so they last alot longer than a wax or glaze. Zaino is not made to fill in huge scratches from such as a key mark, only minor swirls, which is what it sounds like you have. With proper washings (using a mild soap so you don't strip your Zaino fillers) your swirls should be filled for 3-4 months. It lasts a long time, it's a great product.

In regards to the 3M/Meguiars polish. These products are abrasive, what they do is literally remove some of the surrounding clear coat to permanently fill in your swirls.

That is what separates a polish from a filler. That is also why you can fill in deep scratches (not down to the primer though) with a polish or a compound (compounds are really strong polishes), your removing clear coat while leaving that area smooth to use the clear coat elsewhere.

You can use very plush terry cotton towels or a foam applicator (I like the foam applicator) to apply/remove any detailing product but lately micro fiber has become relatively inexpensive and it works with less rubbing (rubbing means friction which means more swirls). I have used terry cotton and I continue to do so when I am out of clean micro fibers. There’s nothing bad about cotton but micro fibers “grab” more; so instead of 4 light passes with cotton to remove wax (for example), you can use a micro fiber and get away with two passes. Micro fibers are cool, if you can’t use them right away then I would use cotton and eventually buy one to try it out, I’m sure you’ll like it.

Just as an fyi, the only difference from 3M Swirl Remover for dark colored cars and light colored cars is the dust the dried polish will produce as you remove it after application. One dust is dark and the other is light so it's harder to see if you forget to wipe it off. If the store only has one then buy either.