ok so when i bought my 02 Z 28 with 25k miles on it, i had felt the paint and it was just rough! as if the owner before had NEVER waxed or really taken car of the car. and there are just so many swirl marks and fine scratches everywhere. what can i do to fix this? ive waxed the car a lot and the paint is just starting to feel "slippery" but thats prob cause of wax build up, and there are still all those damn swirl marks. i want to make the car look like liquid black. i have a polisher/buffer that adjusts up to 6k RM and i have the pads just dont know what to use as a compound and in what order or how? i know how to use the buffer as ive buffed headlights and and minor imperfections before just dont know what to use like what pros use to detail cars? any help will be appreciated

 

clay bar

 

im in the same situation ... bump for ya

 

do a search for black cars and i think you should find a lot about it. i need to do it as well.

 

Yeah do a search and you'll find a lot.
And also visit autopia.org for a lot of good info.

But you'll probably need to remove wax thats on it, clay bar, buff with porter cable and foam pads, then get some good wax on it. It'll be a lot of work to get it to liquid black and a lot of work to maintain, but its worth it.
And you can mess up your paint with a buffer if you don't know what your doing, so if your nervous about it, think of different options. Or maybe practice on a beater car or something first.

 

Start off (again) with a good wash...I would suggest dish soap to strip what ever may be on paint. Then get claybar the entire car and give it good wash again but with a quality car soap. Since I'm not familer with using a buffer I can't offer any advice there. But if you were to do it by hand I would suggest Scratch X by Meguiars it works great and then follow up with a polish and wax. It will take time to get the swirls and fine scratches out. Check out Meguiars.com/forums!

 

Always double check your wash mitts and cleaning towels for any "grit" that may swirl/scratch your paint even more!

 

chupr0kabra sent this in a pm to me explaining how to detail my car

The easy answer to your "what should I buy?" question is this: http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2...gory_Code=Zaino

It's expensive, but it really is one HELL of a good kit. Here's why:

Z-7 Car Wash - Excellent, high suds. If you don't already have a favorite car wash, this one is great.
Z-18 Claybar - Anyone who decides to get serious about their finish should learn how to use a claybar.
ZFX - Helps the sealant (they call it polish, but it's a sealant) adhere to the clear coat.
Z-2 Pro - EXCELLENT, high gloss, durable sealant
Z-5 - Good pseudo glaze product. Adds nice depth to the shine.
Z-6 - Excellent quick detailer for between sealant applications and quick dust off of your car after a wash

It's really an excellent kit for getting started using Zaino.

Now, for the harder part.

I don't believe in Zaino as a cure-all wonder product like a lot of people do. I believe it is an excellent, high gloss, highly durable sealant, but if you put a high gloss sealant over scratches and swirl marks...you end up with shiney scratches and swirl marks.

You say your paint is in good shape, and it probably is. Just bear in mind that no matter what that bottle of Z-5 says, if you have scratches and swirls, you don't want to put a sealant over them. You want to remove them. For that, you have several options, including ZPC, which is another Zaino product. This is a mildly abrasive polish that will help you remove these imperfections. I haven't personally used it, but everyone I've spoke to really likes it. It, like most polishes, is best applied with a polisher like the Porter Cable 7424/7336 (see my Porter Cable FAQ in the "Hall of Fame" for details on this).

If my paint were devoid of any scratches and swirls, here is what I would do to apply Zaino:

0) Find a shady spot for all this.
1) Wash with the Z-7. I know lots of people (including Sal Zaino) say to wash with Dawn for the first step, but I feel like that can dry out paint over time. The idea behind using Dawn is to remove any old wax, but a claybar does an excellent job of this, and is much safer. I use a lamb's wool mitt from Target and two buckets, one with clean water and one with soapy water. Dunk the mitt in the clean water, rub out any trapped dirt, then dunk it in the soapy water, then work in side to side motions for the top, hood and trunk; up and down on the sides. Don't use the same mitt for wheels as you do for the car, as brake dust will scratch the hell out of it.
2) Claybar. In a spray bottle, mix up some car wash soap and water solution. I typically use Black Magic or whatever cheap stuff I can find locally for this. Spray this liberally on an area about 18" around, then rub the claybar over this area. If you feel it stick, use more spray. The clay should glide over the surface of the car. If it is leaving a lot of residue, use more spray and clay that area again. The clay will pick itself up. Knead the clay in your hands to keep the dirty side away from your clear coat.
3) Wash again. When the whole car is clayed, wash it again to remove the residue.
4) Dry. Here's where lot of people mess up. I use two good waffle weave microfiber towels to do the whole car. The fold the towel into a small square, so that there are no "tails" or loose ends hanging off. You want control of the towel. Again, glide the towel over the surface of the car. The idea is to let the towel's fingers wick the water away from your paint, not to rub the water off. Rubbing causes swirls.
5) Polish, if needed. Again, see my FAQ for this.
6) Mix up a batch of ZFX and Z-5. Fill half of one of the vials that comes with the Zaino kit with Z-5, then add about 3 drops of ZFX and shake that vial for about a full minute. Let it sit for a few minutes, then shake it again.
7) Apply Z-5/ZFX. Take one of the applicator pads that comes with the kit and spray the center of one side with some of the Z-6 spray. Let that sit for about 15 seconds, then apply a nickel-sized amount of the Z-5/ZFX mix to it. The reason for the Z-7 is to seal the pad. You want the Z-5 on your car, not in the foam. Apply the Z-5 to half the roof, then get more on the pad, then half the hood, more on the pad, and so on. The idea is thin, even layers. You should barely see it when you apply, and when it hazes, it shouldn't be in big globs. This will only make it harder to buff off.
8) Let that set until totally dry. This might take a while, depending on heat and humidity. To test for dryness, run your finger over a small area. If the sealant smears, it's still wet. If it comes off clean, it's dry.
9) Buff off the Z-5/ZFX with a clean, dry microfiber towel.
10) Apply Z-7 spray. Spray once, wipe off immmediately. Don't let it dry, or it will spot. If it does dry, re-spray and rub out the spots lightly.
11) Clean out the ZFX/Z-5 vial. Don't let it set in the vial or you'll never get it clean.
12) Apply another layer of Z-5 OR Z-2 Pro WITHOUT the ZFX. You don't need it any more.
13) Let dry.
14) Buff
15) Repeat 12-14 as desired

 

A lot of good advice here.

To add to the pool, I recommend watching your wash routine carefully. Depending on your method and materials, you could be scratching your car even more. Remember; two buckets, lambskin (I wasn't a believer before because these don't last long, but they're unbelievably soft), and microfibers are your best friends.

 

I second that...I was in the same situation, I bought a 99 Black WS.6 with the same exact problem and I claybarred then did the maguires 3 step...Worked like a charm...Hope all goes well.