Hairline scratches - Anyone know a good way to remove them?
01-23-2003, 09:10 AM
#16
Many people will clean and wax a portion of the car every time they wash it-roof this time, hood the next, etc. It kind of saves you from blowing a whole Saturday working on the car.
01-23-2003, 11:49 AM
#17
Instructor
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Seattle, WA
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RSAErick - I found the same issue with the some of the Meguiar's products namely the glaze and the swirl removers. The key that I have found with these is that you need very very little of either of these products to do there job. Also neither of them really needs to dry on your paint like wax. Do a body panel and wipe off. When it comes to waxing, I have found there Gold Class wax to be very easy to remove.
Also the single best detailing purchase that I have made was getting a good 6 inch random orbit buffer. It is small enough that I can do 95% of the car with it and is much easier to control than the larger ones. Also don't have to worry about burning the paint as with a high speed buffer.
Also the single best detailing purchase that I have made was getting a good 6 inch random orbit buffer. It is small enough that I can do 95% of the car with it and is much easier to control than the larger ones. Also don't have to worry about burning the paint as with a high speed buffer.
01-23-2003, 01:04 PM
#18
Burning Brakes
Andy,
Short answer: If you want good results with the least hassle, use 3M Imperial Hand Glaze (as recommended by others) followed by wax. The nice thing about IHG is that it doesn't require a machine polisher for good results.
Surface preparation is VERY important for a nice result. Use dishwasing liquid to wash the car to remove any old wax residue. If you have the time and patience, clay the car to truly get the paint surface clean. Claying will NOT scratch the paint unless the use can't follow simple instructions. Everyone I've recommended claying to that's actually tried it has been amazed at the difference.
The long answer: Swirl marks can be addressed by polishing and/or filling. Polishing smooths out the sharp edges of the swirl marks, making them less visible, by using abrasives. A machine buffer is needed to do a proper job when using a polish, IMO. Fillers fill in the swirls marks to make them less visible.
Most "polishes" are a combination of the two, and there are different levels of abrasives used in various polishes. I say "polishes" b/c many products calling themselves as such are in fact fillers. The only way to know what a product truly does is to test it out yourself or check a car detailing web forum.
3M IHG (which doesn't claim to be a polish) is a filler and doesn't provide any polishing ability. However, it does a very good job of filling in swirl marks. Since it's a filler, you have to put a layer of wax over it or the filler will be removed after a few washings. As the wax wears off, so will the filler. It's a temporary solution, but you can get at least 6 months out of an application if you keep the car waxed.
I used to do the whole polish routine on my midnight blue C2, but it took A LOT of time. Now, I clay the car once a year, apply 3M IHG twice a year, and maintain a nice layer of wax in the interim. That achieves 95% of the results with a lot less hassle.
Drew
92 C2
Short answer: If you want good results with the least hassle, use 3M Imperial Hand Glaze (as recommended by others) followed by wax. The nice thing about IHG is that it doesn't require a machine polisher for good results.
Surface preparation is VERY important for a nice result. Use dishwasing liquid to wash the car to remove any old wax residue. If you have the time and patience, clay the car to truly get the paint surface clean. Claying will NOT scratch the paint unless the use can't follow simple instructions. Everyone I've recommended claying to that's actually tried it has been amazed at the difference.
The long answer: Swirl marks can be addressed by polishing and/or filling. Polishing smooths out the sharp edges of the swirl marks, making them less visible, by using abrasives. A machine buffer is needed to do a proper job when using a polish, IMO. Fillers fill in the swirls marks to make them less visible.
Most "polishes" are a combination of the two, and there are different levels of abrasives used in various polishes. I say "polishes" b/c many products calling themselves as such are in fact fillers. The only way to know what a product truly does is to test it out yourself or check a car detailing web forum.
3M IHG (which doesn't claim to be a polish) is a filler and doesn't provide any polishing ability. However, it does a very good job of filling in swirl marks. Since it's a filler, you have to put a layer of wax over it or the filler will be removed after a few washings. As the wax wears off, so will the filler. It's a temporary solution, but you can get at least 6 months out of an application if you keep the car waxed.
I used to do the whole polish routine on my midnight blue C2, but it took A LOT of time. Now, I clay the car once a year, apply 3M IHG twice a year, and maintain a nice layer of wax in the interim. That achieves 95% of the results with a lot less hassle.
Drew
92 C2
