In a message dated 5/2/2002 9:00:25 AM EST, Divits@aol.com writes:
<< But now when I wax the car I end up with lots of what appears to be
micro scratches through out the finish?!?! >>
John,
That's the dreaded curse of swirl marks. It's more noticable on darker cars
and also more common on modern clear coat finishes. Consumer Reports ran an
article (maybe two years ago??) testing car waxes and polishes and swirl
marking was one of their test parameters. It was an interesting
article....you may want to track it down. Their painted test panels were
black which is the least forgiving when it comes to scratches and swirls.
The responses to you from the List have suggested several good reference
sites on the web that address swirl prevention and remedies to fix. The
biggest culprit to swirls is grit. You'll read in Consumers (and this was an
eye-opener to me) that even top rated waxes and polishes have some level of
abrasiveness. The trick is to find a wax/polish with low enough abrasive
levels so as to not affect your paint but still show good results, protect
the finish, etc.
Other than being careful when washing your car, I've always felt that the
harder you need to buff off dried wax, the more likely you are to scratch the
finish. I learned the hard way with my daughter's Honda (before I read
Consumers). I used a wax recommended by a friend which was supposed to wear
like iron. Well, I let it dry to a haze in the shade following the
directions and it took forever to buff (by hand). Fortunately, before I had
gone too far, I began to see the swirls from my buffing so I stopped and
switched back to Meguiars.
I've started to remove my wax before it completely dries or hazes. It's
easier to take off which makes me feel better about avoiding scratches. It
may not last as long on the car but at least it'll help the paint.
I have used the Meguiars swirl remover products by hand - they do work. A
buffer would be more effective......maybe I'll drop a hint to the family for
Father's Day.
Good Luck,
Chip
Chip Krout
1976 TR6 #CF57822U - one of the last 500 built - restoration nearing
completion
1970 Spitfire Mk3 #FDU78512L - on the road and ready for another driving
season!
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