Swirls on new 40th

drallafi

Hey guys. First post... need some advice.

I picked up my 40th last Friday, and already I see swirl marks on the hood from where the dealer washed it (I have not washed the car yet). They're not bad, but it's a brand new car that I haven't even broken in yet (300 miles on the odo). What would you do? It's unlikely the dealer will repaint the car, so I'm not sure how to proceed. Thx in advance.

WarmAndSCSI

No need to repaint... sounds like you're not too familiar with detailing, so I would just take it to a professional detailer or find a friend who knows what he's doing when it comes to paint correction. It should take more than a single pass with a medium cut compound to get rid of those swirl marks - it may even be possible to remove them by hand with enough effort.

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drallafi

Sounds good. I'll look for that. Thx man.

WarmAndSCSI

No problem. If you want to go the DIY route, Meguiar's makes a few products you can buy at pretty much any auto parts store that will probably do well enough (given enough elbow grease):

- Meguiar's Ultimate Compound
- SwirlX
- Mirror Glaze Fine-Cut or Medium-Cut Compound

I guarantee you can get those swirls out if you use any of those 3 products.

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LMBmikeZ

GL!!!

Also never let any of the dealerships wash your car! I saw it being done once to a car at my local one once while I was waiting on service, I was ready to go over and dhow the kid how to do it right! He was using was mits and I don't think he cleaned once did the whole 2010 maxima in one big quick pass! to top it off they always miss spots and when you see that on darker cars you can only laugh, IMO why bother they say its free but it will cost you more in the end!

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Cmike2780

I use the stuff from Adam's Polishes on my Z and got most of the swirls out. The swirls were very noticeable especially since my car is black. If you go to their site, take a look at the videos to get an idea on how to remove swirl marks.

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vividracing

welcome to the forum and congrats on the Z. Look for a detailer and kiss those squirl marks good bye! good luck!

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BLUESLATE

Chemical guys... or 3M stuffs will work great. I'm not a big fan of Meguiar's stuffs.

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drallafi

What do you recommend? What's wrong with the Meguiar's stuff?

WarmAndSCSI

There's not a damn thing wrong with Meguiar's, you just have to choose the correct product for the job. For a novice, it's best to go with the stuff they sell at AutoZone and Wal-Mart so you don't chance rubbing through the clearcoat on edges. Definitely apply by hand.

It's the convenience factor for me. If I run out of product, I can drive 2 blocks to get some more rather than waiting a week to get some through the mail. At the end of the day, the only advantage a given product has over another is ease of use and effectiveness. Given enough effort, they will all get you the same end result.

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Cmike2780

I would have to disagree sir. Most of the in-store products are not very effective at all. You need the right polish & pad to remove swirls effectively. You can get some light swirls out by hand polishing & the right polish, but its gonna take a lot longer. A Porter Cable Random Orbit Polisher is your best bet no matter what quality brand you go with. It has adjustable settings for speed that alows you to control how aggressive you want to go on the clear coat. Since its not a true circular polisher, your chances of burning the paint is greatly reduced.
Machine Polishing


The Meguire's stuff is very good if you stick with the higher quality stuff. Unfortunately most of those products can only be ordered on-line. If you don't feel comfortable tackling this project, I suggest you go to a pro. When you remove swirls, you are in effect removing s tiny amount of clear coat, so I would be very careful especially on the soft Nissan paint.

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StealthZ

Meguires m105/205 combo is great, and for a one step the d151 paint reconditioning cream is amazing. Use white and orange LC pads on a polisher and your set. Over the counter items usually will not get the job done. Pay a few more dollars and order the professional grade items on line. It will be well worth it I promise.
good luck and sorry to hear about your Z having swirls...

370z 40th

foam pad and butter wax will take them out

370Zsteve

and use the Meguire's products from Wally Mart all the time, best for a novice...like me!

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370Zsteve

Well the OP did say the arks were very light. I think he'd be fine with off-the-shelf Meguire's. But your advice about being careful is spot-on. Rub lightly, follow directions, and you'll be fine OP! Patience is key!

Or spend a little money at a pro shop. Should be cheap and easy.

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SOLD MY Z MARCH 2018 - another Core OG moves on - new ride 2019 Z Corvette Grand Sport - no mods necessary but already have eyes on HFC and intakes LOL IT NEVER ENDS.