How to remove the mild swirling that came from the dealer with my new Stinger?

[Thrashmetl]

So I noticed the day after I picked up my Ceramic Silver Stinger that it had some minor swirling from some bad dealer wash jobs. I have access to a good polisher, but I honestly have no idea what process or products I should use to remedy these swirls. Ultimately I’d like to get the swirling out before doing PPF and Ceramic. The swirls are rather minor so I’m hoping something simple will work. What would you guys recommend?

 

[ShannonC]

Try clay bar or return to dealer and insist it's rectified.

 

[washguy]

Thrash The dealer will only make it worse...lol Whomever is going to ppf or ceramic coat should take care of this in prepping the paint before doing ppf or ceramic....they must correct the paint before they do any of these operations...leave it to them Wash

 

[Revvdmedia]

There is a reason why the term "dealer installed swirls" exists. Unfortunately I find this par for the course, most likely due wash jobs done by people who have no idea how to properly wash a car, especially after the car has been caked in rail dust and contaminants. I bet the dealership doesn't even have 2 wash buckets in the whole building.

You can ask the dealer to rectify, but I doubt it would be a very good job and they might even make matters worse, but you could ask. The solution is a polish (power polish). If the swirls are minor, compounding should not be necessary to achieve acceptable results.

 

[robz32]

Wash is correct. Whoever is going to do the PPF install needs to correct the paint first. If you do not have experience correcting paint then I'd leave it for them to do.

 

[Revvdmedia]

Wash is correct. Whoever is going to do the PPF install needs to correct the paint first. If you do not have experience correcting paint then I'd leave it for them to do.

You better request this though. The dealer brought in "their guy" who they talked nothing but compliments about for my car. He's so good he trapped a nice rusty orange spot from rail dust under the PPF on the hood, clear as day on a white car. I since had them fix it, which resulted in some minor wrinkles in the film when placing it back down.

It seems you shouldn't have to ask, but you should.

 

[NS_Stinger]

In order to do a proper swirl removal you'll need quite a few tools and products so like others have said you should get a shop to do it in advance of the PPF. The one member that told you to claybar...claybar doesn't remove swirls but it is an early step in the swirl removal process. It would allow you to remove paint contaminants which you need to do before a paint correction work but it's one step of many.

 

[Socalstinga]

I had mine ceramic coated which meant they did a one or two stage paint correction, polish, seal, etc; prior to the ceramic coating (can't quite remember now). with that said, don't wait on doing the paint correction. I was lazy and prioritized a bunch of other performance mods prior to the paint correction. by the time I did it, it was a swirly mess. the paint correction and ceramic helped, but didn't completely take it away. I chalk that up to waiting almost 8 months to do it after purchasing the car.

 

[TODDK]

Whomever does your ceramic coat should prep the paint before applied.

If you have access to orbital buffer, some hex logic pads, and some free time you can easily do it yourself. Blue or white pad for swirls and a fine polish will take those out no issue.

 

[jatleson]

Amazing what you read on the internet. Some facts (truthful facts):
- Swirls are minor scratches in the paint
- Clay Bars or claying the car will not remove swirls. It will remove embedded contaminates in the paint. If the paint does not feel smooth to the touch after a wash, you should "clay bar" the car prior to polishing
- Most dealers use an automatic wash tunnel with brushes. These will put swirls in your car
- Most dealers dry the car with towels that have been used on many other cars and likely dropped on the ground. These will put swirls in your car
- If you are going to pay for a true detail, find a good local shop, not the dealer
- There are two ways to remove swirls - fill them in (glaze or wax) or polish them out. If you are going to coat your car there is 1 option, polish them out
- If you plan on using automatic car washes, touchless only. Honestly if you are using any automatic car wash (touchless or not) do not waste your money on having a professional ceramic coat your car.

I'm waiting on the weather to warm up by me. My car is coated and hasn't been washed once this winter. I'm very curious to see how well the coating has held up on the side panels. The top of car still shines and beads water like crazy.

 

[washguy]

There is nothing more dangerous than a guy with a buffer approaching your clearcoat....think "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" just be sure your ppf or ceramic guy tells you what he is going to do....if he doesn't tell you he's gonna correct the paint before...then run away Wash

 

[MerlintheMad]

There is a reason why the term "dealer installed swirls" exists. Unfortunately I find this par for the course, most likely due wash jobs done by people who have no idea how to properly wash a car, especially after the car has been caked in rail dust and contaminants. I bet the dealership doesn't even have 2 wash buckets in the whole building.

You can ask the dealer to rectify, but I doubt it would be a very good job and they might even make matters worse, but you could ask. The solution is a polish (power polish). If the swirls are minor, compounding should not be necessary to achieve acceptable results.

Some dealers have good automated car washes and nobody touches the car except with a microfiber to quickly draw the remaining water off. But if "your" dealer swirled your car, then I'd be going elsewhere. As Wash says, the prep for ceramic and/or PPF should take care of it.

 

[MerlintheMad]

- If you plan on using automatic car washes, touchless only. Honestly if you are using any automatic car wash (touchless or not) do not waste your money on having a professional ceramic coat your car.

If you plan on getting saline off the bottom of your car regularly during winter, you have no other choice but to run the "tunnel". Are you saying that ceramic coating is a waste of money?

 

[Thrashmetl]

There is a reason why the term "dealer installed swirls" exists. Unfortunately I find this par for the course, most likely due wash jobs done by people who have no idea how to properly wash a car, especially after the car has been caked in rail dust and contaminants. I bet the dealership doesn't even have 2 wash buckets in the whole building.

You can ask the dealer to rectify, but I doubt it would be a very good job and they might even make matters worse, but you could ask. The solution is a polish (power polish). If the swirls are minor, compounding should not be necessary to achieve acceptable results.

Whomever does your ceramic coat should prep the paint before applied.

If you have access to orbital buffer, some hex logic pads, and some free time you can easily do it yourself. Blue or white pad for swirls and a fine polish will take those out no issue.

I plan an claybarring, but for a polish would you recommend something like Carpro Essence Plus? What would you guys recommend? And which hex pads?

 

[jatleson]

If you plan on getting saline off the bottom of your car regularly during winter, you have no other choice but to run the "tunnel". Are you saying that ceramic coating is a waste of money?

Are ceramic coatings a waste of money - not if they are applied and cared for properly. They provide a great barrier that is easily cleaned. Ceramic coatings are designed to be maintained by using products that are compatible. Most warranties require an annual "check-up". Any car wash with brushes will void a warranty on a coating.

There are options to get salt off your car, in the winter, without going to a tunnel wash. My personal preference would be to do a rinseless wash. You could find a hand wash "tunnel" or coin-op self spray places.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Any car wash with brushes will void a warranty on a coating.

A lot of car washes don't use brushes. Dangling fibers that move side to side and drag back as the car moves forward are more common anymore. Are those considered "brushes" by ceramic warranties?

 

[jatleson]

A lot of car washes don't use brushes. Dangling fibers that move side to side and drag back as the car moves forward are more common anymore. Are those considered "brushes" by ceramic warranties?

Honestly not sure - fortunately I've never had to deal with a warranty claim. If I were a betting man, I would assume they are.

Look at it this way - we all know swirling brushes put "swirls" in the paint. Dangling fiber won't cause as many swirls, but they could scratch the paint very easily. How often do you think the dangling fibers are cleaned? Some of the dirt from the car is washed off to the drains, some of the dirt stays on the car, some of the dirt sticks to the dangling fibers and gets rubbed on every other car that goes into the car wash.

 

[Socalstinga]

ceramic coating still needs to be taken care of appropriately. I use hydrosilex which is similar to ceramic coating, but mainly used to "recharge" your existing ceramic coat. I'm lazy so I go to a coin-op self car wash and just blast soap and water, and gently massage the soap with a clean microfiber, rinse. I usually do it at night and then drive off while the car is wet, my version of air drying lol...water beads and dries off within a couple of miles on the fwy and a few spirited acceleration runs... get home and wipe the windows down. done!

It's a good little piece of insurance for the paint longevity.

 

[Rob M]

I plan an claybarring, but for a polish would you recommend something like Carpro Essence Plus? What would you guys recommend? And which hex pads?

If you want to minimize swirl marks the clay bar isn't going to work. Clay is designed to lift contaminants away from the paint (in a minimally abrasive way) not to remove a thin layer of clearcoat. You need to remove clearcoat to a depth beyond the depth of the scratches which takes a little more aggressive approach. A swirl mark removal product or clearcoat safe mild rubbing compound is needed to do that job. I'm not an expert, but I do my own detailing. Just stick with a random orbital or dual action polisher and take your time. Don't try it with a rotary buffer unless you have lots of experience or prefer holograms.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Honestly not sure - fortunately I've never had to deal with a warranty claim. If I were a betting man, I would assume they are.

Look at it this way - we all know swirling brushes put "swirls" in the paint. Dangling fiber won't cause as many swirls, but they could scratch the paint very easily. How often do you think the dangling fibers are cleaned? Some of the dirt from the car is washed off to the drains, some of the dirt stays on the car, some of the dirt sticks to the dangling fibers and gets rubbed on every other car that goes into the car wash.

I've heard this many times. But the guy who runs the car wash I go to says that doesn't happen because the material of the dangling fibers won't let dirt adhere to it. It's there to move off any lingering dirt that doesn't get blasted off by the jet sprays. The way the movement works is to cover the car with a last pass of something hot and wet and soft, not to scrub or brush anything off by beating at it.