How to keep swirls off of Porsche paint?

D_Nyholm

D_Nyholm

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I polished a 2001 Black 911 Turbo about two months ago with my PC and Menzerna IP/LC orange pad and Nano/LC white pad followed up with 4*UPP topped with Souveran Paste. I wash the car once/twice per week and the car is garaged. It seems like I could just blow on the paint and it scratches. I am extremely careful with it but it still seems to scratch. None of my other cars scratch like this one. Is it just that the paint is super soft? Any suggestions on how to stop the scratching? I feel like i need to use Nano once per month to keep the finish looking the way I want to.

When i wash, i use a foam gun and DP soap with a microfiber mitt that I wash after every car wash. I dry the car with a guzzler that is only used once per wash and I sometimes will use Crystal Mist to bring the shine back.

I tried playing around with the hood and used IP/white pad and nano/black pad and it came out really nice, but I am certain it isn't going to last :(

Any suggestion to help make the flawless finish last or did this site just make me see the imperfections!?!?!??!?!
 
Use as delicate a wash technique as possible, it sounds like yours is pretty good though, the swirls should stay at bay for a while
 
just a question cuz u didn't mention it. Do you use a two bucket wash method??
 
I've got a friend with an '03 Turbo X50 and the black paint also seems very easy to scratch. So it is not just you...
 
r0ckstrWS6 said:
just a question cuz u didn't mention it. Do you use a two bucket wash method??
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I don't use a 2 bucket method, but something very similar. I have a bucket of fresh water that I rinse my mitt in, but I use the foam gun to wet the car down as I wash and lubricate the mitt. Maybe I am not rinsing often enough.

It just hurts when you spend time washing/waxing/polishing only to come out to your car and see it in the sunlight with all these fine scratches. It looks like someone forgot to take the wax off of the car!!!
 
black is by far the hardest color. my trans am is always popping up with new scratches. try polishing it up to your liking and then applying a sealant. also what I used to do was frown everytime there was dirt on the car and would try to wipe it off. I have now learned to just leave it be until next time I wash it. you literally have to not touch the paint for it to stay scratch free lol.

I think we need a special section for paint car on black cars haha I
 
I get up in the morning, look at my black car, and I watch the swirls and scratches appear before my very eyes. In physics this is known as the "observer effect." The solution is patent: never look at one's car! ;)
 
I have the same swirling experience with a 2001 Boxster S that I detail for a colleague. I use generally the same products and process that you use, with the difference that I use a two bucket method and I use a car wash soap instead of just the foam from the gun.

I don't know what the solution is, but at least we find some solace in knowing that we're not alone with the problem.
 
Definetly use the 2-bucket method (one with a GritGuard)

Specific Paint types / Polish and Foam Pad Combinations:
a) Dark or Soft Paint Finishes - PO 85 RD 3.01 Super Intensive Polish (F) black or dark coloured paint surfaces, and 'soft' paint - 1200 RPM -White primary (softer less dense foam (70 PPI) with a light abrasive cutting action ) LC CCS foam pad followed by a secondary Blue finishing (very soft 100 PPI) LC CCS foam pad - 1100 RPM
 
akimel said:
I get up in the morning, look at my black car, and I watch the swirls and scratches appear before my very eyes. In physics this is known as the "observer effect." The solution is patent: never look at one's car! ;)
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Yep - pretty much exactly right!! haha

My black 2006 Maxima literally swirls upon voice command. I say the word "Swirl!" around it ... and she obediently obeys. (Of course I try to AVOID saying the "S" word in her presence .... ever.)
 
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Pinstripe said:
My black 2006 Maxima literally swirls upon voice command. I say the word "Swirl!" around it ... and she obediently obeys. (Of course I try to say the "S" word in her presence .... ever.)
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You must live in Harry Potter's universe. Did you attend Hogwart's? :)
 
as offered washing and drying are the two biggest culprits of swirls, that and using a quick detailer on anything more than light dust.

washing --- foam gun to presoak, use a thick mitt or MF towel and one bucket of clean water. Respray each panel, wash in straight lines, then rinse mitt in bucket. Change water at 1/2 mark.

drying -- use a leaf blower as possible. Spritz each panel with a detailing spray for light lubrication and wipe in straight lines with a Guzzler MF towel. Do not grind or rub hard and preferably no circles.
 
killrwheels@autogeek said:
drying -- use a leaf blower as possible. Spritz each panel with a detailing spray for light lubrication and wipe in straight lines with a Guzzler MF towel. Do not grind or rub hard and preferably no circles.
Click to expand...

I've never used QD when I dry, does it really help that much? I have Crystal Mist and some Meg's QD, would you recommend one over the other?
 
r0ckstrWS6 said:
black is by far the hardest color. my trans am is always popping up with new scratches. try polishing it up to your liking and then applying a sealant. also what I used to do was frown everytime there was dirt on the car and would try to wipe it off. I have now learned to just leave it be until next time I wash it. you literally have to not touch the paint for it to stay scratch free lol.

I think we need a special section for paint car on black cars haha I
Click to expand...
seriously....this guys not an amature....
 
Pinstripe said:
Yep - pretty much exactly right!! haha

My black 2006 Maxima literally swirls upon voice command. I say the word "Swirl!" around it ... and she obediently obeys. (Of course I try to AVOID saying the "S" word in her presence .... ever.)
Click to expand...

Black cars are certainly the most attractive and with that comes a price, they will show scratches, swirls more than any other color........but when the sun begins to set.....there is no other color of a car that looks as great as Black.
 
Very new to forum. What is the two bucket method? 99 boxster looks great at night. Swirls the day away.
 
joe polish said:
Very new to forum. What is the two bucket method? 99 boxster looks great at night. Swirls the day away.
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Pretty basic Joe ...

Bucket #1 has the soapy water that you wash the paint surface with; Bucket #2 has the rinse water that you use to rinse the applicator with.

The idea is to not "contaminate" the soap water with the dirt you just wiped off your car - by rinsing your mitt/sponge in the soap water when reloading.

Dunk in #1.
Wash car.
Dunk in #2 (or use a hose to spray mitt clean, then rinse in #2).
Repeat.

Got it?

(This was probably about 80 words longer than it needed to be. My bad!) :)
 
I usually do a rinse, foam, rinse, then wash with two bucket method. By doing it this way, the foaming gets a lot of the grime off, and that last rinse before the 2BM really helps. Maybe this could help you out?
 
My car was close to perfect a week ago. When I went to apply a second coat of Fusion on Sunday, I saw fresh new swirls. I did not even drive the car and it was covered in the garage. My guess is the older Big Blue Waffle towels were the cause.

In my case, the leaf blower is in and so is the QD with the final drying. I never did this before. If I get a small swirl, PC is out the the problem is solved. Good thing I got two tubs of Fuzion.
 
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