Ceramic coating a new car with the usual dealer installed swirl marks

pearlbeauty

pearlbeauty

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Hey guys,

Not willing to wait 4 months for a custom ordered car, I decided to take one off the showroom floor with all the options I wanted and one I didn't: The dealer installed swirl marks.


The DA polisher I have is the Rupes 15. From inspection it would seem that claying should be easy as it is smooth except in a few spots.

I want to ceramic coat it, so suggestions would be appreciated. The WG 30cc coating is on it's way.

As far as washing it I have the McKee soap. As for drying I use a leaf blower.

So from this point on what do you guys recommend as far as steps and products. I want to do this once, no matter how long it takes, and hopefully do it right.

Thank You in advance.
 
Every product I have purchased here has had pretty good instructions right in the store. In this case, Wolfgang recommends the following:


"Wolfgang Uber Ceramic Coating is designed for vehicles with a smooth, swirl-free finish. If necessary, use Wolfgang Uber Compound and Finishing Glaze to first polish the paint to a high gloss finish."

I've found it easiest to stay within a family of products to create synergy.
 
Thank You.
Knozzmoeking said:
Every product I have purchased here has had pretty good instructions right in the store. In this case, Wolfgang recommends the following:


"Wolfgang Uber Ceramic Coating is designed for vehicles with a smooth, swirl-free finish. If necessary, use Wolfgang Uber Compound and Finishing Glaze to first polish the paint to a high gloss finish."

I've found it easiest to stay within a family of products to create synergy.
Click to expand...
 
Well since you say that time, or perhaps even cost is of no concern, and since you are going to go with a coating, I would suggest getting the paint as squeaky clean and contaminant free as possible.

Clay might be sufficient, and of course let the baggie test be a helpful aid to insuring you've got any-all above paint surface crud totally removed.

To go one step further with decon, I would also suggest an iron particle remover as well. Most suggest doing this step after the wash, and prior to claying.

All will agree, that a car even just fresh off the truck that day is no insurance as to iron particle free paint.

IMO, Iron would not be something I'd want to bury under a semi-permanent coating.

I'd also probably have a product such as Carpro Eraser on hand to do an entire vehicle wipe down directly after polishing, and prior to applying the coating to insure any oils from the polishes have been removed.
 
pearlbeauty said:
So from this point on what do you guys recommend as far as steps and products. I want to do this once, no matter how long it takes, and hopefully do it right.
Click to expand...


  • Wash
  • Chemically decontaminate with something like Car Pro's Iron X
  • Physically decontaminate with Clay/Nano
  • Dry
  • Polish
  • Coat



There are dozens of great products out there and we all have our favorites. Anything from HD Polish or Meg's Ultimate Polish/205 will likely be all you need.

What make/model and color vehicle?
 
Good lighting will be paramount. While many of us might be able to masterfully apply a wax, or a sealant totally blindfolded, you need to see as best you can for the polishing, and coating processes.

And of course the right temps. and as I, and many always do, never do anything on paint in direct sunlight.
 
Congrats on your new car. What brand and color? The lighter (white/silver) the color the easier to polish. Darker colors require extra steps in polishing as you can see every little defect.
 
As to your initial comments, "the paint feels smooth except for a few places". Well, this too can be a real fooler with a bare hand.

Again, the thinnest plastic Sandwich baggy you can find to use (the thinner, the better), place your hand inside of it, and feel your freshly washed paint. And let the baggie be your guide on each and every panel you clay.

As for what polishes, you might get numerous suggestions of a particular brand-type, but the general 2 rules of thumbs will apply, and I personally feel this way about a new vehicle and is probably true of any paint you might approach with DA, Polishes, and Pads.

Firstly, do the least amount of harm. Meaning, try to use the least aggressive methods, products, pads, and techniques to get the job properly done. Lighting will help be a guide, you must be able to see as good as possible, otherwise you are working "blind".

With that being said, I would probably lean towards using an ultra fine finishing polish, and a less aggressive pad. Such as perhaps the Lake Country Flat White Pads, White ThinPro Pads, or the Rupes equivalent. Surely don't start with a Pad that's as hard, and as aggressive as a Cheese Grater!

You can always repeat a process on any given section of the paint if it needs a bit more attention and to perhaps remove some slightly deeper sleeks that you have not fully removed with the first set of section passes with gentler processes. Or, perhaps conclude you may have to then resort to a slightly more aggressive polish, or Pad, then repeat the finessing with a finishing polish.

The proverbial "Test Spot", which Mike Phillips, our master here on this forum wisely beats into our brains constantly. One can tape off an area, Mike usually does, and this is sometimes mostly for effect, to clearly see one from the other, but isn't exactly that necessary. That if you're liking what you're seeing with a given polish, pads, and technique, this test spot is an aid that you continue to repeat the same polishing processes on the rest of the vehicle.

Lastly, don't forget having some rolls of good auto painter's masking tapes on hand, to protect parts-trim, rubber, emblems-badges that you do not want damaged by the polishes and DA, or slinging polishes all over.

To not mask, you'll wrongly assume and learn the hard way of damaging such trim-emblems, by wrongly thinking "oh. I'll stay away from those with the machine!. Nope, you most likely won't.

Repairing and eliminated any damages created on trim, badges, lettering can be hard to impossible, let's say one of those spiffy oval Ford Badges, which of course only cheap plated plastic, there's no bringing back burned off chrome plating.
 
Welcome to the forum.

pdqgp said:
  • Wash
  • Chemically decontaminate with something like Car Pro's Iron X
  • Physically decontaminate with Clay/Nano
  • Dry
  • Polish
  • Coat
Click to expand...


This is actually a good start. I would add to start with a test spot with the least aggressive polish and pad and adjust accordingly based on how the paint responds.

I would also add to use a paint prep spray like the one that Wolfgang offers to prep the paint after polishing and prior to coating it. I would go around at least twice.
 
Thank you for all the replies. I sure have a lot of info to work with. As I mentioned I have the Rupes 15. I also have the UHS polish along with the UHS pad. Would this combo be too aggressive to start? I do have a bottle of WG paint prep and Iron X car wash.
Would the WG advanced swirl remover be a better choice?
The car is a rosso mars (metallic red) huracan.


Rsurfer said:
Congrats on your new car. What brand and color? The lighter (white/silver) the color the easier to polish. Darker colors require extra steps in polishing as you can see every little defect.
Click to expand...
 
pearlbeauty said:
Thank you for all the replies. I sure have a lot of info to work with. As I mentioned I have the Rupes 15. I also have the UHS polish along with the UHS pad. Would this combo be too aggressive to start? I do have a bottle of WG paint prep and Iron X car wash.
Would the WG advanced swirl remover be a better choice?
The car is a rosso mars (metallic red) huracan.
Click to expand...

That's a good place to start.
 
Once again thank you for all the replies. After reading all the advice this is what I have come up with (special thanks to MarkD51 for taking the time for such an in depth response), and please let me know if I should change anything.

Car is Rosso Mars (Metallic Red)
My lighting is good but it will be better for this process. Also will order the Rupes penlight swirl finder.
Mask areas to be protected, then
1. Wash car.

2. Coat car with Iron X Snow Soap using a soap cannon. Give it time to do its thing and rinse.

3. Nano skin

4. Pinnacle advanced finishing polish using 5 1/2 inch Lake country white thin pro pad. (If this does not work I was thinking either using Pinnacle advanced swirl remover using the same pad or Rupes UHS polish with the UHS pad).

5. Wolfgang paint prep, go around twice.

6. WG Uber Ceramic. Is it a good idea to do multiple coats and if so how long between coats.

As I said if I missed anything or should change anything please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it.

MarkD51 said:
As to your initial comments, "the paint feels smooth except for a few places". Well, this too can be a real fooler with a bare hand.

Again, the thinnest plastic Sandwich baggy you can find to use (the thinner, the better), place your hand inside of it, and feel your freshly washed paint. And let the baggie be your guide on each and every panel you clay.

As for what polishes, you might get numerous suggestions of a particular brand-type, but the general 2 rules of thumbs will apply, and I personally feel this way about a new vehicle and is probably true of any paint you might approach with DA, Polishes, and Pads.

Firstly, do the least amount of harm. Meaning, try to use the least aggressive methods, products, pads, and techniques to get the job properly done. Lighting will help be a guide, you must be able to see as good as possible, otherwise you are working "blind".

With that being said, I would probably lean towards using an ultra fine finishing polish, and a less aggressive pad. Such as perhaps the Lake Country Flat White Pads, White ThinPro Pads, or the Rupes equivalent. Surely don't start with a Pad that's as hard, and as aggressive as a Cheese Grater!

You can always repeat a process on any given section of the paint if it needs a bit more attention and to perhaps remove some slightly deeper sleeks that you have not fully removed with the first set of section passes with gentler processes. Or, perhaps conclude you may have to then resort to a slightly more aggressive polish, or Pad, then repeat the finessing with a finishing polish.

The proverbial "Test Spot", which Mike Phillips, our master here on this forum wisely beats into our brains constantly. One can tape off an area, Mike usually does, and this is sometimes mostly for effect, to clearly see one from the other, but isn't exactly that necessary. That if you're liking what you're seeing with a given polish, pads, and technique, this test spot is an aid that you continue to repeat the same polishing processes on the rest of the vehicle.

Lastly, don't forget having some rolls of good auto painter's masking tapes on hand, to protect parts-trim, rubber, emblems-badges that you do not want damaged by the polishes and DA, or slinging polishes all over.

To not mask, you'll wrongly assume and learn the hard way of damaging such trim-emblems, by wrongly thinking "oh. I'll stay away from those with the machine!. Nope, you most likely won't.

Repairing and eliminated any damages created on trim, badges, lettering can be hard to impossible, let's say one of those spiffy oval Ford Badges, which of course only cheap plated plastic, there's no bringing back burned off chrome plating.
Click to expand...
 
No need to do multiple coats of WG Uber Ceramic unless you think you missed spots. Just take your time and go one solid coat. It is super easy to use.
 
pearlbeauty said:
Once again thank you for all the replies. After reading all the advice this is what I have come up with (special thanks to MarkD51 for taking the time for such an in depth response), and please let me know if I should change anything.

Car is Rosso Mars (Metallic Red)
My lighting is good but it will be better for this process. Also will order the Rupes penlight swirl finder.
Mask areas to be protected, then
1. Wash car.

2. Coat car with Iron X Snow Soap using a soap cannon. Give it time to do its thing and rinse.

3. Nano skin

4. Pinnacle advanced finishing polish using 5 1/2 inch Lake country white thin pro pad. (If this does not work I was thinking either using Pinnacle advanced swirl remover using the same pad or Rupes UHS polish with the UHS pad).

5. Wolfgang paint prep, go around twice.

6. WG Uber Ceramic. Is it a good idea to do multiple coats and if so how long between coats.

As I said if I missed anything or should change anything please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it.
Click to expand...

The UHS is fairly adjustable in it's correction. At least from my experience using it. I used it with the LHR15 MKII. On speed 3 it acts more like a polish and at speed 4 it acts more like a compound giving it a bump in correction but finishing like a polish.

Check out this thread on how to prime the UHS pad. See the middle of the post number 1 by Todd.

Ferrari Daytona vs. Mk II BigFoot!
 
Thank you, I just received the product. I coated the windshield on my daily driver. As you mentioned it is very easy to use.

Ebg18t said:
No need to do multiple coats of WG Uber Ceramic unless you think you missed spots. Just take your time and go one solid coat. It is super easy to use.
Click to expand...
 
I am hoping that the Pinnacle finishing polish will take care of the issue and I do not have to resort to the UHS. But if I do I will keep your advice in mind.
Thank You

The Guz said:
The UHS is fairly adjustable in it's correction. At least from my experience using it. I used it with the LHR15 MKII. On speed 3 it acts more like a polish and at speed 4 it acts more like a compound giving it a bump in correction but finishing like a polish.

Check out this thread on how to prime the UHS pad. See the middle of the post number 1 by Todd.

Ferrari Daytona vs. Mk II BigFoot!
Click to expand...
 
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