Auto Show Swirls

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KneeDragr

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I was at the DC auto show last Friday and was disappointed to see that nearly every car on the floor was a swirly mess. GM was probably the worst, Toyota's and Hyundai's seemed to be swirled the least, but still had some visible under the lights.
 
Saw the same thing last year.

Overall I was disappointed in the show so didn't bother going this year
 
I'm going to the show this Friday, and I was excepting the same thing. I have gone for the last few years and the swirls are always there. If you watch long enough you will see guys with dry towels come around and try to wipe fingerprints off the cars throughout the day. It does nothing except grind the dust down into the paint causing swirls. Kinda stinks, but I doubt the show would be willing to pay someone with the knowledge to keep the cars looking good.

Quick story, I was there last year and I wore a hat with my detailing company logo on it. There was a guy trying to sell some fix all liquid that would remove swirls and wax in 10 second, or something like that. All I did was sit and listen and then walk away. I mean, who am I to ruin this guy's gig? Well, he decided to try and call me out as I walked away, saying if I were a pro I obviously used his products. I went back over, and put the led light from my phone up to his hood that he was testing on, and showed how under light all of the same swirls were still there, and all this product did was make them look shiny...he wasn't too thrilled...lol.
 
I noticed the same thing, doesnt surprise me though cause you have people walking around wiping all the cars off with the same microfiber towel.
 
LMAO!!! Good for you Dave, especially after he called you out. He should have known not to do that.

I wonder if they'll showcase the Acura ILX...if they do please let me know. I'll go to the show just for the Acura cars.
 
I've been to a ton of local car shows over the years...and frankly, lots of trophy winners have swirls abound...it seems to be more about the "bling", and not so much about the finish.

I used to try to remove all the swirls when preparing for local cars shows, but I'm sorry to say that I have found that a super good glaze that gives me tons of gloss and wetness gets me better results. (or to park the car in the shade at a show if its sunny out).
 
They showed a car on the news the other night. They zoomed in on a pillar (not sure what model car) and it Gucci on it in chrome. :-| <--- straight face.....for real?! Gucci?!?!
 
I went to the Houston Auto Show this past weekend and the worst offenders were the "DUB" group. Some were actually taken care of and swirl free but there were others that clearly had shiny wax put on top of swirls. Disappointing really, considering they spent a lot of money to get the car looking a certain way and not py attention to maintaining that finsh. Some of the cars even had greasy fingerprints and dirt everywhere on the inside, who shows their car off that way?
 
Flannigan said:
I'm going to the show this Friday, and I was excepting the same thing. I have gone for the last few years and the swirls are always there. If you watch long enough you will see guys with dry towels come around and try to wipe fingerprints off the cars throughout the day. It does nothing except grind the dust down into the paint causing swirls. Kinda stinks, but I doubt the show would be willing to pay someone with the knowledge to keep the cars looking good.

Quick story, I was there last year and I wore a hat with my detailing company logo on it. There was a guy trying to sell some fix all liquid that would remove swirls and wax in 10 second, or something like that. All I did was sit and listen and then walk away. I mean, who am I to ruin this guy's gig? Well, he decided to try and call me out as I walked away, saying if I were a pro I obviously used his products. I went back over, and put the led light from my phone up to his hood that he was testing on, and showed how under light all of the same swirls were still there, and all this product did was make them look shiny...he wasn't too thrilled...lol.
Click to expand...

That clown should have kept his mouth shut,that would have been the perfect time to hand out some of your buisness cards.
 
pickles said:
That clown should have kept his mouth shut,that would have been the perfect time to hand out some of your buisness cards.
Click to expand...
Funny you mention that, two guys followed me to the next little area and asked for some more info. I got one detail out of it. I should find the snake oil salesman and thank him! LOL
 
I was at the international auto show in Orlando over break and boy was I pleasantly surprised by the amount of swirls on EVERY car.

The worst, surprisingly, was actually the Bentlys. I watched in horror as a 'detailer' wiped the car down with a cotton face towel and spray that seemed to be just water. If there weren't swirls on the Bently Continental before, there deff will be after that. Sigh and people though I was crazy for taking pictures of the swirly mess. I need to find those pics...
 
alko said:
Saw the same thing last year.

Overall I was disappointed in the show so didn't bother going this year
Click to expand...

My wife is shopping for a new daily driver so we went around sitting in the models she is considering.

I suggest going on the day it opens, its pretty much empty since it opens at noon and closes at 5.
 
I seen the same thing, and here is proof. They got some off the street guys, to clean the cars and wipe them down for finger prints, etc. Two of the guys that I talked to are not detailers at all. :dblthumb2: way to go DC Auto Show, the least they could of done was hire real detailers to get the cars looking right.
 
Here is a 1.6 million dollar classic Ferrari at the Wynn Ferrari Museum in Vegas ....

IMG3154-L.jpg
 
I was pleasantly surprised with the San Diego auto show. I didn't spot any swirls on any of the cars other than the personal show cars people brought, go figure.

All the new cars such as fords and hondas etc had no swirls while the cars brought to the show such as older porches and such had swirls. There was an older cadillac cts-v has an absolute mess. So i know they were visible under the lights there.
 
Flannigan said:
Quick story, I was there last year and I wore a hat with my detailing company logo on it. There was a guy trying to sell some fix all liquid that would remove swirls and wax in 10 second, or something like that. All I did was sit and listen and then walk away. I mean, who am I to ruin this guy's gig? Well, he decided to try and call me out as I walked away, saying if I were a pro I obviously used his products. I went back over, and put the led light from my phone up to his hood that he was testing on, and showed how under light all of the same swirls were still there, and all this product did was make them look shiny...he wasn't too thrilled...lol.
Click to expand...

I think I know this guy. He does his demonstration on a red hood usually? Whats the product name? cause I'm pretty sure its the same dude.
 
When we attend an indoor Auto Show that is showcasing vehicles that are supposed to have a "Show Car" appearance on all surfaces...Then...Yes, it is somewhat disappointing to see paintwork swirls under the Show's lights (not any of mine).

As most of these "Show Cars" are never even started, let alone driven...This, IMHO, shows negligence on behalf of the "Show Cars' owners, or, perhaps their "Painters/Detailers".
(In fact, most of these types of indoor-car shows will not allow any fuel/car batteries inside the buildings or on their show-floors.)

Outdoor car shows, on the other hand, are often shunned by owners of true "Show Cars". They know full-well that their vehicles' expensive paintwork is quite susceptible to exposure to the elements...Let alone the lack of respect shown by some of the general, not-as-discriminating, car-show-attending populace towards any: PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH!!! placards. (Un-concealed 'Concealed Carry' may also be frowned upon by the car shows' hosts.)

Are there any valid reasons for folks driving vehicles to car shows, (whether they're indoor/outdoor---"Show Cars Only", 'regular' car shows/cruise-ins), that may already have swirls and other defects; or the owners instilling 'new ones' by utilizing improper-techniques once they arrive?

Some will say: NO!

Most of the time, though...I've been heard to say:
"WOW!! Lots of "COOL CARS" here today!! Glad these folks are willing to bring/drive their vehicles for all of us to see"!!!

{If a vehicle owner is claiming to have a "Show Car", and all that entails, I believe their: Legend Board should declare that as well. Same feeling goes for: Owners of "Trailer Queens".}

After all...
Aren't most judged---Non-"Show Cars" car-shows---And any 'awards won' are by:
-Family & Friends...First, Second, Third, etc.
-Foes (outsiders)...Hardly ever.
-(I'm shocked sometimes to even have been considered---Did I do something...Right?)

Personally, that doesn't bother me...
I more than appreciate: The "healthy" food offerings at car show events. (and the wife being beside me)
Is it Summertime yet?


:)

Bob
 
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