Swirl Marks

Hi Nick,

My Velvet Blue 840 has some swirl marks too - it is a common problem with darker cars.

I've used Zymol on some of my cars in the past but decided to see if that was the best products as I had some varying levels of success.

I have been researching this for some time and have just this week ordered a load of detailing supplies from US - at about £300 cost - not cheap but hopefully worth it!

I got most the legendary Zaino stuff (http://www.zainobros.com)
• ZFX
• Z-2
• Z-5
• Z-6
• Z-7

And also
• Pinnacle PolyClay Bars
• 3M's Swirl Mark Remover for Dark Cars
• P21S Gloss Enhancing Paint Cleanser
• MicroFiber Magic Towels x 2
• Big Blue Towels x 2

I obviously haven't tried any of these yet but from extensive reading they should get my car up near to concours standards.

If you want to research the subjest yourself, I suggest you go to Roadfly Detailing forum
http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/detailing/

Specifically look at http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/…/detailing/3579628-1.html
as a starting point.

I found Ian at Autofiber.com to be very helpful as he has agreed to buy all the stuff for me and ship it to UK !

If you want to know any more - just ask the detailing forum guys - they know most things ! The more you get into it - the more you will amaze yourself with exactly how much there is to know and how seriously some of those guys take their cars !

Ian.

Thanks for the post...
I should try this once

I dont understand what swirl marks are?

Zitat von Ian_UK

I wish this board would remeber me or keep me signed in !

Swirl marks are the circular marks left in paint (normally seen more on darker cars) which look like circular scratching caused by polishing or cleaning car when it still has small particles or dirt on it.

i saw similar marks when my car got eggs thrown at it, cost £300 each to get rid of but they were very deep

Ian_UK

Dear Ian, I would be very pleased to see and hear from you here. Thanks !
Manfred

Hi Manfred,

Sorry - how can I help you ?

Ian

I will try to post pics of my car probably next week.

Diff going in tomorrow and 4 wheel alignment next week.

Ian.

Just do THIS.

Swirl Mark.... To Nickcropper

Hi nick
I bought an 850 last October. I too was quite concerned with the swirl marks in the sun. (or at appropriate angles)

I spent 15 hours all together with that problem. I tried 3 kinds of swirl remover to no avail. finally I called a professional and he came to my house, looked at the car and solved the problem.

Here you go:

First of all I ERRONEOUSLY thought the swirl mark were small. I had tried 1500 grit. then 1200 grit.

Second: I had to realised that just because swirl look small they may not be. It took 800 grit to get rid of em. I didn't like at first the idea to use 800 gril but that was the answer.

Third: Perhaps you can try an 800 grit where it is not so visible and you will see for yourself. If the swirls refuse to go with what you are using chances are they are bigger than you think.

Fourth: After all this I applied 5 coats of Z5, ,3 Coat of Z2 and topped the whole work with Z6. My car looks awesome. I lit the paint with a "fluorescent" lamp and I can see no scratches.

Last: Be careful with Zaino. I use the product myself. If your car is not perfect before you start applying it I am afraid you will be a very sorry man. This stuff will INCREASE the seability of scratches if there are any. It will also increase seability of paint chipped. No matter how small. Garantied.

Hope this help. Let me know.

Now before you ask me to post a pic of my car... well it is in storage for the Canadian winter . I will in the spring.

Hope this help.

I used Concept products, I used Surf-Ace to get the swirl marks out then I used New Horizon to polish afterwards. I used two differant, soft and hard, polishing pads on my houshold drill. Then topped it off with a coat of Auto Glym Extra Gloss Protection. And wow it was a beauty afterwards.

AutoGlym

Clay

Nick
As soon as I posted last night (last nite for me) I realised I forgot to mention this.

Do not underestimate the POWER of "Clay". If your car hasn't been clayed, for a while do it. do it-do it-do it. The paint will feel like baby skin. No kidding. Plus you will have taken off all contaminants that are at the origin of rusting the paint.

When I decided to do that I thought just to do a small part of the car because I pictured the whole job as unescessary tidious and long. Well while IT IS tidious and long I couldn't stop once I started. All those who see my car and feel the paint are stuned of the touch. Of course it yield to better finish as well.

One thing you should know about Zaino. It leave finger print very easily. I hope they can address this problem soon because it is quite anoying. You can't touch your car without seeing finger prints all over. You WILL need a rag in your trunk in permanence. Plus it does not give a deep finish. At least to my eyes. Great wax product have an edge here. But they don't last.

On the plus side it is said Zaino last months. (I don't know that for fact yet) The shine is glossy, the wet gloss one never gets tired to look at. My friends keep looking and looking at it ...and me too.

You will need several X several coats of Z5 to make a difference. If you didn't get the "Guru wax report" from Roadfly get it. They explain about Zaino. Applying Zaino is like "the least amount of application for the most result" It is not easy to get used to that. 5 unperceptible coats yeild better results than 2 big ones.
I hope this does not come across to bully. The heart of this email is "enthousiasm" not "ordering you around" . Please forgive my english. I can speak it well enough to be dangerous with it !!!

See you around Nick. Perhaps in England or Canada...