[BlackLemon]

I have a Saphire Black e90, and i have yet to hand wash it, is there anything i can use to prevent swirl marks when washing?

[shimshimhada]

Quality of the mitt and technique is your best preventive against swirl marks. Check out the Detailing section.

[picus]

http://www.detailedimage.com/store/h...php?p=washdry2

http://autopia-carcare.com/inf-wash.html

As David mentioned, technique and tools with regard to washing are by far the most important part of maintaining a swirl free finish.

[xG35c]

The first time I washed my Deep Green 330i was on a cool day in direct sunlight so I could carefully inspect the new finish. I washed the car with a sheepskin mitt and just a bit of car wash soap for lubrication, keeping the mitt well rinsed. After the wash, I was very impressed with the factory finish on the car, nearly flawless with NO "factory installed" swirls, there was some minor orange peel in the clearcoat that the "lunatic fringe" would probably start wet sanding, but for a daily driver overall it looked amazing.

I then started my normal drying process first using my soft squeege tool. After a few gentle swips I could see that it was leaving minute, but visible in the direct sunlight, scratches on the finish! This was surprising since I'd used this technique for years on other, generally light colored finishes. But on DG, there was no doubt it was doing damage. I switched to my well rinsed synthetic shammy and finished the job.

5 months and many handwashes later, the finish still looks great of course, but swirls are starting to appear under direct sunlight. I'm not sure I could improve my washing process, but I still feel that dragging ANYTHING across the paint to dry it is probably not a good idea. If I was fanatical about it, I'd look into one of those de-mineralization water filters, that allow the water to evaporate without residue. A final touchup with a soft cotton cloth and a spray detailer and this would seem to me to be the way to keep the finish perfect the longest.

[BlackLemon]

^^^ thanks guys, I think ill just stil to the touchless car washes.

[B2Blain]

I am still waiting on the arrival of my Black Sapphire 530i and am still contemplating how best to care for the car.

I have decided to use the Zaino process, but was wondering what impact that Zaino's sealent line had on the issue of swirls. Does it have any impact on swirls.

[Gripster]

Z5 is supposed to help mask existing swirls, but I think the most important factor with using Zaino is the care it forces you to take while washing the car.

Before applying Zaino, I never really paid attention to quality of towels and applicators. I bought my Zaino through www.lazaino.com. They gave me lots of really good advice on avoiding swirls and actually supplied a four page booklet with detailing tips for best results.