[ZoomZoom]

I'm not sure if you can wash a car to much.. I wash my car every week. I use the two bucket method, and a pressure washer to hose it down before and after the handwash. I use a chamois to dry it off and a polishing cloth to get any dust ..etc off of it. My problem is my car is one huge swirl mark now and I'm hesitant to wash it. What the heck am i doing wrong?? Any help would be appreciated.

[ZoomZoom]

So all I need to do now with the damage I've done already is use a polishing compound? or do I need a rubbing compound first?

[wesley_willis]

Don't worry about it too much. You can easily get rid of the swirls you've made by hand with a random orbital machine. Damn paint these days is so weak.

[335BBS]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoom

So all I need to do now with the damage I've done already is use a polishing compound? or do I need a rubbing compound first?

Have it done professionally. Do you really want to learn/practice on your own car?

[hipnotic]

yeah use a car buffer and you will be good to go. Get some polish and then follow it up with a sealant

[fdriller9]

Originally Posted by Leaker

Have it done professionally. Do you really want to learn/practice on your own car?

A random orbital polisher makes it IMPOSSIBLE to damage your paint. When you apply too much pressure the pad will stop spinning. So you can't burn through your clear coat.

Now if you allow dirt to get between the pad and the paint....well that's a different story.

[07E92TT]

Originally Posted by Leaker

Have it done professionally. Do you really want to learn/practice on your own car?

+1, and make sure you take it to the right "professional" that actually knows what he's doing. I've seen several people with awful detail jobs and holograms in the paint everywhere.

[Verbiage]

Turtle wax x Microfiber cloth = Magic. Or something.

[PMDTX]

Originally Posted by *********

A random orbital polisher makes it IMPOSSIBLE to damage your paint. When you apply too much pressure the pad will stop spinning. So you can't burn through your clear coat.

Now if you allow dirt to get between the pad and the paint....well that's a different story.

My 335i is the vehicle I have learned on and have had nothing but success. (knock on wood) I bought a craftsman random orbital from sears and its not the sexiest but it does well. I wash the car, clay bar it, use the buffer to apply the wax, remove by hand, then use a wool bonnet to polish and it turns out pretty good.

Its like changing your own oil, first one done pays for the tools and everything after is money saved.

[dday]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoom

I'm not sure if you can wash a car to much.. I wash my car every week. I use the two bucket method, and a pressure washer to hose it down before and after the handwash. I use a chamois to dry it off and a polishing cloth to get any dust ..etc off of it. My problem is my car is one huge swirl mark now and I'm hesitant to wash it. What the heck am i doing wrong?? Any help would be appreciated.

So a few things jump out at me.

1. chamois isn't really the best means to dry, a nice MF towel would be better.

2. polishing cloth to remove dust? you never want to rub dust on your paint not matter how soft a cloth, that alone is prob a big problem.

[Pathy01]

Originally Posted by PMDTX

My 335i is the vehicle I have learned on and have had nothing but success. (knock on wood) I bought a craftsman random orbital from sears and its not the sexiest but it does well. I wash the car, clay bar it, use the buffer to apply the wax, remove by hand, then use a wool bonnet to polish and it turns out pretty good.

Its like changing your own oil, first one done pays for the tools and everything after is money saved.

Wait.. you wax then polish????? I hope you meant that in the opposite order...

[MuttGrunt]

Originally Posted by *********

A random orbital polisher makes it IMPOSSIBLE to damage your paint. When you apply too much pressure the pad will stop spinning. So you can't burn through your clear coat.

Now if you allow dirt to get between the pad and the paint....well that's a different story.

If only this was true.
The people that sell you tools and equipment may want you to think this, but it's just not true. While things like Dual Action polishers are much safer than rotary polishers, there's always some degree of risk when working on your vehicle.

People have ruined their cars in every way possible. The easiest way to reduce risk is to understand how things work.


To the OP:
I'd recommend switching to microfiber drying towels and quitting the wipe-downs to rid your vehicle of dust. Those two things alone should help a lot. Aside from that, make sure you only wipe your vehicle down in straight line motions. The problem with swirls is that it makes it nearly impossible to tell where the damage is coming from.
Also take into account that if the vehicle has never been properly polished before that it likely had swirls from day one: also making it hard to tell where the marks came from: you or from any time prior to you.

[ZoomZoom]

Thanks for all the help...
It looks like I'll be ditching the chamois, stopping the daily wipe down, and purchasing a random orbital buffer. I know I can take it in and have it done, but I really would like to learn on my own how to PROPERLY do this.

[DetailAddict]

yeah, ditch the chamois and pickup some good waffle drying MF and some grit guards.

send me a pm with your email and phone number and I am more than happy to go over some of the stuff with you.

Leo

[Holliday]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoom

Thanks for all the help...
It looks like I'll be ditching the chamois, stopping the daily wipe down, and purchasing a random orbital buffer. I know I can take it in and have it done, but I really would like to learn on my own how to PROPERLY do this.

I am stationed at Ramstein and have been doing some side detailing on my off time. I use detailersdomain.com and autogeek.net. They have the best stuff and ship to APO addresses. I contacted detailed Image and they wont ship to APO's. With the places I get my products from they ship super fast! They also have very informative stuff on their websites to help you choose the right stuff.

[MuttGrunt]

Originally Posted by DetailAddict

yeah, ditch the chamois and pickup some good waffle drying MF and some grit guards.

send me a pm with your email and phone number and I am more than happy to go over some of the stuff with you.

Leo

There you go OP: Great advice and the opportunity to talk with a knowledgeable guy to make sure you have everything you need. If you don't take advantage of that - you're crazy!

[PMDTX]

Originally Posted by Pathy01

Wait.. you wax then polish????? I hope you meant that in the opposite order...

I misspoke (mistyped?). I use a clean lambswool bonnet as my final step and it really makes everything seem to pop and shine. Not sure if this step has a name to it.

[Envious Eric]

overtime your car will accumulate swirlmarks, its a given and inevitable. You can reduce the amount instilled in the car each time though by using high quality towels, the right methods, and NOT owning a JB car. LOL

waffle weave drying towels
quality MF towels
QD
a frequently waxed car
and time
= all your friend when it comes to washing.

A good way, as there are other ways, would be something like the following:
pre-rinse to remove loose dirt / foam up the car
Two bucket wash
rinse soap off
use sheeting method to remove as much water as possible before drying
use WW towel to blot dry the car
spritz QD and finish drying the car with a MF towel.

The chemical make up in the QD will aid in drying and also provide a barrier layer between the MF towel and the paint, reducing the amount of contact/swirl mark creating ability.

Thats one way to try and reduce the amount of swirls introduced in the paint

[PINeely]

A wipedown is only really sufficient to wipe down dust right after you wash and preferably the car wont have even moved. If you do a day's driving then you will need to wash the car. Washing in a back to forth motion helps because linear imperfections are much harder to see than curvaceous ones.

There is merit in preventative measures too. Quality microfiber with an antistatic quick detailer will reduce dust buildup and keeping the car waxed/sealed prevents swirls, marring and contaminant bonding.

[E46toE90]

Just red through all these post learned a couple tips thanks guys

[jmen11]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoom

I use a chamois to dry it off and a polishing cloth to get any dust ..etc off of it.

This is your problem right here. Loose the chamois and polishing cloth. Get some quality microfiber waffle weave towels for drying. I would also recommend a lambswool mitt for washing. These two things will make a world of difference.