Which Products for Swirls, Dark Blue New Car

[dschiller]

I stupidly caused swirl marks on my brand new dark blue Lexus IS350 when I dried the car a few times with an old terry cloth towel (now I know better). I removed the swirl marks using SSR 2.5 and an orange pad using firm pressure, speed 6 on my Porter Cable 7424, and moving about 1 inch/sec. However, the pad has left a lot of marring and/or hazing. I followed with Sonus SFX-2 and a green pad with firm pressure, and this helped reduce the marring, but it's still there. Should I now purchase and try all of the following:

1. SSR1 and apply with white or blue polishing pad (or coarser green pad)
2. EX-P? Pro-Polish? I already have a full bottle of Sonus SFX-3 finishing polish; is it OK to use that instead?
3. Nutty’s Blue – read good things about this; would you recommend this for my dark blue new car? Do I apply this with my PC and a blue pad, or does this get applied by hand?

Any other recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I’ve already spent about 10 hours trying to get rid of the swirl marks on just a few panels on my car. A question on technique: how much dusting should I allow when working in the products before I stop polishing and wipe it off? The SSR2.5 dusts a lot after a couple of slow passes with the PC. Is this OK? Should I allow less dusting as I use a finer swirl remover (like the SSR1)? Any recommendations on pad choices?

-David

 

[Poorboy]

First don't be so firm with the pc as it needs to rotate randomly to be most effective. Second don't prime the pad with water or QD as it will cause the product to dry faster , dust more and do more harm than good.
Try using a polishing pad (not sure of color with Sonus pads) with your SSR2.5 not a cutting pad especially on a dark color and Lexus paint.
USe the polishing pad on speeds of about 5-6 but not on 6 all the time.
Work the product thoroughly and then check your work. Repeat as needed.
Then use SSR1 on a finishing pad at about a speed of 5 ...again not too much pressure on the PC as it needs to be able to rotate randomly.
You can use Polish w/ carnauba by hand as a glaze ..spread it out..allow it to haze and buff off...follow with a couple coats of Natty's blue(by hand) and your car will look better than new.
Good luck ...I usually recommend Lake Country Variable Contact Pads for best results with my SSRs., but many people use the Sonus and/ or Edge pads with equal success.

ps..sorry i tried calling you back but it was too late..I'll try again tomorrow to make sure you don't have any more questions

 

[dschiller]

Thanks for the recommendations. I bought all the PB products we discussed as well as Lake Country white polishing and black finishing pads.

With regard to working in the SSR2.5 and 1, do I stop polishing after the first appearance of dust, or do I allow a small amount of dust (I'm guessing this is right), or do I work it until it dusts a lot?

 

[SFDC5]

don't want to thread jack but, can this be done by hand? i don't have that buffer thing..

 

[BigLeegr]

don't want to thread jack but, can this be done by hand? i don't have that buffer thing..

Well, as Steve mentioned in his earlier post:

You can use Polish w/ carnauba by hand as a glaze

Going with hand application to remove any marring, you will have to either use LOTS of elbow grease or go with fillers. To remove marring, you are removing paint down to the level of the bottom of the marring, so you need to be careful when choosing how "perfect" to make the paint.