And I expected way more. Maybe I expected too much?

First off, I have a black 01 car and it was covered in swirls. :frown: These were on the car since I bought it used in November. The first step, paint cleaner, did a hell of a job or removing the old swirls. Really made it look good again. But when it was really clean I noticed all the horrible touch up jobs on my car.

The second step, polish, didn't really do much at all. The car looked the same and the paint felt the same.

The last step, carnuba wax, really didn't change the shine of it either. As far as I can tell it just made the paint surface REALLY slick. It didn't gain a show wining shine that the bottle lead me to beleive.

Overall, the only product in that line up worth using is the 1st step. It did an excellent job of making the paint look new again. I don't have any pictures of it since when I got done it was getting dark and my camera wouldn't take very good pictures even with the flash. They all came out way too dark.

 

if you used the system thats in the maroon bottles it sucks. what color is your car?

 

My car is black. I did use the Meguires in the maroon bottles.

 

I have had very good results with meguiars, and I used to own a black car. If you have serious swirls, you may have needed to use a buff cleaner slightly stronger than the first step. However, since you've started, you should not go back by taking off what you've done.

You should be able to just layer up on the pure carnauba wax (#3). A very good build up will hide most of your swirls. You should look to put on about 8 to 9 coats of the pure wax in order to see really good results. Put your wax coats on gradually, with about one or two layers at a time, and give the wax at least a few days to settle and dry before relayering. Of course it helps to keep the car out of rain, but even if you do, you won't have a problem. The slick beading quality may wash off in time, but the wax will still be there waiting for you! Do not use #2 or a cleaner wax, because you will be taking off wax if you do. Just layer up with #3 and you should see results. Good luck.

PS: I used to put on the carnauba right after #1 years ago when I neglected the paint and if I was in a hurry. I had good results doing that also. The #2 polish should have made the job easier by making the paint slick and prepped to take on the wax.

 

The first step did a very good job. It removed all the swirl marks from my car. I applied it with a orbital 6" buffer. The paint looks real good now. Maybe I'll try a few more coats of the carnuba and see if the results get any better.

 

do this 83 dual action cleaner polish, 9 swirl mark remover, 7 show car glaze, 20 polymer sealant, 26 hi tech yellow wax and you should be ok


or you can do the 83, 9, 7, thn NXT wax that works very well as a synthetic polymer have any more ?'s email me

 

I've used the 3 step Deep Crystal System a couple of times and was pretty satisfied with the results. But then again my car is silver, where as black tends to show more. Sorry to hear.

 

Sounds like the system did it's job. The first step is a cleaner, and from what you said that is exactly what it did. The polish won't do much more for the plain eye to notice and the wax is mostly for protection.

 

I'm surprised no one chimed in about Zaino yet. I've been using Z-5 for 2 years now and the stuff is amazing. When I was waxing my car in the fall, I had a little left over and instead of wasting it I took it over to my neighbor so he could try in on his black 95 Formula. After that he was hooked. It turned out great, hiding all the fine surface clearcoat scratches. So far I have 4 other friends who switched to Zaino (former Meguires users )

Some people say it is expensive, but 1 bottle will last a long time. I have at least 8 coats on my car and still have 1/2 a bottle left. You will spend a lot less time waxing too. Just try it, you'll be very impressed. I got mine through www.hcvind.com Carl is a great guy to deal with and he won't sell you anything you don't need.

 

We're all taking a few days off and staring at ourselves in our hoods.

 

Z5 for removing swirls is a farce IMO. What I would use is Menzerna Intensive Polish if it is real bad and follow it up with Menzerna Final Polish. I would then either use Z2, but since your car is black I would look at Blackfire and/or Wolf Gang care products.

 

To get rid of swirls in my customers' cars, I use the 3M Micro Machine Polish on a Porter Cable buffer, then Z5 and Z2 over it. Comes out perfect every time.

 

Ya, that I bet would work really nice because the z5 might get rid of a little micro marring...

 

I think this is (was) an Equal Opportunity Polish thread

I have a black 97 TA (lost on the CamaroZ28 boards...) Car has almost 70K and was a daily ride until last year. Seen it's share of Pennsylvania winter and the ensuing grayish salt covered look. I also have a black 97 Monte Carlo, black 2001 Tahoe... even a black snowblower. Before that I had a black '85 Silverado. (Yeah, Dale Earnhardt was my favorite driver.) Here's the deal on "black", it's a matter of your time and effort for the level of shine you expect. There are the ones that drag their cars through a car wash with the rotating brushes (shudder) and think the car is clean to those that spend a week cleaning the lower A-arms. I only like to spend a good weekend in the Spring and after that only a couple of hours in order to keep the shine up. But that's my preference. After all these years in black here is what "works" for me;

Spring time I do a Dawn soap wash. It strips everything off. I then use the Megiuars Paint Cleaner. I use a porter cable buffer with velcro buff pads. Then I'm onto the Zaino. The car gets quick layer after quick layer of Zaino Z2 / Z5 until I run out beer or I get yelled at by my wife to get a life. For the rest of the year, I can wash and put on another coat of Zaino in an hour. I don't want to spend too much parked in the garage / driveway when there are gatherings to be at, tracks to race on or just creating general havoc. And I think my upper arms are big enough. But that's just me....
some photos

The Zaino last longer for me than the Meguiars wax, and the biggest thing, it doesn't haze. You'll never get rid of the swirls, but after mutli-layers with the Zaino, they are less noticeable until you are right on top of the car, or the sun angle hits the black the wrong way. There really isn't too much you can do about that unless you don't drive the car, then you won't have to wash and keep it clean.


... oh yeah, Ac Dc "back in Black" is one of my favorite albums.


well that's my 44 cents worth!!!!
--ron

 

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