I have a 93 Z that is black, original paint. Starting to get old and looking faded in a few places - rear qtr panel and the hood. So I decided to get this Turtle Wax color enhancing wax for black cars. Supposedly, it darkens it up and covers imperfections, etc. I applied it on a perfect day, 70 degrees and in the shade. At first, it looked pretty good. Next day I notice that the car is covered with terrible, deep swirls containing discoloration.
Any ideas on how I can get this out - otherwise I'm gonna have to take it to a detailing shop.

 

You won't get them out by hand. Do you have a buffer? (a real one, not a sears one)

 

No buffer at all, guess that is the first step. I'd really like to get the car painted, but I don't have any idea what it would cost?

 

Gotta go shopping around and find a reputable shop. A good buffer that will remove swirls and is pretty much impossible to mess up the paint with is the Porter Cable 7424. Register over on www.autopia.org because you have alot to learn. www.coastaltool.com has it cheapest, and pads from www.properautocare.com
Good luck

 

Use a paint buff cleaner. Work it in good until that stuff is off. Then apply the #2 and the pure wax.

Never use that stuff again. It is supposed to fill in light scratches in your paint, however, nothing but a proven wax or polish should ever be applied to your paint surface.

No need to go to extremes with a buffer or a detail person. You can correct it yourself by hand. Chalk up this one as good experience in learning what not to use.

 

Those color waxes do not even make sense since your car is clear coated the dye in the wax never even touches the color base coat layer of paint, did you think about that?

Try some 3M Swirl Mark remover part number 39009 using a foam pad and an orbital buffer. The finish with a quality wax or polish but not that color stuff.......

 

Show me some before and after pics of deep swirls that were removed by hand with 3M SMR. (with the fillers removed afterwards). I'll have a heart attack.

 

I dont use the 3M by hand, I use it with a PC and Lake Country pads, if the car has really bad scratches and swirls more than the ordinary I start with something a little rougher than the 39009 like 3M Finesse It II.

See my post here:

http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread...hreadid=494623

 

How do you like the Lake Country pads? I'm currently using 6.5" variable-contact foam pads from www.properautocare.com and they're holding up very well. (6" velcro backing plate and 6" counterweight).

About SMR, I haven't had much luck with it because it is mostly fillers. 9/10 people I know hate it. For removing swirls, I've had good luck with 1Z Paint Polish.

 

Those pads you are using from Proper Auto care are made by Lake Country under their private label program, I buy Lake country pads direct thru www.topoftheline.com , it is cheaper that way and not have to pay the mark up that Proper puts on them.

Are these the ones you use?
http://www.lakecountrymfg.com/foampads_var.html

These are the ones I use:
http://www.lakecountrymfg.com/foampads_curv.html

I use them because I like the curved edges......

 

http://www.properautocare.com/padkitwoveba.html
^that's the kit I got, plus an extra polishing and an extra cutting pad.

They're $6.95 each at Proper Auto Care and $8.95 each at Top of the Line.....

 

I use the 7.5 inch pads and the prices have gone up a little since I bought mine but comparing apples to apples both web sites now are about the same:

http://www.properautocare.com/adfoampadfor.html

vs

http://www.topoftheline.com/tolae/7durvelpad.html


They must be in high demand, Proper is out of stock on some of them....

 

Gotcha, are there any advantages to using a 7.5" over a 6.5"? Do you need a different backing plate/counterweight?

 

I just like the extra hang over of the extra 1.5 inches to get under mirrors and spoilers and such, it uses the same backer plate as you would run with a 6 or 6.5 inch foam pad so no, you still use the 6 inch counter weight which is the factory equipped weight in the Porter Cable model 7336 that I have.

 

Wow. I use that Turtle Wax. Haven't had that problem though. It actually cover up a lot of my scratches and stuff. I use the turtle wax first, then go over it with some Meguair's quick detailer. Makes a difference since I really don't have time to go full detail lately