Ok. I have a black 95 TA(look at my username ) Well It is pretty covered with swirl marks/light scratches/some heavy scratches. I got some of the 3m swirl remover and used my random orbit buffer with applicator pads to apply like it said. I then used a clean towel(2 actaully) to remove it by hand. I did the whole car this way(excluding the rear bumper). I started after the sun was below the trees so I could not see it in direct sunlight..but if i looked at it with a flashlight, it is still covered with a million swirlies.

It does look like they are harder to see..guess ill have to wait till tomorrow to tell you this for certain, but my question is this..

Have you guys had to do more than one coat of the above 3m? Or should 1 coat do the trick? I also have Z5 with ZFX on the way...so should one coat be fine, and as I apply several coats of the zaino the swirlies should fill in with time and disapear?

thanks guys, this is my first dark car(last was white) so swirl marks are all new to me.

Matt

 

Hmmm, well the 3M can actually be tricky to apply. The heat and speed of the buffer is what breaks the abrasives down into a finer polish to remove the swirls. The 3M SMR can actually create more tiny swirlies (that looks like hazing usually) if the abrasives aren't worked in properly. So, depending on your type of buffer, you may need to increase the speed, if possible. On my buffer, which has speed setting from 1 to 6, I like to SMR at above 4 minimum. Also, keep buffing the polish until all the residue is almost completely gone from the surface to ensure it's completely worked in.

Another point...what kind of towels are you using to buff with? For the longest time I couldn't figure out where my vvery light swirls/scratches were coming from on my old Camaro. Turns out it was the towels. After I switched to 2 other brands I finally get no more marring, and I'm a happy camper! As simple as it sounds, towels can easily be the "weakest link" causing the small scratches and marring you're seeing. I use better towels on the car than I use in my bathroom.

Yes, you can apply multiple coats of a SMR. The abrasives are very light and multiple coats will not weaken the integrity of the clear or paint. But, if you see no improvement after 2 or 3 applications, you need to try a little more abrasive product, then reuse the SMR. Ideally, you want the finish as perfect as possible before you use the Zaino. It will make Zaino that much better if you're working with a near perfect (or perfect ) finish. Or, you may have to use a little more abrasive product for the heavier scratches/swirls. SMR has it's limits. You might look into some Meguiar's Dual Action Cleaner/Polish or 3M Finesse-It II Machine Polish. This is about as aggressive as you probably will need based on what you described. The Meguiar's DA/CP is excellent for the medium marring, but the 3M will work too.

Keep working with it! When you get it to perfection you'll appreciate the final polish coating (Zaino) even more. The Zaino Z5 will certainly help keep it swirl free in the future.

HTH!

Mike

 

OK thanks for the reply. I think the towels are not the best...but they are 100% cotton made in the USA.

After seeing the paint in the sun today..its about 100x better! Ofcourse if I look close enough I still see some, but i think the wax will help to cover most of that up too. Those must be the really tough ones to get out that I may need the meguires stuff you were talking about.

I got my shipment of Zaino today So I think ill just put that on sunday.

I do have another question. Will the dawn that I use before the zaino take away the 3m SWR? Or does it not work that way. Thanks again.

 

Also one more question. Will clay bar take away the 3M SWR? I am thinking of recalying sunday since I will have all day to work on the car. So would this work?

1. Wash and dry car
2. Clay Bar
3. Wash and dry car with Dawn
4. ZFX with Z5. However many coats I have enough arm strength for

IS that the way I should do it?

thanks anyone...I just wanna get this right since claying and buffing the whole car take soo long...


Plus..what are the best towels to get for buffing this stuff off? Just 100% american cotton is what I should use right?

 

The 3M SMR isn't really a "coat", once it is used to do its thing, just wash it off with Dawn.

Wash car with Dawn first, then clay it, rewash with the Z-7 anddry and then add the Z-5/ZFX. Use the Z-6 detail spray after you have wiped off the dried polish.

 

Yeah, what Kevin said. You can think of the 3M SMR as a kind of "wet sand in a bottle." Once you've buffed it off, it leaves no "coating" of any type.

I've had great results with it too, even on my Caddy's 13 yr. old paint!

 

OK cool..thanks for the info. Looks like ill re-clay it then too. I have all sunday as long as the weather holds up.

 

good luck and have fun.