Reducing swirls on black car

[phillyquattro]

So I have my first black car and I must say I sure do notice a lot more swirls than I ever have with previous cars. The car is Opticoated+ and I use Chemical Guys products on it for cleaning (I have their "Best Car Wash Bucket Kit" and "Black Car Care Kit") but I still notice a fair amount of swirls on the car. Tips or suggestions on how to A) avoid making more swirls B) treating the ones I have. Thanks for the tips!

[CLEANA3]

I would always use a good 2 bucket method. And rinse the wash MIT after every panel. To help nor to put any more in. Do you have pics of the swirls and a buffer to polish the paint. CG makes great stuff but in the end black is tricky. Pics so we can help determine how bad they are

[Avus RS4]

Something I recommend people is to always wet your drying towel before you start drying off your car
Dip it in water, wring it as much as you can and then start drying the exceed of water off the car
By doing it this way you're reducing any friction between the finish and the towel down to zero

[phillyquattro]

I would always use a good 2 bucket method. And rinse the wash MIT after every panel. To help nor to put any more in. Do you have pics of the swirls and a buffer to polish the paint. CG makes great stuff but in the end black is tricky. Pics so we can help determine how bad they are

I tried taking a few pics with my phone but I can't quite capture them well. They're extremely faint and unless you look hard for them you don't notice it. I just notice it because I'm a bit OCD about the finish. I do use a 2 bucket method but I don't wash the mitt after every panel. Typically I just do it once it starts feeling dry so I'll give that idea a shot. Makes perfect sense.

Something I recommend people is to always wet your drying towel before you start drying off your car
Dip it in water, wring it as much as you can and then start drying the exceed of water off the car
By doing it this way you're reducing any friction between the finish and the towel down to zero

Soak the drying towel? Would spraying it with an after-wash detail spray accomplish the same thing? I typically wipe the windows first and the towel definitely picks up a decent amount of water from doing all the glass before I move on to the painted parts. Do you think that would keep it wet enough if I combine some detail spray in there as well?

[Avus RS4]

I do the same thing too.
While the car's still wet I spray it down with my favorite QD and proceed to dry it
I still wet my towel regardless. I guess it's just a matter of personal preference

[phillyquattro]

I'll give the "wet the towel" technique a try the next few times and see if I notice a difference.

[COLD13]

dry with a leaf blower

[WJN S4]

Another alternative is when the car is still wet, use detailer spray as a lube before wiping down to dry. This will also help reduce the friction between towel and paint.. even though water is wet, it doesn't have a very good lubricating quality and dries quickly.

[phillyquattro]

dry with a leaf blower

I live in a city and don't have my own garage space nor access to an electrical outlet outside of my apartment.

Another alternative is when the car is still wet, use detailer spray as a lube before wiping down to dry. This will also help reduce the friction between towel and paint.. even though water is wet, it doesn't have a very good lubricating quality and dries quickly.

Tried this over this past weekend. Worked great! I'll definitely be doing this every time moving forward. Now to repair the minor swirls I have going on already.

[henri12]

To remove the existing swirl marks, you can use Optimum poliseal. This product can remove light scratches and polishes and seals the paint.

[jake_bog]

Read some good things about AMMO's Hydrate Paint Moisturizer. Same technique as a QD, just spray a little on the damp MF towel before drying a section.
http://www.ammonyc.com/shop/ammo-hydrate

[miked1978]

Moisturize the paint? I think their marketing department was high when they came up with that line of BS.

[CLEANA3]

I have not used AMMO products but what im gathering and also avus has said, as I do as well. A QD and this Hydrate product does add lubrication to the drying process to minimize the scratch's while drying. Also never met that guy Larry from AMMO but have watched his videos back in the day that guy noes is stuff yes very OCD sometimes but when you do what he does or Phill from DD, you have to be.

[miked1978]

I'm totally new to this topic and first time in my life I've even looking into products like this. Not claiming to be an expert by any stretch. But, I like to assume I have a decent BS meter and it went off when I read moisturize the paint. If it lubes the drying process, say that.

straight from their page: "AMMO Hydrate is used after you wash the car to dry and moisturize the paint without scratching it."

[Acejam]

I'm totally new to this topic and first time in my life I've even looking into products like this. Not claiming to be an expert by any stretch. But, I like to assume I have a decent BS meter and it went off when I read moisturize the paint. If it lubes the drying process, say that.

straight from their page: "AMMO Hydrate is used after you wash the car to dry and moisturize the paint without scratching it."

Larry @ AMMO is legit. Paint has pores.

[JWreck]

Larry @ AMMO is legit. Paint has pores.

This. +1 for AmmoNYC products. Plus, he has videos to answer any detailing question you'll have.

[miked1978]

Hahahah. Moisturize away.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pdqgp]

This. +1 for AmmoNYC products. Plus, he has videos to answer any detailing question you'll have.

yeah but he rambles for 20 minutes is OCD to the 100th degree about how to do even simple stuff thus talking more than my 9yr old on a sugar buzz. He really needs to learn to communicate more efficiently. Take a 20 minute video down to 2 minutes and call it a day already. I literally can't watch him any longer.

[pdqgp]

So I have my first black car and I must say I sure do notice a lot more swirls than I ever have with previous cars. The car is Opticoated+ and I use Chemical Guys products on it for cleaning (I have their "Best Car Wash Bucket Kit" and "Black Car Care Kit") but I still notice a fair amount of swirls on the car. Tips or suggestions on how to A) avoid making more swirls B) treating the ones I have. Thanks for the tips!

Just about any decent polish will knock out basic swirls. Key to keeping them away lies within your washing and drying practices. Wolfgang Uber Rinseless solution in your wash soap will help acting as a softening agent and adding lube to the solution.

Drying, use high quality waffle weave or MF towels and blot dry, never wipe. Use detail spray or mix up the Uber as a lube and use as a drying agent.

[will13k7]

did you get Brilliant Black? that's impossible to keep swirl free, it was painful to accept.

I did everything everyone recommends online to avoid swirls to an OCD level, but they still come.

I do think I've reduced the rate of marring by using detail spray on a waffle weave MF towel while I dry with very gentle pressure. Sometimes I use the Master Blaster blower, but that thing is loud and I get too lazy.

Chemical Guys V07 detail spray is my current fav, the water just melts away, and it leaves some sealant behind too! Love this shit. I've tried a bunch.

[pdqgp]

did you get Brilliant Black? that's impossible to keep swirl free, it was painful to accept.

Yep. It's tough but not impossible. Wolfgang Uber Wash for rinseless and I also add it or ONR to my wash bucket if I use a two bucket method.

I do think I've reduced the rate of marring by using detail spray on a waffle weave MF towel while I dry with very gentle pressure. Sometimes I use the Master Blaster blower, but that thing is loud and I get too lazy.

Just blot only. Key for me. Even with detail spray.

Chemical Guys V07 detail spray is my current fav, the water just melts away, and it leaves some sealant behind too! Love this shit. I've tried a bunch.

haven't used V07. In love with Blackfire's product.