Originally Posted by
seanentrust
So I had my black a6 fully detailed a few weeks back. When I picked it up it looked amazing! but after a wash a seeing it in direct sunlight i can see all the swirl marks from the buffer. I didn't really pay for the detail it was a trade with a friend so I'm not too bummed about it, the inside of the car looked brand new so that alone was worth it but now I'm just wondering what I can do on my own to make it better?
you can see the swirls above the door handle, when the sun hits the car right they are all over
Originally Posted by
seanentrust
i do not. I have no clue about this stuff or where to even start
If you have no experience or tools, start by reading up on some of the How To threads and what the videos at AutoGeek. Mike Phillips has some excellent videos that will prove very insightful.
That said, it's just a matter of time and some money to fix it up. I just had a correction/training with a fellow AZ Member who was getting into detailing his New to Him S4 but wanted guidance. The best thing I could offer is to not try and boil the ocean at once; especially if you're doing things alone. Not many of us have 14hrs in one day nor is it wise to try and do that alone in one day.
The other key for you is gong to be proper technique at caring for black. It's tough as black is not forgiving at all in terms of improper care. Especially in terms of proper towels to use and technique drying her off which is were the majority of owners end up with swirls.
Here's a first-draft at some basic supplies and tips and I'm happy to chime back in on this thread over time with more as you move forward. Ask away and feel free to PM.
Buffer - Invest a Flex 3401. It's about $350 but drop the mike walk away one of the best. Others are good too but this particular flex is a direct-drive powered buffer where it will not stop spinning like many of the other Dual Action units including some of the longer throw higher end ones. If a buffer isn't rotating, it's not correcting. The 3401 will be much faster and offer better corrections in 1/3 to 1/2 the time as other buffers.
Pads - Will vary a bit depending on the buffer as there are general flat pads and color codes for each system/manufacturer. With the above 3401 look for Hybrid pads. Get 5 Medium Cut Pads, 5 polishing pads and 2 last step product pads. AGain, read up on them and come back with questions as we can cover more later.
Products - Key to any detail. Products are the number one factor as that's what's touching the paint. Keep it simple. There are tons of products that are on-par and you'll get as many recommendations as there are posts. I've covered some other products in other threads here too. Here's mine:
Compound - I love Meg's Ultimate Compound. You won't likely need it over the whole car but then I've not seen your entire car. Meg's ultimate line is excellent and works great. Staple in your cabinet. I also really love HDAdapt. It's a medium compound that finishes like a polish. I keep this in my cabinet as it's less aggressive and yet works wonders. Great for areas that may need a bit of work down the road or you miss and don't clean up entirely with the first detail.
Polish/AIO - HDPolish and HDSpeed. Read up on the 3D HD Products. I have dozens of different products in my cabinet and consistantly come back to HD's. Excellent Product, great and reasonable pricing. Polish is exactly that. A good staple to have in your cabinet. Speed is an All in One which will remove medium swirls and defects with ease and if you're pinched for time it also has HDPoxy, their sealant in it. Not he longest lasting in terms of protection but you can top it with HDPoxy anytime and it helps you in a time crunch for a one and done. It's my go-to for all in one applications. I'll show you an Accord I did this weekend that was as bad as your car.
Last Stop Product aka LSP. Litterally hundreds of good ones out there. HDPoxy is a solid one that is a hybrid wax/sealant - very strong and ultimate in gloss level. Keeps you in a simple HD product a family too. Finish Kare 1000P is my go-to for summer. Highest temp resistant synthetic polish out there - excellent for black that bakes in the sun all summer.
Lastly, down the road, once corrected, you will have no need to further polish your car if you maintain it well, so rather than continuing to abrade the clear coat with polishes, you'll use a Jeweling Wax. McKee's 37 makes one of the better ones. I used it on my car several weeks back and the results were outstanding. Really refines the finish, offers a solid Carnauba Wax Base for protection and is safe to use nearly as often as you want.
Sorry for the long winded approach to an initial post but I thought it would prove helpful to you. Looking forward to helping where I can. In time you'll have your car turned into a black-mirror. It's not difficult. Here are a handful of mine - Brilliant Black.
One, Two, Three, Four, Five
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