ryank771

Okay -- before you guys begin reading, yes I have done the research and I'm hoping that the zaino total protection kit will help, but I wanted to run some pictures by and some info to see what suggestions other black 8 owners suggest.

Background -- this is my first black car, and I'm extremley **** about my cars....even my 99' Aurora. Any imperfections I deal with quickly as it drives me insane! I have a 2k5 that has NEVER seen rain since I purchased it about 6 months ago. H3ll, I've only had to wash it 3 times! Since then I had a detailer put on a coat of paint sealer (kind of like what Ziebart has). When I got it back, it looked beautiful. He got all the buff marks out from what the dealer had left for me. But here is where the problem starts.....over the weekend I purchased all the goodies to wash the car by hand (https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...highlight=wash --> thanks to Apophis). So I began washing it, and once I was done the sun came out....so I pulled it out of my buddies driveway and into my garage. That's when I noticed the damage --- watermarks --- EVERYWHERE. The nasty white ones, and that's when I realized what it was. My buddy forgot to tell me he didn't have a water softner !! So....after reading more threads, I went out and got a claybar and started it's magic. It got a lot of the spots off, but then I realized I had some MAJOR swirl marks on the hood. I've attached some pics. Sorry for the quality, I had a h3ll of a time trying to use my GF's new camera, so just imagine what you see, only 10x worse.

My question is --- is this something I can take care of? Any black owners out there have had it this worse, and had a self solution? I'd hate to spend $100 again to have this guy just "cover up" the swirls. I don't mind spending an entire weekend cleaning and waxing. I'm not doing anymore claybar until I know what to do. I love black when it's clean, but these swirl marks are going to drive me insane (so the GF says). Hopefully a buffer won't be needed.

Suggestions from the BB 8 owners?

SayNoToPistons

iTrader: (8)

www.autopia.org anc lick LEARN.. read the articles. youre going to need a PC 7424 polisher to get rid of those. itll take days to polish by hand and it wont look as good as the PC. dont ever take the car to the dealer again for wash/polish or theyll install the free swirl package again

toxin440

welcome to the hell that is our brilliant blacks. LIke yourself I own a 2005 Brilliant black and am **** about it. I use zaino as well and if you devote a whole weekend to your car with the total care kit, following the instructions I can almost guarentee you will be happy with the results. Something new I'm wanting to try is the Z-PC Fusion Swirl and paint cleaner. Looks very promising.

I just got my car back from paint ( had to get the roof/trunk/left rear Quater panel) repainted b/c some assjockey egged my car and the only way to really tell the difference is b/c the new paint has much less swirl look/use pattern. I'm thinking picking up some Z-PC and going thru a few zaino treatments will even everything out.

ryank771

Yeah --- I'm looking at the zaino kit, and now the PC. I'll have to wait to see what some others suggest before making a final decision.

Sorry to hear about your car toxin440.....I would have flipped out.

DaveT

^^^^^Ditto that^^^^^^

Also, the water spots can result from washing the car in the sun....PERIOD.....irrespective of whether it's soft or hard water. ALWAYS wash a black car in the shade, and dry it immediately........not 2 minutes later even...!!!!!

dillsrotary

the swirl marks will take a couple washings and a few good waxs and polishs. the buffer will cut the work in half of course. After a few times you'll notice them start to disappear. It'll be worth it in the end, but our blacks do show their imperfections easily.

side note stop typing hell as h3ll please.

Raptor2k

Autopia. Learn how to properly wash/dry your car (meaning, no micro-scratching). PC, yellow/orange pad with Poor Boy's SSR2.5, be ready to spend a few hours polishing and spend some cash. Once the swirls are gone, claybar, Zaino, shift at 9000.

NgoRX8

iTrader: (1)

yes... porter cable is a must in your case.

ryank771

LOL....sorry about the leet speak, it's a habit from work. HELL HELL HELL!

I just remembered that I have a $150 giftcard from lowes, and they carry the PC! So I may be spending out the loot to get it and the zaino kit. I don't mind spending the time on it. Hell, I use the duster every day on it when it's in the garage. I appreciate everyone's suggestions/comments. I love black, but it IS a pain in the *** to keep it looking it's best. I think once I can get everything together and am comfortable enough to use the buffer, I'll send some pics of the 8 when it's swirl free.

painter1

This is correct..
Step 1.
wax it by hand
Step 2.
wash it by hand
Step 3.
repeat steps 1 and 2
Step 4.
repeat step 3

painter1

Be careful with that!!!!
Improper use of a buffer not only causes swirl marks... it can also cause serious damage!!!

CorranFox

Yea... I too have felt this pain. I just got my car a month ago from a honda dealer (used) and it seems like the previous owner did not know how to wash it... also I don't think I know how to wash it... it seems as though I am constantly causing more swirl marks every time I wash... either that or I am brining them out from under some wax... I really can't tell.

When you say micro-scratching does that refer to microfiber? cause I use a microfiber sponge and drying cloth specificly so that it won't scratch... but maybe it is still scratching... I sure hope not...

The car was not "perfect" when I got it, it had swirls and scratches and chips but the body is in perfect shape... However I'm just as **** as the original poster and I know how it feels when you look at your car and think... did I do that? could I have avoided it? Only I have a previous owner so I can be like "he must have done it... its ok... is it ok?" ... paranoia insues and I go insane.

I will read this website but any pointers will be greatly appreciated... I worry day and night about this kinda stuff and then of course right after I wash the car I have to drive to work in the rain and ruin the wash

MikeTyson8MyKids

iTrader: (1)

My suggestion would be:

1) Buy Porter Cable

2) Buy a Pad set with backing plate (like the sonus set). Sonus also has a swirl buster pad/polish combo made specifically for dual action polishers like the PC.

3) I'd get Meguiars #80 and #83. #83 will get all the moderate to minor stuff out. If you have deeper swirls, then use #80. When I used #80, it breaks down very nicely with the PC and usually doesnt leave any hazing at all, some say it does. It really depends on the pad, pressure, and your paint.

4) After polsihing, you could go two different directions. You could go with a glaze to realy bring out a shine and depth. Then top it with meguiars #21 wax. Or, you could skip the glaze and go with a sealant. This is what I do. Some say sealants dont bond well to glazes...I've never tried. Yu really cant go wrong either way...it just changes the look slightly. Sealants usually have a slightly more blingy mirror look, while a wax has slightly less shine but more of a wet depth. Some high end sealants have the best of both worlds like Ziano, or the over-the-counter alternative Duragloss. Duragloss is amazing stuff. I use the #105 and the Aquawax.

Razz1

Ja, I agree, I think it is easier to fill them in with a wax/sealant.

Then when your really annual and have two days, do the the full buff and the works.

Nopstnz

Don't have a bb but recently waxed a black car with meguiars NXT generation wax. Great deep gloss to it. Love that stuff. Much cheaper than zaino too. Got all all the swirl marks on the black and yes there were tons. Give it a try if you don't mind waxing.

MikeTyson8MyKids

iTrader: (1)

Fillers are temporary unfortunatly. Thats where the glazes come in...they do a great job of hiding those little things you cant get out, but it lasts as long as your wax or sealent does since it is underneath. I dont have much experience with glazes, but I would think if you keep a nice coat of wax on your car, the glaze would hold up for quite a while. I could be wrong though.

Probably the best of both worlds would be run over the scratched/swirled areas with #80 and a PC. That realy will get 95% of the swirls. Then run over it with #83 if you have hazing (you wont if you work the #80 in and let it break down like its supposed to). Then hit it with glaze/wax or just straight to a sealant. Sealants have a way of showing flaws like swirls. Waxes hide defects better, especially with the glaze undernieth.

Good Luck. Let us know how it turns out!

BTW, the polish/sealant took me about 6 hours on the first attempt...and I took it very very slow. I recently did my parents' car, and it took only 4 hours.

CorranFox

I dont know if I'm ready to buy a PC just yet... I just bought the car and I will be buying a PS3 pretty soon here... so I want to stick with just normal wax for now... buffing will come later on I think, as from what it sounds like those will always be there but can be covered up with some wax. 150-250 is not a price I am ready to spend just yet... when all is said and done it is probably going to be roughly 300-350 with all the goo's and gunks. I think I may consider it though... but I'm just so afraid having never done it before to use a buffer... I live in an apartment too so I can only really do this at night when no one is awake... under a streetlight or something, and I don't have my own hose or anything so I have to go to a pay to spray carwash. I use my own soap and stuff, I just pay for their rinse water to soak and rinse the car.

The 8th Element

Just rent a garage for the day to do the job...

GeorgeH

iTrader: (2)

I've owned a brilliant black Miata for 12 years, and have tried lots of different methods. Here is what I have settled on - it works great and remains swirl-free for several months after a "treatment" even though I live in rainy Oregon.

1. Clay bar.
2. Apply Menzerna final polish (available at Autopia) with the PC unit.
3. Remove polish by hand using waffle towels & Meguiars quick detailer.
4. Apply & remove Meguiars NXT liquid wax by hand.

Honestly, this is the easiest way to a swirl-free, long-lasting finish on black that I have yet to find. I tried Zaino and found NXT easier and gives equal results. I'll probably get blasted for saying that but there it is.

I use the same process on my Ti Grey RX-8.

You could probably apply the NXT with the PC if you wanted to. Good luck.

MikeTyson8MyKids

iTrader: (1)

That works too. I think Menzerna has acrylic fillers which last a while like you said. NXT also does a nice job of hiding blemishes.

There's more than one way to do it.

EZZY

if you are ****, why get a black car in the first place?
get rid of the black panit and re-spray it in other colour or something.

EyeBall Fixer...(o)(x)

I hate to tell an expert their job... but, the Porter Cable is pretty much idiot proof.
I agree with almost everyones comments except for the Zano products.
Don't get me wrong. Many people love this product. Unfortunately they're only a
fix that "masks" the defects and will not remove swirls such as yours.

I own a BB 8 and have researched Autopia.org in length.
Stay away from Rotary Polishers unless you're a pro like painter1.
Random Orbital Polishers are the only way to go for us weekend warriors.
I own and use two polishers. I use a "Cyclo" dual head polisher for the flat area's
and a PC-7424 for the smaller areas.

When in doubt, spend $300+ to a Pro and save your weekend to play.
Good Luck!
EBF

MikeTyson8MyKids

iTrader: (1)

You can get great results from a PC. A PC can do anything a rotary can, its just MUCH safer and you have to work the polish a lot longer. So, take your time, and you wont be dissapointed.

lone_wolf025

Yea but be careful on that one too. I paid a pro to do my car (recommended from autopia) and he did a **** poor job. Full exterior detail package with wash, claybar, polish, and wax all in just shy of 2.5hrs even with an assistant? Right...

Do it yourself and save the money.

NgoRX8

iTrader: (1)

definitely use a porter cable. i have menzerna as well, works wonders.