so where am i going wrong?

Post by **swannny** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:16 pm

hey guys,

i spent a whole weekend with the polisher and swirl free polish to get the 6 just how i wanted it, it looked awesome!

this weekend, took the car cover off, cleaned the car by jetwashing first, then using auto glym shampoo with the meguiars wash mitt on the bodywork only, i have a seperate one for the wheels.

after jet washing again, i chamois leathered it down, finishing off with a meguiars micro fibre towel.

so why is my car covered with swirl marks again? the car is always clean before the cover goes back on, and its an expensive one with the soft lining inside.

i used a brand new wash mitt, and the chamois has only been used once, i have a seperate one for the wheels.

i must be making a school boy error somewhere!

really would appreciate any advice, i've already used 4 buffing wheels, need to order some more now!

Post by **gdavison** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:32 pm

IMV Limited O

Loose the Chamis for drying and go with Microfibre clothes only . wash them in soap and tumble dry them between washes

Two Buckets ?? and at least a Grit Guard in the water bucket when washing ?

You said car cover .. as you know they can do so much damage, I am sure that when putting them on / taking off you minimise any "dragging" over the car .. fold them away from body work as much as possible .. I Feel your pain mine lives under a Car cover at the moment while we do planning permission for new garage

There are a few detailers on the forum, I am sure they will pipe in too

Post by **bam_bam** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:38 pm

Two bucket method, one shampoo, one fresh water. Only do a 2ft x 2ft sq of car at a time with the mitt, then rinse off the mitt in the fresh water bucket. Repeat. The idea is to stop crap getting into the mitt and being dragged across the paint. The dirty mitt is rinsed off in the fresh water meaning your shampoo bucket stays free from crap. Also, consider getting a snow foam lance, it'll cut down on the amount of muck you'll be pulling across the paint.
Throw away the leather chamois, they're brutal, use one or two big fluffy microfibre towels to pat dry the car with a speed detailer spritz.
Then, wax it. The wax is there to protect the paint from swirls.
If dust is getting under that cover then you could get marring at the contact points - corners, roof and tie downs. Just a theory, best to check on the detailing forums for their opinion.

Post by **Madmonkee** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:39 pm

Swirl free polish... They contain fillers generally so you don't actually remove the defects just "hide"
They normally last a few washes.... Strange you can spot them already. As said don't used a chamois leather.

Post by **adsgreen** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:47 pm

Is it an outdoor or indoor cover?

Post by **swannny** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:56 am

I'm liking the idea of loosing the chamois!

It's an outside cover,it's a multilayered one so I do have to be careful taking it off/putting it on.

I bought the race glaze 55 wax, think I put some on the bonnet once, but then didn't do the rest of the car for some reason.

Post by **adsgreen** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:41 am

Ive had good and expensive fitted outdoor covers before with soft inner linings.
(mainly when the 211 had stint of staying outside).
Problem is no matter how soft the cover it'll always due to wind effects slowly take the polish off.
You'd probably find a decent polish without the cover would stand up better

Post by **P_G** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:28 am

One other bit, you said you used a polisher and swirl free polish? What are you using? I ask because I'm trying to ascertain if you are correcting the piantwork with the polisher and then applying polis on top or just using the polisher to apply the polish rather then by hand. It could be that after jet wash and washing plus the dreaded cchamois that what polish you are putting on is not bonding to the paint so looked great once done, all taken off through your wash / dry process.

If you are correcting paintwork becfore applying your final polish, are you using IPA to clean the surface? Cutting and polishing compounds used with polishers leave oils and polish in the swirls so paintwork looks great and then you apply your last coat polish on top, again it will just fall off when washing / drying because it ddoes not have a claen surface to bond to.

Like others have said, ditch the chamois for a mf drying towel and get a buccket with grit guard if not two buckets with grit guards.

Post by **swannny** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:33 pm

i used the meguiars polisher, started with a mequiars polish number 83 on the yellow pad, then went to the swirl free mequiars on the black pad, and finished with the show car glaze on the black pad.

i suppose i should have then finished with the race glaze 55?

i haven't used an ipa inbetween polishes, i understand what you say, it makes sense, but i never thought of it!

two buckets have now been ordered, complete with the grit guards, thanks guys!

Post by **P_G** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:22 pm

To get the best results you should IPA after every polish / pad combo stage to take off what residue and oils is left from that stage otherwise there is a chance that you will just be polishing / compounding the previous polish and when it all comes off it looks like you haven't achieved anything. Much the same as you strip waxes / polishes off the car using wash / clay / HD cleanse before machine polishing.

Knowing some of Meg's products and Audi paint, I don't think you'll get great correction using the method you have used and the swirls have unfortunately been filled in. I have to use a hex-logic yellow pad and Menzerna powergloss which is a good 2 grades higher cut than Meg's on two hits using a DA to get decent correction because Audi lacquer is so hard and then refine with Power Finish (2/10 cut) on a green pad and then apply glaze on a black pad all with IPA between stages.

Post by **bam_bam** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:16 am

What colour is your paint Mr. Tips?

Post by **Reflect Russ** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:57 am

The polishes you have used are extremely oily and filler heavy and imo would struggle on a DA on Audi paint....the chamois isnt helping nor is the car cover but essentially you need to use a polish that isnt going to sit on the paintwork and give a false feel to what you have done....

I have just done V8Marks RS4 and A3 and will post them up when i get a minute but they were done by DA because all they were having wrere a Gloss boost but even still the polishes i used knocked quite a few of the swirls out...left no residue or fillers....

I do have extensive history of working on Audi paint as i do more Audi's than you can shake a stick at....

check out the shopping list at the top of the section and it will recommend some products to maintain the finish but....and here is the but I sell kits to my clients that includes pretty much everything you need....if i get enough interest on here I will see if my supplier can forego some discount for RS246 members....

And yes I am in the process of renewing my supporter subscription....just waiting on Mr T to forward some details through....

Also if i can just reiterate that some are confusing the status of polish....a polish is abrasive and provides no protection what so ever unless of course you use an all in one....the LSP(last step product) is what protects from the elements so the RG55 would be your final step....

Post by **P_G** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:48 pm

bam_bam wrote:What colour is your paint Mr. Tips?

Moi?

Sprint blue.

Post by **brn7y** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:54 pm

Which microfiber towels do you guy's use?

Post by **RS04YOB** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:45 pm

Have you thought about the Meg's DA MF sytem I gave it a go the result's where impressive hid quite a few swirls on my car being black its a right tw4t its always good to give they claying process a go before you give any polishing ago. If you are getting into the detailing thing sign upto detailingworld.co.uk

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