06-05-2015, 01:05 PM
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can i get rid of swirl marks?
05-02-2013, 07:59 AM
#26
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2012 CLS63
I hear ya. I just drove my car cross state, bug splatter all over it, has to be parked outside for a few days, exposed to possible sprinklers and tree sap (parking outside is one of my biggest pet peeves).
I figured I'd just throw in the towel, enjoy it, do the best I can but eliminate my "project OCD keep the car looking flawless forever" and just enjoy it utilitarian-y. Hopefully I'll get all the gorgeous blackness out of my system and settle for a silver or white one next, and go back to spending a lot of time on my car with little to no attention from that being put on swirls. With my black car, if I had a graph to break down on what I spend on various elements of upkeep, my black car would have its largest segment taken by "swirl maintenance and prevention". On my previous white car, that probably wasn't even in the equation.
Still.... having one of the rarely "well kept" black cars on the road can be such a stunning sight to behold, it just might be worth it. I find that getting your detailing and "spot fixing" process down to a "T" with gaining as much knowledge as you can, saves time, wildcard aspects, and of course keeps yourself in check. As someone said, your expectations are all that matter. Face it, if you are stressing AT ALL about keeping a black car nice and well-kept, and acting on it even AT ALL, chances are you already have a nicer black paint than 90+% of the people out there.
Getting the right products is also the most important aspect. Bucket with grit guard, right wash mitt, RIGHT MF towels, two bucket method, scratch removers, waxes, touch up pen, etc. etc. Even down to how you WASH your MF towels is a big process to know and have down as well.
I figured I'd just throw in the towel, enjoy it, do the best I can but eliminate my "project OCD keep the car looking flawless forever" and just enjoy it utilitarian-y. Hopefully I'll get all the gorgeous blackness out of my system and settle for a silver or white one next, and go back to spending a lot of time on my car with little to no attention from that being put on swirls. With my black car, if I had a graph to break down on what I spend on various elements of upkeep, my black car would have its largest segment taken by "swirl maintenance and prevention". On my previous white car, that probably wasn't even in the equation.
Still.... having one of the rarely "well kept" black cars on the road can be such a stunning sight to behold, it just might be worth it. I find that getting your detailing and "spot fixing" process down to a "T" with gaining as much knowledge as you can, saves time, wildcard aspects, and of course keeps yourself in check. As someone said, your expectations are all that matter. Face it, if you are stressing AT ALL about keeping a black car nice and well-kept, and acting on it even AT ALL, chances are you already have a nicer black paint than 90+% of the people out there.
Getting the right products is also the most important aspect. Bucket with grit guard, right wash mitt, RIGHT MF towels, two bucket method, scratch removers, waxes, touch up pen, etc. etc. Even down to how you WASH your MF towels is a big process to know and have down as well.
lol!!!
05-02-2013, 08:55 AM
#27
On a business trip, a group of us were headed out to lunch from the building w/underground garage. In the garage, I spotted a glowing Corvette (that was intentionally was taking up two spots) in the corner. It really stood out.
I commented "Wow that's a nice car!"
To my surprise, one of the group members said "Yeah... that's my car."
I replied "Don't you know that the forecast calls for rain later today?"
To which he said in a stern voice like a WWE wrestler "MY CAR DON'T GET WE UNLESS I WANT IT TO!!"
I thought he was joking but then did leave early in the day before the rains came.
That was fine by me - get paid either way.
Sprinklers combined with the sun can really be problematic if you care to keep water spots off your car. If you are lucky, water spots (minerals) would come off with normal car wash soap. If not, you may have to resort to a products specifically to address water spots or your own formula (something with vinegar in it?). And if still present, it probably has etched into your paint, that would require polishing to remove. It doesn't take much time for this to happen.
Yes, getting water spots is unavoidable at times, cause how do you know when there are sprinklers at your destination, or when facilities/landscapers might turn them on (like during spring startup adjustment)? But you need not give in or leave it alone. It may not get any worse, but it certainly won't get any better by inaction.
I commented "Wow that's a nice car!"
To my surprise, one of the group members said "Yeah... that's my car."
I replied "Don't you know that the forecast calls for rain later today?"
To which he said in a stern voice like a WWE wrestler "MY CAR DON'T GET WE UNLESS I WANT IT TO!!"
I thought he was joking but then did leave early in the day before the rains came.
That was fine by me - get paid either way. Sprinklers combined with the sun can really be problematic if you care to keep water spots off your car. If you are lucky, water spots (minerals) would come off with normal car wash soap. If not, you may have to resort to a products specifically to address water spots or your own formula (something with vinegar in it?). And if still present, it probably has etched into your paint, that would require polishing to remove. It doesn't take much time for this to happen.
Yes, getting water spots is unavoidable at times, cause how do you know when there are sprinklers at your destination, or when facilities/landscapers might turn them on (like during spring startup adjustment)? But you need not give in or leave it alone. It may not get any worse, but it certainly won't get any better by inaction.
