Maldives Blue here as well.
My paint had severe swirls also when I first bought my car. It still has some but this is what I did.
Note: Cutting the clearcoat is really the only way to remove swirls 100% but below is what I did and it is satisfactory to me for my street driven weekend car.
1. Good soapy wash with detergent water. Rinse and repeat. Rinse. Be sure to rinse all road grime from under the wheel lips and door sills so the glaze and wax do not pick up dirt during those processes.
2. While still wet claybar the entire car. Pick your favorite bar.
3. Rinse off and thoroughly dry the paint.
3. Glaze and wax using your favorite products. Try to use a polymer product for greater buildup to fill the minute scratches that are the swirl marks.
4. Use a good quality detailing spray after each wash to add a minute layer of protection over and above the glaze and wax.
Originally Posted by
jonnyd42
I have an 04 Z4 in Maldives blue, which looks great under no reflections. At night in parking lots with fluorescent lights, the swirl marks are super noticeable. They came on the car when I got it. I always hand wash, and when I do I don't double dip the towel into the bucket - I just grab a new towel to apply soap. They're not as noticeable during the day but you can still see them if you look at the right angles. I was wondering a few things (links to other threads are welcomed too!):
-What DIY methods have you found effective but safe on the clear coat? I understand that the process of swirl removal basically involves polishing away the top layer of the clear coat such that the depth of the scratches is reduced all around. I would like to do as little damage as possible
-What methods do professional detailers do, how much do they cost, and how long do they last? I'm happy to take this to a detailer to do the work if DIY is unlikely to work well or is too expensive. However, I'm worried that if I don't wax with the correct technique (see question below), I will be back at square 1 in 5-6 washes. I'm also worried that the detailer may strip down too much of the clear coat, but I'm not sure if that's a thing or how the process works. I don't want to be worse off in the long run.
-What is proper waxing technique? Can you link to a vid showing how to not introduce swirls? I actually haven't waxed my car yet in nearly 1 year of ownership because I'm afraid of introducing more swirls. Can someone point me to a video that explains technique well?
-What is your recommended wax and why?
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