(i know there is a thread about paint pealing)

anyway....
I have noticed with washing my car that even with a microfiber cloth, i still get swirl marks. Is the paint on our cars really that bad?

Whats the best way to take care of this...i know waxing helps, but it still leaves the bad ones!

 

What color is your car? I've noticed there is more complaints with the Pearl colors then the Metallic colors. I've washed my fit a LOT and have no swirls yet... I wash with microfiber mitt and dry with a synthetic shammy from simoniz.

 

ive noticed this too, when i got it and put a coat of klasse sealant on there and rubbed just a little harder to take it off, i saw minor swirls.. i also just put my door sills in and when prepping the area with alcohol, my towel started to turn red(color of car) and i noticed there is a faded area now..

To attempt at maintain this paint, i would just say sealant/wax often and polish once in a while. though too much polishing may make it much much worst.

I guess when honda wanted to make a cheap car, they took everything into consideration..

 

if you're being careful about washing your car, maybe the swirl marks were there from previous washes, from the dealer for example? i have swirls on my car too, but i dont seem to be getting more. and i'm very careful with washing and waxing, so i think it may have been from previous people washing the car at the dealer. i've tried getting the swirls out but nothing has worked so far, so i kinda gave up haha.

 

Main reason why I ordered TW! I never had any troubles with TW when I had my 2002 Civic. Hard to see swirls, chips and scratches on white.

 

I have lots all over my Fit...which is why I got a power polisher lol and a light swirl remover kit. I'm gonna make mine SHINE!

 

Swirl marks seem impossible to stay away from on the Fit, especially on the dark colors. I guess we just have to live with them..

Tyler

 

I talked to my salesperson at my local dealership and he mentioned this guy came in because he had swirls all over his 2008 black Accord. The guy has been buying Accords since the 80's...but this was his first dark one. He said he never had this problem before. Im guessing he washed the car with a dirty cloth or something. My dad bought a new '97 black civic and kept it for a year after realizing the extra work it requires. He traded it in for a silver one at the time. If you are fussy like me...I wouldnt recommend getting a dark car. haha.

Alot of ppl everywhere dont know how to wash their car the proper way...I see pretty well most darker cars with swirls. You dont even need the sun to see them in some cases.

 

i always take mine to the quarter wash, what I do is use Honda Bright which is like a presoak and get the really dirty areas, then I use the rinse water to presoak after that, then the soap and rinse again, then I dry it, I have very faint marks, not even swirls, but then again I dry with "The Absorber"

 

Stop staring so closely at your car, you'll drive yourself crazy.

Worry about shopping cart dents, door dings, and rock chips.

 

Any brand wax recommendations for a new 08 red fit?

Thanks!

 

I also have a MR one. I like Klasse sealant glaze, its said to protect like no other but u need quick detailer to take it off though or u will scratch the thin paint. If thats too expensive, i would also recommend Meguairs #26 Tech wax or there NXT Tech wax. I would recommend anything Meguairs though. A bonus is that all their products smell nice

 

Our cars have water based paint. Its like a prime, base coat, and clear combined. It has no separate clear, thats why it scratches easy.
Its also why aftermarket painted pieces dont match perfectly. Unless your car is there and they MAKE it match.

I made the mistake of using one of those brushes at a "do it yourself" wash. This was a while back. I got most of the scratches out.
I plan on using that Meguairs 3 stage crap. I heard its gangsta! Haha!

 

Bought my MR in May and I never let anyone wash it but me. Used the two bucket method, microfiber hand mits, Meguiars car wash solution, never washed when car was hot to touch, used the absorber to dry. Waxed it twice since May and still have swirls all over the car. Can't see them unless in direct sun. Planning to clay bar this spring and then use the new Meguiars next gen wax to see how that does. I've owned nothing but Fords or Chevys and even owned a really sweet Black Cavalier Rally Sport Wagon for three years and not one swirl on that car when I traded it in. This was my first import and I really believe that Honda is going to need to address the paint and the carpet. I love my car but these are two issues that I have not been happy with.

Cat :x

 

Cat, you're off to a good start but here's the thing. You first have to remove the swirls completely and then try your hardest to not create more. My last car was solid black and I'm a bit of a perfectionists when it comes to a car's paint finish so I feel your pain.

In a few months, I'm going to clay my car, again, and polish out the swirls with my Porter Cable. Since the car is new, it shouldn't need more than a light polishing so I'm going to try Prima Swirl for the task. I've also had good luck with Menzerna products. I'll then hit it with a sealant and may some carnauba, primarily for looks.

With my washing, I use the 2 bucket method, one with a Grit Guard. I use a sheepskin mit and always was from top to bottom. After I've got the car rinsed off, I take the nozzle off and use the "flood" method (just run the water out of the hose over the car). For drying, i use a waffle weave towel, using light pressure.

Hope this helps!

 

Davela72:

Thanks for the information. I definitely wash with two different mits one for the top part of the car and one for the lower part of the car. I really like your idea of removing the nozzle and letting that water flow freely over the car. That is a great suggestion and one of my concerns is getting all the soap residue off the car.

So in other words I will need to use a product to remove the swirls before I clay bar or wax again? I did make a mistake of purchasing some microfiber clothes from Wal-Mart which were rougher in texture than the ones I purchased at Auto Zone. I have decided to purchase all new Microfibers from Meguiars or another brand before the spring arrives and just use the old ones for doing the windows. I definitely keep the car clean and it is garaged at work and when I am at home so it is not out in the direct sun or chemicals. You do all you can do and you still end up with swirls. Since winter hit and it has swirls anyway, I have to admitted that I have taken it to the hand wash place twice. I figure it already has swirls so what more can they do!

Cat :x

 

Cat - Clay will help to take particles and grime out of your paint. To remove swirls you'll need some kind of polish.

 

I had swirls and scratches all over my NHBP when I first got it. Most of them are gone now. Granted, if you've seen pictures of my car you'd see it's never dirty. Cleaning it is like a religion to me.
Some of the products I use:

-Meguiars Soft gel or other Meguiars Car wash
-3m Polishing compound(I rarely use this. Very easy to make more swirl marks so you must be VERYYY careful)
-Mothers or Meguiars Clay bar- Once a month for me
-Meguiars Gold Class Paste wax- Every Car wash( I quick detail alot, and the car sits in the garage. It equates to probably once every 2 weeks.)
-Meguiars Step 1, 2, 3 system- Anytime I clay bar
-Meguiars Cleaner Wax- After Step 2( I usually don't use step 3. Just the cleaner wax, and then gold class.)

These are some of the things I use on the regular. I'm probably the most anal person when it comes to paint. I'll probably do a write-up on this later.

 

Typically, I wash the car, clay the car, then polish with the Porter Cable. Once you've polished out all the swirls/scratches then you apply your LSP (last step product) whether it be a wax or a sealant. Not to hijack, but here's a few of my old Rabbit:

 

I have those same microfiber cloths!!!