Hi all,

Well you definitely kena con.

Nano glass coating is a sealant - it just seals properly prepared paint, it is not meant to remove imperfections. To get rid of those water marks, the paint needs to be polished and buffed.

But I think I know what the shop is trying to say. If you cough up RM1300, they'll polish & buff the water marks out... which is necessary in order to apply the sealant anyway. But they since definitely conned you on the first job, cheating bastards don't deserve repeat business.

Spend RM25 on a polishing compound, RM70 on a polymer sealant, a few more bucks on some microfiber cloths and a quiet weekend. You'll get rid of your watermarks and it beats paying hundreds of bucks on any Groupon detailing con job.

Turtle Wax Renew Rx Polishing Compound costs RM19.90 at Tesco. They make the more aggressive Renew Rx Rubbing Compound too, but you don't need it.

Polyglaze makes cheap sealant, used that before. Turtle Wax Platinum Ultra Gloss is about RM50 if I'm not mistaken.

Add a clay bar, polishing cloths and a few hours' worth of elbow grease, you'll do a far better job than that Groupon con job detailer.

The thing that most people don't realize, most companies use Groupon to bait consumers to come to their shop. Once you've taken the bait, they'll try to switch you to something more profitable to them. I think that's what happened to you. You went in to polish your car with a Groupon deal, they do a lousy job so that you'll be tempted to cough up blood for their hugely profitable RM1300 package.

Watermarks are the easiest to buff out using a polishing compound, since they lie on top of the clearcoat.

Swirls and scratches, those depend on how deep they cut into the clearcoat. If very minor, by hand pun OK. If somebody ran their car key across your paint, you'll need a rotary buffer.

If I recommended that you use top-of-the-line RM200 products to do the job, would you be more convinced? Hehe...

I've got a restoration project myself when I find the time in January. 5-year old black SUV, original paintjob with the complimentary cuci kereta swirls and a nasty scratch that drags across an entire door. I'll be armed with that cheap RM20 TW polishing compound, a cheap TW Color Cure Plus Black thingie, a second-hand adjustable speed rotary buffer that I got for RM100... and I'm trying to find that TW Platinum Ultra Gloss sealant and a 2000-grit sandpaper.

A complete outer respray paintjob would set me back RM2500, let's see if I can rejuvenate the paint this way and save myself RM2200.

If an idiot like me can do it, I'm sure you can too.

Compared to the TW Rubbing Compound, the TW Polishing Compound is already less aggressive. After a couple of passes & buffing off, I think it should be ready for TW Color Cure Plus. Two coats of that, then the polymer sealant goes on to seal the deal. Job done.

The hard work is in the polishing stage where you remove swirls, scratches & dullness by cutting down a thin layer of the paint's clearcoat... without adding fresh damage from hamfisted use of the buffing machine.

If the paintwork is badly weathered or in a really lousy condition, then u use something more abrasive to cut out the imperfections faster, like that rubbing compound or a cutting compound. Otherwise you won't need it.

The only use of spray wax at this point is to moisten the pad on the rotary buffer at the beginning to avoid running a dry pad on the paintwork. It's otherwise not needed.

Sure you can. It just takes a bit of muscle, that's all.

It's a good workout for you young folks, me I'm an ageing uncle I'd rather use a machine. The other advantage of doing it by hand is, there is less risk of of going overboard and damaging the paintwork. The advantage of using a rotary buffer is... I'VE GOT DA POWER (cue song)..!!

TW Color Cure Plus is a discontinued product from early 2000 I think, you'll find old stock lying around here and there at Ace Hardware and that rip-off place called Eneos. I know I used to use it on my GSXR400 that I rode at the Batu 3 circuit... that was back when people knew there was an international racetrack in the middle of Shah Alam. It's basically synthetic wax with coloring in it, plus a rather useless Chip Stick that you used to fill in the deep scratches if you're too lazy to do a proper job of wet sanding and polishing them out. I just want the colored synthetic wax to make the black paintwork pop out before I seal it.

These days it has been replaced by Turtle Wax's Black Box kit, which is bloody farking expensive at RM120+. Me, I'm trying to keep the cost of my restoration project at around RM300 so glorified crap like that are off my list.

Turtle Wax Color Cure Plus Black is color enhanced synthetic wax, plus a useless Chip Stick. I think around RM40 if I'm not mistaken at Ace Hardware near my house. The first time I bought it was at Jusco many years ago.

Turtle Wax Platinum Ultra Gloss is the sealant I will use. RM50.

Other costs: Turtle Wax Renew RX Polishing Compound RM20, a second hand rotary buffer with foam pads RM100, plus a few bucks for new microfibre cloths... I think should be able to keep to my RM300 budget for this restoration project. Save the rest of my cash for ICE in March... LOL...

Well you don't have to use everything I use. Maybe the other guys here can recommend different waxes.

Me, I prefer to stick to synthetic stuff. I'm too much of a cheapskate to cough up for premium pure carnauba stuff - there is just no point trying to keep a concours-level finish on a humble daily transport.

Hi Guys,

Are there any specific polish that you guys can recommend for black car?

I am using Soft99 and Meguiars Ultimate Quik Wax but I still find swirl marks (though I'm not sure if its micro scratch marks from the foam pad).

I used a Foam to apply the Polish then buffed it with a micro fibre cloth.

My steps:-
1) Wash & Clay & wash
2) Polish (foam pad), set, buff (micro fibre cloth)
3) Ultimate quik wax, buff (micro fibre cloth)

Still I find swirl marks.
Would a buffing machine give better results?

Thanks!

My friend mentioned that it could be alot of factors in producing a swirl free marks.

I have no problems running Soft99 on my car which is white (no swirl marks). The black car however is my wifes.

My friend suggests to use a different approach to black cars and he recommends the Meguiars Swirl X and the Ultimate Polish.

Not a Meg's fan but apparently thats the product that works on black cars.

For Soft99, I believe it works best on bright colored cars but for darker cars we might have to use a different polish.

I might consider the Meguiars Black Wax if the Ultimate Polish doesnt work on my next pass.

Will update more if I happen to have the chance to do so.

But I am willing to accept any further inputs such as Foam Pads, Microfibre cloths or techniques even to achieve the black glossy finish.

Hey eprince,

So I had some time during the weekend and gave it a go again.
Its still the same product but I have then changed to Meguiars Micro Fiber cloth.

This time I payed extra attention to the sponge, cloths and micro fibers.

1) Washed with a wool (or similar) sponge
2) Dried with a separate micro fiber "DRY" cloth
3) Waxed with another separate micro fiber cloth

The results to my surprise, was night and day.

I took this picture after my wash and you will notice the micro swirl marks left by years of neglected care.
[attachmentid=5838881]

Here's the results after applying JUST Meguiars Ultimate Quik Wax and using the Meguiars Supreme Shine Micro Fiber cloth.
[attachmentid=5838938]

I was really surprised with the results and I found this forum posting below that it seems Ultimate Quik Wax have some "Filling" capability.
Though I do not think that by just applying the Ultimate Quik Wax have "Corrected" the swirls, I believe the Micro Fiber cloth
may have applied the wax in a much finer manner and also spread the solution across better.

If you're doing by hand, you have to take note of:-
1) Elbow grease needed
2) Correct cloth
3) Correct method (small sections at a time)
- I split my bonnet/door panels by half
- For door panels, I did the top half first to avoid picking up dirt/dusts from the lower panels
- The roof, I split it into quarters 1/4 section

Forum Posting of Ultimate Quik Wax (or Review):-
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/produc...e-quik-wax.html

The correct method of applying any polish or waxes:-
http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showt...timate-Quik-Wax

I have yet to give Swirl X (ordered, waiting to arrive) a try and properly "Correct" the swirls,
but lets see if the swirls resurfaces after a few wash. Again, I dont think Ultimate Quik Wax have "Corrected" the swirls.

Will try to post more when I have the chance to give Swirl X a go!

Other than that, I hope this post helps you for your black car!

Turtle polishing compound is a paint-killer + swirl generator.

Guys...can soft99 polish make scratches disappear....

Hey ePrince!

I can safe to say, the Swirl X have removed the Swirls.
I still have minor scratches but that is fine.

I may be planning for the DA next to take my detailing to the next level.

Detailing 2 cars by hand is absolute killer

Today's scratch removal project completed.

Cost - second hand rotary buffer RM100, new sponge buffing pad RM20, 1000-grit sandpaper RM0.80, Turtle Wax Color Cure Plus RM45, Tesco applicator sponge RM2. Old microfiber cloths & girlfriend's Mantis Scratch Remover FREE! Total cost RM167 plus change.

My hood got keyed real good. Long winding gash about 1 metre long and it's been a royal eyesore.

[attachmentid=5959218]

The gash dug halfway thru the clearcoat. Can feel it with my fingernails, so need sandpaper to sand down the clearcoat.

[attachmentid=5959228]

Sanding down. Check out that winding gash! Whoever did this was a real sohai. Need water spray to lube the sandpaper.

[attachmentid=5959221]
3 hours later.. ta-daaa! I felt like Tool Time Tim.

[attachmentid=5959219]

Cast of honour. Star of the show, the second hand China rotary buffer and matching el cheapo sponge buffing pad from Chinaman hardware store. Dishonorably discharged - Turtlewax Polishing Compound. Farking useless.

[attachmentid=5959230]

Lessons learned:

1) Turtlewax Polishing Compound wasn't up to the job. Not abrasive enough, took bloody forever to polish out the scratch.

2) Mantis Scratch Remover is shit on its own, but if you use it with a rotary buffer... hell yeah!

3) El cheapo second hand China rotary buffer will do the job, instead of the more expensive dual action polisher.