Pearl White Paint, How Do I See Swirls?

[The Guz]

...All that being said, I still think there's maybe a 7% chance this 4yr. old Infinity is swirl free...

So with this logic there is a 93% chance of swirls.

W could also add the assumption that Infiniti is considered to be soft paint. Which is finicky and prone to swirling.

I'm going to have to agree with Rsurfer on this one. Good advice for finding swirls in white paint.

As an owner of a white vehicle lighting is important as is looking at the paint at various angles. The scangrip light is a good light source on white paint.

[Mantilgh]

It can be really hard to see them on white paint in the full sun.

Try looking for them at night under parking lot or gas station lights, or with a flashlight at home.

[2black1s]

Here's my take... Whether the car has swirls or not, if you need to look that hard trying to find them and you can't seem to find any, then whatever minor swirls [may] exist aren't worth chasing for a daily driver.

[01GreyStangGT]

Sometimes it's easier to see swirls with a parking lot light on light colors. Go over to Wal Mart and park under a light.

[custmsprty]

Here's my take... Whether the car has swirls or not, if you need to look that hard trying to find them and you can't seem to find any, then whatever minor swirls [may] exist aren't worth chasing for a daily driver.

[mudhog79]

Is this four year old Infiniti a daily driver? If so, you have swirls. When looking for swirls in direct sunlight..sun must be overhead and look on the outsides of the sun light.

Daily yes but not many miles. I am sure it has some swirls i am just having a hard time finding them. I can see them in direct sun on my very neglected white honda accord. I will try the overhead sun route.

Thanks

[mudhog79]

It's not beyond the realm of possibility that the original owner knows how to properly wash & dry his own car... People do exist out there.

Would it make a difference if it were a garage queen? Slim chance considering it'd probably see a California Duster... And we all know how 90% of the people are misinformed about those things... [BTW that was sarcasm]

We do a two bucket wash etc. and do our best. I know this car has scratches but i am having a hard time seeing them. Just looking to get some guidance so i can see what setup i need to use to get the paint ready to be coated. I am sure it needs to be polished. I am just wondering what level of compounding does it need.

[mudhog79]

...All that being said, I still think there's maybe a 7% chance this 4yr. old Infinity is swirl free...

Have a better look in direct sunlight. Sometimes it takes a trained eye to be able to see swirls. I sure as heck didn't exactly know how to spot them for almost 20yrs. Lol. [and I had nothing but white cars during that time]

Thanks i will try it out!

[mudhog79]

I have a pearl white car as well, and coming from a jet black Mercedes and black magic pearl VW, I love the fact that swirls are harder to spot for a daily driver, or dust and dirt for that matter would drive me nuts! This does make it much harder when doing paint correction though of course.

As Rsurfer mentioned, sun overhead and look just to the outside of light. I've noticed using super bright LEDs or my iPhone light haven't been the best. White is very reflective and shining an extremely bright white light at the paint and looking into it is just painfully blinding.

In saying that using a "warm" colored bulb has helped me to see it, I have an old handheld shop light and my regular garage light are more of a yellowish hue, maybe try that.

Eldorado2k could be right too, slim chance, but maybe you are swirl free!

HA! I dont think it is swirl free. I will try different light sources. I was leaning towards a black truck but i am kind of OCD and chickened out!

[mudhog79]

Here's my take... Whether the car has swirls or not, if you need to look that hard trying to find them and you can't seem to find any, then whatever minor swirls [may] exist aren't worth chasing for a daily driver.

I hear ya, i plan to polish the car either way. So i was thinking of using a less abrasive pad and a quick polish prior to paint prep and coating on both the new truck and the infiniti.