Could a coating be an answer to my problems?

**sinking** · 04-20-2013, 06:08 PM

I have a 996 Turbo in Midnight Blue. Twice in the 7 months I've owned it I have polished it to a beautiful swirl free shine. Not long after the swirls start showing back up. The paint is just so soft. The car is far from daily driven, gets washed with the two bucket method with grit guard, high quality wookie mitt. I use all clean, quality microfibers and quality waxes like Souveran and Fuzion. I have even stopped dusting my car and using detailing sprays in between washes. The point I'm trying to make is I think my technique is just fine but the paint is that soft.

I'd never been keen on coats for my fun cars because I really enjoy waxing and waxing over the coats seems pointless. Will the coatings SIGNIFICANTLY reduce my paints tendency to swirl assuming I maintain good technique? I know you can still get swirls with coatings. When you do are the swirls in the paint or are they actually in the coating?

Feel free to make any recommendations on particular brands.

**Old Tiger** · 04-20-2013, 07:25 PM

A coating will be a sacrificial barrier. Opti Coat Pro and Car Pro Finest are the ones I use. They are both very hard after curing.

**sinking** · 04-20-2013, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by Old Tiger

A coating will be a sacrificial barrier. Opti Coat Pro and Car Pro Finest are the ones I use. They are both very hard after curing.

That's one of my thoughts. Even if the coating swirls some at least when I polish that away I'm not polishing as much of the clear coat way.

**seaho** · 04-20-2013, 08:15 PM

I have been using Opti-coat for the last couple years, and I can tell you that particularly on my Infiniti G35(very soft paint, seemed to swirl from a stiff breeze), it has greatly decreased swirls and makes cleaning much easier. Incidentally, if you want to top it with something, Opti-seal does seem to add a little depth.

**seaho** · 04-20-2013, 08:22 PM

Oh yea, and it is black.

**Vegas Transplant** · 04-20-2013, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Autogeek

...No coating I've tested resisted scratching either so pick your poison, wax, paint sealant or coating. Finding a good spray wax and then using it often should get you and keep you at the 98% to 99% flawless category.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...ack-paint.html

**cardaddy** · 04-21-2013, 01:02 AM

I think your biggest problem is two fold, 1; it's typical soft Porsche paint and 2; it's BLACK!

The other side of that coin (it's a three sided coin btw)

......
what is the 'barrier' you want to sacrifice? No doubt Opti-Coat or Cquartz are harder than a wax, (spray or otherwise). Will they stop all swirls? No way! Will they help? Likely. Can you remove them easily and put a new 'topper' on? Are you kidding?!?!?!

I went to Summit Racing's first big show of the season today just to walk around. There were a total of TWO cars there that were not swirled, TWO!!! Who in the he!! goes to a car show and doesn't correct swirls? Seriously! I mean there were those two and a few others that I'd leave alone as they were, BUT all together that wasn't half a dozen cars TOTAL. OMG it almost had me feeling ill. The black cars of course were the worst, and ONLY ONE black one had good looking paint. It was a 79 Trans Am custom. Rear spoiler was smoothed into the body, rear fenders flared, fronts with a mild flair even and the 'shaker' scoop was molded into the hood, rather than staying attached to the motor. The screaming chicken on the hood and side logos were in gold leaf even.

Did need some critical detail work all around in the nooks and crannies but the overall bulk of the paint surface was deep, rich, and most of all slick.

Everything else, (paint wise) looked like junk to me. Other than some NEW late model cars, all the street rods looked like crap. Oh well.... different strokes I guess.

**runrun411** · 04-21-2013, 01:21 AM

Originally Posted by cardaddy

Who in the he!! goes to a car show and doesn't correct swirls? Seriously!

**Perfections** · 04-21-2013, 07:55 AM

The best way to prevent swirls in you're paint it to get off as much dirt before ever touching the car with your wash media. Beyond that, coatings will release dirt easier making them less likely to swirl.

**sinking** · 04-21-2013, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by cardaddy

I think your biggest problem is two fold, 1; it's typical soft Porsche paint and 2; it's BLACK!

So would you say coatings are noticeably harder than Porsche clear?

Originally Posted by Perfections

The best way to prevent swirls in you're paint it to get off as much dirt before ever touching the car with your wash media. Beyond that, coatings will release dirt easier making them less likely to swirl.

Like I said, I have my washing technique down. Also, by the time I wash my car it isn't because there is anything that is caked on... more like the dust has just gotten too thick. The car just gets driven on nice days.