I Give Up

[jaguax]

You know, I just had my car professionally detailed, looked amazing, some swirls still remaining when viewed in direct sunlight, but still a 500% improvement from the brillo pad washed car that it used to look like.

Yesterday was the first time I washed it since it was detailed, I made sure to follow all the right steps, I bought the Shmidt and the Guzzler and went at it, obsessive compulsivly rinsing the mitt after each panel was done before putting it back into the bucket. Then I dried it with the guzzler. I never dried a car before, but it isn't rocket science right? Just drag the damn thing across the car a couple of times until all the water spots are gone. Fine.

Well... now that I view my car in direct sunlight again, it seems that many swirls have returned. Don't get me wrong, it still looks great, but it definitely has more swirls than it did after the detailing. Am I cursed, or is it just impossible to avoid swirls? It seems that any type of fabric I rub across an automobile will ALWAYS manage to swirl it, no matter how minor. And it kills me because I spent a lot of money having the thing detailed.

To top it off I was working in the dark with a spotlight and I accidentally pulled the cord and knocked the light onto the hood of my car, leaving dark black marks on the tip of the hood and on the BMW roundel. Kill me.

I don't understand how you guys do it, especially those with the black/blue/dark cars.

I wish I realized how easily dark blue cars show swirls before I bought it. Maybe I would've went with a different color.

That's my rant for the day, I'm going to bed, just got home from a crappy overnight job.

[budman3]

Hey it probably isn't your fault. Do you know what the detailer used on your car? It sounds like you did everything right and the detailer may have used a cruddy filler wax that got washed away. The only thing that I would suggest to use is to blot dry the vehicle instead of dragging the towel. This will minimize the chances of marring. There is still plenty of hope and you've come to the right place if you want to tackle this yourself.

[alban61]

Hey it probably isn't your fault. Do you know what the detailer used on your car? It sounds like you did everything right and the detailer may have used a cruddy filler wax that got washed away. The only thing that I would suggest to use is to blot dry the vehicle instead of dragging the towel. This will minimize the chances of marring. There is still plenty of hope and you've come to the right place if you want to tackle this yourself.

Kinda like what happened to me when I bought a used 1994 Explorer several years ago. Paint looked great, until a few washes. The hood was nasty, with etchings and swirls. I knew nothing about detailing then, but they must've used some heavy glaze and wax to hide all that!
If you have a PC, you can fix all that yourself and know that you did it right, unlike the previous detailer.

[sparkie]

I think your detailer used filler glaze and/or filler wax.......

[jaguax]

I had it done here: RECONDITION USA

It's not like a tremendous amount of swirls came back, it's still pretty damn swirl free for the most part, but it does seem like it has more than it had directly after the detailing.

[Surfer]

I agree, I almost guarentee "the professional" detailer used a filler glaze type product of which washes away....causing you to call and ask for another detail. Thats pretty much what all the "professional" detailers do except for the ones that actually use good products and are on forums like AG and Autopia etc.

[Torsion Tool]

Professional detailers drove me to become a proficient enthusiast. Used to gladly pay for quality work; now accept that it isn't available, and my premise was wrong. It's a low margin, high volume and labor intensive business with a plethora of administrative requirements if one bothers to try and be legal. They don't exactly take shortcuts, just do the job differently e.g. bulk generic polishes, heavy filler glaze/waxes and dirty pads. The business model is that a customer will return soon enough so that the required serious remediation will go unnoticed. Personally, I won't let a self proclaimed expert near my POV. Always inquire of the owner directly what products he uses. Either he will answer promptly and knowledgably or defer to the in house "expert" who physically does the work. Either way you can't be sure it's what they actually will do. Many "Master Expert Detailers" previo9usly sold New York bridges before their current calling.

[ScottB]

alot of detailers use glazes and polishes with fillers that temporarily hide the swirls. Problem, it is a temp solution at best. A wash or two and the fillers are gone and swirls are back. In order to do it properly, you must polish and polish until correct. Then establish better washing and drying techniques to keep them from coming back !

[Mr Dream Machines]

This is the exact reason why I started Dream Machines and are working so hard to setup my new shop. This will be a 1/4 scale version of Autogeek.
Autopian professional detailing, product sales and detail classes.

I am sick and tired of viewing so many detail shop/mobile detailer websites worldwide and seeing the same old services listed (chamois dry etc) and a Machine Cut and Hand polish or Machine Cut and Polish and hand wax. FILLERS FILLERS FILLERS

Sure the service is not for everyone (especially auto dealers) but that's OK

[PhaRO]

Sounds like fillers to me too. My experience from washing recently detailed vehicles are that there are more people buffing that don't know what they are doing then there are that do.