Repainted panel- what in the world.

[StuDLei]

Car-04 Nissan 350Z (black).

Last night I was bringing the paint back to its maximum potential. Most of the panels received SF 4500 on a black pad. It worked flawlessly. My rear quarter is repainted and it looked awesome too, until I used Carpro eraser. Swirls galore.

Tonight the same thing happened. I was polishing the door on the other side of the car. I used 205 on an orange lc pad and SF 4500 on a black pad. It looked flawless even after thoroughly wiping it down twice. When I was completely done with the front quarter and the door I hit all areas with Carpro Eraser. My front quarter panel looked flawless still but my door is full of swirls. Swirls that I believed were caused by my polishing. They look very distinct, however, they're not tick marks. It's not haze. It looks to be relatively deep swirls. Then it dawned on me that door panel had also been repainted (by the same shop for a different incident).

SO, apparently the panels on my car that have been repainted are very finicky. I'm at a loss of what to do though.

The only thing that I can think of is that I'm causing these swirls with orange and 205 and black and sf4500 can't take them out. I have white and green pads as well. What do you guys think I should do? I did use 205 and orange on the rear quarter panel I mentioned earlier too. After the Eraser wipedown I was appalled. I can't believe that they could be filled in that well with sf4500.

Anyone have any thoughts here? Almost half my car has been repainted over the years. The paint matches perfectly, I have absolutely never noticed a difference whatsoever (minus polishing that is). It's all been bad luck too. My bro in law dropped a car seat that was hanging over my car in his garage once and a lady driving a snowplow backed up into once too. I wasn't even in the car either time, lol. Anyways, not important. Any ideas here?

[StuDLei]

I would have tried something else tonight, but it was getting too late to be outside polishing. I'll probably try white and 205 next, but man, I don't have a lot of faith at this point. I guess I'm hoping someone can offer me some until the next day or two when I can try something else.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Most repaints, the clear tends do be on the softer side. PITA to work with.

[StuDLei]

Most repaints, the clear tends do be on the softer side. PITA to work with.

You would think if it was so soft that black with sf4500 would do the trick though no?

Someone else in another thread suggested that maybe the swirls were there to begin with and I just never got them out. I'll do some more testing in the next couple days. I'm pretty anxious to see if I can find something to work though, it's bugging me.

[rmagnus]

The swirls may have always been there especially if you have never removed polishing oils.

IMO the black pad is too soft to remove swirls w/SF4500 unless the paint is crazy soft.

You really need to do a test spot on the problem panel. M205 LC White pad should do the trick. You can vary the pads and polishes.

Unless compounding you shouldn't have to go for a more aggressive pad than a white polishing pad to remove swirls.

[StuDLei]

The swirls may have always been there especially if you have never removed polishing oils.

IMO the black pad is too soft to remove swirls w/SF4500 unless the paint is crazy soft.

You really need to do a test spot on the problem panel. M205 LC White pad should do the trick. You can vary the pads and polishes.

Unless compounding you shouldn't have to go for a more aggressive pad than a white polishing pad to remove swirls.

4500 was enough to rid the paint of minor water spots and super fine swirls on other panels of my car, just for the record. It was pretty surprising to myself.

If there swirls were in fact there already then a white pad with 205 probably isn't going to work since I used 205 and orange already. Part of the panel that hasn't been done yet is all swirled up, but it looks different.. It's hard to explain. I think I'm going to try 205 on white like you said and just see what happens. If that doesn't work, I'm going to compound with 105 and orange. I'll make sure to use Eraser to check my work. FWIW, I did use Eraser on my test spot when I first started, but it was the hood which hasn't been repainted. The fact that some panels were repainted didn't cross my mind right away.

[rmagnus]

4500 was enough to rid the paint of minor water spots and super fine swirls on other panels of my car, just for the record. It was pretty surprising to myself.

If there swirls were in fact there already then a white pad with 205 probably isn't going to work since I used 205 and orange already. Part of the panel that hasn't been done yet is all swirled up, but it looks different.. It's hard to explain. I think I'm going to try 205 on white like you said and just see what happens. If that doesn't work, I'm going to compound with 105 and orange. I'll make sure to use Eraser to check my work. FWIW, I did use Eraser on my test spot when I first started, but it was the hood which hasn't been repainted. The fact that some panels were repainted didn't cross my mind right away.

Yea I was thinking the orange pad could have caused the swirls. Did you clay first before polishing? Are your pads clean? What polisher are you using?

M205 leaves a fair amount of oils if not overworked so do an IPA/eraser wipe in straight lines vs circles to remove one of the variables.

If you feel compound is necessary try it with a white polishing pad. I've had great success with M205 and a yellow or orange cutting pad. It's less aggressive than going to the M105 compound. M105 is going to leave micro maring on soft paint.

I've always addressed swirls and water spots with polish and bigger defects like scratches/etchings with compound. Once you get it figured out keep some notes on what worked since you'll be using at least two different processes.

Most wouldn't consider a repainted panel when detailing a customers car. This is why a pre inspection form is good to use. I'd rather note damages like burn thrus, thin edges and special circumstances before starting the work. I find it covers 90% of the issues.

Any chance you can post a picture?

[StuDLei]

Yea I was thinking the orange pad could have caused the swirls. Did you clay first before polishing? Are your pads clean? What polisher are you using?

M205 leaves a fair amount of oils if not overworked so do an IPA/eraser wipe in straight lines vs circles to remove one of the variables.

If you feel compound is necessary try it with a white polishing pad. I've had great success with M205 and a yellow or orange cutting pad. It's less aggressive than going to the M105 compound. M105 is going to leave micro maring on soft paint.

I've always addressed swirls and water spots with polish and bigger defects like scratches/etchings with compound. Once you get it figured out keep some notes on what worked since you'll be using at least two different processes.

Most wouldn't consider a repainted panel when detailing a customers car. This is why a pre inspection form is good to use. I'd rather note damages like burn thrus, thin edges and special circumstances before starting the work. I find it covers 90% of the issues.

Any chance you can post a picture?

Yes sir, I clayed a few weeks ago, but I wash my car probably three times a week (ONR). I'm constantly out there toying with things. It really didn't need clayed that bad when I did clay it.

Pads are clean. I mean they worked fine on other panels. I use a pad conditioning brush after every section too.

Maybe I'll try compound with the white pad first. I've had great luck with orange and 205 as well. It gives you more bite but still let's you finish out nice, depending on the specific car's paint you're working on of course.

My wife's camera is dead and we can't find the cord to recharge it. It's not the best camera and I'm not the best photographer either. Sorry man, I know everyone loves pics, myself included.

I might get a chance to try something tonight. If so, I'll update afterwards.

[manman]

do an IPA/eraser wipe in straight lines vs circles to remove one of the variables.

Reposting as great advice.

[StuDLei]

I'm at my wits end.

Seriously.

Today-

Tried white/205. Then 105/orange followed by 205/white then sf4500/black. Then again 205/black. I'm using a Flex. I erasered every time. The swirls are still there. I don't even know how to explain it. I'm REALLY starting to wonder if my bodyshop put in "fake" swirls when the painted the panels, because I'm sure my car was swirled as heck six years ago when I had this work done. I wasn't in to detailing then at all. I probably waxed my car once or twice the few years before that with OTC stuff.

Has anyone ever heard such a thing? Thing is, they matched the solvent pop somehow, so why couldn't they match the swirls too?

Nothing makes sense here and I'm about to go nuts!!

I don't have the slightest clue what to do at this point.

When I was using 105, there was some left over residue towards the bottom of my work area. When I wiped that up, it left a haze so "thick" it was unreal. Makes me think the paint is super soft. I wiped off in one direction as best I could occasionally and it didn't matter, the swirls were still typical swirls, not going in one direction.

Tomorrow I'm off. I'll try again I suppose.