ok guys i just washed my car. then i put the clear coat polish on then i waxed it. my car is a 2003 brickyard z and after i did all that to it i ran my hand across the paint and it didn't feel smooth. it felt kinda rough and it still had swirl marks over most of the car. I would like to get it professionally detailed but i don't know what i should have them do. What kind of detail could I have done to make the paint smooth and fix the swirls? a wet blast? i dont know what else there is but if you can give me any advice that would be great. plus i would need to know how much the job is going to cost me.

 

Man...thinking about zaino'ing my car 2morrow for the 1st time!!! Wish me luck !!!

 

I have 20 coats of Zaino and I'm very pleased..easy application and loads of great looks. Z is almost 2 yrs old and has a great shine! Zaino!

http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

 

If the surface feels rough, then you need to claybar it - that will leave the surface as smooth as glass. That is something you can easily do yourself if you are so inclined.

Swirl Mark Removal requires a polisher like the Porter-Cable 7336SP. It's relatively easy to use but you'd probably spend as much on the polisher and supplies as you would on paying a professional. You can expect to spend $100 or more to get it done.

 

dave, thanks for the advice. I will claybar it myself. I love to work on the car myself b/c i get a great deal of satisfaction knowing that i have done it. I would like to get a polisher . I saw one at kragen auto parts for $30. it looked pretty good. would that do the trick for me?

 

Those $30 polishers are pretty much useless, even for regular wax. You need to go to Lowes and get the Porter Cable 7336SP for $109. I would recommend a velcro backing plate made for it from www.topoftheline.com along with some of the Lake Country foam pads. That will set you back another $50 or so. You can use 3M SMR to remove the swirls or if you're going the Zaino route, get the Z-PC (polisher-cleanser).

 

I just did my first claybar last week on an accord and I was blown away by the difference... I could run my nail on the surface and it was smooth as glass.... no grit, no nothing....

 

I have heard alot of positive comments on PC but, nobody has, as far as I can tell, stated why they are superior. I have used alot of PC tools in the past and I know that they will out last 99% of the products on the market because of their quality but, is there another reason to get them other than longevity? I really do not see the need to spend that kind of money on a professional grade tool since it is really only going to be used every other week or so. Can someone set me straight?

 

The PC is a random orbital buffer (sander /polisher actually). The random action virtually guarantees that you won't burn the paint like a regular circular buffer will. Unless you're highly experienced with a circular buffer, you don't want to get near your paint with one.

For the price, you can't beat the Porter-Cable from Lowes. Other companies package it with some detailing supplies but you'll pay a lot more.

The bonus to the whole deal is that PC is a reputable brand with a quality product. All my woodworking buddies swear by PC products.

 

Photos would be helpful.

My guess is that you waxed dirty or damaged paint.