I have a chrome silver and would like all other Chrome Silver's to chime in here. I've been taking good care of the paint. Only the softest 100% cotton towels or microfiber. I've applied z5 once.

Under normal light and sunlight, the paint is perfect. But tonight I was at a Toyota dealership at night and this light hit it just right. I could see some swirl marks. I'm guessing some swirl marks are just unavoidable?

 

more or less.... even the best waxes typicly cause more scratches then they fix with their application...

its a losing battle.

 

It's not the wax you use that causes swirls. The main cause of swirls is how you wash and dry your car. Think about this. If you use a household sponge and you have a dirty car, the sponge grinds the dirt right into the paint. If you use a cotton towel from your bathroom, they typically have nylon in the fibers that can cause fine scratches (swirls).

I don't know that there is a way to completely avoid swirls, but you can surely slow them by using softer tools on the paint, and better soaps. Use microfiber wash mitts, sea sponges, or sheepskin to wash with. For drying, I think the Big Blue Towel is the best, better than any chamois.

Come on Ares! No wax on the market will cause swirls. Abrasive polishes, on the other hand, can if used incorrectly. There are cosmetic products to help hide swirls, but the swirls will return. A swirl is a scratch. Think of a ditch in the ground as a scratch. How do you get rid of the ditch. You either fill it to make it level (cosmetic fix), or you take the area around the ditch down to the lowest level completely removing the ditch.

The ONLY way to remove swirls is with an abrasive polish like Menzerna. They have 3 grades of polish depending on how bad they are. ProperAutoCare.com says they are best applied by machine, but I know people who have used the Final Polish by had and like the result. I have a 7424 that I use all the time. Fixed my problem, and from what I've read on other posts, has fixed others' swirls as well.

 

Phil, you definitely sound like you know you polish and wax stuff. By the way, where in Fla are you?

 

Minor "swirls" can be filled in, in most with Z5. Don't know if you got the Zaino "Kit", but if you did not, just keep applying Z5, with Z6 between each application, until you are satisfied. Then go to Z2. I apply Z5 with every 3-4 of Z2. I might also suggest you look at towels at dftowel.com Leo is currently offering 5% discount to my350z.com members. Just put 350Z in are for "Code"

 

Green grass and high tides - Tampa.

 

I agree with you. I bought my wife a black RAV4, it came with swirlmarks at no extra charge.
The dealer offered me to "fix it", of course I refused.
This is before...

 

oops, forgot the picture...

 

this is after...

 

I've had my CS roadster for a little over a month and a half, and not one swirl. Like FlaPhil says, the key here are the tools and knowing how to properly apply them. I've got a boatload of towels purchased at Dftowel.com - Phil cut me an awesome deal. Also, based on the panel you're washing/waxing/drying, do it in a horizontal or vertical motion. If you happen to accidentally cause a swirl, it'll be hard to spot.

Many swear by Z-5. Keep using it and they'll be less and less noticable.

I just gave my baby her first two coats of Zaino:
https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=48535

 

the 2nd pic looks great!! I need to do that to my SB Z cuz i got so much swirls from the dealer. Also, the 2nd pics looks a little less black than the first one. Is it because u haven't applied any wax yet or didn't buff off completely??

 

Actuallly it's not. The camera had difficulties focusing. With the swirlmarks was easy, because the camera focussed on the swirls. I finished with Blackfire. It looks very black in real and very glossy, like it's under water. I love Blackfire. It's much easy off than Zaino (which I use on my Z)

 

cool.. i'm gonna try that Menzerna stuff. I use blackfire also.. that stuff is REALLY good.

 

that menzerna looks like good stuff...