I hope I did'nt mess up. Just for back ground info. I just bought a black G35, about 8 months old. It did have some swirl marks but not terrible.
It has been raining in Dallas for 3 days now and about 50 degrees. So very humid.
I started by washing with Dawn, with a 100% Cotton Fairfield from Linen and things (cut off sides) then dried the car, or tried. As I tried to dry the car it just keep looking like a smeared mess.
I finally used a synthetic chamois, it helped but still smeary.
Then I clay bared with Zanio and as I keep the car wet with Z7 and water in a spray bottle. It took about 3 hours but I did the whole car.
Now I go to wash with Z7, I can feel it is smooth now but looks awful. Again I can not get a 100% cotton towel or chamois to dry the car, so it just smires the water. Now a hour later it is dry and look like I screwed up.
The car has a dull appearance, like someone wet sanded and a smeary sheen, possibly the water dry itself on the car.
Does Dallas have strange water? I plan to do Z5 tomorrow morning, PLEASE tell me it will help.
Why am I having the drying issues? Is the dull sheen normal after Clay bar and before Z5?
At this point I wish I had just washed it.

 

It shouldn't be swirl marked or rough. It will be "dull" since there shouldn't be any wax on it. Did your claybar break up into mushy little pieces or did it remain in one solid piece? Was your chamoise brand new? They are often treated with an oil that can smear and look this way. You have to wash them with soapy water first and rinse them really well to avoid this. Is it swirled into the paint (like very fine circular scratches)?

If none of the above, you may want to just to a Z-6 misting first then do the Z-5.

Can you post a pic?

 

I have attached a few pictures, I realize they are not the greatest picture since it is dark.
The clay bar did start to break up, that is when I opened another clay bar.
The chamoise is few years old, been washed many time with mild liquid detergent and air dried.
I had been e-mailed to try bottled water, any other ideas?

 

Another pic

 

last

 

In the morning I am going to a Harley Davidson shop or Auto parts and find a better drying towel and buy another 100% cotton fairfield from linen and things. Do I just wash with Z7 and dry or do I need to reclay?
HELP...I hate I did this......

 

The ones on your mirror look like swirls. The others are hard to tell. You might have had some debris in/on your towel, your washmit, or your clay that did that.

You may need some swirl filler.

May want to show those pics to the experts over at autopia. They look pretty bad.

 

I think the previous owner or dealer ship is the one that has messed that paint up, it looks like old damage, I do not think you caused all of that with just washing and clay baring. I would use some 3M Swirl Mark Remover part number 39009 and my Porter Cable orbital to fix it myself before Z-5, but thats me.

 

The one thing that came to mind reading this is that maybe you used too much Dawn, and it left a film on the car. You only need VERY LITTLE of the soap in the water. I'd try washing it again with a very MILD mixture of Dawn/water, and then make sure that your wash mitts, etc. are all clean.

 

Sounds like you need to get a new drying towel among other things. Drying towels concerned I have tried several and been a member of autopia for 8 months now reading like a madman before I stocked up on all my detailing supplies. The best drying towel is the Big Blue Waffle Weave drying towel. I can dry my entire car without squeezing the water out of it and the best part is.....no streaking ! I would suggest getting the Big and Small Blue towel kit for $25 and trust me, it will be the best $25 you've spent in a while. Check out the site

http://www.properautocare.com/wash---dry.html


Good luck


Yielar

 

I agree. The waffle weave is an awesome drying towel. I have two of them and as you said, you never have to wring them out and they don't streak or leave lint.

 

How long has the 100% Cotton Towels lasted after cutting the edges off like Sal at Zaion recommends?
I bought 2 large bath towels, after one wash the ends are just coming apart every where. They are very soft after a wash and dry cycle and do a great job. I assume $15 will just be the cost of a feew cleanings.

 

I dont cut the ends off of my towels but i fold them in a way that only the middle touches the car.

 

Funny thing... everyone seems to rave about those big blue waffle weave towels... Well, I bought a pair of the smaller sized ones (when the large was out of stock.) I think they do a terrible job drying! Pure cotton bath towels seem to do a much better job. Since I have them, I use them. However, unless I do a final wipe with a cotton towel, I get water marks and streaks. Am I doing something wrong?
Mika

 

For my customers who buy my custom cotton detailing towels that I cut to size, cut the edges off and resew them with a special machine called a serger with triple stich cotton thread to prevent ravel, I tell them to go to WalMart, where the ironing boards are and buy a lingerie cloth washing bag, costs about 2 bucks, put your car towels in that and wash them, the bag will keep the edges from fraying and keep your detailing towels from wrapping themselves around your other clothes, problem solved........

 

Kevin, do you have a website for the products you sell?