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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

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Bluecat
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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by Bluecat » Tue Apr 25, 2017 1:57 pm

Apologies if this topic has been done to death. I have a 2008 z4 coupe which under sunlight shows up the usual swirls. I have tried using a DA polisher fitted with a Meguiars Microfibre cutting Pad and have used Chemical Guys VSS scratch and Swirl remover. A couple of passes and the car looks better. I finish it off with hand applied Poor Boys Black hole, and the car looks great. Two weeks later and once the car is washed all the swirls are visible again in sunlight. I know that the BMW paint is very hard but what is the best stuff to use to permanently remove the swirls, or is my technique of a couple of slow passes not enough or all wrong??

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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by billz » Tue Apr 25, 2017 4:10 pm

Do you just use the VSS Scratch and Swirl. Do you not finish off using a polish compound and pad. You may consider when you have it to a standard you are happy with using a sealant. Like Gtechniq EXOv2
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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by patriot66 » Tue Apr 25, 2017 7:47 pm

I personally would take more time to use 2 or 3 different grades of compound with suitable foam pads working from coarse down to fine. I like Poorboys SSR 3, 2.5, 2 and 1. Then use the Black Hole. This is only a glaze that fills any remaining swirls but doesn't have much resistance to detergents or weathering. You then need to use a sealant and/or wax to give a durable, hi-gloss, weather resistant finish. You can't go wrong with Collinite 845. I skim another coat on every 3 or 4 weeks. Only wash the car with a pH neutral shampoo/snow-foam (Chemical Guys Honeydew Snowfoam is excellent), that won't strip any products from the paint and dry it with a microfibre towel and decent detailer like Sonax Extreme Brilliant Shine. :thumbsup:
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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by Smartbear » Tue Apr 25, 2017 8:07 pm

Bluecat wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2017 1:57 pm Apologies if this topic has been done to death. I have a 2008 z4 coupe which under sunlight shows up the usual swirls. I have tried using a DA polisher fitted with a Meguiars Microfibre cutting Pad and have used Chemical Guys VSS scratch and Swirl remover. A couple of passes and the car looks better. I finish it off with hand applied Poor Boys Black hole, and the car looks great. Two weeks later and once the car is washed all the swirls are visible again in sunlight. I know that the BMW paint is very hard but what is the best stuff to use to permanently remove the swirls, or is my technique of a couple of slow passes not enough or all wrong??
The clear coat is like granite on bmw's, I've carried out a lot more than 2 passes with the same pads as you but using ultimate compound & the swirls are reduced but still visible, it's just going to take time, I'm going to have another go in the summer :thumbsup:
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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by Z4M-2006 » Tue Apr 25, 2017 8:11 pm

With a DA and Microfibre cutting pad.you will need 8-10 passes to be cutting out and swirls.

Try megs ultimate compound,very easy to use and cuts well..

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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by srhutch » Tue Apr 25, 2017 8:36 pm

... and it's Black Sapphire :poke:

As above paint is hard. Lots of passes still removes hardly any clear with DA. If concerned get yourself a PAint depth gauge. They are affordable now.
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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by scooobydont » Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:33 pm

I put up a post on detailing world, my car is the same colour:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/s ... p?t=391099

I am still dialing it in but as other have said, the clearcoat is HARD. I have ended up doing a 2 stage cut and polish, although I still need to go back and do some other areas, heres how mine worked out on the back wing:

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Time and patience is the key. Concentrate on one panel until you are happy with the results before moving on to the next. I have been dodging away at mine for over a month now.

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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by Bluecat » Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:54 pm

Thanks for all the replies, have ordered some Meguiars ultimate compound will report back on the progress hopefully with some pictures as I know you all love those

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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by Rufus59 » Thu Apr 27, 2017 2:50 pm

I've used the ultimate compound with an orange hex pad and wasn't impressed with cutting. I think the trick is to make sure you're using a harsh enough pad in combination with the ultimate compound. A few others have suggested a microfibre pad
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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by ph001 » Tue Aug 15, 2017 4:28 pm

Yeh you really need the yellow hex logic pad for bmw's otherwise you will be there for days.
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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by enzed4 » Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:04 am

scooobydont wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:33 pm I put up a post on detailing world, my car is the same colour:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/s ... p?t=391099
Would love to see that thread complete - all of your photos are missing thanks to the photofucket fiasco :(
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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by scooobydont » Wed Aug 16, 2017 7:06 am

enzed4 wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:04 am
scooobydont wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:33 pm I put up a post on detailing world, my car is the same colour:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/s ... p?t=391099
Would love to see that thread complete - all of your photos are missing thanks to the photofucket fiasco :(
The order is a bit mixed up but I created my own site for my photos:

http://slowandlow.co.uk/index.php?/category/4

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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by enzed4 » Wed Aug 16, 2017 8:56 am

scooobydont wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2017 7:06 am
enzed4 wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:04 am
scooobydont wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:33 pm I put up a post on detailing world, my car is the same colour:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/s ... p?t=391099
Would love to see that thread complete - all of your photos are missing thanks to the photofucket fiasco :(
The order is a bit mixed up but I created my own site for my photos:

http://slowandlow.co.uk/index.php?/category/4
Perfect - thanks :thumbsup:
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Sapphire Black how do I remove swirls without damaging the top coat??

Post by Jaw » Mon Sep 25, 2017 3:18 pm

Currently working on a Honda Jazz and a VW passat - the Dub having typically hard paint and the honda having paint protection meaning it's a nightmare to work.

Used Mint microfibre pads and Menzerna 3 stage cut and has been coming up a treat, used the same approach when I had the Z4M to good effect - good to have a good DA too, to really help get enough heat into the panel.

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