Accord Euro - Paint Swirls

[butters88]

Hi guys,

The exterior of my accord could really use some help. Being black the swirl marks are really starting to show and I want to get rid of them.

I spoke to a car detailer the other day and he said he would never put a machine near it and would only hand polish it. I tried my hand at giving it a good polish and wax but didn't see much of a difference.

What do you use and what would you recommend?

Cheers

[quangsuke]

you have to use various grits and compounds to remove the swirls

[I CU2]

Honda black is a nightmare to work on - very sticky and soft.

[butters88]

I gave it a good wash and clay bar. I test spot on the boot lid with Swirl X followed by Gold Class Wax.

Looked excellent until I saw it from a different angle and the light scratches and swirls are still evident.

How much product should I be putting on the foam applicator?

[I CU2]

Take a look here for what products people used for Nighthawk: http://www.detailparadise.com.au/sho...ighthawk-Black

[cheapdouchebag]

I am going to be brutally honest with you.

A person who instructed you Honda nighthawk black should not be used on the buffer isn't a detailer you should be going to. I've run a buffer on nighthawk black plenty of times on plenty of hondas and love it with a passion because its the most rewarding to look at when done right.

If you're in Melbourne PM me and i can help you out.

But yes, maintenance is key after detail. After detail-maintenance is not as much hassle as it was previously as you now have professional grade sealants to protect the nighthawk black, so long as your wash method is right and you wax accordingly - my advice is to sort yourself out with a wax or sealant that has both plentiful fillers and plentiful longevity - a detailer should be able to point you in the right direction.

Any other questions feel free to ask in thread or PM as well .

Cheers

P.S - further replies below.

Honda black is a nightmare to work on - very sticky and soft.

^this is true. The sticky and softness comes from the compound honda paints are made from, they are made of ''eco-friendly'' ingredients, hence the durability of the honda paints are a bit of a short fall compared to other premium car brands. Sticky isn't good as contamination is easy - soft is not good because it's easy to scratch (i can guarantee you rub your finger on a spot and you will scratch it)

Cutting and polishing techniques are of no dramas if the right product is chosen to attack the paint, you will find some compounds are a nightmare to apply and buff off - leaving gumming and dusting all over the rest of the car, but there is one specific brand I find works like a dream on Honda paint.

[butters88]

anyone have any experience with

Opti-Coat Pro - Optimum Car Care Products Australia

[cheapdouchebag]

^I do.

Opti-coat pro isn't available to consumers to apply themselves though, you would have to go through an approved list of detailers in each state. It is the less user friendly version of opti-coat (hence why you can only get it from approved detailers). As you can probably see on the website it is backed with warranty Australia-wide.

I'll put it in a nutshell for you: Opti-coat pro is essentially an ADDITIONAL layer of clear coat applied (a permanent bonding), only this time its not done by painting, but by coating and is ceramic. It will NOT enhance gloss or depth of the paint - but it will provide PROTECTION.

Basically, its about 7 or 8 grades higher than your dealership ''paint-protection''. It will make washing easier, paint will be less prone to further scratching/swirling etc.

A detailer will need to first strip your paint from all waxes, polish residue, contaminants etc, and then correct the paint to better-than-new condition (because once the coating goes on, any scratches remaining are underneath the coating). Finally, the coating can be applied and is mandatory for the coating to be distributed EVENLY (otherwise the car will look worse than it was before). Any further scratching will damage the opti-coat, in which will be able to be corrected with a buffer without having to worry about how much clear coat you have left.

Again, if you're in melbourne you can PM me and I can help you with Opti-coat pro.

Cheers.

[butters88]

thanks for the help mate.

I am located on the Sunshine Coast.

I have spoken to a detailier up here, he quoted around $600-$700 for a full detail with opti-coat.

[I CU2]

I have the consumer version of Opti-coat on my cars - doesn't prevent the easy marring on Honda paint nor did it add any shine to my Lexus... but it does look cool when water beads on it.

My parents are using the Euro as a daily bang around now that I stopped using it. 6 months later there's light swirlys on it again from improper washing but it does stay cleaner for longer lol.

I'd probably try 22ple or another coating that darkens paint later on instead of a lifetime one.

[cheapdouchebag]

I do love an active topic ^^ instead of waiting 3 days for a response.

thanks for the help mate.

I am located on the Sunshine Coast.

I have spoken to a detailier up here, he quoted around $600-$700 for a full detail with opti-coat.

Great price, but it does get me a bit worried about the effort he will be going through. Normally down in VIC for a used car its at least $800 - especially if tons of correction will be required (on avg, will take about 6-8 hours on a honda paint). Has he quoted you how long it will take, and has he even looked at the car?

I've heard of a story of a mobile detailer doing opti-coat pro in 2 hours. for proper adhesion - that is not possible. There MUST be some corners cut somehow. Standard pricing for opti-coat PRO for mid-sized sedan = $795.

I have the consumer version of Opti-coat on my cars - doesn't prevent the easy marring on Honda paint nor did it add any shine to my Lexus... but it does look cool when water beads on it.

My parents are using the Euro as a daily bang around now that I stopped using it. 6 months later there's light swirlys on it again from improper washing but it does stay cleaner for longer lol.

I'd probably try 22ple or another coating that darkens paint later on instead of a lifetime one.

nice to know someone is in the know-of with products here

Looks like the opti-coat 2.0 is on its last legs, or its the opti-coat marring. Consumer version isn't fantastic nor is it lifetime, but it is much more durable than the rest of the consumer available products. The professional version Would not have had this issue, as the coating is alot thicker, but of course theres alot more effort to ensure proper bonding.

Try Artderaven2 if you're after a darkening sealant you'd be quite suprised

[butters88]

this was the reply I got from him

"Provided there’s enough paint to do so, that’s definitely something I can sort out for you. I’ll take paint measurements to be 100% sure, but worst case I should be able to achieve 90% correction with a single stage machine polish.

So basically what I do, is remove all the iron deposits on the car to begin with. Then I strip all the waxes, glazes, polish, etc, off the car that’s on there now. Then I clay bar the whole car to remove tar and other contaminants. After that I give it a good wash using the two bucket method, then dry it with waffle weave towels. After that I’ll inspect the paint to see what we’re dealing with, tape all the plastic trim off, then polish it with the machine till I’m happy I’ve removed as much of the swirls and scratches as possible. After that I use a strong IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) mix to wipe down the car. This is to remove any polishing oils left behind so we get the best bond for your sealant, wax or Opti-Coat PRO.

The last stage is then to apply your LSP (last step product). Is it something you’ve thought about? I offer a couple different options. I can do a polymer sealant, which I will double layer and then top with 2 layers of wax. This should last 6-9 months as protection, depending on how your car is stored. The other option is Opti-Coat PRO. Opti-Coat PRO is a ceramic clear coat that bonds to the surface of your paint and will last forever.

Price wise, for a 2 stage machine correction, plus sealant and wax, you’re looking at around $400 and I’d need the car for a full day, maybe 2. If you wanted to go with just a single stage machine correction, you’d be looking at $300 and I’d be able to complete that in a full day.

Opti-Coat PRO with a 2 stage machine correction, you’re looking at around $700. Single stage, $600. This comes with a 5 year warranty for all cars older than 12 months and a lifetime warranty on cars under 12 months old. If you didn’t want a warranty, I will knock $50 off those prices respectively. So $650 for 2 stage and $550 for single stage. Same time line as the others – 2 days for 2 stage, 1 full day for single stage"

Thoughts?>