Polish/wax for the Cobra

[CobraRN]

Greetings fellow Cobra owners. I just bought a used 2011 Shelby GT 500, Kona Blue. I washed it the next day and used MacQuires scratch remover wax to buff out a few surface scratches. The bummer is that I noticed some small swirl marks left behind as a result. I know I can buff out the swirl marks with a different product but not sure which one. I have a friend who is a local county police officer and uses IBIZ on his cruiser (charger). He swears by IBIZ and offered to help me wash and wax the Shelby. His cruiser looks immaculate, but I wanted to research before using a product that might ruin my paint job.

So what do you folks recommend. I don't want to spend 8 hours waxing my car, but want a great shine. Thoughts?

Thanks much for your advice!

[Slick61]

Interesting... scratchX isn't that abrasive in my experience... must be soft paint... or you're using too much pressure. The residual swirl marks could've been left by the abrasive in the polish, or possibly by the applicator you used. Not sure how soft/hard that paint is. Meguiar's makes several lines of polishes with specific uses. Most of their products utilize diminishing abrasives, i.e. they get smaller as you continue to work them, which tends to reduce the occurrence of swirl marks. In your case, I'd recommend #80 (Speed Glaze)... it has very little cut to it... works great with a D/A polisher & foam polishing pad... tho it's not super-easy to find. If you're working by hand, and only have chain store selections available, you may be able to find some Meguiars Deep Crystal polish that would suit your needs. I'd probably recommend a clean foam applicator pad, and a clean microfiber towel for removal.

It's all trial & error... start out with the least abrasive product, & work your way up til you get the desired result. Good luck!

PS... no, I don't work for Meguiars... but I do like their products... they're consistent, reasonably priced, readily available, and have always worked well for me. I've been to their beginner and advanced detailing clinics... very enlightening!

[CobraRN]

Thanks for your advice! What do you recommend for maintenance wash and wax. Thoughts on IBIZ vs Zaino, or McQuires?

[Randy Rosenberg]

I've been using Zaino for almost 10 years and love it...

[SpecOp1]

If you use a PC machine Pinnacle or other polishes (including ant-swirl in variuos grits) from Autogeek work well....

[Slick61]

As for regular maintenance, I think it's less about product and more about process. If you've got soft paint, you'll need to be especially diligent about minimizing scratches. I've used wool mitts (both natural and synthetic), microfiber-covered sponges... you name it. Of the current, readily-available products, I do like the microfiber-covered sponges. Just keep it clean, & watch the pressure. I think most readily available car wash detergents would suffice. Try to hose off as much of the dirt & debris as possible... and keep your wash mitt/sponge as clean as possible. I throw mine in the washing machine every so often. If you get tough stains/dirt/bird droppings/bugs/ whatever... try not to scrub too hard. If you've got a good layer of wax/sealant, it should come off easily. If it doesn't, soak a towel & place it over the area & let it set for a while... should loosen things up for easy removal. If that doesn't work, you can resort to various solvents/chemicals. If you're really into it, you can go to the two-bucket method... with grit guards in the bottom of them, (so that your wash mitt/sponge doesn't contact the dirt/debris that settles to the bottom of the bucket)... my sponge always floats, but whatever. Supposedly, you use one bucket with the car wash in it, the other is just water, & used to wring out & clean your mitt/sponge.

As for drying... once again, everyone has their own preferred technique. I always start with a California water blade to screed off most of the rinse water, then go over it with "The Absorber"... a synthetic chamois. Don't know that I'd use it on soft paint, but two of my fleet have super-hard clearcoat, so no big deal. Some prefer a natural chamois. Some resort to using a leaf blower, then follow up with a waffle-weave microfiber and/or microfiber towels.

Between washes, I'll occasionally wipe down with a quick detailer & a microfiber... if it's just dusty. Otherwise, it's a full-on 2 hour wash job.

I hesitate to advise too much... everyone develops their own process, and has their own favorite products. Some want fast & easy, others want perfection. There are any number of detailing forums where you can discuss these things. Everyone has an opinion. You need to determine how much time & effort you want to put into vehicular maintenance. Find the products & processes that work for you! (and your vehicle)

warning... it can become an obsession. I used to routinely wash my car(s) at least once a week. But now that I have four in the fleet, I've had to adjust my expectations for what I'll get done. Garage queens definitely require much less maintenance.

[STEVE-O]

Also have used Zaino wax and detailing spray for years. They also make a wax that removes swirl marks. I've used it on scratches created by having the soft top on.
I first tried Mcquires Scratch X and didnt like the results as compared to Zaino.
Havent heard of IBIZ.

[IndyCobra]

Originally Posted by Randy Rosenberg

I've been using Zaino for almost 10 years and love it...

Ditto.

[itstock]

For the paint swirls and scratches in my factory paint, I bought the Meguiars DA microfiber paint correction kit, and sealed it with their M21.

I had a crappy light at the time, but I got 95% of everything out of the paint. I was overly impressed with it, enough to use it on a few new family vehicles.

The DA paint correction kit is a 2 step process, plus the sealer makes it 3.

[DAVESS]

Don't Kirkhams require Polish wax?

[mkassab]

Zanil Bro's all the way. I use all their products include the car wash. In my opinion, there's no better product, but a lot copied.

Mark

[CobraRN]

Got my Zaino ultimate protection show car kit in the mail today. Can't wait to use it this weekend. Hopefully the steps aren't too complicated.

[Snakebit]

I have used Zaino products from day one. I can detail the car in less than an hour. I use distilled water in a spray bottle and wipe the car off with a soft cotton towel. I use the Z-8 Grand Finale spray seal with a micro fiber towel. When I arrive at a car show, I just give it a quick wipe down spritzing with distilled water and a micro fiber towel. Bugs and dirt come right off, takes about 5 minutes tops. The shine is a mile deep. I'll give it a coat of Z-2 show car polish twice a year. Z-5 is a great polish for removing swirl marks. The leather in a bottle and tire gloss are excellent products also.

[rgnbull1227]

Ive been using Pinnacle on my exotics since the mid 90's. Switched to Pinnacle from Zymol Destiny. Hands down the best for your car.