Swirls on bodywork

[lilysadie]

I purchased my Rapido last year, the vehicle having had two previous owners. I like to keep my vehicles well polished and looking good so when we brought it home, my wife and I got stuck in washing, drying etc. I then started to polish, a bit at a time but found you can't get rid of polish swirls. It's as if the vehicle needed degreasing but it felt ok. My son is a valeter and together we tried all types of products and many different types of polish from the well known to the really expensive. Nothing has worked. After you have polished the vehicle, you stand to one side and look along the length and it looks a mess. It's as though the polish reacts with something on the bodywork. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, did you manage to sort it out. Thanks.

 

[sasquatch]

Have you tried the valeters clay block or a powered buffer?

 

[Wooie1958]

I`m afraid if your son ( a valeter ) can`t do anything about them then i don`t think there`s a lot you can do.

Maybe a previous owner has been a bit heavy handed with an Electric Polisher / Buffer and some compound.

I`ve always used Autoglym Super Resin Polish on all my Motorhomes and Cars and i`ve never had a problem and find it keeps it looking perfect.

 

[Deleted member 26233]

One of the previous owners mus have gotten trgger happy with an orbital style polisher. These machines not only produce swirls but can burn paint work.

I recently but a DAS6 RANDOM orbital polisher from cleanyourcar.

Shelled out £135 with pads but well worth it.

Random orbitals produce lots of small swirling actions and when used with polish or correct cutting agent the swirls can be removed.

My van is gleaming. My neighbour was astonished at the results on a polished area along side a swirly non treated area.

Cleanyourcar have a help forum. Get a post of to them and theyll keep you right.

Also great care must be taken when polishing plastic coachbuilds and fibfe glass az these can be easily burnt by electric polishers.

Look up you tube for for das 6 pro polisher

 

[Gee]

Perhaps its the vans way of telling you to stop cleaning me and take me away and let me do what I love. WILDCAMPING! Sorry cant be of more help.

 

[iveco4x4]

Cleaning the van - isn't that what rain is for ?

Rich

 

[Aspire255]

Perhaps its the vans way of telling you to stop cleaning me and take me away and let me do what I love. WILDCAMPING! Sorry cant be of more help.

I’ve had three M/H and haven’t polished one yet.
Never felt the need too or had the penchant either.
I wash mine down with a wash/wax ready made up solution.
Spending Sunday mornings ritually cleaning vehicles is not my thing.
My car when bought new was treated with a treatment that keeps its showroom look.
It’s nearly ten years old now and still looks as new apart from several dents down each side thanks to white van drivers and scratches made by local tom cats using it as a scratching post..
Sorry can’t help with Swirls but if it was mine I would just ignore them because I reckon it will be only you that’s noticing them, given time you too will be blind to them.

Aspire255

 

[Deleted member 3011]

Nothing like a good thick layer of mud and road grime to protect the original paintwork. I've got better things to do with the rest of my life than to waste hours cleaning my motorhome.

 

[Andy75]

Personally, I take pride and care of any vehicular investments I make - tatty bodywork to me just means another owner that doesn't take care, or can't be bothered with the even most basic of maintenance of a vehicle. :hammer:

See this link for swirl removal - no time at all to get your beastie looking good again :
How To Remove Swirls By Hand

And don't forget to WAX polished paintwork. The wax re-seals the paint after you've abraded the top surface of lacquer. Once waxed, all my vehicles take moments to clean, as its just a quick spritz with the hose and patted dry - that's it