HELP ! Is claybar the answer ?

[Steve-L]

I decided to clean the car at the weekend and also attempt to get rid of the swirl marks as I guess the previous owner's method of cleaning the car was an automatic car wash

I washed the car (just this once) in fairy liquid to get rid of the old wax/polish that may have been on the car.
Megs Scratch X
Megs Deep Chrystal Polish
Megs Gold Class Wax.

The car looks great in the shade, great when looking at it with the sun behind you but to my horror when you look at the car with the sun in front of you you can see smears all over it.

I used all the megs stuff as instructed on a cool car in the shade so I am guessing that the smears are caused by the old wax/polish not properly applied and the fairy failed to lift it.

I now need to take all wax and polish of the car and start again but am unsure what products I need to use to strip the stuff of the car.

Any advice would be appreciated

 

[TallFella]

Personally I use the Swissol pre-treatment stuff once a year.

http://www.swissol.com/E/GB/Produkte_Lack2.htm

Makes the paint look all nice and wet afterwords. My Wifes black polo look lovely after a good going over with this, then a good wax.

 

[Tallpaul]

The scratch-x and crystal polish will have removed all the old products and streaks that may have been left from washing it. It's a bit odd to be honest.

You'd need to wash it and use a mild abrasive to get yourself back to no products on the paint and then check thoroughly for streaks before applying anything.

It could be tree sap? If the streaks are still there then there is no harm in claying it and if it is tree sap that'll defo remove it.

 

[AR-CoolC]

If you have streaks after, then I would guess that the Gold Class wax hasn't been fully removed.

Can you alter the smears by rubbing your finger over it? If so then give the car a wipe down with a good plush microfibre and QD. If there are not being removed then they have probably alwasy been there, but the full wash and polish has removed any products that were covering them up.

 

[FinerDetails]

If you have streaks after, then I would guess that the Gold Class wax hasn't been fully removed.

Can you alter the smears by rubbing your finger over it? If so then give the car a wipe down with a good plush microfibre and QD. If there are not being removed then they have probably alwasy been there, but the full wash and polish has removed any products that were covering them up.

yep, sounds right from what you have said

 

[Steve-L]

Thanks for the advice guy's.

I also spoke to Meguiar's and explained the problem to them and they recommend paint cleaner as well.
The terminology they used which actually describes the problem very well is "the hologram effect when looking at the car in the sun"

 

[Sisson]

Or get it PC'd and it will get rid of the swirls completely, instead of filling them in