Black paint swirls

[the_swd]

What's the deal with the paint on black Silverados?

 

I've only had my truck since October, but the swirls in the paint are ridiculous.

 

What's the best way to buff them out?

[Jaychevy81]

Same here it’s there clear coat looked like I washed it with a Brillo pad. So I did a ton of searching I bought the griots garage buffer and there swirl remover. They also have a good show wax. It took away a lot not everyone but a lot better. Used it on the wife’s Durango which was a 100 times worse and it made a huge diff. Water is still beading off from over 2 months ago so it def works pretty good.


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[the_swd]

17 minutes ago, Jaychevy81 said:

Same here it’s there clear coat looked like I washed it with a Brillo pad. So I did a ton of searching I bought the griots garage buffer and there swirl remover. They also have a good show wax. It took away a lot not everyone but a lot better. Used it on the wife’s Durango which was a 100 times worse and it made a huge diff. Water is still beading off from over 2 months ago so it def works pretty good.


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Your brillo pad analogy is spot on. I'm going to have to check out this Griots thing...

[kevinfranklin]

If you're moderately OCD and want to avoid MOST swirls on black clearcoat (you'll never totally avoid them, and GM's is middle of the road durable) you'll need to check out a guy on YouTube, AmmoNY, who's got some GREAT presentations on how to properly keep a car REALLY clean and as scratch-free as you choose to be.  He's a pro, so goes the extra mile, but you can pick and choose some of his pointers to get you 90% of the way there. 

 

[Jose_Haha]

use only foam applicators to apply/remove wax.

[tnchevy]

I've owned 3 black silverados in a row and have kept each one for a decade or so and my 2014 has the worst paint of any of them.  My 14 is my first new truck (bought the other two as 1 year old low mileage used) and have done the double wash bucket with the filter trick with not much luck.  The paint on my 2014 had more swirls, scratches, and chips than my 2002 did when I traded it in.  Thin paint and thin clear coats on all these new vehicles, my motorcycles are the same way.  You can't beat the way a black truck looks when it is washed and detailed but this will probably be my last one, will probably go silver next time.

[SippiSierra]

31 minutes ago, tnchevy said:

I've owned 3 black silverados in a row and have kept each one for a decade or so and my 2014 has the worst paint of any of them.  My 14 is my first new truck (bought the other two as 1 year old low mileage used) and have done the double wash bucket with the filter trick with not much luck.  The paint on my 2014 had more swirls, scratches, and chips than my 2002 did when I traded it in.  Thin paint and thin clear coats on all these new vehicles, my motorcycles are the same way.  You can't beat the way a black truck looks when it is washed and detailed but this will probably be my last one, will probably go silver next time.

I am in the same boat rowing with you. I have had mostly black vehicles over the years and have always been able to keep them pretty swirl/scratch free. This GMC is the thinnest paint and clear I think I have ever seen. When I get in the buying line again silver is what I want to go with. 

[pjerzy]

2 hours ago, Jose_Haha said:

use only foam applicators to apply/remove wax.

It depends what kind of wax really. Liquid carnuba can easily be put on with a microfiber unless you are referring to using a buffer then foam would be the best option IMO. Also, it suggested by many detailing companies and professionals to use a clean microfiber to remove the wax. 

 

On a different note, Harbor Freight has a 6" DA buffer that has been getting good reviews. I picked one up for use on my 88 IROC but have not had a chance to use it. I also picked up Chemical Guys VSS for the swirls. 

[Macleod52]

How many wash mitts are you using? Are you using the same wash mitt on the paint as you are on the tires? If you're getting serious swirls like you claim then you are washing your truck improperly or you're using crap towels to dry off your truck. 

 

To minimize the amount of swirls you want three buckets. One bucket dedicated to the tires/wheels, one bucket for soap, and one bucket for rinsing off the mitt. You want one wash mitt for the upper section of your truck and one wash mitt for the lower section. You also need one wash mitt dedicated to tires/wheels only. You then want to use good quality micro fiber towels (get them from autogeek.net). 

 

Additionally, never take your car through a car wash that has anything that touches the paint, don't use quick detailers or california duster. 

 

Swirls are inevitable but they can be extremely minimised with proper washing/drying technique. To start from scratch you're going to need to claybar then do a paint correction then use the aforementioned process above. Autogeek.net has a forum and videos that will walk you through it. 

[Mike GMC]

This may be a dumb question, but how does the presence of swirl scratches indicate thin paint?  Did you burn through the paint trying to buff them out?  I would think swirls would indicate a soft finish, not necessarily thin.

[DEV1ST8R]

22 hours ago, kevinfranklin said:

If you're moderately OCD and want to avoid MOST swirls on black clearcoat (you'll never totally avoid them, and GM's is middle of the road durable) you'll need to check out a guy on YouTube, AmmoNY, who's got some GREAT presentations on how to properly keep a car REALLY clean and as scratch-free as you choose to be.  He's a pro, so goes the extra mile, but you can pick and choose some of his pointers to get you 90% of the way there. 

 

Dang - that guy is a machine! Good tips.

[Kubs]

I took my '18 straight from the dealer to a detail shop for paint correction and ceramic coating.  The difference is enormous!!  The black is so much deeper and more glossy than one on a showroom floor.  The ceramic coating also makes washing a breeze because nothing really sticks.

 

Here is the paint, direct from the dealer without a factory detail (I requested they skip it):

received_1795450830503335.mp4

[Kubs]

After the correction:

received_1796332443748507.mp4

 

IMG_20180407_183107324_HDR by Mike Kubiak, on Flickr

 

IMG_20180407_183259583_HDR by Mike Kubiak, on Flickr

 

IMG_20180422_131327776_HDR by Mike Kubiak, on Flickr

 

IMG_20180422_131349972_HDR by Mike Kubiak, on Flickr

[tbarn]

Looks great. I wish GM didn't have so much orange peel. My Silverado and Equinox are both terrible. Both Summit white.

[tbarn]

2 hours ago, Mike GMC said:

This may be a dumb question, but how does the presence of swirl scratches indicate thin paint?  Did you burn through the paint trying to buff them out?  I would think swirls would indicate a soft finish, not necessarily thin.

Not a dumb question. You are spot on with your assumption. Soft clear coat is the culprit ( and poor washing technique )