[subterFUSE]

Towels will swirl the paint, clean or not.
Never wipe the paint dry. Forced air is the better method.

Hand wash yourself or get a professional detailer.

PPF and paint coating will improve the durability to a degree, but even paint coatings can get swirls. You still must take care of you want pristine paint.

[AHall]

This is something I have ponder recently as I have read discussions of scratches and swirl marks after using microfiber towels. I have washed and polished my own cars for years with good results. So when people say do not dry with microfiber but use a blower, how do they remove wax and polish?

[subterFUSE]

Originally Posted by AHall

This is something I have ponder recently as I have read discussions of scratches and swirl marks after using microfiber towels. I have washed and polished my own cars for years with good results. So when people say do not dry with microfiber but use a blower, how do they remove wax and polish?

Paint coatings do not get waxed or polished.

[AHall]

Originally Posted by subterFUSE

Paint coatings do not get waxed or polished.

Thanks but I did not mean to indicate I wax or polish ceramic coatings. I was referring to cars without PPF or ceramic coating.

[jsf721]

Yes watch out for the car wash all of them. If they don’t dAmage the car they will swirl it up and use harsh chemicals on the wheels and paint.

Find a guy to do a proper 2 bucket wash or perhaps do it yourself. I do mine because I like it clean and swirl free. I realize I’m not the norm.

[rs1987]

The only way if you don't want to do it yourself is to take the car to a professional detailer, but that gets really expensive after a while.

If you plan to do it yourself, first get the car ceramic coated with a hydrophobic topping. Invest in a decent pressure washer (like a Kranzle), a decent foam gun, a Mastervac Master Blaster to blow dry the car (never wipe it dry), two buckets and a lambswool mitt. Then look at a couple of youtube videos on how to wash a car without scratching the paintwork.

Basically, the process is to rinse with the pressure washer, snow foam (all products are definitely not made equal - some are bad), rinse again (I usually snow foam twice), then double bucket wash, then blow dry.

Like others, I refuse the dealer car washes. In fact, I've never let anyone other than myself wash the car...I just don't trust others to do it properly

[BMWF90M5]

Go to an automated car wash that has ZERO touch, then take it home fill a bucket with water and Optimum No Rinse and wipe it down. Twice a year use a paint sealant, and top that off with a good wax. Then just rewax it every 2 months (after washing it) or so, and it will look brand new and will have no scratches.