Kale

This car was washed 3 times. It was then dried by air and the surface looked FLAWLESS except for a few drips of water here and there that air would only push around.

I looked at my paint from every angle. It looked GREAT.

So I placed my freshly cleaned (and only used lightly and for drying clean cars) waffle weave down and pulled it across the paint. (Folded several times) For effect, I turned it here and there.

Now when put under inspection, this appears:

(This image is magnified about 7.5x)




do I have the bad luck of getting "bad" waffle weave towels from multiple brands/vendors?

Is there a fine layer of dirt that has fallen on my surface in the 90 seconds between when I dried the car with air and when I touched the towel to the surface?

Or perhaps, are they all too harsh for C5 paint and 99% of people aren't **** enough to notice?

Or perhaps, my clearcoat is "extra special?"


(Fwiw, the waffle weave does NOT do this to my Saab.)

ZaneO

Are those marks actually in the clearcoat or might they be in the top layer of wax/sealant? Towel marks are common in the protective layer.

That doesn't dismiss the fact that Corvette clear is quite sensitive, and it is also hard to get and maintain consistent quality in microfiber.

Kale

I suppose its possible, but the paint has seen IPA since the last wax job with a cheap carnuba.

ZaneO

So is there protection on the finish at the point of this picture?

Stingray23

what exactly am i looking at? are those scratches? I find it hard to believe a microfiber drying towel would do that. Since i switched to MF WW drying towels, I've noticed nothing but a perfectly dry, streakless finish.

Kale

There shouldn't be.


fwiw, fluffy microfiber and cobra indigo do NOT do this to my paint either.

Stingray: Micromarring I think is the right term for this. These are extremely shallow and easy to remove defects. A quick 205 pass with the least abrasive pad will clean them up. But still, I'd rather not make them in the first place.

Stingray23

i hear ya. what brand towel are you using?

Kale

I've used the blue ones from autogeek and the white ones from Adam's

They're still fine to dry my Saab or Toyota.

0Killrwheels@Autogeek

I use our Green Guzzlers without issue. I do however blow the finish with a leaf blower first, and then spritz with detail spray (provides lubrication) and lightly glide or blot over finish. To get those marks you would likely have something in/on the towel or really be grinding into paint.

Could the scratches have been there prior ?? Did you polish recently or perhaps used a glaze with some filling that washed off and re-exposed the marring ??

Kale

It showed up with the towel. This is the blue towel with the red border.

detail spray + blotting might be the way to go in the future if I need it again.

Luster

To me, the picture looks like swirl marks, which can only be removed by polishing. I may be wrong....

cmonkey713

Nothing but MF 530 or better ever touches my paint. Black will show even fly tracks if the light is just right and I have learned the hard way too many times. Quick detailer and MF is what I always use.

0Killrwheels@Autogeek

Our 530's and 600's are now available in multiple sizes to help with car care. I hope this helps !

capevettes

If you are convinced that the waffle weave cause that damage, I would inspect the towel for imbedded abrasives, like small particles of sand. They really need to be stored to prevent airborne particles from accumulating on them.

TOGWT

Waffle Weave Towel -

A waffle (Piqué) weave towel is a synthetic micro fibre woven with a dimpled pattern, which much like an open-cell sponge provides thousands of small pockets to trap dirt or grit. The absorbency of these towels is quite remarkable; they are able to hold seven or eight times their weight in water. Instead of wiping with your damp waffle weave towel drying towel, blot the paint to minimize adding imperfections

Drying methodology- provided the paint finish has been rinsed adequately (See Drying a Vehicle using water) there should be no dirt residue. Water is a good solvent but a very poor surface lubricator. Try using a drying aid type detailer like Dodo Juice USA Time to Dry which provides lubricity to the paint's surface, in tandem with a waffle weave towel when drying your car - this will help break the surface tension of the beads causing the water to run off, allowing the towel to soak up more, and minimise water spots while lowering the friction of the towel over the surface.

Take two waffle-weave drying towels; one soaking wet (a wet towel wicks away more water than a dry towel) and one damp. Wring out the wet towel and use it as your primary drying towel, check and rinse the towel often. Wring it out as you go, this will leave smaller wet streaks, which you can remove with your damp towel and it should leave a ‘streak’ free paint surface

This drying technique is excellent for black cars (including ‘soft’ single stage paint that show every surface mark) but look so good when they are properly detailed.

This process never includes scrubbing, rubbing or applying any pressure whatsoever. The only time that pressure needs to be applied to a paint surface is when you are polishing. Always use damp, never use a dry waffle weave towel

Grzldvt1

In my detail shop we use WW's for prework only and only because I had several in a shipment, that had some minor defects with the edging and I did not want to sell them.
They have an uneven surface with points in the material. They do absorb a ton of water, but I don't like the small sharp edges and the fact that they do not have much nap to absorb missed dirt.
Once we have a car washed, clayed and dried it never sees a WW again.

I know the vendors make money selling them, including myself, but I am personally not a fan, and will leave at that.

0Autogeek.net

Did you rub a dry towel on dry paint?

Kale

Pulled it across damp paint.

0jason@autogeek

At first I was going to ask if there was a chance if the towel you were using may have gotten contaminated but I read where you are able to use it on other paints with no marring so it may be an ultra sensitive clear coat.

For drying it just doesn't get any better than the Cobra Guzzler waffle weave towels. Very soft and no marring.

Kale

I'll give the Cobra a shot with my next Autogeek order