Clear coat swirls ~ 2017 Red CX-5

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CX-5 Touring
I bought a new CX-5 in red, when I saw the car in the sunlight the next day, I noticed a bunch of swirl marks in the clear coat, all over the car. I went back to the dealership, and they told me the cars are shipped like that from Mazda. He showed me other cars on the lot, that also have these swirls all over them. I personally believe the marks are coming from their detailing department, but he insists they're shipped like that. After arguing for about an hour, they finally agreed to schedule an appointment to have the car polished next week. It that doesn't resolve it, I'm contacting Mazda.

Has anyone else noticed clear coat swirls, scratches on their 2017 Red CX-5?
 
My dark blue one had some gnarly swirls in the hood coming off the lot. I Googled around and it seems like a pretty common thing.
 
San Jose has more than one Mazda dealership. Check out one or two cars at another store. I suspect you're right about poor detailing!
 
Yes, mine came with swirls but the dealership polished it. They did ask me first to be fair - knowing I’m uber fussy. When I went to pick it up, I noticed their “valeted” dusting a car in the showroom and he actually said out loud, "**** it, that’ll do”. If that had happened first, I would have insisted my car wasn’t touched. Now whether my car had swirls before he touched it, I can’t say but the **** it attitude makes me immediately suspicious.
 
I would be super leary of letting the dealership polish your brand new car. I think you'd be better off asking for a gift card from them for some accessories or something and either A) polish it your self if you know how or B) find an actual detailer to polish the car for you. I've seen some really really bad things come out of dealers "detailing" area. Chances are you'll get some kid with a rotary that doesn't know how to properly use such a tool and you will end up with holograms like crazy. At the very least ask them what tools they are using and what polish they plan on using. It should be a very light polish not a compound! Prefrence would be a Dual action polisher since they aren't as aggressive as the rotarys and are much safer to use especially in untrained hands.

I had light swirls in my clear coat as well when I picked my car up but that was because by the time they finally got around to doing the final prep, which they sucked at, the wash was already closed for the day. I went back into the shop area to see what was taking so long and they were washing the car with red shop rags out of a filthy shop bucket they filler with soapy water!!!! I just about lost it at that point. I rose hell until they gave me a $500 gift card and then went home and the next day polished it my self. I do detailing work on the side.
 
Any dealership that doesn't have a true detail department (very rare) will often cause swirl marks when washing the cars.

Good intentions or not if they're not 100% careful with those wash mits and use a clean one on each car that comes through you're gonna get hairline marks on it. Swirls are an indication of a bad handwash - the swirling motion you use when washing a car by hand.

Auto wash scratches are generally linear as the machines rotate in 1 direction.
 
I bought a new soul red CX-5 that was being shipped when I closed the deal, I picked it up 3 hours after it had arrived at the dealership.

It had no swirl marks or scratches when I took possession.
 
there is a name for it ... Google it

DISO = Dealership Installed Swirl Option

My CX5 when it arrived had all the sticker stuff all over it. I got to see it in the sun and it looked amazing (covering on hood removed). When I took delivery days later, I drove it off the showroom floor into the sun and stopped to check something. I got the fright of my life. Swirl marks everywhere. Tod them to keep the car. Came to an agreement later after it got seen to by a professional.
 
Yeah I would not be taking it back to the dealer. They will install more swirl marks, free of charge of course.
 
For my last 3 cars I've requested the dealer NOT to wash the car or do anything other than vacuum the interior. I've then booked in at a very good detailer I know who also specialises in new car details who applies ceramic coatings with a 5 year guarantee. It costs but washing and aftercare is much easier plus no swirl marks. The dealers with who I've made the request were very accommodating and said more and more new car buyers are doing the same thing.
 
I bought a new CX-5 in red, when I saw the car in the sunlight the next day, I noticed a bunch of swirl marks in the clear coat, all over the car. I went back to the dealership, and they told me the cars are shipped like that from Mazda. He showed me other cars on the lot, that also have these swirls all over them. I personally believe the marks are coming from their detailing department, but he insists they're shipped like that. After arguing for about an hour, they finally agreed to schedule an appointment to have the car polished next week. It that doesn't resolve it, I'm contacting Mazda.

Has anyone else noticed clear coat swirls, scratches on their 2017 Red CX-5?

***UPDATE***
I took the car back to the dealership, and they hired a professional detailer to polish out the swirl marks.
My new car finally looks new!
 
***UPDATE***
I took the car back to the dealership, and they hired a professional detailer to polish out the swirl marks.
My new car finally looks new!

Do you know what was used to polish? What type of machine? What was the detailers credentials? Double check the work in full sun and make sure you don't have holograms all over the car. They can sometimes be hard to see unless you are in the right light and at the right angle. If all looks good then congrats on getting it swirl free, time to get that coating on. Have you picked one to go with yet?
 
I had some fine swirls/streaks down the sides of mine that I noticed after I gave it a good wash that didn't see when I bought it. Maybe I put them there, but I highly doubt it, since I do two bucket washes with professional detergents and conditioners. Anyway, they went away after I polished and waxed the car. I hand polish everything; took some time, but it came out shining in the end! :)

My best guess is the dealership's wash bay probably had a mildly gritty mitt they were using to wash the car with and put the light scratches in. Nothing serious by any means.
 
Do you know what was used to polish? What type of machine? What was the detailers credentials? Double check the work in full sun and make sure you don't have holograms all over the car. They can sometimes be hard to see unless you are in the right light and at the right angle. If all looks good then congrats on getting it swirl free, time to get that coating on. Have you picked one to go with yet?

Think I'm just going to keep it waxed every two months. It's too expensive to pay a pro to do it, and I don't trust myself to do it on my own.
 
Think I'm just going to keep it waxed every two months. It's too expensive to pay a pro to do it, and I don't trust myself to do it on my own.

It really is quite easy, watch some videos, read some how to's and you'll be good to go. I recommend Optimum Gloss Coat. 10ml is enough to do the entire CX-5 and it's literally wipe on, wait a few minutes, wipe off. There's also far better products then standard "wax" to protect your car and last a lot longer then 2 months
 
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