First black car. Any extra considerations?

[dparm]

I've been pretty anal about washing and cleaning my cars all my life. I just bought my first black car which is really teaching me that every last scratch, water spot, and speck of dust is noticeable.

Is there anything special that you folks with black-colored cars do? It's a non-metallic black. I have always washed and dried in the "direction the air flows over the panel" and am very careful to make sure the wash mitt and towels don't get contaminants and the like.

I am going to seal it with Klasse AIO+SG to help repel the dust, as I have always done with my cars.

 

[DemoFly]

2 coats of a good paste wax works for me.

 

[Turk]

Yea. Long time owner of black.

See my thread.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2683811#Post2683811

 

[VNTS]

Have a dual random buffer.

Also when you go to detail it, clay it.

Detail spray it after washing to keep it dust free until you drive it again

I have 2 black cars, just sold the 3rd I had.

Enjoy the car and reward yourself with a beer when you get it cleaned/waxed and admire the shine!

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: VNTS
Have a dual random buffer.

Also when you go to detail it, clay it.

Detail spray it after washing to keep it dust free until you drive it again

I have 2 black cars, just sold the 3rd I had.

Enjoy the car and reward yourself with a beer when you get it cleaned/waxed and admire the shine!


Nice, but really, who has time for this?

 

[Turk]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: VNTS
Have a dual random buffer.

Also when you go to detail it, clay it.

Detail spray it after washing to keep it dust free until you drive it again

I have 2 black cars, just sold the 3rd I had.

Enjoy the car and reward yourself with a beer when you get it cleaned/waxed and admire the shine!


Nice, but really, who has time for this?


Maybe he does!

Don't have to go that far, but it's sure nice.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: VNTS
Have a dual random buffer.

Also when you go to detail it, clay it.

Detail spray it after washing to keep it dust free until you drive it again

I have 2 black cars, just sold the 3rd I had.

Enjoy the car and reward yourself with a beer when you get it cleaned/waxed and admire the shine!



That's pretty much what I've done with all my cars my whole life.

 

[JHZR2]

Be really careful, and quadruple check the cleanliness of anything you use to clean, apply or buff your car.
Black is especially prone to swirl marks, and marks and similar micro scratches that wouldn't be noticeable on other colors, even other dark colors, will be on black.

 

[Mr Nice]

Park in the shade during the day.

 

[BigBuck]

My suggestion now that I have a dark blue car?

Don't but dark again. I miss the color white. No more dark for me.

 

[LeakySeals]

Love Nu Finish, but not on black. Tons of white residue. Surprisingly, the new turtle wax ice does great on black, no white stuff.

 

[ctrcbob]

I've had two black cars in my life. (I'm old ).

First was a 73 Pontiac Grand Am, the one with the soft nose. Beautiful car, Always had problems with it being black.

After 30 years, and having forgotten how bad having a black car really was, I purchased my....

Second. A 2003 Mercury Marauder. Show every scratch, every speck of dirt. Every dried rain drop. EVERYTHING.

Although I'm old, and doubt I'll live another 30 years, I WILL NEVER BUY A BLACK CAR AGAIN!!!!!!!!

 

[FastEddie]

Originally Posted By: ctrcbob
I've had two black cars in my life. (I'm old ).

First was a 73 Pontiac Grand Am, the one with the soft nose. Beautiful car, Always had problems with it being black.

After 30 years, and having forgotten how bad having a black car really was, I purchased my....

Second. A 2003 Mercury Marauder. Show every scratch, every speck of dirt. Every dried rain drop. EVERYTHING.

Although I'm old, and doubt I'll live another 30 years, I WILL NEVER BUY A BLACK CAR AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Ha, I know many people that have the exact same feelings about black cars as you, myself included.

Black isn't a color, it's a part time job.

 

[double vanos]

Black cars = second marriage!

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

After you're happy with the number of coats of sealant you have on your car, you should try topping it with a glaze and a carnauba. Should deepen the color. Then post pics of it

 

[Bgallagher]

Black cars can be beautiful and a pain at the same time. In order to keep it looking its best you will need to work at it. I recommend every spring and early fall either using a seperate polish or an all in one polish/wax (Meguiars Detailers brand D151 is awesome.) When you polish I would also clay prior to polish and after wash. I use diluted wash soap in a spray bottle, much cheaper then detail spray. When you are between the polish/wax cycles and you want to wash the car I recommend using a spray wax or a wax as you dry product to keep up the shine and it will also help it dry.

It may seem like a lot but if you take an afternoon in the late spring and early fall as well as good spray wax washes throughout you should have a good looking black car.

 

[Scum_Frog]

I have two black vehicles and really, it's not that bad to maintain the finish. I do 2-3 times yearly Polish & Sealant(using AutoGlym presently) and weekly/bi weekly washes depending on how dirty they get. I also use spray wax and detailers to help maintain the finish inbertween the mail polish/sealant applications. I get comments all the time asking about my new vehicles, when they are both '07s. It is a little extra work to keep them looking good, but I enjoy it, so no worries.

 

[dparm]

Having washed the car a few times now, I don't think it's as bad as people make it out to be. Perhaps it's because I was already pretty careful about the products and exact methods for washing/drying, but I haven't had any problems.

I'll need to spend some time with M105 or M205 and remove a few scratches the previous owner put in but other than that it still looks great.

 

[JHZR2]

No, its not as bad as it could be, but it is entirely related to the care taken, and you have to be a lot more careful. There are a ton of swirly black and dark cars out there...

 

[dparm]

It is looking dusty very quickly, though.

I suspect that once I get a sealant on it like Klasse that should help repel it?