maintaining a new black car.... Help??
10-17-2010, 10:55 AM
#1
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: FL
Posts: 85
maintaining a new black car.... Help??
Ok so I havent had a black car for like 10 years. Now that I have one i'm sure that I dont know how to take care of it. I have been reading that its good to use carnuba wax and also something like a maguires quick detailer or turle wax ice for those "in between" wash/wax times however what about the actual washing? what kinda soaps are you guys using? and most importantly, how do you wash/store a microfiber towel?!?! I have used them in the past but when I would was them with my other clothes they would get cotton fibers on them and in turn scratch the car. Since I only have 1 or 2 towels there arent nearly enough to do them in their own wash cycle.
Help?!
Help?!
10-17-2010, 12:22 PM
#2
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Alabama
Posts: 2,935
Black is such a PITA. If your car is a daily driver, swirlmarks are basically inevitable unless you are an expert detailer and have looots of spare time.
As for washing the car, I've learned the hard way that the car wash "brushes" swirled the **** out of my car. Also, make sure the part of the car you're washing is WET and the microfiber sponge/towel is very sudsy. Use a good thick car wash like Meguiars gold class or anything that creates a good amount of suds, really.
When you're detailing between washes, make sure you always spray the area down before you wipe... never try to wipe anything off without liquid on the car. Keeping it waxed makes detailing easy.
OH AND. You will find that the California Car Duster (can be bought at Walmart) is a miracle worker for black cars. You know how the day after you wash it gets all dusty and ****? The duster will take it right off and make it look like you've just washed it. When you use it, just lightly dust the surface back and forth... you barely have to touch the car with it. The more you use it, the better job it does. I remember when I first bought it it wouldn't pick up the dust very well, but now it lifts it right off the car.
(mine is purple)
OH AND another miracle product... this one is for drying. "The Absorber" (also can be bought at Walmart) I have found to be the best drying "towel," if you can call it that. It is seriously ****ing amazing. microfiber towels SUCK for drying.
Also, if you can take your sprayer off the hose, "sheeting" is a good method for semi-drying. It doesn't work completely for me, but it helps get most of the water off before I use the absorber. See video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtoWk9thSEI
If you have an abundance of money, Zaino seems to have some of the best products on the market.
http://www.zainostore.com/
I personally have only used their leather products because I don't have an abundance of money, but I plan on getting the full Zaino kit after I get my swirls professionally removed. Everyone I have talked to and most everything on the internet says Zaino products are the best. Period.
Good luck!
*EDIT* I forgot to add, if you wash in the sun... it WILL look like ****. Water spots will be everywhere. Just so you know, lol.
As for washing the car, I've learned the hard way that the car wash "brushes" swirled the **** out of my car. Also, make sure the part of the car you're washing is WET and the microfiber sponge/towel is very sudsy. Use a good thick car wash like Meguiars gold class or anything that creates a good amount of suds, really.
When you're detailing between washes, make sure you always spray the area down before you wipe... never try to wipe anything off without liquid on the car. Keeping it waxed makes detailing easy.
OH AND. You will find that the California Car Duster (can be bought at Walmart) is a miracle worker for black cars. You know how the day after you wash it gets all dusty and ****? The duster will take it right off and make it look like you've just washed it. When you use it, just lightly dust the surface back and forth... you barely have to touch the car with it. The more you use it, the better job it does. I remember when I first bought it it wouldn't pick up the dust very well, but now it lifts it right off the car.
(mine is purple)
OH AND another miracle product... this one is for drying. "The Absorber" (also can be bought at Walmart) I have found to be the best drying "towel," if you can call it that. It is seriously ****ing amazing. microfiber towels SUCK for drying.
Also, if you can take your sprayer off the hose, "sheeting" is a good method for semi-drying. It doesn't work completely for me, but it helps get most of the water off before I use the absorber. See video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtoWk9thSEI
If you have an abundance of money, Zaino seems to have some of the best products on the market.
http://www.zainostore.com/
I personally have only used their leather products because I don't have an abundance of money, but I plan on getting the full Zaino kit after I get my swirls professionally removed. Everyone I have talked to and most everything on the internet says Zaino products are the best. Period.
Good luck!
*EDIT* I forgot to add, if you wash in the sun... it WILL look like ****. Water spots will be everywhere. Just so you know, lol.
Last edited by 07BLACKGT; 10-17-2010 at 12:26 PM.
10-17-2010, 12:46 PM
#3
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: FL
Posts: 85
fantastic 07BLACKGT thats some good info. I'm going to pick up a california duster today and an "Absorber". two questions? how do you wash your absorber, and do you ever have to wash the car duster?
Thanks!
Thanks!
10-17-2010, 01:05 PM
#4
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Maui
Posts: 4,752
My truck is black so I feel your pain. I only use carwash soap, whatever is on sale. I wash with one of those washmits. Meguiars NXT wax in the neon green bottle for wax. Leaves no white dust when you wax off. I use the leaf blower to blow dry the entire car off then use a micro towel to hit the wetspots. All done in the shade, never ever in the sun.
Take pics after waxing and enjoy the shine cause it will be dusty in an hour! LOL
Take pics after waxing and enjoy the shine cause it will be dusty in an hour! LOL
10-17-2010, 02:21 PM
#5
The Paranoid One
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,320
I know what 07 says but you can make it so it is not a hassle.
Took me 6mo. to find a way to do it without hassle.
In fact it was so bad at first I thought about trading her in for a diferrent color.
I SHUDDER to think about that now. NO FREAKIN WAY.
Black is the meaneast, sexiest, and when clean... CLEANEST color stang you can get.
Not to mention the fastest. lol.
More than 5yrs on my black car and I will give you the KEY to maintaining it and doing so WITHOUT a hassle.
1. And VERY IMPORTANT. Get yourself a sprayer that has a WATER FILTER. on it.
AND DONT get one with the pressure of a car wash sprayer. You don't need OR want one that
powerful.
I have he Mr. Clean Auto Dry. I bought mine at Pep Boys for 40 bucks at the time thinking it would be a crock of **** waste of money but I was deserate. It ended up being a lifesaver!
This lets you clean the car fast and NOT leave those pesk *** water spots and swirl marks. the only parts you have to dry will be one line on the doors where the water drips from the mirrors, and then a line that comes down from the spoiler if you have one.
2. Make SURE to keep the car wet when cleaning. Don't let any part dry untill you are finished cleaning and rinse it off with the filtered water. Otherwise you invite water spots. A good wash using these steps only takes about 20 minutes. When you do wipe it, DAP the water.
Meaning put the towel on it dap dap.. and dont wipe... takes the water up just as good and does not leave as much of swirl or scratch chance.... OH AND.. dont use anything but non-lint cotton wipes like you can get at pep boys or use micro fiber.
I don't use micro fiber because if you use the wrong side you can cause major paint problems, (dunno how many know this)
I used the wrong side once on my spoiler and it looked like a giant sun mark where my car had faded and I had to get the spoiler buffed at a shop. It looked like the damn thing was gonna have to be repainted. NO JOKE.
3. Wax the puppy. I'd do it at least once every 2-3 mo.
4. Before winter use a clay bar on her. DO IT LIGHTLY. One thing some people do not tell you is that if you use a clay bar and apply pressure you can acutally leave light scratches. This goes against what you are trying to do.
Clean a car with a clay bar by applying NO pressure. Make it smooth as silk an your wipes and make SURE to nead the clay bar so the dirt and grime work into the clay bar instead of your car.
5. Car washes are CRAP. They may look good at first but their hoses are too powerful and can work away your paint with time. The ones with the giant brushes just cause scratches over time.
The wash device with a filter will SAVE YOU SO MUCH TIME AND FRUSTRATION.
This is the KEY to actually making washing your car fun instead of a freakin hassle.
Californial Duster for just a dusty car.
Took me 6mo. to find a way to do it without hassle.
In fact it was so bad at first I thought about trading her in for a diferrent color.
I SHUDDER to think about that now. NO FREAKIN WAY.
Black is the meaneast, sexiest, and when clean... CLEANEST color stang you can get.
Not to mention the fastest. lol.
More than 5yrs on my black car and I will give you the KEY to maintaining it and doing so WITHOUT a hassle.
1. And VERY IMPORTANT. Get yourself a sprayer that has a WATER FILTER. on it.
AND DONT get one with the pressure of a car wash sprayer. You don't need OR want one that
powerful.
I have he Mr. Clean Auto Dry. I bought mine at Pep Boys for 40 bucks at the time thinking it would be a crock of **** waste of money but I was deserate. It ended up being a lifesaver!
This lets you clean the car fast and NOT leave those pesk *** water spots and swirl marks. the only parts you have to dry will be one line on the doors where the water drips from the mirrors, and then a line that comes down from the spoiler if you have one.
2. Make SURE to keep the car wet when cleaning. Don't let any part dry untill you are finished cleaning and rinse it off with the filtered water. Otherwise you invite water spots. A good wash using these steps only takes about 20 minutes. When you do wipe it, DAP the water.
Meaning put the towel on it dap dap.. and dont wipe... takes the water up just as good and does not leave as much of swirl or scratch chance.... OH AND.. dont use anything but non-lint cotton wipes like you can get at pep boys or use micro fiber.
I don't use micro fiber because if you use the wrong side you can cause major paint problems, (dunno how many know this)
I used the wrong side once on my spoiler and it looked like a giant sun mark where my car had faded and I had to get the spoiler buffed at a shop. It looked like the damn thing was gonna have to be repainted. NO JOKE.
3. Wax the puppy. I'd do it at least once every 2-3 mo.
4. Before winter use a clay bar on her. DO IT LIGHTLY. One thing some people do not tell you is that if you use a clay bar and apply pressure you can acutally leave light scratches. This goes against what you are trying to do.
Clean a car with a clay bar by applying NO pressure. Make it smooth as silk an your wipes and make SURE to nead the clay bar so the dirt and grime work into the clay bar instead of your car.
5. Car washes are CRAP. They may look good at first but their hoses are too powerful and can work away your paint with time. The ones with the giant brushes just cause scratches over time.
The wash device with a filter will SAVE YOU SO MUCH TIME AND FRUSTRATION.
This is the KEY to actually making washing your car fun instead of a freakin hassle.
Californial Duster for just a dusty car.
Last edited by Blacksmoke; 10-17-2010 at 02:30 PM.
10-17-2010, 02:45 PM
#6
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Alabama
Posts: 2,935
Good info! +1 on keeping the whole car wet. Hey I forgot about Mr. Clean auto dry! I used to have one of those until it broke... I don't even think I had my black car back then. I'll have to pick up a new one.
As for washing the absorber, I haven't washed it. I just ring it out and put it back in it's plastic tube which allows it to remain damp. I don't think you're supposed to let it dry out... and you definitely aren't supposed to wash the duster. I remember it saying that in the instructions. It's coated with some kind of special wax or something and it works better the dirtier it gets (which I have found to be true).
As for washing the absorber, I haven't washed it. I just ring it out and put it back in it's plastic tube which allows it to remain damp. I don't think you're supposed to let it dry out... and you definitely aren't supposed to wash the duster. I remember it saying that in the instructions. It's coated with some kind of special wax or something and it works better the dirtier it gets (which I have found to be true).
10-17-2010, 02:52 PM
#7
The Paranoid One
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,320
OH btw they may have stopped selling the Autodry.
I heard they were'nt selling a lot of them and may have stopped.
But any one with a water filter would work. That is the KEY.
I do remember when I bought mine they were 40 bucks and after a relative ran over my first one I bought another and then the price had went down to 20.
I was like WTF? Maybe they could'nt get a whole lot of buyers.
I know not many people at all think to use a hook up with a water filter at all.
But damn it is a saver.
I heard they were'nt selling a lot of them and may have stopped.
But any one with a water filter would work. That is the KEY.
I do remember when I bought mine they were 40 bucks and after a relative ran over my first one I bought another and then the price had went down to 20.
I was like WTF? Maybe they could'nt get a whole lot of buyers.
I know not many people at all think to use a hook up with a water filter at all.
But damn it is a saver.
10-17-2010, 03:13 PM
#9
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Honolulu, HI
Posts: 6,130
this is what i use to blo-dry my GT.
use it to dry my wheels too.
gets in all the cracks, and wont scratch.
but you'll look like an **** car detailer to your neighbors.
http://www.amazon.com/Metropolitan-V.../dp/B0002SDN7W
use it to dry my wheels too.
gets in all the cracks, and wont scratch.
but you'll look like an **** car detailer to your neighbors.
http://www.amazon.com/Metropolitan-V.../dp/B0002SDN7W
10-17-2010, 03:46 PM
#10
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Earth
Posts: 93
Another Thought!
I have a Black Shelby, everytime anyone sees it they cant believe how clean and shiny it is. In regards to drying after washing, I use a leaf blower instead of any fabric touching the car. it works great. Of course I think my neighbors think I am nuts, but it does a great job. The less times you have to touch your car the better off you are.