Keeping the paint looking new

[Sword5]

Damn, you do have some serious swirls. I've had my car 3 1/2 years and mine still looks close to flawless. It is black and I take great care in washing and waxing. Hope you can get it corrected. Junkman, his videos will explain a lot and let you know what you're doing wrong. Good luck to you,

[b4z]

Most scratches and abrasions come from washing.

[FY_Ivan]

Originally Posted by Sword5

Damn, you do have some serious swirls. I've had my car 3 1/2 years and mine still looks close to flawless. It is black and I take great care in washing and waxing. Hope you can get it corrected. Junkman, his videos will explain a lot and let you know what you're doing wrong. Good luck to you,

Yea.. that's what I figured :Cry: It doesn't really bother me too much since I have to get really close to notice them, but I would rather not have them (duh). I only did 1 light wash myself, but i think the dealer had taken it to their car wash when they installed the heritage grille (freebee) which probably caused this. Either that or some Resitall coat they added to 'protect' the paint. Either way I plan on fixing it soon.

[RubyCamaro]

The splash guards are a great investmwent if you are okay with the look. I had already gotten several chips in the gill area on mine before I installed them & none since (though I have gotten chips in other areas). I like the look of them & if you don't they don't show up as much in black anyway, they just sort of fade into the background of the tire. Definately read the threads on how to wash, wax, etc & care for your baby. I thought I knew how to take care of a car's paint until I read them. Good luck as black is really a pain (even moreso than the other fragile colors) to maintain.


(BTW ignor the date on the pic, My camera was messed up)

[cadyshac]

check out junkman on you tube.
Get on Adams polishes website and check out the videos.
You can do it all yourself or take it to a pro and have those swirls removed. You need to start washing it the proper way or you will continue to add to the swirls. You have the toughest color to maintain, don't delay!

[tramtwo]

Welcome to the site... enjoy your car... but getting the swirls removed is pointless until you learn how to wash properly or are willing to pay someone who does.

[Secret Squirrel]

You can pay someone to polish that out, or you can watch a few videos on youtube or one of the quality detailing sites...Adam's, Meg's, etc, and learn how to do it on your own. I would say it's worth the investment to learn how and get your own Porter Cable set up. If you are going to clear bra it, you will want to polish all those swirls out first or you'll be stuck with them. If you're going to polish them out, or pay someone a butt ton of money to do it for you, you need to invest in a few quality products to keep it from getting swirled up again, or you will be throwing money in the toilet. Look up 2 bucket wash, merino wool wash mitt (or equivalent), a good car shampoo (Adam's, Optimum, etc...), and seal it up, and keep a good coat of wax on it. May even want to research Opti-coat 2.0 as a permanent wax option. Also be very particular about your choice of drying towels and microfiber polishing towels. Look up Adam's Great White Drying towel, Cobra Guzzler, etc... You can bet on just about anything you buy over the counter being garbage, save a few. Mother's is typically pretty good, Meguire's is also a pretty safe bet in most cases. Most towels at your auto stores, I would stay away from.

[DefianceDan]

+1 for Adam's polishes. Tons of 'how to' videos. Adams is expensive, but you get what you pay for. I hear 'Chemical Guys' products are just as good - but more confusing on what products you need for the job at hand.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Zaino, Adams, Meguires, Mothers......All good choices with differences in approach.

Get Polishing! Especially with a black car. You'll be astonished at how good it can look! :biggrin1:

[ackeight]

Originally Posted by FY_Ivan

I'll look into clay bars, seems like they make a world of a difference. Do you do all the steps yourself or is there something that is recommended to be done by a professional or by special tools.

I do it all myself. Adams offers a dual action polisher. There are some other polishers out there too. All the supplies aren't cheap but it's an investment in your cars so I figure its worth it. It can take up to 6hrs to do everything correctly.

[kostnkost]

Rule # 1 - Never go to a car wash

Rule # 2 - Refer back to rule #1.

Once this post gets bumped to the washing subforum, you will start reading more and more there how to properly take care of your cars paint. I learned a TON over there, and I can finally say that I am satisfied the way my car looks swirl free.

Of course there is nothing I can do about the road rash I get on my front bumper beside a clear bra, but I digress......

[camaro1350]

Look into the spray type clear bra. No lines to worry about and you can't tell it's on. I put in on mine 2 days after I bought mine and it looks great. Did the front and mirrors.

[Curley4301]

I can't say enough about claying your paint a couple of times a year ... leaves the paint baby-butt smooth. After that I apply a quality wax and then a paint sealer. STAY AWAY FROM THE CAR WASHES!!! My preference is Griot's Garage for car care products and detailing instruction. You get what you pay for.

[christianchevell]

had a black 2011 ss for over a year found nufinish worked best far above the more expensive alternatives............Use it now on my crt 2013