Black is such a pain!!
 

Man, how do you guys keep your black 350zs clean? First day I had the car it was very dusty so i washed the car and when I'm done i noticed there are fine scratchs everywhere. So now i've gotta deal with all these scratchs. Then yesterday I wash the car and get it 100% perfect. This morning I go outside and my car looks like it hasn't been washed in weeks...how the hell do you guys keep your car clean of water marks, dust, scratchs, etc?!?!?!


:mad: :mad: :mad:
Dave

This is exactly why I won't get the Super Black. SB is by far my most favorite color for the Z, but I don't have a garage, and I don't have the time, nor the patience, to deal with all the adverse things that come along with black. I've owned a black car, and it was torture. :(

Black is a pain to keep clean.......absolutely need a good quality dust cover and inside storage to make it manageable. I currently have a black vette ( for sale ) and just ordered SB 350. No way to get around it.......it's just to classy to pass up despite the drawbacks.

Re: Black is such a pain!!
 

Please tell me what you are using to wash the car (what kind of mit and car wash) it should not scratch that easy just from a wash job.

i've had the car now about four weeks and still have not washed it because i dont want to see the results. but mine came with so many swirl marks and spider webs that the dealer is having it wetsanded this coming tuesday.

but i know the first time i wash it it's going to be the right back to where it started. i guess just accept it and dont let people see the car in really bright direct sunlight. ;)

I've been using a detailing mist... seems to clean up the car real well. Expecially the drips from the mirrors and the rear window. I take it to get detailed, get home and clean it up with the mist. And a California Duster now and then.

I've bought a new "kit" that is suppose to do real well on black...

http://store.yahoo.com/classic-motoring/klaskit.html


But, yes the black is a pain to keep clean. Also, certain waxes or polymers have more electrostatic attraction than others. I've seen pictures that show Zaino tends to attract more dust. Don't know for sure.

Keep mine dry, don't drive in rain,usually wipe down each day and keep in garage. Looks like I just picked it up. Delivered 9/11 1300 miles in approximately 3 months.

To many times, when the dealer cleans the car before it's picked up, they put swirls in it. Just a couple notes on keeping it swirl free.

1. Never use a sponge to wash it. Use microfiber, cotton mitts, or sea sponge.

2. Use a good "quality" car soap that helps protect from swirls.

3. Never wipe the car with anything when it's dry. You may think it's clean, but you never know what microscopic particles can do to your finish. Cal duster is a good tool for "dusting."

4. Always have a couple good layers of wax/protectant on the surface.

There's nothing like a black car with a few coats of a wax that is designed for BLACK cars. The paint looks like you can swim in it. Okay, it may only look like that for a day or so, but it's worth it.

In your opinion, FlaPhil, which waxes are designed for black cars? Do you, and others, feel one brand looks better on black cars than another? I'd be interested in hearing your opinion and the opinion of others. :)

Dan

I found my Super Black Z to be easy to maintain. I love the color.

I take it about twice a week to the hand car wash. I wash once over, then rinse. I let the air dry it. The end result is great.

Todd

Different waxes DEFINATELY make a difference on different colors. Polymers (or synthetics) have a high reflective quality and make light colored cars (white, silver, champagne, etc) shine like crazy. You can't get a real depth of shine and liquidity out of a light color.

That said, dark colors can look almost wet when using a carnauba, or a polymer that is formulated to look like a carnauba, and gives a true depth to the paint. If you use a true polymer on a dark color you get a mirror finish, but not that wet look that's possible. For my Super Black, a polymer looks like I put plastic wrap on it. Carnaubas and Blackfire looks like I just finished painting it and it's still wet.

All of this is really in the eyes of the beholder. Whatever look you are going for is what you should have. For me, I like the wet, deep shine I get with Blackfire. During the summer I use Pinnacle Souveran carnauba. Nothing like that anywhere.

Properautocare.com has a little blurb about different wax formulations. Check out Which Wax is Best?

Yepp Wax in difrent materials of paint make alot of difrence, i used to work at a car wash so i know that Nissan Paint isnt exactly show quality, i would wax my old 300zx(CUSTOM BLACK)for hours till i got it just the way i wanted it, even though it wasnt factory paint it needed care any way ...:icon04:

I am also a black car lover. I used to have detailer work on my car every 4 or 6 months or so... but I found out they just fake swirls on the car. I finally quit using even WAX 'cause applying wax adds more scratches to the surface and it's a contradiction. Since I met the glass fiber based sealant, I have quit using any wax. Wax also attracts dusts......

What about White??
is that easy to maintain??
i really like Black,
but i know that it would be a pain in the back side to keep it look good...

Lighter colors are relatively easy....

No wax.
 

I found Blue Coral car wash gel works great with dark colored cars. I just got rid of a 99 black firebird that I never waxed. The gel contains a teflon that make the water bead like a good wax job and the swirl marks from waxing are avoided entirely.

The guy that bought the car from me remarked how good it looked and asked how I kept a 4 year old car looking so good. I intend to do the same with my Z.:cool:

The biggest problem you may have have is finding the gel in a store. If you decide to try this stuff, make sure the lable says gel(~$6). Regular Blue Coral(~$3) is no comparison. The regular Blue Coral does not have the same water beading action. I had to order a case from a distributor in Ohio.

same feelings
 

I owned a black Maxima for 3 years and waxed it once or twice with some cheap wax (Armor All) and it looked great when I traded it in for the new Z. Now, maybe I am more Anal with the Z, but I want to maintain it a little better. I have dust collecting everyday! I have a spot from bird crap that wont come off (although hard to see). So...my delema? Shall I not wax and care as much like I did with the Maxima? Or should I start a several hundered dollar collection of expensive waxes, polishes, Cali Dusters, etc.? Black is frustraiting, but it sure looks good! Any comments and advise is greatly appreciated.

But Black Is So Beautiful when freshly cleaned...
 

I was going to get my Touring in black, but then remembered the black Jeep Grand Cherokee that I also own. So I bought my Z in Chrome Silver. It's easy to keep looking pretty good without too much work, but the point here is about black. When it's clean, nothing beats black.

Well I would recommend without reservation ZAINO. I originally bought it for my Z, but said what the heck, let me try it on my Grand Cherokee. I am still amazed. After ONE (1) waxing, several snow storms, a number of rain storms, and parking on a very dusty road at work, the Jeep looks GREAT after a simple washing. ZAINO is amazing. They have special steps that you follow, and a special formula for removing the swirls in black vehicles. It's amazing stuff.

You won't be disappointed.