Black Z = High maintenance?
 

I'm stuck between black and the silver colors. I want black over sliver but I really don't want to wash the car all the time. Guys, this car will be a weekend, summer car, garaged w/cover, will that reduce my time cleaning the car?

Also, is it possible for a novice to avoid swirl marks altogether, or is it fact that eventually swirls marks will show? I plan to buy the Zanio kit with all the nick knacks (micro fiber towels etc).

Tell me I can keep this car clear and clear of swirl marks easily.

Darker colors are just more work to keep clean but worth it if you love the color.

To avoid swirl marks use only microfiber or 100% cotton towels. Always make sure they are clean. I also use a micro fiber mit for washing and use nothing but Zaino products on my car (www.zainostore.com).

Check the site out. It has lots of great detailing tips and the best car care products period imho.

My car is close to 3 years old (38k miles) and no swirl marks. What do you think?

No doubt I love the color, especially with the burnt orange seats. How many times do you wash a month?

It depends on the weather but usually 2 to 3 times. The rest of the time I use a California duster and Zaino Z6 finishing spray to keep her sparkling. I see you're already Zaino-fied so you're on the right track.

I have to wash my car weekly to keep it from looking dirty, if it rains, I have to wash the water spots off the next day, or I have to scrub like a champ the weekend. I honestly can say I wish I never got the SB, I would much prefer a LS or yellow, or any other color for that matter. Good luck, it looks nice clean, but it is a royal b!otch when it is not...oh and swirl marks happen just from looking at the paint the wrong way (thanks environmentally friendly paint)

I drive mostly city so I don't have to worry much about highway debris or water spray from the car in front of me. That being said, if you are willing to wash the car at least once a month then as a weekend/garaged car you should be fine with black. But once you see it clean, you'll get disturbed when it's not...so you'll be washing more than you expect to right now.

I wash every 7-10 days typically but it's mostly because I LOVE how it looks clean.

The Trick with black is to Hand Wash it with HOT water once a week. It seems to clean the grime off better and will usually get you through 7 full days of driving.

I've found that if I apply Z6 finishing spray after a wash the car repels dust better. I can easily go 2 weeks between washes in the summer. Oh, I have the Hawk HPS low dust break pads too. They help a lot.

I have a black Z with burnt orange and it's amazing! Yeah black is hard to clean but once you get it cleans looks very good. I clean my black Z once a week or every other week depends how much you drive to get dirty. But man when it's cleans it's sharp.
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/475...2hhh0md9ov.jpg

I've washed my car every two or three months but clean it every time I drive it.

I'm on the Zanio bandwagon and use the spray clean show prep between washing to keep it crystal clean. I've always used micro-fiber towels (Zanio approved :icon44: ) which do not add swirls. I have been working hard to get the dealer delivered swirls out and spent 8 hours on the hood and roof to get them near golden using a Porter-Cable random orbit polisher and a very mild swirl removing abrasive.

One of the guys at work calls it space alien black hole clean.

:cool:

I garage mine, never take it out in the rain (which we don't get anyways) and keep a Nissan factory car cover on it in the garage.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y21...Springtime.jpg

(smaller picture)

I have found that spraying your car with a "instant detailer" of your choice before you dry it(that is if you dry it by hand), will greatly reduce water spotting and helps to lubricate the surface which prevents most scratches and swirls.

I just use a pressure cleaner on black cars, no hand washing, scrubbing, or soap. Knocks all of the dirt off.

I forgot to add it will be a roadster, so I don't have to wax or polish the top...haha.

Paul350Z...Your Z came pre swirled?! Damm, didnt you blow your top at the dealer for bringing it to the car wash?

Also, is it really easy to get swirl marks? I mean could I just rub a towel on a certain area and get swirls just like that?

Do NOT get the Super Black. It WILL get swirls, and 20 minutes after you wash it, it'll have dust and pollen all over it. In the winter, it'll just show the water and mud spots.

I had one for about 8 months, then traded it in for a Silverstone. In my opinion, the Silverstone looks even BETTER with the Burnt Orange seats.

People will tell you "oh, you can just wash the black..." but many times you just don't have the free hour to do it.

Silverstone. I am SO GLAD I switched.

I warned the wife that black was a ***** having spend much of my mis-guided youth cleaning a 1976 black Trans Am ... but she liked it (and so did I!).

Used to own a 3500 Crewcab dually 454' V-8 in BLACK.... Looked great when clean! A real hassle to keep clean, and to detail in the first place.... I'll never buy a black car ever again.... even if it was a very small one ie:"Smart Car""....

my f-150 was black. the worst part? FINGER PRINTS ON THE DOOR!!! i was always really careful and shut it with the inside handle, my passengers were not so courteous.

although it takes alot of effort to keep up the shine on a super black z, oh gawd its worth it after. One of the best colors if you ask me...

I've got the burgundy color, IF. For some reason it's a dust magnet. I wash and dry it and take a 1 mile run to force the excess water out of the cracks. By the time I get home, there's dust all over the lower sections. :icon11: I knew it would be high maintenance, goin' in, but to me it's worth it. I go thru Quick Detailer like water.

Black would be my second choice.:thumbup2:

That's my point with these Super Black cars: they are pretty BUT hard to keep clean. They look nice BUT they get fingerprints. They can be washed BUT then they get swirls.

I hate a car with a big BUT.