Hey guys,
I have a question for those of you with dark car colors. I'll try to make this simple...
I am on the market for a new Z and honestly my favorite colors are the black and san marino blue....followed a bit far behind by the silverstone and lastly the silver alloy (the light silver one?).
I have a black car (98 eclipse) currently and i know how hard it is to keep it clean and swirls free, however given the age of the car the paint is in awesome shape since i take very good care of it. It seems from what I have been reading that nissan clearcoat is even worse than other manufacturers. I mean my car has a few swirls but nothing really major....
Now to the question, yesterday i went with my friend to buy a new altima. He got it black and when we checked it on the lot before leaving it looked flawless, however when we got home and it was a bit darker, you could clearly see fine scratches along the door panels (not swirls, but rather along the body as if by using a dirty rag to polish the car..) most likely done by the washing at the dealer before they delivered it to him.
Now even at the dealer lot i could see on the Z's they had some light swirls that you can only see at a certian angle on them, even saw them on the red and lighter colors. Now my question is...
Could these swirls have been causes by the dealer washing the cars when they first get there (if they even do that at all) or is some minor swirls considered normal on any paintjob. Again unless you're looking for them you probably wouldn't notice, but me being **** I see them. I thought new cars were 100% swirl free and that if that was the case, just by me being careful and using the right products and MF towels, I could keep it like that..
I really would love a dark color car but if those scratches form my friends brand new car were caused by the dealer washing it then that says a lot about how the car will look in a few months. If the clearcoat is as crappy...i'd have to consider going with silver alloy although its my least favorite color out of my main 4...
I thought about just telling the dealer NOT to wash my car before they give it to me (once i buy it), but don't knwo if that's even worth it, i mean if ONE wash scratched my friend's car like that...i'm sure even with care a dark z would look swirly and dull in no time.
Any experiences advice you have would help...am I being too **** and all cars really do have minor swirls when new or they definitely are messing things up at the dealer by washing the cars when they get them off the truck?

 

I often post advise in the detailing forum. The exception is if the member has a black 350Z. Black requires unique care. I wont ever offer advise.

 

Black is the hardest and worst color to take care of. This is my first Blk car and probably my last. I love the color & nothing looks better when it is clean & shinny, but it is so hard to keep clean.

I think you'll alway get or have the swirl marks, just my opinion. I think you might be better of with a light color.

 

I have a MB 06 and there is nothing better than walking outside and seeing that car clean. But there is nothing worst than seeing that car dirty. This car requires a certain level of comitment but it is well worth it to me. Get a clear-bra, some good products and get yourself that black Z. "COME TO THE DARKSIDE YOUNG SKYWALKER"

 

trust me..its not the hassle of keeping it clean that bothers me much. I currently have a black car and i actually enjoy washing it every week (for 10 years now)...its about the things I cannot control like scratches, swirls...from what I saw with my friend's altima and what i've been reading about "nissan clearcoats"; if the clearcoat is as delicate as it seems, no matter what products i use seems its bound to get scratched and show a lot more than my current black car.....and that's something i can't just wash off......
I have to agree nothing beats a clean and scratch-free black car...thats why I am so persistent about the color. However on the other side nothing looks worse than a clean but swirly black car....which is what's stressing me.
if i knew the clearcoat was decently strong as in my current car, I wouldnt have this back and forth thinking....

 

+1 have the super black....wash it 3 times a week at the local in and out, would probably go with the silverstone next

 

A clean SB is worth the work IMO.

 

Thanks for the replies...trust me I am itching to get one in black/SMB, I just would love to keep it looking great for years to come and wanted to get an idea on wether this is possible given the kind of clearcoat it has, the fact it'd be a daily driver and no garage. I have been abole to do so with my current car... so if the clearcoat is just like my current car's, then I feel confident i can keep it looking good...
I guess the main question would be , for those who have SB....have you been able to keep it relatively scratch/swirl free (I dont mind the dirt cos I can wash that off, I do it as it is in my current black car, every week)...
If i was to zaino it, and wash it constantly like i do mine...can i expect to keep it looking good? or is it a lost case and I have to accept the fact it will look swirly no matter what i do, a few months/year after i get it...

 

Mines an 03 midnight black, no swirl marks!
If you live where there is pollen or rain, its not worth how good it looks.
I just moved to phoenix from portland oregon, and it seems like every car down here shines like it just got washed (compared to the dirty cars in oregon).

Time will tell, just about to go wash it right now!