Black Paint = Lots of work

2259 Views 19 Replies 17 Participants Last post by FMF, Oct 27, 2009

buttermilk

Discussion Starter · Sep 28, 2009

The last black car I owned was a 57 Oldsmobile. I said never again, but then 45 years later when I decided to get an Element and my wife said ok as long as it's not orange, I ended up finding a black one. No other choice within 150 miles and it sure did look pretty.

Yesterday, I washed it for the first time. I used a long handle brush that I had been using for years and it makes washing cars real easy and fast. I was a little worried about "spiderweb" scratches even though I'd never had that problem with the other vehicles. When I finished and the E dried, there was water spots and streaks all over it. Looked worse than before. I went to Sam's and bought a package of microfiber towels. I washed it again a little while ago with one of those towels and then toweled it dry. It looks real good right now but it's also sitting in the shade.

Anyone got any labor saving tips for keeping that black looking good?

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

Westy_

· #2 · Sep 28, 2009

My last 3 cars have been black and I have just come to terms that it will get a little dirty between washing it once a week in the summer.

FMF

· #3 · Sep 28, 2009 (Edited)

I just picked up an 07 Sc in black and after only a couple of days realize that I'll probably be washing it every weekend. Is there a wax that will make my car the reverse-polarity of dust?

Using Turtle Wax ICE car wash soap really cuts down on the water spots while you're drying. Get a silicone water blade to get the big panels dry quickly and then chamois the rest. If you can't wash later in the evening pull it into a garage if you have one for drying immediately after the rinse.

Demise O

· #4 · Sep 28, 2009

No brush!!!!!

I have had excellent results with just blasting at the self-serve car wash. NO BRUSH EVER!!!!
High pressure soap, followed by high pressure wax, followed by drying with terry cloth towel, followed by a quick buff with yellow micro-fiber towels from costco.
Wax for real once every couple of months.
Mine still looks great, had it over a year, now.

Demise O

· #5 · Sep 28, 2009

P.s.:

It only takes me twenty minutes, too.

|sland|2oots

· #6 · Sep 28, 2009

a good detail i.e. claybar, polishing, sealant & waxing greatly enhances black paint especially and helps make maintaining the exterior a bit easier. Menzerna products are amazing!

04EXE

· #7 · Sep 28, 2009

FMF said:
I just picked up an 07 Sc in black and after only a couple of days realize that I'll probably be washing it every weekend. Is there a wax that will make my car the reverse-polarity of dust?

Using Turtle Wax ICE car wash soap really cuts down on the water spots while you're drying. Get a silicone water blade to get the big panels dry quickly and then chamois the rest. If you can't wash later in the evening pull it into a garage if you have one for drying immediately after the rinse.

+1.... those silicone blades are safe & effective!
after you do that, use one of those new microfiber towel you have and give it a quick spray wax(great way to keep it streak/spot free b/w real waxes). ;-)
and yes, the shade always helps too when you do anything with a black car. I haven't owned one in 10 years! I said the same thing.... No more black!!!

Rickcin

· #8 · Oct 8, 2009

Black Paint

The Black is does take a lot of work to maintain but id does look great. I wash with two buckets, rinsing in one then soaping in the other. Final rinsing should be with a hose without a nozzle to "sheet" the water.

Best way to dry is with a blower or if you want to spend money, they do make a reverse vacuum, it works in both directions.

If you get the Element properly waxed, you could make it last with a Zaino finish. For complete information just to to www.zainostore.com

Good luck

CivicEM205

· #9 · Oct 8, 2009

- silicone blade or leaf blower for drying.
- use microfiber towels and wash mits! KEEP THEM CLEAN! keep them in tupperware boxes when not in use, even dust can scratch paint!)
- ALWAYS wash and dry in shade. that will prevent water spots.
- 2 bucket system works well and minimizes the amount of dirt that gets on the wash mit
- use a separate "crappy" sponge for the underside/wheels/wheel wells.
- try to not use brushes of any kind on the paint.

that's my opinions, it works well for me (but then again mine's Silver)

Seattle SC

· #10 · Oct 8, 2009

One good wash, clay bar, & wax per year.
The rest of the the year, the additional layer of dirt helps protect the paint.

mkh

· #11 · Oct 8, 2009

As posted, stay away from brushes. They will push the dirt around on the paint/clearcoat surface and scratch the sh#t out ot it eventually. Think of a broom on a dirty wet floor. Most detailers recommend a lambskin wash mitt for getting the dirt off. The dirt gets pulled up into the fibers of the mitt, so no scratching. I use the Mr. Clean car wash kit. Spary with water, spray with the soap, then lambskin mitt to loosen the dirt, spray with soap again to float away any risidual dirt, clean rinse, and then the "ozone" spray rinse so it doesn't water spot. Last, 303 protectant on the panels.

uther

· #12 · Oct 8, 2009

hey guys, I've been the custom paint industry for quite some time. And the best product I've found is from Poorboys . They are a small company but the products are great. Try there Blackhole designed for dark color cars, and what is really amazing, can be used in direct sun light... http://www.poorboysworld.com/

Rickcin

· #13 · Oct 10, 2009

Black Paint

uther,
I have never heard of the poorboys products but I will look into them .

OTG

· #14 · Oct 13, 2009

Join autopia.org and follow it to the T. It's entirely full of pro detailers.

ElementaryEd

· #15 · Oct 13, 2009

Black is a pain in the a$$ but they look so good when they are clean! I usually do a quick spray detailer with microfiber cloth after washing to remove any streaks or water spots.

vfxraven19

· #16 · Oct 20, 2009

California car duster between washes, unless it rains (which is rarely does here). My last car was black... don't mind washing them...

ORANGEE

· #17 · Oct 20, 2009

Paint it ORANGE

abecon5

· #18 · Oct 21, 2009

Mine is black and worth the work

hownowcb

· #19 · Oct 27, 2009

Seattle SC said:
One good wash, clay bar, & wax per year.
The rest of the the year, the additional layer of dirt helps protect the paint.

That's at least two more steps than I'm willing to perform annually, Jay! :shock:

In fact, in six years, I think my NBP Element has only been hand washed maybe three times. Does it look great? Actually, much better than I'd imagined, considering I also swore I'd never buy another black car after owning two, back when I lived at the end of an extremely long gravel driveway. Credit Honda for a great paint job. Yeah, in my dreams it would be glowing, shiny black, but at least mine is garaged day and night. I think there is honestly something to be said about the protective layer of dirt theory. ;-)

That, and my aged, failing eyesight!

Perhaps the OP should consider trading for a comparable Cargo Khaki Element. While living at the end of the aforementioned gravel driveway, I also owned a Renault 18i station wagon in a sort of metallic beige that was the exact color of gravel dust. I don't ever remember washing that car, and yet it always looked as good as new, even after 250,000 miles!

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FMF

· #20 · Oct 27, 2009

leaving that layer of dirt alone is actually important....until you wash it. What I'm saying is don't try to dry brush or California dust a heavy coat of dust or dirt off the car as it will only add swirls to the paint; I'd recommend never dusting but with a new coat of wax it should be fine. My E has been up on jack stands waiting for a new set of wheels and brakes for the last month and it has a nice coat of garage dust on it which I won't get rid of until I can roll it outside and wash off to avoid the swirls.

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