great paint:how to keep it that way?

[roguerobot]

I recently bought a 2011 BMW from the dealer as a CPO. Amazingly, the paint on this thing (Space Gray) appears, to me, to be flawless. I can't find any scratches, no swirling...nothing. It looks fantastic. Given that it is 4 years old with 40k miles, I am assuming it was detailed prior to delivery to me. Not sure what the dealer might use for detailing products, but they might farm it out.

So the question is...what should I be doing...aside from washing? Should I be using a AIO, a cleaner/wax or just wax on it? Should I be doing something like Klasse or just use my bottle of Meguirs Ultimate Liquid Wax? How do I keep this looking great?

 

[Brody]

Wipe the car down with an ipa solution or carpro eraser to remove any oils and fillers. It's very common practice for dealerships to apply a paint glaze with a ton of fillers (automagic bc2 is a popular one) right before the car goes on the lot so it looks the best it can look. I've even seen cars get wiped down with a linseed oil mixture in an effort to make them look ultra glossy and fill in minor imperfections.

 

[roguerobot]

That sounds a bit worrying...how long does that stuff last? I have had the car 7 months now, and still looking good. If it lasts that long, maybe I should get some and use it!

 

[BillyJack]

In 7 months, any short-term gloss enhancements applied by the dealer's detailer are long gone. For a daily driver not needing correction, I'm a firm believer in an AIO or cleaner wax applied regularly, or topped by a finishing wax for extra gloss and longevity. My wife's white BMW liked Duragloss 501/601 to clean and brighten, topped with either Collinite or DG111, but the choices available here are endless. Blackfire TPS, Optimum GPS, Klasse AIO, Poorboy's World PWS etc., etc. are all good products on their own, but topping them with a wax or sealant like your UW will amp up the shine and extend the protection, as I mentioned. Probably the single most important thing to master to keep your baby looking its best is good washing/ drying technique to reduce or avoid instilling minor swirls.

Bill

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

So the question is...what should I be doing...aside from washing?

First - Make sure everything that physically touches the paint is clean and soft including your wash mitts and your microfiber towels.

Second, when you wash the car don't SCRUB the paint. One or two passes with your wash mitt over each section and then rinse.

Think about it... if there was LOOSE DIRT on the car and with one or two passes of a wash mitt you loosened the grip the dirt has on the paint... then won't continuing to rub the wash mitt over the paint simply grind the dirt into the paint and fill the paint with scratches?

In my life, what I have observed is that most people, (not people that hang out on this forum), but most people don't PAY ATTENTION to what they are doing when they move a wash mitt over the paint on their car and they are the root cause of most of the swirls and scratches in the paint.

Should I be using a AIO, a cleaner/wax or just wax on it?

Should I be doing something like Klasse or just use my bottle of Meguirs Ultimate Liquid Wax? How do I keep this looking great?

If the car is a daily driver and parked outside at least a portion of each day then the paint is going to get dirt stains that don't wash off. Do a Google search using these terms,

Embedded dirt mike phillips


So the best way to keep a daily driver clean and keep it to one step is to use a light cutting or light cleaning one-step cleaner/wax.

See this article,


How to choose and use a one-step cleaner/wax by Mike Phillips



That or apply a paint coating and then wash softly but from my experience even the coating will become stained if the car is exposed to the outdoor environment.

 

[Brody]

That sounds a bit worrying...how long does that stuff last? I have had the car 7 months now, and still looking good. If it lasts that long, maybe I should get some and use it!

If it's been 7 months then congrats all is well. The above items I mentioned wouldn't last more than a few weeks, if that. Nice to know there are a few out there that haven't been hacked up by dealership "detail" departments.

 

[oldmodman]

Keep your car in a garage.

Don't cover it. Unless it is for long term storage.

The less you do to the finish the better. As long as it is currently perfect just wash it gently using the two bucket method and then either apply a coating or, since it will hopefully be kept in a garage you can just apply a good wax.