I Life in Condo - How to Quickly Wash Jet-Black Car?

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luciddaydream

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Hello
I recently picked up a 2012 porsche with 3k miles on it.
The car is jet black.
I live in a condo building with a parking ramp, so its hard for me to wax the car and do other things to it.

I was just wondering if you guys could kindly give me your advice on how to wash this car with efficiency and speed.

I would prefer not to go to a manual place because it takes a great deal of time.

I was thinking of going thru a touchless place and then drying it with microfiber. Maybe hit it with a spray-on wax?

However, there is a very well rated car wash right by my house where it its semi-automated with a crew that dries and vacuums the car. Are these places risky because of dirty rags?


My last porsche was black metallic and I've noticed on this thing I see a lot more of the fine scratches. Is this pretty common to see in a black car with very few miles like this? Its much more noticable. And kind of difficult to deal with.

If anyone could give me some feedback it would be fantastic.
 
I got so tired of maintaining my 2013 black accord that I traded it in for a 2014 silver one..
 
luciddaydream said:
Oops, I meant i LIVE in a condo. Typo
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First, get a professional detailer to correct the paint (get rid of those scratches) and either seal it or coat it. Then get some Optimum No Rinse Wash ("ONR") and read up about no-rinse washing here on Auto Geek. FWIW, I use the Gary Dean method with multiple MF towels. It does a good job and you shouldn't scratch a sealed or coated surface using that product (or one of the many equivalents).

I hope this helps!
 
Don't go to the car wash. Just keep up as often as you can with rinseless washes
 
It takes ONE wash, not done properly by a dealer or the prev owner, to inflict many cc scratches. Like stated above, use a machine to safely remove them. Do it yourself or pay someone from this forum that lives near you to do it. Then coat it.
 
tedj101 said:
First, get a professional detailer to correct the paint (get rid of those scratches) and either seal it or coat it. Then get some Optimum No Rinse Wash ("ONR") and read up about no-rinse washing here on Auto Geek. FWIW, I use the Gary Dean method with multiple MF towels. It does a good job and you shouldn't scratch a sealed or coated surface using that product (or one of the many equivalents).

I hope this helps!
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This^^

Lots of alternatives for rinseless wash solution also. Seems the top 3 here are probably DuraglossRW+Aquawax, ONR, and Meguiars (with or without wax added). You only need a couple 5 gallon buckets (get Home Depot because they are cheap and will fit a grit guard well, if you decide to add those later), 10 good microfiber towels (I'd recommend 500+ gsm on softer Porsche paint), and a couple waffle weave drying towels. About $50-60 to get all this + whatever RW solution you buy.
 
Look into waterless washes or Rinseless washes. Don't take your car to the car wash and let them drag dirty crap all over your car.
 
Whatever you do DO NOT TAKE IT TO A CAR WASH!!!! If you want to DESTROY your paint real fast go there. Based on your thread; a regular wash is out of the question, so IMO, I would go RINSELESS WASH not waterless wash. At least with a rinseless wash you are using more water. A 2-bucket 2 grit guard rinseless wash would be the way to go. You meet the condo's rules (at least in my case I do as I live in a highly regulated SFR, Townhome, Condo community) and the chances of scratching your paint will be less than a waterless wash. That IMO and I have a Black Car.

Get a 32 oz sprayer for $5 at Home Depot or Lowes and saturate each panel with a rinseless wash (I like Pinnacle or Optimum), then wash with the rinseless method.

Saturating each panel 1st IMO helps lift the dirt and less chances of scratches.

I would rather keep my car filthy and dirty before I would even consider taking my car to a car wash. The guy drying you car, what type of towels is he using? Does he wear a huge belt buckle to help scratch your car by moving side to side on each panel?

My friend no longer takes his car to a car wash 2007 Black Shelby GT as he took it to a highly reputable car wash and later showed me the damage after 6 months. It took me about 20 hours to correct the paint on his car.

:buffing:
 
I agree with the advices above!

1) Get a professional detailer to make it right (polish and coated)
2) Get some ONR and use the Gary Dean technique
3) Use Carpro Reset and IronX soap every so often (as needed)
4) Apply a coat of Carpro Reload quarterly
6) Visit your trusted Detailer bi-annually or yearly to clay the car

As expressed above.... DO NOT use tradional carwashes. In a pinch you can use touchless (with a coated vehicle) but know that in certain car washes the pressure is enough to debadge your car or bend your windshield wipers. You invested a good bit of money into a fantastic car. I sure hope you are willing to spend some on the proper maintenance of it
 
Thanks for everyones help.

When you guys say Seal or Coat it, what do you mean?
 
luciddaydream said:
Thanks for everyones help.

When you guys say Seal or Coat it, what do you mean?
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A coating may fit your need. A coating is different from a sealant as it is thicker, lasts significantly longer and it requires less maintenance. Applied correctly and you ride will look incredible. A coating typically lasts for more than 1 year (correct me if I am wrong Geekermites!!....LOL).

That might be the way you should go.

I do not use a coating as I wash and wax my car frequently. I have a garage and I have set up my garage here I can wash/sealant/wax my car at night. Additionally, it is my form of stress relief. That is why I wash/sealant/wax my car.

I would find a well reputable detailer in your area (use AGO's Guys) and consider a coating.

All that being said.....I would still NEVER TAKE MY CAR to a car wash!!!

Im the MAN:dblthumb2:
 
My god, condo living man... I own 2 condos in South Florida and out of all the million and 1 rules car washing ain't one of them... THANK GOD.

I'd have to agree, take it to a PRO to get your baby right. Then rinseless/waterless from there. Search for a coin power wash joint in your neighborhood for the real dirty days.
 
LRC3 said:
My god, condo living man... I own 2 condos in South Florida and out of all the million and 1 rules car washing ain't one of them... THANK GOD.

I'd have to agree, take it to a PRO to get your baby right. Then rinseless/waterless from there. Search for a coin power wash joint in your neighborhood for the real dirty days.
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All my neighbors that live around me wash their cars. We all know we are breaking the rules, however, ALL of US especially at our young age has Alzheimer's disease when it comes to the rules when we wash our cars.....LOL.

Additionally, washing you car at night really saves the headaches if there is the water police snooping around!!

:props:
 
If he thinks a do it yourself takes too long, he's not going to do rinseless washes....
 
No doubt.

Get a pro detailer to polish and seal up your car correctly, and then have him put you on his maintenance plan and come by and do a mobile car wash every two weeks.

Tip him well!
 
Well, I'm going to give you some different advice. I know you said you don't want to go to a Pay-N-Spray, but the reality is water is the safest way to knock abrasive particles off paint.

No rinseless or waterless wash technology can overcome this fact. The issue here is - the car is Jet Black - so every defect will show up. So, using rinseless or waterless washes may fit your lifestyle well and be easier than using some type of running water to knock off the dirt, but they are not the safest way and will accelerate micro marring appearing on the paint IMHO.

So, you may be at a crossroads...do you want an easy way or the best way to maintain the finish? Plus, you have a Posrche. The brakes are aggressive. Cleaning the wheels properly will likely require running water.

The way I do it is bring wheel cleaning stuff, towels, and waterless/rinseless wash to the Pay-N-Spray when I don't want to do a 2BM. I clean the wheels conventionally, then use their water to pressure rinse and dirt off the vehicle - so most of what is left is traffic film.

After that, its much safer to rinseless or waterless wash the vehicle. This has solved any marring issues for me on my black BMW. Of course, its a PIA - because you have to bring some supplies there and take some time. I guess it depends how bad you want to keep the finish as close to perfect as possible.
 
frankprozzoly said:
Don't go to the car wash. Just keep up as often as you can with rinseless washes
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I agree and having lived in back to back apartments this makes things soooo much easier! Since last summer I've had an underground parking spot, even better. I would suggest getting a gallon of Duragloss rinseless wash, 2 5 gallon buckets, 2 grit guards, an Aqua sponge (Ebay), a dozen of good micro fiber towels to do the GD method of rinseless and atleast 2 large drying towels. PM me if you need particulars, I'd be glad to help out!

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online
 
I feel for you. Jet black paint on a Porsche is a nightmare. One of the softest clear coat out there.
 
you cannot achieve your objectives with the time frame you set out.
black cars are a ##### to keep swirlfree.
there are no magic tricks, coatings are a false hope, trust me
it is wash gently, and spraywax, every single time
ive had 3 black cars. be sure to wet your car, let the dirt absorb the water
then wipe off gently with microfiber
hose down
then you use spray wax (they are all pretty good)
this protective barrier will "come off" with your next wash
minimizing swirls
everyone swears by coating, but it does not prevent microswirls
that is it buddy, u wanted the awesome black paint
either live with a few swirls or work like an animal
no carwash will be able to help you, and it will never be quick
 
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