Need Black Paint Advice - Swirls on Attitude Black Metallic 2015 Toyota 4Runner

[morphiasx]

Oh the struggle with black paint! To start out, I bought my Attitude Black Metallic 2015 Toyota 4Runner Trail Premium new in August 2015, and black was not my preferred color due to maintenance to keep it looking good (this is my second black vehicle that I have owned), but I got a killer end of year model deal for what was on the lot, and the trim was exactly what I was looking for. The first winter it went through automated car washes (usually not touch free) many times, and come Spring the paint was a swirly mess. After much research here on the forums and some advice from you guys, I purchased a setup (Polisher is a PC DA 7424XP) and finally got around to detailing the truck in December of 2016. After a good wash, and Nanoskin Autoscrub, I buffed with Menzerna SF polish, to find that I needed something more aggressive. After buffing the entire truck with XMT #3, then following up the entire truck with the Menzerna SF polish, the swirls were gone and the truck was looking good. I sealed with Menzerna PowerLock, and was happy with the results. Fast forward almost 6 months, and after ONLY hand washes done by me, the truck has quite a few swirls again, nowhere near as bad as previously, but more than I was hoping to see. I use a pressure washer with an MTM Foam cannon, using Chemical Guys Honey Dew, with a sheeps wool wash pad, that I rinse in a bucket with a grit gaurd, then dry with Cobra guzzler waffle weave towels. Is there something that I should be doing differently to avoid the swirls, or is there a better seal that will protect against the swirls better? Should I expect to have to buff swirls out every 6 months or less?

Here are a few pics after the detail in December 2016:

 

[Paul A.]

Black certainly takes a lot more care and effort to keep from scratching and swirls. Well, to show it, that is. Actually most paints, regardless of color suffer from scratches and swirls...it's just that black doesn't let you get away with hiding it.

Before I perfected my weekly wash and dry routine to minimize scratches from these abrasive rubbing actions I was also on about a semi-annual cut and buff schedule. that's about normal for a "correction" schedule on black.

I would suggest the following. Use super light pressure with your mitt while washing. The soap helps to break the adhesive bond of the dirt and you don't need to rub your mitt hard. Use the "drip method" to collect as much water as you can on your final rinse, then blow dry as much of the remaining water you can. Blot dry with WWMF towels and ther shouldn't be much left to dry off. All of these techniques prevent as many friction passes as possible to wash and dry.

As far as sealants go toward preventing swirls and scratches I haven't found any. for me, it comes down to reducing the affects of friction passes while washing and drying. There are some coatings that tout "thicker" layers to help buffer the paint surface but I have no experience to share.

Hey, from where I'm sitting, enjoy the fact you got a great deal on a year end model and with the packages you wanted. Plus the fact it probably looks 10 times better than all the other Toyota's of the same year or even older running around town. You, like me, have incredibally high standards of vehicle appearance but enjoy how sweet it is!

 

[Toolhead]

Good to know what i have to look firward to...i ha e same color.....

Did you read mike p article on how to wash car gently?
Its linked in his "final wipe" post which is a great read.

1 takeway from his multiple how to...is to not touch your car in a circular pattern...always go side to side...

This will prevent swirls...a d if you do scratch it may be less swirly....

 

[Rsurfer]

Black certainly takes a lot more care and effort to keep from scratching and swirls. Well, to show it, that is. Actually most paints, regardless of color suffer from scratches and swirls...it's just that black doesn't let you get away with hiding it.

Before I perfected my weekly wash and dry routine to minimize scratches from these abrasive rubbing actions I was also on about a semi-annual cut and buff schedule. that's about normal for a "correction" schedule on black.

I would suggest the following. Use super light pressure with your mitt while washing. The soap helps to break the adhesive bond of the dirt and you don't need to rub your mitt hard. Use the "drip method" to collect as much water as you can on your final rinse, then blow dry as much of the remaining water you can. Blot dry with WWMF towels and ther shouldn't be much left to dry off. All of these techniques prevent as many friction passes as possible to wash and dry.

As far as sealants go toward preventing swirls and scratches I haven't found any. for me, it comes down to reducing the affects of friction passes while washing and drying. There are some coatings that tout "thicker" layers to help buffer the paint surface but I have no experience to share.

Hey, from where I'm sitting, enjoy the fact you got a great deal on a year end model and with the packages you wanted. Plus the fact it probably looks 10 times better than all the other Toyota's of the same year or even older running around town. You, like me, have incredibally high standards of vehicle appearance but enjoy how sweet it is!

^this^ I would invest in a leaf blower. I would also look into a paint coating rather than using a paint sealant.

 

[dennis hiip]

I have a black Mercedes that I clean almost daily either by WW, detail spray, or California Duster. I've polished and achieved an almost swirl free finish. But my cleaning habits invariably induce swirls.Bottom line, I decided against expecting perfection and live with some swirls. To me, its a trade off since I want to preserve my cc by limiting my polishing. I have not yet tried a coating but will.

 

[Rsurfer]

I have a black Mercedes that I clean almost daily either by WW, detail spray, or California Duster. I've polished and achieved an almost swirl free finish. But my cleaning habits invariably induce swirls.Bottom line, I decided against expecting perfection and live with some swirls. To me, its a trade off since I want to preserve my cc by limiting my polishing. I have not yet tried a coating but will.

Car Pro makes a polish called Essence Plus that is made to hide swirls and yet will not remove the coating. Being it has no abrasives, it will not remove clear coat.

 

[Desertnate]

I have a black Mercedes that I clean almost daily either by WW, detail spray, or California Duster. I've polished and achieved an almost swirl free finish. But my cleaning habits invariably induce swirls.Bottom line, I decided against expecting perfection and live with some swirls. To me, its a trade off since I want to preserve my cc by limiting my polishing. I have not yet tried a coating but will.

That routine might work well for harder black German paint, but if that black Toyota paint is anything like the crimson metallic on my wife's car, simply touching the paint can often cause a swirl. I've caused marring with my fingertip! Yes, my hands were clean.

I'd follow all the advice to touch the car as little as possible. For our Toyota, I found a coating to be a huge help. It won't protect from swirls, but cleaning becomes so much easier and you can use a very light touch to avoid causing as many wash-induced swirls.

 

[morphiasx]

Thank you for all the advice, unfortunately that is kind of what I expected to hear... Desertnate, what coating are you referring to? Does anybody have any experience with Poorboy's World Black Hole Show Glaze?

 

[Rsurfer]

Thank you for all the advice, unfortunately that is kind of what I expected to hear... Desertnate, what coating are you referring to? Does anybody have any experience with Poorboy's World Black Hole Show Glaze?

Do a search on coatings, there are so many to choose from.

 

[Papa]

Check yourself on that wool wash pad. Maybe switch to microfiber mitt. With my black 4runner i'd use my clean leaf blower to start the drying process. Your drying towel may contribute swirls be gentle. I was on a 6 month polishing and sealant schedule. Deep in spring and light before winter snow.

 

[WillSports3]

I would suggest adding something like onr to your wash bucket and before you use your washmitt, soak the panel with onr first. It does a lot to prevent swirls. Same thing when you dry, add a few spritz of a good waterless/rinseless wash solution to your panel and then dry. A lot of marring and swirling actually comes from the drying step rather than the washing step.

 

[TTQ B4U]

Best thing to do is coat it with a good ceramic and use good technique washing and drying. My car without a coating is very suspetible to micro marring but with two coats of ceramic, it's night and day. I have little to no worries now.

 

[GSKR]

Oh the struggle with black paint! To start out, I bought my Attitude Black Metallic 2015 Toyota 4Runner Trail Premium new in August 2015, and black was not my preferred color due to maintenance to keep it looking good (this is my second black vehicle that I have owned), but I got a killer end of year model deal for what was on the lot, and the trim was exactly what I was looking for. The first winter it went through automated car washes (usually not touch free) many times, and come Spring the paint was a swirly mess. After much research here on the forums and some advice from you guys, I purchased a setup (Polisher is a PC DA 7424XP) and finally got around to detailing the truck in December of 2016. After a good wash, and Nanoskin Autoscrub, I buffed with Menzerna SF polish, to find that I needed something more aggressive. After buffing the entire truck with XMT #3, then following up the entire truck with the Menzerna SF polish, the swirls were gone and the truck was looking good. I sealed with Menzerna PowerLock, and was happy with the results. Fast forward almost 6 months, and after ONLY hand washes done by me, the truck has quite a few swirls again, nowhere near as bad as previously, but more than I was hoping to see. I use a pressure washer with an MTM Foam cannon, using Chemical Guys Honey Dew, with a sheeps wool wash pad, that I rinse in a bucket with a grit gaurd, then dry with Cobra guzzler waffle weave towels. Is there something that I should be doing differently to avoid the swirls, or is there a better seal that will protect against the swirls better? Should I expect to have to buff swirls out every 6 months or less?

Here are a few pics after the detail in December 2016:

Ditch the honey dew and purchase hydro coat wash shampoo from car prn my own car I use that or hair conditioner. Soap is the worst on a black car or any paint that has been taken care of.Secondly eggcrate sponge are the best for a wash media.I think maybe you stripped the finish and now its naked.Meaning everything shows.MAKE sure the tags are ripped off the towel.I use a metro sidekick with a water sprite chamois.Next polishing session avoid using filler products. For that truck my choice would be sonar cut and finish with a Lc micropad.Then jewel with mckees jeweling wax.Then your choice of lsp. or essence with micro then mckees coating x2.

 

[GSKR]

Meant sonax cut and finish.

 

[morphiasx]

Thanks for all of the replies with advice.

GSKR, I will look into the Hydro Coat wash, I have never heard of the Honey Dew being too harsh and stripping any coatings, it has seemed to be a pretty mild soap. I actually have been thinking of switching to Optimum Wash, and I am almost out of the Honey Dew wash. What is the eggcrate sponge you are referring to, a search on Autogeek doesn't return anything. The sheeps wool wash pad was highly recommended here on Autogeek, is there any reason it wouldn't be a good solution?

I have some ONR, I have thought about putting a bit in the rinse bucket with the wash pad, would this help? Would it help to add a dash of it into the foam cannon with the soap?