Safely keeping a black car black.

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marjen

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Hey all,

So I just got a brand new 2013 fusion. The color is black, my first black car. I am really looking to do my best to keep this looking nice. I have a few concerns and looking for some "best practices"

My last car was a 2009 maxima, dark blue so similar issues. One thing I noticed though as that it really started looking bad by the time I traded it in. my process is to use ONR with some mircofibers and that is generally how i clean. But overtime it seemed to build up scratches etc. So what can I do to reduce this issue on the new ride.

I just gave it its first light wash. Did not press to hard, was as gentle as possible. I washed with ONR then I followed up with Pinnacle Liquid spray wax as I heard carnauba would add a layer of protection? Does this make sense? And is this a good practice?
 
Welcome!

Congrats on the new car! Black paint is going to a job to keep looking good. But with the right technique and products you can reduce the amount of work you perform to keep it in tip top shape.

First off, the wash step is where most swirls and scratches will be put in. So to avoid this use the two bucket method and use a quality wash mit with quality drying towels. Not those ones you get from Walmart. Pre soaking the paint ONR mixed at quick detailer dilution will help break up some dust and dirt on the paint, allowing it taken off the surface without scratching. ONR should only be used when your car just have some dust on it. My guess is that either you used ONR when your car was too dirty or your technique was not proper enough. If you want to keep your regular routine, I would apply a paint sealant as your main layer of protection. A spray wax won't give you very long durability.

But being that the car is brand new, I would highly recommend a paint coating. Opti-Coat 2.0, Cquartz, C1, and EXO are the popular and proven coatings that will last much longer than your traditional sealant and way longer than wax. But when applying this coating you will want the surface on your paint to be as perfect as you can get it. Meaning, no swirls, scratches, water spots, or any imperfections. With the car being new, I am hoping it is not filled with swirls from the dealership. But if there are some imperfections in the paint you can always polish them out. If you want the most gloss and pop out of your paint, I would definitely give it a very light polish before laying down the coating. Preferably with a dual action polisher being they are very easy to use for people who are new to them.
 
I just read a little about Opti-Coat 2.0, sounds hard to put on? Is it easy to mess up? I dont want to make things worse.
 
If you take your time with the application it is super easy. Just remember to follow directions from the manufacturer.
 
So I got some of my products in today. Mainly grit guards, some new microfibers(gold plush) and Pinacle Liquid Gloss. So if I was the car with liquid Gloss first, could I then use a product like Blackfire Crystal Seal to protect it? The car is new, the paint is in real good shape so dont expect to have to do any other work on the paint first.
 
I would like to know how it turned out for you. I just recently picked up a 2012 Maxima that is black also. I want to get on it as quick as I can to keep it looking good for the long haul. Post pics too.
 
A conventional car wash with hose and two bucket method, along with a foam gun, quality wash mitt is the safest and most effective way to clean a car. A blower dries the car without touching, which reduces marring even further.

I recommend rinsing thoroughly, foam gun, let sit a few minutes then rinse, then foam, then light touch with a boars hair car wash brush to get the big dirt off gently as well as cleaning the crevices. Rinse the brush between panels before putting back in the bucket.
Rinse the car.

Then foam again and use a wash mitt and rub harder to get the vehicle completely clean. Again, rinsing the mitt before putting it into the bucket.
Finally rinse, then use the sheeting method to remove as much water as possible without touching it. Then you could use a spot free rinse on top of that, which makes it look crisper, combined with a quality drying towel, or then user a blower and towel if needed. That is the safest way I know to clean a car.

Keep a layer or two of sealant or wax on it at all times and hopefully you won't need to polish for a couple years or more.
Always apply a new layer of protection before the previous one weathers away.
That is the best way I know how to protect a car's finish.
 
yeah i would say the most important part is what you use to wash it. use the softest mitt you can find and always wash your mitt in the clothes washer and dry it afterward to get it nice and soft and fluffy and to remove all the loose dirt and sand from the previous wash. and the drying towel (i use a chamois) should be washed with it. the 2 bucked method is important for a black car. but, no matter what you use and how often you wash them, the swirl marks and spider webs are going to show up very soon so a good polisher and quality polish is the most important part. the good thing is: no matter how much the paint gets swirled, 1 hour with the polisher will bring it right back to factory condition if used often enough. and those new Fusions are very good looking. good pick:xyxthumbs:
 
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