Black car owner questions

[Seer]

Black cars are easy to keep clean if you use anti static detailing products.

Use products like AQuartz or Opti-coat and religiously use FK #425 anti static quick detail spray. That will keep dusting to a minimum.

Sealants like blackfire look beautiful, but dust like crazy.

 

[HellsBells]

Black cars are easy to keep clean if you use anti static detailing products.

Use products like AQuartz or Opti-coat and religiously use FK #425 anti static quick detail spray. That will keep dusting to a minimum.

Sealants like blackfire look beautiful, but dust like crazy.

Is there another antistatic coating that isn't as permanent as aquartz or opti-coat?

 

[Seer]

Is there another antistatic coating that isn't as permanent as aquartz or opti-coat?

AQuartz is not permenant. It lasts about 18 months.

FK 218 is a less durable option.

http://www.autogeek.net/finish-kare-poly-wipe.html

It's tough. I did basic detailing, but when it came to it's 3 month maintenance detail, I'd let a professional do it. I found a guy that was awesome! It was a $200 detail, but it was also 20+ hours of work. He taped off moldings, took off the wheels, did touch up work...etc... He was freakin tits!

$200 for 20 hours of work? That detailer made ZERO money off you then, especially when you factor product usage in. He must've liked you. Most detailers doing a detail with that magnitude, usually charge $50-80/hr.

 

[HellsBells]

AQuartz is not permenant. It lasts about 18 months.

FK 218 is a less durable option.

http://www.autogeek.net/finish-kare-poly-wipe.html



$200 for 20 hours of work? That detailer made ZERO money off you then, especially when you factor product usage in. He must've liked you. Most detailers doing a detail with that magnitude, usually charge $50-80/hr.

I hate to ask you about these products all the time but let's say this. Say I have no plans to get my swirls removed and my finish polished up all nice in the next year or two. All that will happen is my car will get more and more swirls. Should I just fork out for Aquartz and throw it on, despite the swirls?

 

[Seer]

I hate to ask you about these products all the time but let's say this. Say I have no plans to get my swirls removed and my finish polished up all nice in the next year or two. All that will happen is my car will get more and more swirls. Should I just fork out for Aquartz and throw it on, despite the swirls?

And don't hate to ask, I like answering.

It's up to you, AQuartz won't be able to be removed by using a high concentrated citrus soap, or an IPA wash like you would with say a regular sealant or FK 218.

Jet Seal is also decent on anti dusting and itll look better than 218, but it wont be as good as keeping the dust down.

 

[monk36]

I will never buy black again. As the saying goes, once you go black, you never go back (to black ever again). I'm highly considering a repaint in bab, or whatever the bright blue on the 5.0s is.

 

[Mystickeith50]

Yeah I would never ever ever buy a black car for a dd. Ever.

 

[NastyStang113]

Black is the only color to have! Guys think it's bad with a Black Mustang? How about a Black 2011 F150 Supercrew? There is a lot of real estate!

 

[GallopingFord]

Never again will I buy a black DD.... I'm feeling like an asshole as my car has been sitting outside without a proper cleaning in almost two months...

 

[LindsayEOD]

Black is the only color to have! Guys think it's bad with a Black Mustang? How about a Black 2011 F150 Supercrew? There is a lot of real estate!

You are insane Nasty. Im counting down the days until the old lady gets rid of her black Rav4. Black is ok for a non dd vehicle, but I wont do black on a dd ever again.

 

[NastyStang113]

You are insane Nasty. Im counting down the days until the old lady gets rid of her black Rav4. Black is ok for a non dd vehicle, but I wont do black on a dd ever again.

Both of our daily drivers are black, too.

 

[LindsayEOD]

Both of our daily drivers are black, too.

Absolutely nuts my friend. Every day when I go to work and I see her Rav, I almost hyperventilate it bothers me so much.

 

[rocketpants]

Never getting black again...that's what I said after my last black car. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment

 

[Cal26Stang]

Black is the true car guy color, it requires the most work, but that feeling you get when you finish detailing it is unlike any other color. having a freshly detailed black car makes all other colors seem inferior, plus black is the fastest color

 

[sick3v]

to be honest black needs alot more attention then most. people feel that a black car is just like a red, grey, white. honestly you cant just wash and go. There should be little to no reason to have heavy swirls, minor swirls is ok. if you have heavy swirls in your paint then you are neglecting your car.... it really has nothing to do with the color. white cars can have heavy swirls in the paint but since they are harder to see most people think "oh i dont have swirls". If you are to lazy to maintain your pride and joy, then pay a detailer to do it and if that doesnt work for you, then you should probably just sell it to someone that will take the time to clean/buff/wax etc.....

 

[fdjizm]

Pretty hard, I gave up 2 years ago, it's still shiny but not perfect but I drive it everyday it's expected, maybe I will get some new clearcoat one day or pay someone to detail it for me a few times a year.
I am definitely too lazy or busy to sit with my car for hours on end and polish and wax it etc... I love my car but it's a car lol.

 

[Wingspan]

I take mine to a pro every 6 months. $300 a year and it looks better than when I bought it. Plus she stays in the garage.

^^^ This. I try to be as gentle as I can when I wash it (though I still end up with some swirls) and every few months it goes to the detail shop for a good buff and sealant. I only drive mine on nice days though, so the car doesn't really get "dirty" just dusty from sitting in the garage.

 

[B2B]

No doubt a black car is a lot of work to keep clean, but damn if it doesn't look good freshly detailed. The key to owning a DD in black is to learn not to stress over every little speck of dirt. I've been detailing cars for a LONG time and just because a white/silver car doesn't show dirt/dust easily doesn't mean they are not there.

Proper washing technique is probably 70% of the key to keep the car swirl free. But do plan on taking the car to a good detailer, or invest in a good orbital polisher and learn how to detail the car properly.

I use Meguiars 105/205 and recently switched from Zaino to Blackfire (Wet Ice Over Fire). While Zaino is currently the undisputed king of durability (I can go one year between reapplying Zaino on my wife's M35), it just doesn't have the depth of the Blackfire. The picture below is my 2011 GT freshly detailed with the Wet Ice Over Fire kit... with my wife's M35 waiting to get washed after a road trip to San Antonio.