ostrich

My NHB TSX experienced its first snow fall yesterday! Of course that left a lot of dirt and water spots on the body. I have never had a black car, so I just wonder how you care for your NHB TSX, especially during winter:

1. Do you recommend any particular wax/polymer product to protect the clearcoat paint from all the salt etc.?

2. How often do you wash it during the winter?

3. Do you recommend any specific shampoo?

I don't want to put the TSX through the car wash machines, so I will be washing it in my garage which keeps at around 50F now.

Thanks for the advice!

sveet

Black is a real pain. I have a black Mustang, so I know what you are going thru (TSX is red).

When I got the Mustang, I went on a search for how to deal with it. I found a product called ZAINO. The stuff is amazing. It is somewhat of a pain to put on the first time, simply becuase it is a polymer, and you have to remove all existing waxes with a Dawn wash. But after that, it is pretty amazing. I usually put three coats on in the fall (being a polymer, it can be layered) and it lasts well into the spring.

The website is www.zainobros.com.

Another amazing source of information is http://www.autopia.org/forums/index.php

Alot of people go there when they buy a black car.

Washing technique is critical to avoid swirl scratching. See the website for details.

CDR

I second the Autopia recommendation and Zaino. The "Car Wash" section of this site is useful, too (and your post probably should get moved there ...)

Dark cars are tough, black is the hardest. I have a beautiful CG, but it's definitely much more demanding than my previous silver and white cars. I've learned a ton of new tricks, lotions, and potions on Autopia for keeping it in pristine condition.

As for your specific questions, there are many opinions. I (1) use Zaino sealant, which lasts 4-6 months; (2) try to wash weekly (but I don't get snow and salt in the SF Bay Area) (3) am using up older, cheap Meguiar's shampoo and will then try some others.

I agree, stay away from commercial car washes, although I would expect that the "spray it yourself" kind might be very useful at rinsing off the dirt and salt from the body and undercarriage. Just be fairly gentle with the pressure washer.

MikeL

I am embarrassed to confess that I haven't washed my NHB TSX in a month. It has been raining continuously.

My solution? I'm pretending it's a CG TSX. It's not available in Canada so mine is unique.

And the wheels? Powdercoated.

jcg878

Ha ha- I have a NHB TSX and I've gotten worse too. I washed it weekly in the summer and early fall by hand, then found a touchless auto car wash that I've been using since. Today I'm wondering what technique of removing ice can be used that is safest for the paint - and I mean remove in that 'gotta get to work' mode that I'm at in the AM.

ostrich

Thanks, everyone. I have heard and read about Zaino products too, but they are more expensive and need to be ordered, so I wonder if they really are that much more impressive?

I just went to Target - they have lots of Meguiar's products there. How's everyone's experience with that? But I know that it has a wax as opposed to a polymer, so it may not last as long.

I certainly will check out the Car Wash section and autiopia too. Thanks!

CDR

My initial reaction as well was that Zaino was expensive, a "starter kit" of Z2, ZFX, Z6 costs about US$43 (in the US). Since using it, however, my experience is that 1 oz of sealant puts 3 coats on a TSX, this coating will last at least 4-6 months, and my "starter kit" will last 3-4 years. In these terms, it saves lots of time and is very economical. It also looks great. That said, Zaino is not for everyone (many show car people prefer pure wax) -- it's just a well regarded low maintenance option.

I learned the hard way from finish damage on my previous car (Accord) that hand waxes typically only last a month (including Meguiars), and car wash liquid waxes less than that. I wasn't prepared to re-wax my car every month, and it has to stay outside in the weather.

There are many user reviews of waxes/polishes on Autopia, including several Meguiar's types and others available at Target and retailers.

ostrich

Thanks, CDR! I am very interested in using Zaino now, because I simply don't have the time to wax my TSX every month! I am hoping to keep that deep, wet, shiny look on my NHB TSX. Do you find that Zaino will bring it out as much as wax? Also, do you use the Zaino Car Wash? Or can I use another car wash (e.g. Maguiars Gold Class Shampoo) with the Zaino Show Car Polish?

Thanks!

sveet

I have been using the Zaino car wash, but I think you are ok with others.

With black, I would stick with the Z5. It will hide surface marring better than Z2.

I can't say enough good about the Zaino products.

Car show types like carnumba and glazes as the cars never see the elements and glazes hide all surface marring very well. A nice glaze job looks awesone, except that it washes off with water.

With my Stang, I never noticed the scratches at the beginning, then after about 3-4 washes they started showing up all over the place. At first I thought I was doing it to the car, then I came to realize that it was the dealer "prep" work that was glazed over. It was washing away revealing the scratches! Zaino did a pretty good job hiding them all, except under very critical lighting.

MattB

My Infiniti is black and the last time I washed it I put a coat of Meguiar's Deep Crystal polish and then a coat of Meguiar's Gold Class wax over it. It made a huge difference in the appearance of the car, and it doesn't seem to get dirty as easily since. I also tried some poylmer stuff called 200mph once, and it didn't seem any better...