I've had my car 1 1/2 weeks. I've taken it for 2 car washes already. Are there any trade secrets on keeping a black car clean? To make matters worse, the moron who just dried (if you can call it that) my car after my car wash succeeded in putting fingerprints ON the glass, rather than getting them off! Then he got pissed at me when I asked him to clean his fingerprints!

 

I have a black car too. It is such a pain to keep clean. I am never going to buy a black car again. Something lighter like pearl white or silver next time.

 

I've had my car for almost 10 months now...I gave up on trying to keep it as clean as possible, especially now that I don't drive it that much anymore...and it's always about to rain and then it doesn't...There is no secret, get used to it.

PS, don't bring your TL to the car wash anymore!!! Get yourself a hose and some good stuff to clean your car yourself. Do it on the weekends.

 

Keeping a good coat of wax (or Zaino) on the car also helps to keep it slippery and clean. Also, the California Car Duster does wonders on dry and dusty days. It really picks the dirt right off the car.

My regimen (I own a silver):

• Wash and vacuum once a week, followed by Zaino Z-6 spray, plus tire gloss.
• Clean interior glass when possible.
• Apply Z-2 when possible.
• Dust car every morning.
• Avoid puddles and sprinklers while driving.
• At the end of the day, examine the car for bugs and mud. Use a spritzer bottle of water and a towel to wipe them off.

That's it! That usually keeps my car shiny and spotless all week long. Of course when winter comes it'll be a different story. I think I'll just take it to the high-pressure self wash and get the mud and salt off of the bottom each evening when there's snow on the roads.

 

After you wash, put some good wax on. Park your car indoor if you can. Go and buy a california duster.

 

...or, paint it white.

 

Also, wiping your car down with Zaino's Z-7 detailing spray will help keep it clean. Wash your car on the weekend and wipe it down on Tuesday and Thursday. This pick up the lose dirt and add shine to the car. It takes at most 10 minutes.

 

LOL

 

man...I had a Black Explorer...and....I don't even wanna think about it...

That's why I got the SSM

 

I don't know about you but I can't trust anyone washing my car, especially those careless ppl in the car wash places. Black is hard to keep clean, but I try to wash it at least once a week.

 

"How the hell do you keep a black car clean?"

You wash and wax it regularly, just like you should with any other color! Both my wife and I have black cars. I use the CA Duster and spray detailer (Meguiar's or Zaino) between washes.

btw, when I hear people say that their silver, or white or whatever color is easier to keep clean, it makes me chuckle. Non-black cars may not show dirt as much, but that doesn't mean they're cleaner without being washed. And when they are clean (and I mean really clean), nothing looks sharper than black (don't flame me, SSM and ABP folks, just imho). Personally, I love taking care of my car and keeping it looking its best. I don't let anyone else - i.e., car wash attendants - come near it.

 

Dude,

Yeah...a dirty car...is a dirty car...despite the color.

BUT...from my experience...when looking at a light color car and a dark color car with similar amounts of dirt on them...the light color car looks "cleaner."

WDP!


Light colors hide swirl marks and paint imperfections better than dark colors, too.


WDP!

 

Ignore that part about waxing it often, unless you don't like your paint. If you don't go the Zaino route (no true wax there but better), then go the Meguires, but only wax like 3-4 times a year. Use the quick detail polish after washing it once a week.
If you do go the Zaino route, then only do the super proces like 2-3 times a year, then follow the regular washing & polish intructions on the Z products

matt

 

Blacks high maintenance... but when its clean... u know that
cars clean... some other cars.. they wash it and its like... i
can't tell...

a clean black cars always turns peoples heads.. haha

what can u do.. its just trade offs...

 

I also have a black TL. It is a ***** to keep clean but when it's clean, bling bling. Try to wash your car every week and spray the quick detailer (Meguiar's/Zaino) on during the week.

 

You just need to give extra effort to keep it cleans and shiny. I use Pinnacle product and Paintwork Cleanser to get the swirl marks disappear.

Agreed with previous post, buy yourself a California duster.

 

I really try to. although swirls are starting to add up.

man, although it is a b@#ch to clean, you have to admit when she's shinin........step back.

 

my dad's VDP is a real deep green and it's almost impossible to keep clean......I hate the way it's so easy to see swirl marks on dark cars. I'm glad I went with the Naples Gold

 

i just checked out the california duster website. has anyone tried their waterblade thing? i live in florida and it's always humid as hell... will the duster make any difference??

 

there's no secret.. we just gotta wash our cars more often then others.. good coat of wax helps.. keeps the dirt from getting on your car...

 

I've tried both the duster and the waterblade, and I would recommend them both.

If you park your car in the open in humid areas (like here in KC) you will have dew on the surface of your car in the morning, and the duster won't be able to help. If you're like me, you park your car under a roof, and the duster does a great job of removing that thin layer of dust that gathers everyday.

 

I have three black vehicles which is pretty hard to keep clean i wash my cars on the regular. So people go with Zanio i use "Dry Wash Guard" showroom look and it keeps your car looking glossy shinny look. I try to wash my cars 2-3 times a week after work and i'll take a couple of minutes before i go to work i'll get out the water hose and i'll spray my car down and let it air dry on the way to work.

 

aTL, you let your cars air dry? Doesn't that leave waterspots? An Absorber would get it dry in like 5 minutes, with no waterspots.

 

I have always had black cars until I purchased my anthracite TL. This was only because in Canada you could not get the black interior with the black exterior. There is no good way to keep your black car clean, other than washing it frquently. The anthracite does not show the dirt as easily and is easier to keep clean, however there is nothing like a clean black car. I guess I should have bought the black exterior with the parchment interior.

 

No i have a coat of water repelent wax on my car it works well.

 

Any tips of reducing/avoiding dew drops on your car apart from moving to a different place?

-Tom

 

put your car in a garage when your not using it and wash every week or two on the weekend. Wax it every month or month and a half. A GARAGE HELPS TREMENDOUSLY!!

 

buy a silver car!!

 

Er...I live in a apartment unlike you lucky folks who have houses!

Any other ideas?

-Tom

 

I think we have it easier with a black car. The same crap is on a car doesn't matter the color...on a black one, we notice it earlier, and to those of us that care about our paint, we know faster we have to get that potentially damaging stuff off of there!!

matt

 

Black is the hardest to keep clean, no matter how clean you keep it you will get those "mirco stratches", which on a black car you can see it easily.

This is why I got a white car

 

BLack is cool, but a pain:p

 

i had my black TL for 2 years.... pain in the butt to keep it clean but when you do clean it and wax it..... all the pain goes away... so bling bling

 

BLACK CARS LOOK THE BEST AT NIGHT

The reflections of the city lights make the TL one of the sweetest looking cars at night!!! nuff said.

 

you don't.

BTW -- DO NOT GO TO A CAR WASH WHERE ANYONE BUT YOU DRIES YOUR CAR. DO NOT GO TO A CAR WASH WHERE IT IS NOT TOUCHLESS. You will end up with crappy spider web scratches quicker than you need to. It's bad enuff with red, let alone black....

 

sorry to rain on your 'black car' parade, but thats why i bought mine in WDP. I can practically wash the car with a rake (not that i do this!) and swirls dont show. I owned one black car in my lifetime, and never again. Although the TL does look great in that color, its just too much maintenance in that color, unless you can afford to bring it to a detailer every week, or you have the constant desire to spend never ending nights and weekends polishing the finish. its cerntainly something a prospective TL owner should consider before buying black. I wonder if the Aegean Blue TL owners have the same problem???

 

I love my black TL, even if it is a pain to keep clean. I wash it once a week in a touchless car wash without a dryer, and dry it myself by hand. I am awaiting a warmer weekend during which I have time, so that I can FINALLY put the Zaino on that's been sitting in my living room. I understand the Z6 helps to repel dirt somewhat, or at least that's their claim.

The only secret to keeping a black car clean is....frequency.

 

i love wdp -- looks fantastic even when its dirty... i had a silver/opal color on my TBird "Opal Frost Metallic"
It was great - only time you could see swirlies was extreme dead on bright afternoon sun