againstallodds1

I was looking at my black TL in the sun the other day and I am not feeling the blue crystals. The swirl marks show even more with the blue in it. I kind of wish I got my TL in white. Does anyone feel the same as I do about this? I think Acura should of came out with just a plain black option. I was looking at the black 300c's at a Chrystler dealership and I put my car next to it and the color on the 300c looked so much better in the sun.

blktl1

I have the same problem.

levon1830

when I had my '03 TL-S. A friend of mine thought the blue crystals were signs of defective paint!

Nandito28

I love the blue crystals...some people think its a dark blue color at night under certain lighting, as for the swirls...thats really up to how you maintain the paint.

dan.....k

iTrader: (1)

I like the blue flakes, but they do make the swirls look worse IMO.

miiipilot

I agree with dan.....k

I like the blue, but living in Cleveland, it is not always easy to keep the car spotless. It is my daily driver.

miiipilot

cM3go

You have to know how to wax that car to remove the swirls. Any black car is gonna show swirls if you don't treat it properly.

ttliang

i like that blue...sometimes....but i am with you on the swirl thing. i just got a whole lot of car care stuff polish, machines, sealant etc. and am ready to battle swirl this weekend. i tried hand polishing and that removed some of them. but i swear my arms are bigger now. i am trying random orbital this weekend. BTW, clay works well. sorry a lil off.

also i hate stone chips on this color. no lead in the paint therefore weaker. chipped ezly. my front looks like @#$@#$%.

againstallodds1

I used ZAINO polish, it seem to be the only thing that battles the swirls imo. But a week later they appear again, even if I dont touch the car as far as washing it. I tried using a random buffer with zaino z-pc and the swirls seem to be under the clear coat. If I try to softly run my fingernail along the paint I cant feel the swirls, that is why I think they are under the paint. I first noticed the swirls a few days after I bought the car under a street light at night. They came from the factory, but if I was to bring it back now they would say I did them. I should of brought it back then.... Now I have to deal with it. I will never buy a black car again. Im glad that I am not the only one feeling this about the blue crystals. Maybe in the spring or summer I will get a jet black paint job. I dont like the fact that my car is supposed to be black and it looks blue sometimes.

levon1830

Do you plan on keeping your car until it dies? If not, getting it repainted may make it more difficult to sell later on, as your potential buyers will wonder why the entire car had to be repainted.

Tripp11

If there was ANY doubt that I would not like my choice of color on the TL, I would have found the color of car I was looking at and examined that car in all sorts of lighting conditions.

I chose Anthracite and I looked at it multiple times at night, during the day, direct sunlight, in the shade, etc... Thus, I knew exactly what I was getting.

Bitc*ing that the car is too blue when you thought it was going to be black seems pretty lame to me.

ttliang

a lot of polish only round-up the edge of swirls and cover them up with fillings until they wear off. i'd clay the whole car and do it all-over again with a bit stronger stuff to rid of swirl. you shouldn't be able to feel swirl with your fingernails. otherwise it's called scratch. lol. but you do need to, i hate to say this, take off a thin layer of clear coat with maybe a lil heavier cut compound. i'd leave that to "good" pro tho if you don't feel comfy.

Brettg

While I think black looks sharp, I would NEVER own a black car.
The one time I did, I had more accidents in 2 years then in the other 30 years of driving, plus it always looked like crap.
It was good for about 10 minutes after a wash, then looked dirty.

Brett

againstallodds1

When you pay 33k for a car that you thought was black and it is not, yea a little bitching is called for imo.... Yes you are right as far as looking at the car at all different views, I should of did it, and I learned for next time. My point is I like black, not blue and black.

Papaman677

I only use microfiber to wash, dry, and wax. I feel it helps with the swirls....or maybe it's just me.

yohan81718

those blue crystal is calle d"pearl" as you know.. and NBP = Nighthawk Black Pearl...
When you buy it, you never thought why it had pearl in the name???

redrum4me

The car still looks its best in NBP!!!!

Tripp11

Well, if it was actually called "jet black" I perhaps might understand your point. However, it's not, and as the other poster suggested, it has "pearl" in the description. Regardless, your best bet was to actually look at the damn car in person before you paid your $33K.

So, my original assessment still stands.

chill_dog

You should have...it's much cooler Can't say I feel the same as you, though...I was smart enough to get WDP from the start .

Seriously, NBP is nice, and the flecks make it...adds another dimension to it as opposed to it being just plain old black. Of course, if that's what you wanted, I guess you're SOL. Didn't you notice it when you looked at it?

Donte99TL

I have had people ask me if my car was blue before.

Also couldn't agree more with what Nandito28 said, "thats really up to how you maintain the paint"

dmcconnell99

I also have a black '05 TL.

Prior to the '05 TL, I had a black '01 CL.

Black is definitely the hardest color to maintain.

This works for me:
Wash the car with Dawn to remove the old wax
Polish with Meguiar's (I think it is #7, Glaze polish)
Then Zaino with Zaino's #5 (it will fill in the swirl marks)
You can folow up with Zaino #2 if you have any time or energy left

DaveD

I get tons of compliments on the black. Many people who aren't in the know, ask me if it's a Mercedes or a BMW. The caveat is... when you buy black you can't slack! (Hey I like that, I'm a poet). You better be prepared to keep it clean! Same with the ebony interior.

Gotta use microfiber though. That's the only way to dry. As for the rock chips on the front I use a black color based wax like Turtle Wax or Black Diamond. It helps cover chips, scratches and swirls on the hood and front end. Thank God for my Clear Bra too!
My 2 cents!

againstallodds1

Read my last statement and yours, IN DIRRECT SUNLIGHT, I dont like the blue.... Where in Nighthawk black pearl does it say blue. IT DOESN'T, did you ever put your two sence together and think I might of bought my car on a day that the sunlight wasn't blazing. I just dont think I need to get blazed over not liking the blue crystals in the car. Maybe I should do a 48hr examination of the car "like you did" before I purchase another one. OH wait I work, I dont have the time to do a complete analysis of a car that clearly says BLACK in the name. Go give someone else sh**t!

Tripp11

As I've just said, if the color of the car was "Jet Black" and your ordered it sight unseen then I could understand you being all pissed. You ordered a "jet black" car and it comes with hints of blue flakes; however, you didn't. You ordered a "Nighthawk Black Pearl" colored car. To me, just the mention of "pearl" in a color code would make me think, "Gee, this car might not be jet black. It might have some variation in the color."

Did you know pearls can be many colors? White, silver, cream, gold, green, blue or even grayish black.

You're saying that since you paid $33K for your car then the car should be black. Well, the car came in the color you wanted - Nighthawk Black Pearl. The pearl word is the key there. Thus, the blue flakes.

againstallodds1

Pearl and blue flakes are two different things. I didnt think the car was going to be jet black. I said I might get a jet black paint job in the spring or summer. That all I said on the jet black issue. Anthracite doesnt say white in it, but it is the white color. Nighthawk black pearl is just what I thought Acuras black was named. It looked black on the day I bought it. I just dont like the color when the sun is blazing on it. After a good detail I like it better than any other color, but as soon as it gets a little dirty it doesnt look good. The little scratches come out in it and the blue flakes enhances them.

1sweetTL

Yeah and it isn't just the kind off wax you use but what you use to apply it with.

Your best bet is to use a claybar to remove all oxidation first, then apply the wax.

Even though you can't see it the Build up is there and that usually shows the swirls more.

Actuary

just ignore swirl marks and scratches. I had black car before I got silver. I didn't even have microfiber and it was "all right" when you looked at it from 10 feet away.

ttliang

funny that most real nighthawks i've seen were black with grey spots all over. just like my car's front end from stone chips. correct advertisement to avoid law suit? lol.

Tripp11

I give up...

Enjoy your TL and happy driving!!!

againstallodds1

I clayed my car in November when I got my zaino kit. I will have to do it again when spring comes. After I did it I think I put some of the marks back in it by not using a microfiber towel. I only use microfiber towel now.... I will have to do it all again in the spring. I am also debating on bringing it to a pro to have the marks taken out. I am afraid that I will pay and they only hide them and they come back in a few weeks..... I guess I will have to find a really good detailer that is highly recommended in the south jersey area.

crxb

maybe just paint over the blue pearls

swirls are formed when u move a wash mit or towel in a circular motion when u wash/dry the car.

I move my mit / towel only in a straight line

ck out the wash/wax section on this forum for a wealth of information

Twenties

you guys are taking this too serious.

you should know what your in for when you buy a BLACK car.
hard work ....but spectacular looking when clean.

as far as the blue in the paint, funny thing is i used to work for Acura and had seen a million of these cars before in person. But i didnt realize the blue in there until after I OWNED it for a while! It was a pleasant surprise b/c my last car was blue and i loved it, but i didnt like Acura's standard dull blue.

People give me big compliments when they look at my car one day and finally notice its got this hidden blue color in it.

stevelit

Get Maguires NXT Tech wax liquid and spray. You won't get swirls and the blue crystals will glow. It also lasts longer than any other wax I have used.

againstallodds1

I agree with you twenties 100%.... Black looks awesome when detailed. Stevelit I tried the meguires nxt but in the paste,. soft gook; it left a haze on my car that I didnt like. I understand that it is not what you said, you are saying the spray, is it the quick detailer spray. I think I might have that too. I have spent over 700.00 on detailing stuff trying to get the swirls out, the only thing I found that works great is zaino. Easy to do, a little time consuming though, but it works good.

nhousepro

Zaino's along with Megiuar's is the key. Wash your car with a good car wash product...no dish detergent. Then you need to prep with Meguiars cleaner (put on and remove by hand). For deep swirls use the Scratch X (put on and remove by hand) on ly on the areas that need them. Next place the Meguiar's Polish on by hand and remove by hand. After that, use a random Orbital Buffer with a rpm rating of 3800-4200rpm to put Mequiar's NXT liquid wax on your car. I use Vector's 7" Random Orbital; you can get it from Pep Boys for about $35. Use a clean terry bonnet to remove wax. Next use the Zaino's or Mequiars detail spray to remove and dust like residue from the wax job. Allow your car to cure for 24hours. Do a clean prep with the detail spray and then add the Zaino's Z-1 and Z-2 to finish up the wax job (by hand only). Car will shine and bead forever.


How do you post pics??? So that you can see!!!!

subinf

god damn thats a lot of work you do. i think i get mine to turn out alright and i dont even do half as much. i want to see pics of what im missing

nhousepro

It does not take long at all! Every good wax job involves the BASICS: Wash, Cleaner Prep, Polish, Wax. Now adding the Zaino's as a last step is optional. But since it contains more polymer than most wax, it penetrates the clearcoat easier. Zaino's will not eliminate deep swirl marks as a stand alone product. Trust me, I own like every wax on the market...Mequiar's NXT is the best on dark cars for removing of swirls and deep wet looks. Zaino's is the most easiest to use and last alot longer.

JoganJani

BLACK IS BEAUTY. You've to maintain it though. I've it for over two years and have managed to keep the swirls at the minimum. See my thread for properly caring it with Zaino and PC and you'll have no problems keeping it in good condition. Also Clear Bra helps a lot in keeping those rock chips away.

https://acurazine.com/forums/car-talk-5/2004-acura-tl-110330/#post1307817

Enjoy.

subinf

i remember that threaD from a while ago....thanks for refreshing my memory. have you been to any of the bay area meets?

caball88

NXT is easy to use and shines well but it does not last long at all. i have a good portion of my NXT left because it is not durable at all. 2-3 weeks with a few rain storms and the wax is basically gone. if you do a search on the net or on autopia.org you will see the same response. i use klasse AIO and SG which gives good shine and lasts very long(4 months for me in winter through several snow storms). klasse does not shine as well as regular caranuba waxes but the longevity is why i use it. don't get me wrong after you apply the klasse the car is very shiny, just not as good as pure caranuba type waxes.