Clean & protect.

[ohtobbad]

Most of us spend hours cleaning, waxing and trying to protect our toys.
What system or ideas do you have for taking care of the paint on your
new GT350 or GT350R

I choose the black, which is awesome when clean, but difficult
to keep clean, any better ways to do this?

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[Nataphen]

Clean & protect.

I would strongly suggest a full car paint correction and full clear bra/wrap. The next car I buy will be getting one ASAP. It's a lot of money up front, but worth it to me when I consider how it will eliminate swirl marks and scratches from washing. It's almost impossible to clean a black car without visibly damaging the paint.

 

[jcalvert86]

Invest in a Rupes or Griot's DA polisher ($500 if you add in polish/sealant) and spend a few hours learning to use it.. or pay $1k or so for a full correction and paint protection.

Then it's a weekly two bucket wash and occasional quick detailer spray to remove bug guts, bird droppings etc when necessary.

 

[cjgt350]

If anyone has a black vehicle. Try this. After a good hand wash mist the entire vehicle in a spray wax (windows are ok too) with the vehicle still wet. I like Eagle One Nano wax. Then dry with an ample amount of high quality microfiber towels. If the water dries it is not a problem as the wax mist protects the paint from water spotting. The paint will wipe to a shine faster while still damp however. Once done the car/truck just received a quick wax and wash scratches etc will not be evident. Super easy to keep black looking good. California duster and quick detail spray between washes.

 

[shelby_r]

This is a great thread to start! I'm extremely interested to hear how people plan to clean/protect their car.

I'm also interested in what people use to clean/detail their engine compartment, as well as interior.

 

[Rated R]

I've had two black cars and took care of another while growing up. If you want a car that looks great from your hard work I strongly suggest another color. Black is frustrating at best. Long hours of work end up in general disappointment. If you do achieve the perfect no swirl no scratch finish it will be short lived. They stay clean for a total of one half hour while outside. You don't even have to be driving it. I wouldn't even have one if I lived in so cal. Any other location with actual weather, forget about it, it's not worth it. It also takes a someone special to seek out a used black car so typically black is tougher to sell.

 

[R 350 gt Donson]

I've had two black cars and took care of another while growing up. If you want a car that looks great from your hard work I strongly suggest another color. Black is frustrating at best. Long hours of work end up in general disappointment. If you do achieve the perfect no swirl no scratch finish it will be short lived. They stay clean for a total of one half hour while outside. You don't even have to be driving it. I wouldn't even have one if I lived in so cal. Any other location with actual weather, forget about it, it's not worth it. It also takes a someone special to seek out a used black car so typically black is tougher to sell.

While I agree that Black cars are hard to keep clean, I do not agree that it would be harder to attract a buyer that wants a used black car....look at the mustang auto show and you will see black is one of the most popular colors..period....

 

[derpington]

This link has some good procedures that work very well: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/acxkaf44ctxbsgb/AACIMr-qZl7vdwVcVlC5djtQa?dl=0

 

[FTD]

It also takes a someone special to seek out a used black car so typically black is tougher to sell.

White, silver, and black are considered the best colors for resale. They are also the most popular.

I have seen more white and black S550's than any other color by far.

 

[shelby_r]

This link has some good procedures that work very well: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/acxkaf44ctxbsgb/AACIMr-qZl7vdwVcVlC5djtQa?dl=0

This looks great - have you used these procedures yourself?

 

[derpington]

This looks great - have you used these procedures yourself?

Yeah, they work very well.

 

[ohtobbad]

Has anyone ever used Opti-coat ceramic coating?
It is suppose to protect paint for up to 10 years, with full warranty.
Not cheap, but not crazy price either and also no need to wax when finished.

I would like to look into the clear bra, to protect the nose also.

 

[Nataphen]

Clean & protect.

Rupes has a great line of polishers, but for personal use, the Porter Cable 7424XP is a good option that's not quite as big of an expense. We use one at work for orange peel elimination with a denim pad, heavy cut compounds after wet sanding, and swirl free polishing. It works very well. Definitely get a DA buffer, not a rotary. It's much safer.

EDIT: To clarify what I said at first, I recommend a paint correction, followed immediately by a full car protective clear wrap. You may have to travel a little to get to someone who is really good at it, but I don't think you'd be disappointed after doing it on a black car. If someone knows what they're doing, you shouldn't even be able to tell that it's on there.

 

[Cruzinaround]

Twice a year I put a call into National Detailers for a mobile detailing at my home address for a few of my nicer cars. The job they do on the exterior and the interior makes you feel like you're stepping into a new car. The higher options include a mother's claybar treatment and interior carpet shampoo.

Very professional, very convenient. At the end of Winter and again mid summer. In between its an easy 30 minutes to 1 hour of washing off with a clean soap bucket and maybe a powerwash to get the bug tar off the front facing surfaces then a wipe down with a microfiber.

 

[Bullitt2065]

I use all Adam's Polishes products on my Bullitt. My Dark Highland Green paint isn't too far away from black, so I can attest that their products are fantastic on dark cars. Here are a few shots of my car for reference.

http://adamspolishes.com/

Mine is on the far left.

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