LakeShow

Hey do any of you guys have trouble maintaining their Super Black Maxima? I'm noticing the swirls developing and it's getting fairly annoying. Out here in NY with freezing conditions in the winter I can't wash it myself so I resort to a hand car wash near me.
Honestly I think that Nissan's Super Black isn't great quality compared to their other colors. This is my first car and it's black so I don't know how to maintain it. Any tips fellow black Maxima's?

atlanta10

Black will develop those swirl marks over time and can drive you crazy if you are someone who really looks closely at your car. It is not a Nissan problem, I had 5 other black vehicles in my lifetime and every one of them over time will develop swirl marks etc. I have noticed Nissan is more prone to paint chips which seem to show more on black as well.

What I did with my super black Altima is 1-2 times a year have the car treated by a professional who knows how to use a high speed buffer with the proper products that can take out many of the swirl marks. Be prepared to pay $100 for that.
Some people here are experts at that process and can do it themselves. If it is done wrong, it can mess up your paint.

jc53

That's one of the downsides to the dark colors. My first Max ('87) was black and it was a beauty. But the swirl marks and the chips eventually appeared. Since then only lite colors for me (silver or white). To help minimize the swirls avoid using carwashes that aren't brushless. Good luck.

smarty666

That is the downside to any black car and I have had several over the yeas. Luckily, the swirls haven't developed in my super black yet and hopefully won't for a while but mine is garage kept which helps to make a difference and prolong that. If you car sits outside all the time its constantly exposed to the elements and will accelerate that. Black shows everything unfortunately, but its the nicest color when its just been washed!

Compusmurf

First car AND BLACK! OMG. Hope you like handwashing, polishing and waxing. Take your time and folks will stare. Nothing like a polished black car to attract the eye. Tho one must be a little OCD to buy a black car knowing how much effort one must put into it to keep it perfect.

It's not the paint, it's the user. Never machine wash/wax and think it'll be "ok". Hand wash, claybar, polish, swirlmark remover and a high quality wax is your friend.

trix_05

I have Tuscan Sun and feel your pain. I'm thinking about getting it detailed in the Spring...was quoted $300 for clay bar, buffing, zaino application, etc...

hamzer11

iTrader: (2)

I don't know if this is a 100% accurate. No brush has ever touched my car and it's not black (it's ocean grey) and it is showing some minor swirls on the hood. So I can't say that it's the user and not the paint. I think its a bit of both. You should definitely hand wash only but the paint should also be a lot more durable.

alexdi

Swirls are just abrasions in the clearcoat. They're caused by any action that drags dirt over the finish, or by contact with an abrasive cloth like polyester. If you're serious about preserving your finish, you wash the car yourself with separate wash and rinse buckets in rinse/wash/dry sequence, with multiple terrycloth or microfiber towels with no tags, proper car soap, a top to bottom approach, and a horizontal rubbing motion. And if you're not washing it, you don't clean it, ever, for any reason. Without a proper rinse, even special detailing sprays will just scrape dirt.

You get rid of swirls with an abrasive compound. For mild swirls, a single application of a cleaner wax may be enough. For heavy swirls, you'd use a light polishing agent before waxing. This used to require an electric rotary polisher, a tool best left to professionals because it can burn paint. That's much less likely to happen with a random orbital, so if you've got one, you can do both steps yourself with little practice.

Maintenance doesn't differ with the paint color. Keep the car waxed or sealed. Wax lasts a month or two. Sealants like Zaino can last as long as 6 months, but applying the stuff with the requisite curing agents will take most of the day. What's on top of the wax won't be clean if the car is kept outdoors, but the wax will protect the paint for when you get around to washing it.

Car Addict

when i had a black car i used this and it worked pretty good. if the car just has light dust you don't even have to touch the paint with a cloth when washing. just spray on the soap water then rinse off.

IH8SPM

If they are perfect swirls they are natural forming from the metal itself not any car wash. Get it waxed at a clean shop not one that offers the drive through wash. Expect to pay $35-75 for a good job. No need to get into the extras just get it waxed or DIY (Not Recommended for 1st black car owners)

Compusmurf

All colors will get the swirls, it's just 1000x more noticeable on glossy black because of the way light reflects from the clearcoat yet doesn't reflect from the black.

I usually don't "do" black cars for that reason but the Max was just soooo eyecatching in black I couldn't help myself. Thank god I live in Florida where it's mostly "nice" enough to wash/wax all year.

MizzMaxine

iTrader: (4)

Part of the few downfalls of having a black car I guess. To help ensure the paint stays as clean as possible during the winter, get it waxed and get yourself a ventureshield paint protection kit to protect against front end damaged. Nissan superblack paint gets easily chipped.

LakeShow

Thanks for the answers guys. Guess I'm going to have to get a professional detail every couple of months or so. Temps out here are in the 20's in the daytime and sometimes strong winds. Wish I could wash myself all the time. Going to have to find a good guy in Long Island. Any recommendations?
Also I had a few fine scratches in the back quarter panel by the gas tank and had a guy at a very reputable car wash buff it out and now when the sunlight hits my car that one area where he buffed looks all swirled and almost faded a bit compared to rest of paint. Going back to complain and maybe try to make him throw in a wax, clay, and seal.

williammmurphy

my car is blue but still gets swirl marks. first off dont ever use the brush a a car wash u will surly get scratches there. only wash the car with the power wash at the selph wash. second dont use any i mean any compound light heavy scratch remover anything u will compound that wet look away. what works for scraches and swirl marks is mothers swill mark remover it works great wont take away the wet clearcoat look and will get out most white scratches and swirls.truse me done that . i havent but i bet u could use a vibrating buffer. i would not use a high speed buffer at all.

Compusmurf

Folks, I'm going to second this comment here.

IF you do not know what you're doing and don't have lots of time to practice on some other surface but your own car, don't use a high speed buffer PERIOD.

When I was first learning to use one at my father's shop (bored and wanted to try it on some junkyard class parts), I burned/melted the paint many times. It does NOT take much time nor pressure to do that, even after many hours practicing on junk, I still won't do it to my car unless there is a scratch.

TintNinja

If they didn't do it right the first time, I wouldn't take my car back to them to mess up all the paint. Find a reputable shop that maybe has some feedback online or somethin...

STARR

iTrader: (1)

My last car was black, I dedicated my life to keeping it clean, I swear sprinklers would turn on and aim for my car

Having a black car is like keeping a mirror clean, black looks good from a distance but once you own it and see it up close it's a game changer it's better to leave it dirty then to clean it for the sake of cleaning it and all your doing is scratching the clear coat.

Sadly most hand car washes are no better then regular car washes, and most people who use buffers don't know how to use them and swirl and burn/haze the paint

2010BlackMax

I have used a brushed car wash for 3 yrs now, 2 yrs on my acura and 1 year on my max. I use it during the winters, when its too cold for me to do it. And maybe a few times throughout the year if i am in a hurry. It has NEVER ONCE left any swirls

Its like any car you have to take care of it!!! Black just shows everything. It looks so sweet all cleaned up, but looks like junk when its dirty or with swirls and marks, and it shows everything

Car Addict

LakeShow

Nice work 2010BlackMax...Wanna wash my car.

Found these, not mine but pretty damn clean also.

2010BlackMax

Thanks guys!!! I use Zaino products and am just really impressed with them. That black car looks great as well. Black cars are so nice when they are clean. But they are so hard to keep that way thats for sure!!!

Right now my car is dirty! had to drive home last night in the partially salt covered roads. The roads should be dry tomorrow, which is Christmas, so looks like Sunday if they are open, its getting a bath.

I always figure that i spent a lot of money to get this car! I might as well keep it looking its best!!

shadowx3081

I have a white '10 maxima and I can notice swirl marks on the paint 2 idk wat to do it bothers me alot I've been thinking bout trying one of these detailing places but will it really take out the swirl marks?

alexdi

No idea, eh? I wonder where that information could appear. Here, let me help: "I'm so terribly bothered that I couldn't bother to read the thread I posted in."

2010BlackMax

There are a lot of places out there that will take care of it for you. Also there are a lot of products that will help too. Here is what I used on my parents car, worked really well actually. It is a lot of work! http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/...duct_Code=Z-PC

WifPd4

That's pretty amazing, I would think the swirls would fly out of that car wash and jump onto our black cars even if my wife or I drove by. Thankfully, hers is crimson black, hides swirls a little.

You are right, black shows everything good and bad.

To the original poster, if you make the choice to detail it yourself hang out on a detailing forum before attempting machine paint correction. Rotary is not for an amateur, but a dual action can be. Working by hand you can learn a lot.

Dubl-A

I dont have swirls but thousands of tiny parallel scratches from front to back. Probably from a touch carwash

Once I finish on the exterior I am having a local detail company give ol girl some TLC