I tried posting this in the detailing forum but I don't think there is much action of there. I hope this doesn't get moved but here goes: Maybe some of the gurus here can lend some advice. With my old 99 white Maxima I could simply wash it and dry the car and it looked great it seems much harder to get my black Max to look good.

Right now I'm using Tutrle wax wash. It seems that my car spots very easily and even if I use my california car blade the car still looks streaky, etc. when it is all dry. Do I have to towel dry it everytime? Is there another brand of soap that I can use, an additive that I can put in the soap bucket, something I can spray on or is there a system that will stop spotting and leave my car looking great without breaking the bank?

I recently ordered Eagle 1 wet wash and wet wax as u dry. Are these products any good, they were suggested by a friend? Would I gain anything from claying? For a final hand wax I've been using NU Finish but I only use this every few months. There is no rubbing involved. Is this ok to use. Thanks in advance.

 

use a damp chamois to dry the car. no streaks no lint.

 

Yeah, like sosick said, a real leather chamois is the best to dry your car. I use the water blade to get a majority of the pooled water off and then the chamois. Also, when washing have your soap bucket and a rinse bucket. Rinse the soapy rag down after washing a portion of the vehicle. Helps cut down on the fine scratches in the finish. Especially with black cars.

 

Black cars are very unforgiving when it comes to waterspots, dirt and fine scratches. Your white car had them but you just couldn't see them. It takes more work to make a black car look good.

When washing you have to rince it really good. Spray directly into the side mirrors. They trap soapy water which drips out later. Also spray the side moulding in the doors. They do the same thing. Also, make sure you get the car really clean. If you miss any dirt anywhere it will end up on your drying towel or shamois and scratch your car all over.

Drying with a shamois is good. If you have compressed air it's best to blow it dry focusing on the spots that hold water and drip later after you've dried it.

If you really want it to look great use a finishing wax after every wash. It goes on and comes off easily and cleans waterspots. Put it on with a wet terrycloth rag and remove it with a microfiber/lintfree towel. By the time you do that all the water will be off it without having to rub swirl marks into the paint trying to dry it. Turtle wax makes a black car wax which hides small scratches and chips by filling them in with black instead of the usual white. I use it on my dark blue with 85,000 miles and it makes a big difference.

Whatever you do make sure, make sure anything you wipe the car with is perfectly clean. If you drop the shamois or towel get a different one or wash it really well before touching your car with it again. One speck of dirt on a rag will scratch your whole car up. You wont notice it on a white car but scratches on a black car stand out like crazy.

 

I would suggest two things:
(1) Wash your car when it's <70*F out. The water is probably evaporating before you get the chance to wipe it off.

(2) After the soap wash, USE A CLAY BAR!!!!! This will get rid of your problem all together.

 

My favorite route....we have a $5 autowash which finishes off with a 'spot-free' rinse...and lemme tell ya, they aint kidding. When I hand wash, and do it in the sun...the waterspots are so bad that even a light wax dosent remove it! I mean its removeable with alot of elbow grease...so rule #1 never wash by hand in the sun. I hate hand drying the car because of surface scratches...Ive had really good luck using the touchless auto with the sport free rinse. Hand washes every now and then to get it really clean, then back to the touchless. I wax section by section all throughout the summer when I have the time too.

 

All great advice and some nifty tips. I miss my Pearl White car but black looks great when it's just polished and I'm stuck with it for a while. I'll have to look for the black polish suggested, that sounds awesome. I really would love a soap that would allow me to not dry the car but still not get water spots. The wet wax sounds great but it still requires that the car be dried. That's probably what I will end up using. WHat would happen if you used the wet wax and then the water blade?

Mr. Clean sells a filter system that removes deposits from water and their soap is suppose to reduce spotting too. I heard mix reviews and also that it is only good for several washes. I wonder if the Mr. Clean re-fill soap without the system would help with spotting. Thanks again.

 

It could also have something to do with the minerals in your water forming insoluble salts when it combines with the microscopic grime/pollutants embedded on the surface of your car. This is where claying earns its keep. I would also second the Mr. Clean AutoDry kits. From what I hear, it makes washing your car a snap and the in-line water filter works wonders. They do run out fast, but are well worth it. The ion exchange filter, which softens your water, probably has more to do with the spot-free finish than the soap. (But a clean-rinsing soap is important too.) If you find that the filter works for you, but don't want to keep buying refills, you'll get more bang for your money from a whole house/refrigerator filter. They're sold everywhere. The ends should hook right up to your garden hose. I think the Mr. Clean one is made by PuR.

As for the Eagle One wax, I love it. It contains genuine carnauba wax that gives you a deep, rich, shiny finish. But the best part is that it is so easy to apply and it lasts a long time. I use it after getting my car detailed in the spring and usually only have to touch it up once midway through the year. The finish stays glossy and smooth through the nasty NE winter. It looks fantastic after a rain and doesn’t attract dust either. Oh, and it won't leave crusty white residue behind like pastes. The wash is pretty good too, but doesn't always get everything on the first pass. There is better stuff out there. Oddly enough, the generic-looking "Nissan" brand wash from the dealer is phenomenal. I'm sure it's just rebranded stuff. Anyone know who makes it?

 

Having a black car sucks when you're trying to keep it lookin clean. Like they said, never wash your car in the sun or the water will dry and leave spots before you can get a chance to wipe it off. Wash it in the evening during a cloudy day. I've also used that Turtle Wax Color Cure. It works pretty well.

 

To me this sounds like some one is lazy Auto blade/ spray on waxes..........No disrespect but to have a real good looking car it takes alot of effort. There is no quick fix for nice looking paint. Not to mention the products your useing are crap. The old saying "NO PAIN, NO GAIN" applies here. It sounds to me like your black paint is suffering from neglect. Black paint is the best/worst all in one. Nothing looks better than nice black paint.Aswell nothing looks worse than badly kept black paint. If you really want to fix it this is what your going to have to do or hire a pro for about $120 to handle the first reconditioning. 1) you need to wash the car down real, real good with a dish soap like dawn. Heavy amounts & rinse very well . This will strip the paint of any wax as well as grease or dirt but you are left with unprotected paint. 2) Clay bar the entire car this will remove the trapped in contaminents. Before you clay the car take a piece of plastic like a cigarette clear plastic or saran wrap wrap it around your fingers in one layer & feel the car it will feel like there is sand all over the car. This you cant feel with out the plastic but it is real & it is stuck crap all over your paint the clay bar will remove it. Now you must wash the car again to get off all the clay lube you sprayed on the car while claying. Now depending on how bad the paint is swirls/scratches & such you will need a abrasive polish to remove the paint swirls applied with a rotary buffer or orbital buffer. Porter Cable makes great machines that amateurs can use with out ruining the car. after this step you would use a mild abrasive polish to fix any little marks you first polish might have left than a finishing polish after that. Then wash again but not with dawn but a real carwash liquid like meguiars or comparable. Then it is time to wax. Not some spray on stuff or quick lotion job but wax like a pure yellow carnuba or similar put on light coats & let it dry. Let it dry if the wax does not dry & harden you are just wiping around the wax and removeing it on your buffing towel let it haze. Then buff it off it is truley the second coat that makes the paint pop so apply another thin coat. Then your paint will be up to the standards you expect. Do all of these things at least once a year minus the first abbrasive polish. Dont use cheap crap products spend now & save later. Dry with 100% terry cloth or micrfiber towles & not the cheap ones. Micro fiber towels are expensive . The cheap ones are just that..cheap & damaging. & wax the car after a real good wash at least every three months & for god sakes dont go through automatic car washes with brushes they destroy your paint. Hell only go through brushless if you must but hand is best. For all the info you will ever need go to WWW.AUTOPIA.ORG Priceless info & great people there.

 

Dude i have a White Max and i use the Mr.Clean Auto Dry System and THAT **** WORKS dude you just have to wash your car in pieces and it work awesome no water spots, if done right, when i used the clay bar after once it really brought the paint back out. Try it, plus use Meguiars waxes they're the best that i've tested so far

 

Get rid of the Turtle Wax Wash and Wax. I had a professional detailer use a ph wash and then buff my car due to a haze that I could not get rid of on the sides of the car (but not the vertical surfaces, roof, hood, trunk). I asked him about that car wash (which I had used for years) and he said to dump it. It has salts in it.

 

I'm not lazy I have been waxing my car regulary but I live with many trees and am constantly washing my car. I just want it too look respectable between waxing without a tremendous amount of effort (maybe a little lazy). I've only had the car for about a month. The car was detailed right before I got it. I don't think claying would be beneficial on a car that was compounded, polished and wax. Am I wrong here? How long does the Mr. Clean cartridges last for? Are the re-fills expensive? Thanks again.

 

I think the refills for the Mr. Clean Auto Dry run about $5.00 each for the filter and the soap. They're supposed to last about 10 washes. If you have a BJ's Warehouse store nearby, they have the entire AutoDry kit for 6.99, including filter and soap refills. That clearly beats the MSRP. And if you can find the coupon in the Sunday paper, that brings the whole thing down to $4.99.

I've used the AutoDry and was surprised how well it works. Is it as good as a lovingly applied hand detailing on a cloudy evening (like I had time for before kids)? No. But it gets the car clean and spot free quickly and with little hassle. Just be sure to follow the directions - work one area of the car at a time, rinse, wash, rinse, then the filter spray. Keep your sponge or wash cloth clean. Work from top to bottom and front to back.

Black cars are a pain to keep clean, but worth every minute.

 

Like some one else said Dump the turtle wax and get a good high quality wax, Top of the list is Zymol and Zaino Bros. both are a concours level wax. And with a Black car you need top of the line wax to get it to look right.

Also get rid of the water blade cause any spec of dirt dust or anything WILL leave a scratch and enhance the swirl marks. I personally use Zymol as the application is easier and 'faster' then Zaino, but still plan on spending about 3-5 hours depending on how **** you are about your waxing.

This is the kind of shine you can expect from a black car with Zymol on it:

 

Wow that is beautiful. I've been using Zymol as well.

 

OK. I bought the clay and it left residue big time on the car. Not much fun getting if off. I followed the directions to no avail. I washed the car with the Mr. Clean soap and then waxed with NU Finish. The trick to using NU FInish is to not let it dry completely. Right before it start to haze I would begin to buff. This worked great and I was able to get a great finish.

 

Here is one more closeup.

 

Bad instructions maybe? I just bought a Mother's California Gold claybar Kit for $16 @ Advance Auto. It comes with a spray on wax bottle and first you spray a 2'x2' area with the wax, while its wet you gently go back and forth over the area with the piece of clay..it says not to use water and to keep the area wet for proper lubrication...not to use the bar on the dry paint. I always thought you use the bar right on the paint....but now I knwo why you arent supposed to, I just let the bar sit on the dry paint while I was spraying down the area and it left a big yellow mess. It sounds to me you used the bar with no lubrication and, as expected, left you with a mess to clean up.
My car has only been on the road for 2 yrs and the back bumper and trunk area were not completely smooth to the touch due to oxidation..even after a wax. I wet it down, clayed it, and buff it to a shine and whoa...its as smooth as when it came off the assembly line! I highly reccomend the Mother's kit.
For wax I use Meguiar's Gold Class clearcoat wax, in paste form. Almost done with the can after 2 years, and the stuff creates a brilliant black shine and removes light swirls. Its not the most expensive stuff, but it brings the car to a beautiful shine. The claybar really brings it to perfection!

Buy the MOTHER'S kit man!!!

 

I simple use meguiar's 1.2.3 step.
Does the job real job.

 

Meguire's Tech Wax. It is the only kind of wax I could find that got rid of the surface scratches and didn't leave spots after the next wash. The stuff acts like rainex for the paint.

 

I used Eagle 1 wet wax for lubrication and I think this was a mistake because the wax was smearing on the car and leaving residue. I then switched to the lubricant that came with the clay and by then I think it was too late. Anyway, I scrapped the clay and decided to wax the car.

I wonder if regular oil based clay would work. I have some in my closet that smells the same that I paid 16.00 and is the size of hotel soap. Big ripoff. Anyway, I like NU Finish because it lasts very long, doesn't powder and there is no rubbing and very little buffing to get a great shine. Maybe I'll try the clay again on my bumpers. You can clay your windows too.

 

I know I thought it was hillarious the size of the claybar in the box too...The box and pic on front had you thinking it was gonna weigh your arm down and last a lifetime! Mine too was the size of a hotel soap.

 

claybar doesnt help waterspots at all, i'm gonna attack mine with dishwashing soap (even though i always promised myself i wouldn't do it ever) and do a coat of nufinish. whoever said turtle wax wash is no good, you're scarin me. i've been using zip wax wash forever cuz it's so cheap....

 

NEVER wash your car in the sun. Always wash after the sun has gone down. I always take a bucket and sponge with me, rinse the car off, fill the bucket with soapy water and wash. After you get done with the final rinse roll the windows down and jump on the highway for a couple of miles. Get off the highway roll your windows up and wipe your windows down with a real or fake (really doesn't matter) chamos (however you spell it) Now that it is damp cruz around the car and wipe off any additional water drops that the 70 MPH wind didn't get. I guarantee you'll be spot free and won't spend a fortune on all these gadgets and gizmos everyone is suggesting. Just give it a good wax every once in a while.

 

its not going to hurt your car but there are far better waxes out there that will give you a much better shine...there is a reason its cheap

 

Meguiars has a few different kind of car washes that contain water softeners. You can try one and see if it helps.

 

I personally will only use Meguiars NXT Car Shampoo. I am extremely **** about my black paint (and many will attest to that) and do everything to keep it in the best shape possible. I just ordered some Menzerna products off Premium Auto Care that are supposed to work incredibly well on black paint, I am looking forward to it.

 

on a black car- wash and dry out of the sun, after paint has had time to cool down. if your car has minimal scratches buy some ardex seal-b, a machine glaze made for black and dark colored cars. apply and let haze, remove with orbital polisher. buy some collonite wax, apply by panel only using a damp applicator pad, start to remove before drying with orbital polisher and fresh bonnet. clean windows and wheels. use a microfiber rag to remove any wax residue. do not use a spray tire shine, most have silicone in them which will leave spots on your fresh paint, very noticeable on a black finish.

trust me, i used to run seven detail shops around hartford county, i know the ins and outs and how to repair a bad finish. my last three cars were black, but now- i have a pearl white maxima, which has been clayed once in the ten months that i have had it. i just wash it and let it air dry, then clean my windows and wheels the next day. jealous?

 

My Max is Glacier Pearl but i have a black car (1973 Cadillac) and all i do to keep it looking good (it is a show car ONLY) is wash it with warm, very soapy water (PH balanced wash, or Mequires) and chamois it, the hot water dissolves the soap better and keeps spots from forming, also i'm a big fan of Mequires #7 glaze with a coat of Zymol the car has a mirror finish, just like the GTO pictured above

 

Luxbond: Now that you have a white car would you still buy a black one. I had white before and love the look of black but it does keep me on my toes.

 

trader- well when i bought my first maxima, a 4th gen, i was on the hunt for a white one at the auction and couldnt find one. settled for a clean super black. so as much as i like black, and cant deny that a black car looks better than anything when its clean, i had to go with my original preference when the opportunity came around.

but seriously, get yourself some ardex seal-b, might be tougher to find than that zymol garbage, but worth it. especially if youve got a buffer and a fine foam polishing pad- hit that stuff with some heat and it will bake into the paint. smoother than anythihng.