Care for a Black Car

[brickyardz]

So I should wash it, then use #80 then wash it again?

Another question though, Due to the self healing paint, the dealer told me not to wax my car more then once in about 4 months because the buildup of wax on the self healing paint surface could make the paint dull.

And being that I already have waxed and did a full detail a few days after I got the car, what should I do to remove all the wax thats currently on there, clay and start the process over? I also heard washing your car with detergin soap will remove all the wax and everything on the car, then start the process over, wash, clay, clean, polish, wax.

What method should be done?

I am not familiar with self healing paint so I really can't comment on that.

You don't need to wash the car between each prodcut application. It also is not necessary in all cases to use multiple passes with the same product like #80 2x. While I might not have emphasized it as strongly as Mike did, I did mention picking a test spot on your car to apply your process to and make sure you get the results your looking for before doing the entire car.

I did exactly what Mike wrote and took a test area on my hood to see what would remove the swirl marks and scratches in my paint. After going over the test area with one pass of #80 there were still some scratches and swirl marks in the test area. It had definately reduced them but did not eliminate all of them. I choose to try another pass of #80 in that area and start another test area next to it and do one pass of #83 to see which one would work best. After completing both test spots the car was pulled back into the sun for inspection. What I found was the 2 passes of #80 looked better to me than one pass of #83. So, after going through this exercise I made the choice to use 2 passes of #80, which was going to take longer, but the results would be better than doing one pass with #83. Now that I knew what was going to give me the results I wanted I could continue and complete the entire car. I already made the decision to use #7 and 2 coats of #26 but I really should have tested both of those before doing the entire car to see the final result before applying them to the whole car. This was my personal car and while I might have spent time applying #7 with no additional benefit because I didn't test it first it was what I wanted to do which is why I didn't bother testing that even though it should have been.

Claying the car should remove the current wax from it but don't EVER use detergent soap or dish liquid on your car. There are much better things to use. A good car wash soap is all I ever use on my other cars and I always use the 2 bucket method to reduce scratching the paint, even in my daily driver vehicles.

I know it seems overwhelming at first and you want to do everything right and with some time and patience you will find the answer to all your questions here. Check out some of the other threads for more information.

If you have never used a DA polisher before I might suggest trying it out on some of the other cars you may have. I did that with my 2 daily drivers just to get better aquainted with the amount of pressure to apply, trying different products to see their result and going through the process so when I was ready to do it on a car a cared a little more about I had increased my confidence level.

I just finished my Z and it came out great! There are no swirl marks in it when inspected in full sun. I need to get some pics so I can post in a seperate thread here but its looking very nice. I also went to a club event this past weekend and several people commented and noticed how shiny my car looked when I pulled up. That's always a great feeling when others comment on your hard work!

[mattaleca]

First off congrats on your G37. They are definitely nice cars.
I would suggest having some #80 handy to help remove the deeper swirls/scratches that #66 alone cant' remove. Once you have your car swirl free you'll need to carefully wash your car using the 2 bucket system to avoid instilling any more scratches. I just worked on a G35 in which the paint was very hard. http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22386

Have fun with your G37!

And get some 83 for the stuborn spots.

[mlc]

Okay first of all LISTEN to Mike. He knows what he is talking about. Here is what I did.

Gold class wash

Feel your paint!! Trust me you will get used to this. I now do it all the time. It should feel like glass (go and feel a mirror in your house that is what it should feel like). If it doesn't get a clay kit, you can get them at most auto parts stores. I got mine at Autozone. It is very easy just follow the instructions. You will almost "hear the contaminants coming off. It will sound like sand paper at the start and a couple of passes and "sweet silence".

#80 I only had to do one pass(you will get a better idea after the test spot)

#9 Just to give it some love. It is a pure polish with alot of oils for your paint. A little goes a long way.

NXT 2.0 Let it sit for maybe an hour.

UQD to maintain

Here are some pic's.

http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii311/goridemtb/

Good luck. I wouldn't have any other color. It is hard to keep up but when it looks good there is no better color.

mlc

[SVT Lightning]

Another question though, Due to the self healing paint, the dealer told me not to wax my car more then once in about 4 months because the buildup of wax on the self healing paint surface could make the paint dull.

I think they are pulling your leg about the self-healing paint. If such a thing existed......Megs would be out of business. And wax doesn't build up unless you wax everyday. A little is removed everytime you wash or polish your car. If you follow the advice that the other posters have given you, your G37 will look better than a new one! Have fun!

[brickyardz]

Okay first of all LISTEN to Mike. He knows what he is talking about. Here is what I did.

Gold class wash

Feel your paint!! Trust me you will get used to this. I now do it all the time. It should feel like glass (go and feel a mirror in your house that is what it should feel like). If it doesn't get a clay kit, you can get them at most auto parts stores. I got mine at Autozone. It is very easy just follow the instructions. You will almost "hear the contaminants coming off. It will sound like sand paper at the start and a couple of passes and "sweet silence".

#80 I only had to do one pass(you will get a better idea after the test spot)

#9 Just to give it some love. It is a pure polish with alot of oils for your paint. A little goes a long way.

NXT 2.0 Let it sit for maybe an hour.

UQD to maintain

Here are some pic's.

http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii311/goridemtb/

Good luck. I wouldn't have any other color. It is hard to keep up but when it looks good there is no better color.

mlc

For clarification, #9 is not a pure polish, it is a cleaner/polish. The pure polishes are #3, #5, #7 and #81 in the professional line and Deep Crystal Polish in the consumer line.

[Meltdownblitz]

Thanks for all the info and time everyone! I will have to give the advice I have recieved to the test and I will post pics when completed. Thanks again.

[jfelbab]

I think they are pulling your leg about the self-healing paint. If such a thing existed......Megs would be out of business. And wax doesn't build up unless you wax everyday. A little is removed everytime you wash or polish your car. If you follow the advice that the other posters have given you, your G37 will look better than a new one! Have fun!

Nope! This stuff is real. It is now on some 08 Infiniti models. I declined to detail my BIL's because I don't know what my conventional process and products might do to this paint.

http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS...1202-01-e.html

http://www.baynews.bayer.de/news/new...010050000&l=EN

[SVT Lightning]

Amazing! What will they think of next?

[Freebird]

I use a California Car Duster on my black car, and it has never scratched in the 5 years I've had it. I just shake it out good after each swipe.

[benhui86]

the new infinitis have what they call scratch shield paint.... its a paint that is "self healing".... so if it gets scratchs or swirls.... over time the scratch/swirls will "heal" by itself....

its mentioned on the infiniti website.... its not a coating.... its the paint itself that has a special property....

i wonder if normal cleaner/polish and wax would effect this quality though....

one interesting thing ive noticed about my dad's 07 sentra.... theres no swirls and my dad does not know/care about proper car wash techniques.... im wondering if nissan had used this kind of paint on the sentra.... but it was not mentioned anywhere in the brochure/manual.....