new from gerogia.

[KIA HYBRID]

hello all.here to share stories on keep a car clean..i need all the help I can get to help keep my black car looking like wet glass.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: new from gerogia.

Welcome to MOL!

[dwg51357]

Re: new from gerogia.

Welcome Kia. I bought a black car two years ago - gorgeous, but unforgiving when it comes to care. You can't get away doing a half-a** job like you can with other colors. I've learned a lot from members here, and also done a bit of experimenting. My routine is: clay, then Ultimate Polish (if I have any bad spots, I'll use SwirlX), then Ultimate Paste Wax. The finish I get with UPW is absolutely "wet glass."

One thing I discovered is that it's much easier to get a "perfect" finish using a machine than it is by hand. I use a Porter-Cable DA. For my final buff, after I remove wax by hand, I use one of those cheapo polishers (gasp!) with a MF bonnet - for me, it does a better job of buffing out all of the wax marks and leaving a clean finish.

Final tip: Black finishes really show water marks after a wash. Even drying carefully with a MF towel, I could see marks. Now I use a leaf blower to get all of the water off, then hit the car with Ultimate Quik Wax and a MF towel wipe-down.

Much more than you want to know, I'm sure. Good luck!

[KIA HYBRID]

Re: new from gerogia.

thanks dwg51357 ..the more info. the better ..when you say a cheapo polishers ,are you using another machine and not the DA to buff the paint?

[dwg51357]

Re: new from gerogia.

Yes, believe it or not! I use my Porter-Cable for everything except the final wax buff. For that final wax buff, I remove as much wax as I can with a MF towel. Then I go over the car with a $20 buffer (I think it came from Menards) fitted with a MF bonnet. For me, at least, this cleans the final traces of wax and leaves everything shiny and hologram-free.

[exploreco]

Re: new from gerogia.

Welcome Kia. I bought a black car two years ago - gorgeous, but unforgiving when it comes to care. You can't get away doing a half-a** job like you can with other colors. I've learned a lot from members here, and also done a bit of experimenting. My routine is: clay, then Ultimate Polish (if I have any bad spots, I'll use SwirlX), then Ultimate Paste Wax. The finish I get with UPW is absolutely "wet glass."

One thing I discovered is that it's much easier to get a "perfect" finish using a machine than it is by hand. I use a Porter-Cable DA. For my final buff, after I remove wax by hand, I use one of those cheapo polishers (gasp!) with a MF bonnet - for me, it does a better job of buffing out all of the wax marks and leaving a clean finish.

Final tip: Black finishes really show water marks after a wash. Even drying carefully with a MF towel, I could see marks. Now I use a leaf blower to get all of the water off, then hit the car with Ultimate Quik Wax and a MF towel wipe-down.

Much more than you want to know, I'm sure. Good luck!

I had never thought about using a leave blower for drying off a car. I did tried it last night and sure made the process much easier. Thanks for the tip! I am learning that black is going to be a challenge. Well worth it when it is clean though

[KIA HYBRID]

Re: new from gerogia.

I have to try it out 1 day exploreco

[Jarhead0754]

Black isn't as challenging as u think as long as u keep on top if the maintainance. Once u slide on that then it becomes alot of work to bring it back to that top notch level. Good luck to u both.

[KIA HYBRID]

Re: new from gerogia.

Jarhead0754 ..thanks .I value your words.i do my best to keep Ben(car name the daughter give him) on the top notch level.

[exploreco]

Re: new from gerogia.

Yes, thanks Jarhead. I think going from light colors to black is just been so over whelming and even though I probably should have been doing a lot of the same things with those colors they are just much more forgiving. I to intend to keep up with it so hopefully it won't be as bad as I think. Winter will be the biggest challenge. But that will be another thread at another time