Show car finish for daily driver?

[Clutch34]

I have a lot of swirls on my car and am planning on doing some paint correction in the spring once I order a DA. I want it to be as close to show car finish as I can make it, but it is also my daily driver as it's my only car. I've seen a lot of posts on this forum that show car finishes are not recommended for daily drivers because, put simply, they're daily drivers. I know a lot of you here are not professional detailers and are just looking for ways to keep your own cars in good aesthetic standing, so what I wanted to know is whether or not it's even worth it to attempt getting a show car finish on my car. How hard will it be to maintain the finish if I do go through with it? Other then improper washing techniques, how else are swirls put on a finish?

Oh, and my car is black.

Any tips/tricks/products/suggestions/etc. will be appreciated!

Thanks.

[xantonin]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

I drive my car more than 40 miles every day, it's the only one I own so it certainly is my daily driver.

And I keep her with a show car finish.

It took me about 36 hours of total work time to achieve a swirl-free show car finish on my paint. Mind you a lot of this time was from experimenting and learning, as well as testing.

On a technical level my car isn't really show car finish because the paint jobs I've had done to her aren't top quality. There's some fisheyes in the paint and orange peel more severe in some locations. Regardless that's out of my control. The condition of the paint I do have is certainly show car.

To answer your question though, swirls really are only put into your paint from washing/wiping. Unless people (like kids) or other things (like cats) are touching your paint, I can't really think of any other way.

Your only other concern should be water spots, bird etchings, and other such defects that you can't directly control. Those can usually be avoided with a car cover, or by removing them ASAP.

[William_F]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

For me the hardest part of keeping the car looking its best has been the damage the paint takes from road debris and door dings.

I keep a bottle of QD, a couple MF and a California Duster in the trunk and as long as there hasn't been a lot of rain, that seems to work well for keeping up the look.

That being said, because of a little minor damage to the paint, I can't claim to have ever truly had a show car finish. However, I can say that we have the best kept cars in our complex.

[Clutch34]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

It took me about 36 hours of total work time to achieve a swirl-free show car finish on my paint. Mind you a lot of this time was from experimenting and learning, as well as testing.

Woah..! I guess it'll take me a LONG time to figure things out, too.

I keep a bottle of QD, a couple MF and a California Duster in the trunk and as long as there hasn't been a lot of rain, that seems to work well for keeping up the look.

Good idea! I think I'll do that, too!

Thanks for the posts, good to know I'll be able to make 'Electra' look gorgeous! lol

[RGP]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

My car is new and it's also a garage queen. Only 384 miles and all in perfect weather with only one exposure to rain. I've found it humanly impossible; particularly if you're using a duster and a QD'ing product. It's just plain physics. No matter how much detailing liquid you apply with even the highest grade MF towels, you're still managing to drag irregularities across a supposedly flawless, glossy surface.

I suspect that cleaning by only using the utmost care when washing might bring me as close as possible to perfection, but I just can't tolerate the scummy, dusty days in the interim so I use a detailer product also. Both the duster and MF are touching the finish with the lightest possible pressure, and I still manage to create the errant scratch or two.

Yeah, it looks better than showroom, and most would say show quality, but I know they're there. The quest for ultimate perfection is an admirable goal, but it's also totally impossible in any pursuit. Ask my shrink. It totally destroyed my life and I was forced into a disability retirement at age 46. Go for the nicest looking presentation you can achieve, but eventually you'll find it a totally unattainable goal, a pit into which you just foolishly invest your time, and left unbridled, it can have some pretty serious health implications. Take it from one who knows, and still struggles daily.

Set your life's priorities wisely, and keep detailing right up there, but sooner or later you'll discover what's really important. I finally did, but it took me 61 years, Grasshopper...

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

There is a fine balance between keeping that show car quality finish on a daily driver and keeping your sanity. For some it's a labor of love, for others it becomes an obsession. Which it is for you is up to you, and you alone.

How you define "show car shine" also plays a role. If you go to a lot of shows you'll see a lot of cars with...... a LOT of swirls. Sometimes it's actually frustrating to find a car worth several hundred thousand dollars, or even more, that is just full of swirls. We see it at the Barrett Jackson Auctions, at various Concours d'Elegance shows (even from time to time at Pebble Beach).

We often talk about managing a customer's expectations before detailing a car for money, but in this case you need to manage your own expectations. We have a couple of regulars to our Thursday Night Open Garage sessions who do a much more than admirable job keeping their daily drivers looking beyond awesome. Andy (aka schctrg) has a dark gray metallic 4 year old BMW 3 Series that is outside 24/7, but to look at it you'd think it was ALWAYS inside and hardly ever driven. Yeah, he's a bit obsessive but his car looks incredible. Mike (aka Mikejl) has a non metallic black Camry Hybrid that is always 99.99% flawless every time we see it! No clue how much time he must spend on it every week, but he sure is doing something right.

This article might help you with some ideas about to keep your car looking the way you want.... but the overall sensitivity of the paint is going to play a role too. Some paints are just more scratch sensitive than others.

[TX Harley Guy]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

^^^ Some great advice above! My 08 Accord Coupe is a DD, polished metal met. and it looks like new after 2 years, my 03 Ford Harley is still driven daily after 6 years and still looks new, keep it clean, clay and wax a few times a year and you will be good.

[xantonin]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

Yup.

My car has 83,000 miles on it, and is about 7 years old. When my battery died and my boss came to help me jump start her, he said "How is your battery dying? This is a brand new car!"

That made me smile

[Clutch34]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

There is a fine balance between keeping that show car quality finish on a daily driver and keeping your sanity. For some it's a labor of love, for others it becomes an obsession. Which it is for you is up to you, and you alone.

How you define "show car shine" also plays a role. If you go to a lot of shows you'll see a lot of cars with...... a LOT of swirls. Sometimes it's actually frustrating to find a car worth several hundred thousand dollars, or even more, that is just full of swirls. We see it at the Barrett Jackson Auctions, at various Concours d'Elegance shows (even from time to time at Pebble Beach).

We often talk about managing a customer's expectations before detailing a car for money, but in this case you need to manage your own expectations. We have a couple of regulars to our Thursday Night Open Garage sessions who do a much more than admirable job keeping their daily drivers looking beyond awesome. Andy (aka schctrg) has a dark gray metallic 4 year old BMW 3 Series that is outside 24/7, but to look at it you'd think it was ALWAYS inside and hardly ever driven. Yeah, he's a bit obsessive but his car looks incredible. Mike (aka Mikejl) has a non metallic black Camry Hybrid that is always 99.99% flawless every time we see it! No clue how much time he must spend on it every week, but he sure is doing something right.

This article might help you with some ideas about to keep your car looking the way you want.... but the overall sensitivity of the paint is going to play a role too. Some paints are just more scratch sensitive than others.

There is a fine balance between keeping that show car quality finish on a daily driver and keeping your sanity. For some it's a labor of love, for others it becomes an obsession. Which it is for you is up to you, and you alone.

How you define "show car shine" also plays a role. If you go to a lot of shows you'll see a lot of cars with...... a LOT of swirls. Sometimes it's actually frustrating to find a car worth several hundred thousand dollars, or even more, that is just full of swirls. We see it at the Barrett Jackson Auctions, at various Concours d'Elegance shows (even from time to time at Pebble Beach).

We often talk about managing a customer's expectations before detailing a car for money, but in this case you need to manage your own expectations. We have a couple of regulars to our Thursday Night Open Garage sessions who do a much more than admirable job keeping their daily drivers looking beyond awesome. Andy (aka schctrg) has a dark gray metallic 4 year old BMW 3 Series that is outside 24/7, but to look at it you'd think it was ALWAYS inside and hardly ever driven. Yeah, he's a bit obsessive but his car looks incredible. Mike (aka Mikejl) has a non metallic black Camry Hybrid that is always 99.99% flawless every time we see it! No clue how much time he must spend on it every week, but he sure is doing something right.

This article might help you with some ideas about to keep your car looking the way you want.... but the overall sensitivity of the paint is going to play a role too. Some paints are just more scratch sensitive than others.

Thanks for the advice! I know it'll never be "perfect", but as long as I get rid of the swirls I have now and keep that "wet" look more often then not, I'll be good to go! I don't mind the RIDS here and there when it's all said and done. I'd like the following response from anyone who sees my car...

"How is your battery dying? This is a brand new car!"

haha awesome!

[SVT Lightning]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

My truck is driven everyday....rain, snow, sleet, etc. 10 year old paint. Thanks to Megs, it still looks new! Just ignore the orange peel!

[KC's]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

There is a fine balance between keeping that show car quality finish on a daily driver and keeping your sanity. For some it's a labor of love, for others it becomes an obsession. Which it is for you is up to you, and you alone.

This article might help you with some ideas about to keep your car looking the way you want.... but the overall sensitivity of the paint is going to play a role too. Some paints are just more scratch sensitive than others.

absolutely agree with you without argument

[William_F]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

There is a fine balance between keeping that show car quality finish on a daily driver and keeping your sanity.

You think this is why Barry's show is called Car CRAZY?

Why does it seem the harder we work to keep up the finish, the more problems we discover with it? Heck, maybe they've always been there and I just didn't know or care enough to notice.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

You think this is why Barry's show is called Car CRAZY?

Why does it seem the harder we work to keep up the finish, the more problems we discover with it? Heck, maybe they've always been there and I just didn't know or care enough to notice.

The harder you work on the finish, the more closely you inspect it. Your eyes become trained to look for things. It's a vicious cycle!!

We got an email from a gentleman who took one of our Saturday classes telling us of the downside of taking that class. He said that when he arrived at 8:00AM his black Corvette looked fantastic. By the time he left at 3:00PM that same Corvette looked like it needed some real help. In just that much time his perception changed, his knowledge level changed, and his eye began to see what it could not see before. Of course, we still struggle to see how that's a "downside to the class"!!

[Clutch34]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

^^ I felt the same way after leaving the get together at Nick's! I had JUST given my car a nice hand wash the day before and I thought she looked BEAUTIFUL! Once I got back to my car to leave, she was still clean, but DEFINITELY not beautiful.. *sigh* stupid swirls..

[xantonin]

Re: Show car finish for daily driver?

It's definitely an "eye opener"

Most people don't notice what really makes a car since and thing just washing it and covering it with wax helps. But it's the polishing that really makes a car look new.

I used to go to coin operated hand car washes and use the brush on my car to clean her. I thought she looked great. Then I found this site and realized how much potential my car had, and now I notice the same at every car I look at.