i too use the quick detailer it works great between washings and keeps the stubborn water spots off. I use it on my 65 stang all the time keeps the car looking like glass. B)

 

Wow thanks for all the unput ya'll, that's very helpful! I think I am going to try the zaino when I get my black GT in hopefully 5 weeks we'll see. I am just going to get the kit and see what works best. This way I can narrow down what I want to use and not use. Also, this is a stupid question I am sure, but the clay bar, is that for scratches to fill in? Do you just wax over it? I know it's dumb, but I have never used a clay bar before... Don't crucify me!!!

 

I've owned 3 black cars. All were brand new.

83 280ZX
86 Buick Grand National
87 Nissan Maxima

There is a reason the last time I owned a black car was 1989 (Maxima). They look cool, when they are clean, but they rarely look clean. Too much work to keep them looking clean.

 

Naw brother, don't sweat asking a question.

The clay bar takes off fine contaminants that are embedded in the top of the clear coat. The best process I've found is:


Wash the car with a dish soap (high alkaline, takes off any wax build-up that exists).

Clay bar all painted surface, use either a soap/water combo in a spray bottle or use the quick detailer spray as a lubricant to rub the clay - go back and forth in the direction of airflow over the car, NEVER clay in circles

Wash all the little poop off that you just got out of the clear with the wash concentrate

Put a coat of polish on, because you've just stripped off any and all paint protection


Hope this helps man - good luck with your ride!!

 

Questions are cool....Just as a heads up, all the information you are looking for can be found in the link I posted in this thread. They have very detailed instructions on how to get your car to look it's best. Heads up, read the section about towel selection. You will want to buy the towels you need ahead of time.
Well worth it....
Good luck again...

 

Groovy, thanks. So should I do the whole car with the clay bar or just the parts that look to be in need of polishing?

 

I'm going to do every square inch of my GT when it comes in.





IF it ever comes in.

 

Black is great looking if you don't get too close.

I went up to a local dealer Sunday - they had a black v6 out on the lot. The sun was on the car and ........................... well you could not find a square foot anywhere that was not full of tiny scratches. (side note - some boze keys this car or so it looked like it - what a dork if that is what really caused it)

My motorcycle is black and 10 years old. People tell me all the time "it sure don't look 10 years old" and it don't - but my bike don't have big black spaces like the hood and doors and and and.

I had a black 85 z28 that looked pretty good for about a year. I had a big dog jump up on the drivers door when the car was about 2 weeks old. It got several big marks from the dog's nails. I hated it but resorted to tooth paste and elbow greese and got it looking pretty good - it was a long tuff job.

The day I was getting married I was in a big fat hurry and had it washed - big mistake - brushes.

A couple of weeks later Maguires "cleaner" seemed to remove the 100 billion marks. I have not found the same Maguires as I was using back then - too bad it was the best.

Every year I do the Maguires (diff name on the bottle now) on my bike and then wax it - it makes a big difference over just cleaning and waxing.

I think the only thing I can find the last few years is cleaner/polish it is good but not as good as the stuff I used back in the mid 80s - I think it was just a cleaner.

After seeing that black 05 v6 last Sunday - I don't think I would have the nerve to get a black car again - they sure look great thou.

Like was mentioned - other people won't see the little things like the owner does. My bike looks great even when it is dusty.

It is very very tuff to beat the looks of a black car at night - man they really look good at night.

 

I'm going to do every square inch of my GT when it comes in.





IF it ever comes in.

[/b][/quote]
You said that when you clay the car though it removes the paint protectant. Do you just wax it again to put the protectant back on?

 

I owned a black '86 GT for 5 1/2 yrs. I polished it once a week on one of my days off and and waxed it every couple of months. I think the car was cursed.
Every time I turned around some one was backing into it or keying it. A guy in a Nissan hit me in the right front wheel and went all the way down the side of the car with me in it. My x-girlfriend found another girl at my place and went down the same side of the car with her diamond ring all the way to the primer. A week later she threw an egg on the hood. An ex-employee keyed it. (same side) Thieves broke in the window and crawled in and stole my speakers out of the back and scratched the paint doing it.(same side) One of my neighbors plowed into the back of it. I was going to a concert with one of my friends and his little brother decided to throw him his keys from acrosss the lawn and smacked into the side of my car.(same side) I think the whole car ended up being repainted 3 times while I had it.
But you know what? Nothing, I mean nothing looks as good as a black car that's just been detailed! Who knows, one of these years I might just get another one. B)

 

Sounds like you are good making friends or karma has it out for you!!! :shock:

 

I think you may be on to something Bobby! I had my '96 Cobra for a month and someone stole the snake emblems off the side. I ordered another set- they came in the next week. I put them on, drove to the mall. I was inside for 10 minutes. Came back out and they were gone. I said screw it. I called Bob White Decals and got some vinyl snakes and slapped them on. I moved to Atlanta in '98. I came out one morning and someone had wiggled out a headlight and stole the smoked headlight cover off of it. I said h*** no , they aren't getting the other one and took it off.
I got off work one night and the molding that goes around the window was torn up by someone trying to get inside. I moved to Florida in October '99. My friend that helped me move wanted to play the town after we got done unloading my stuff. So we're out at 2 in the morning and some drunk woman rear-ends me. Yep, welcome to Florida!
I got my '03 Cobra in November last year. It comes off the transport truck scratched and scuffed on the front AND the back! OMG! I swear on my karma wagon! I'm cursed!

 

It removes basically anything sitting on top of the clear coat, which includes polish. Best practice is to put a coat of polish on very shortly after clay barring. You don't want to clay bar and then not put anything on it for a long period of time.

I did my whole pickup last weekend, clay took 2-3 hours, then polish took 1.5-2 hours. This doesn't have to be done very often, provided you stay diligent on the polish.

 

Whoa I was gonna say move somewhere else Dale and then you did! That is some crappy luck. You need to help an old lady across the street or something! :scratch:

 

LOL Don't get me started back up! I have more stories. I think my next move will be into a plastic bubble!

 

It would be tough to drive a Stang in a bubble, plus you would have to deal with CO2 poisioning. You think your luck was bad before???

 

How about some lil' po dunk town that just has an Amoco and a Piggly Wiggly and the local fuzz pulls you over if you use your turn signals because he thinks something is wrong with your flashers.

 

If it is gonna be BAD it's gotta be Black. With that comes a cost of constant cleaning and detailing.You are all right it's clean for 15 min after that start cleaning again. I live in the N.E. so I deal with intense pollen in the spring,dust in the summer,and of course winter. So I am constantly cleaning. Yes my GT is a daily driver.To try to keep her clean I went the car cover phase first, then to protect my black I built a garage for her and the wifes jeep.We will all go crazy keeping or Blacks clean but, when clean it is BAD to the Bone. I even have other Mustang owners ask me if I ordered Black or did I just pick what I could get. I tell them all the same thing-What they make other colors!
Enjoy while they are clean and then clean again!

 

[attachmentid=40582]Well had some free time for a change and the N.E weather was just right for a winter wax job. Did the 3step Mequires and buffed out a two coat wax and man does it shine. Attached a really cool picture with a reflection of a tree branch. Looks like it is painted on the hood. Really cool how black reflects (when clean). Well it's been a couple hours so I quess I will clean her again. Black , gotta love it -well for atleast 5 minutes.

 

I just tried nanowax tonight....uhhhhggggggg
what crap !!
had to use Meguires Quick wax to save me about an hour on just the hood.
Garbage.....reminds me of the old days of getting sore on a Saturday afternoon.
Nanowax sux.