VidPro

That's the way I feel about it. You bought it so enjoy it the way you want to. Sometimes just detailing my car is all I want to do...sometimes.

TripleBlack14

I look forward to my detailing sessions, even if it's just a minor once-over before I take it for a drive or go to a cruise nite. Shows, however, require a different attack. But I love doing it despite my tight and awkward 1 car garage.

I hope to be moving in the not-so-distant future, and my main criteria is at minimum an oversized 1 car garage, and better yet, two bays. On crappy days like today, it'd be a treat to do a major detailing under a roof with lots of elbow room.

Having a black car requires a lot of time and patience, but the upside is that it keeps me out of sleazy bars and cheap whorehouses.

VidPro

Ha ha nice.

I don't know how you black car guys deal. My SG is a new experience for me. It seems like every tiny nick stands out. My silver car had a lot of imperfections that were barely noticeable unless up close. The only saving grace to getting a bit older is having to wear reading glasses.

TripleBlack14

SGM is an amazing color. When it's cleaned, polished, and waxed properly, it can be every bit as deep and reflective as black, with the extra "pop" of metallic content sparkle.

I'll bet Guard is the same way....I've yet to see one up close and personal.

kanine

Dark color cars are definitely more work. I can see every swirl mark and light scratch on my DIB. I just did a full detail last month for summer, but keeping it clean is a pain, especially since I don't have a garage. There are times I wish I got SG, it was my second color choice if I didn't find a DIB when I was shopping for my Stang.

esfkotaro

Beautiful car. I don't mind that you keep it penned up. It's your car, enjoy it how you want. My boss's 2000 Mustang V6 'vert just passed around 24,000 I think. And it's gorgeous. Perfect exterior, perfect interior, perfect mechanically. It's sad though, if he ever chose to sell it best he could expect is like, $5000. I've paid more than that just for wheels and tires before.

For me, personally, I couldn't own a car like this and not drive it. If keeping it garaged all winter was an option for me, I would, but the car would see road time daily the rest of the year. Alas, no more room for additional vehicles...(there's already 8 parked in this driveway every day as it is). Which is why I bought a used GT instead of brand new. Didn't want to spend $40k on a car that's going to be left out in the weather year round (No garage here, either.)

To each their own, I say. I bought my car to drive it. Some people buy them just to look at them. Either's fine by me.

xtc.inc

This my second Mustang. Had a black 2011 v6 which i bought brand new. Now i have a 2014 GT which was shipped across state from another dealer since it had the options i want. I didnt want to wait to order it. Came with 4 miles on the clock. That was just over a year ago. It now has 14k miles. I drive it and enjoy it everyday. It is also black with red leather. I know nothing about detailing so i pay the professionals to do it for me. I have an appointment in 2 weeks for a full paint decontamination, claybar, multi stage polish, seal etc. Im paying good money for this and its not cheap. However the guy is like a surgeon when it comes to the stuff and only took on my business because he knows me. He usually only does european exotics. The thin paint and quality of that paint from Ford bother him. Black cars are a pain but nothing looks better than a clean black car. Shows off all the lines and really makes the design come to life. It also looks mean as hell. However its only about 15 minutes before the car is covered in dust again. Still worth it though. Nevertheless i still drive the absolute %#%# out of my car and enjoy it everyday. I didn't upgrade to a v8 so i can sit in a garage and stare at it all day. I did it for the power, thrill and driving dynamic. Cars are meant to be driven and need to be driven in order to run and perform at their best. Im a very young guy too, so it erks me when i hear about all these old guys "saving" their cars and not driving them. Thats just like going out, getting a girlfriend then purposely not having sex with her. Taking your car out only on Sundays for a nice slow cruise is like banging your wife in missionary position for the duration of your life. Who are you waiting for? I understand the appeal of detailing and having a flawless vehicle but they put engines in cars for a reason. Especially if youre old, its almost like youre waiting for life to pass you by as you sit around. How many years of fully functional driving does your body have left to offer you? Dont let it be a waste of a car or a waste of money. More importantly dont let it be a waste of your time. You cant bring it with you when you die. Its a performance car that's meant to be driven. Who cares how many miles on the car if you put them on yourself and the car is clean and well maintained. That only matters if you want to sell your car. So when you dont drive it you bought someone else a new car for later down the road. Its like you're babysitting the car till a real driver buys it. Some of you garage queen guys dont even know how fun these cars are, nor will you experience the performance and drivability they can offer. Just my 0.02$

lsxjunkie

26 months, 43k miles.

FromZto5

a) Alex, I'll detail your car to Burton's standards for far less than what he's charging you

b) oh I KNOW how much fun my car is, and can be... and I do enjoy it immensely and drive her when I do drive her. Granted, those are still just for those little miles. 11k on the clock, 3.5 yrs old. But I'm enjoying the heck out of her both in storage, detailing, shows, and of course, driving

Coyote5-0

I just don't see how you won't accumulate swirls by never washing it and just using detail spray. Eventually you will. A lot of thick dust accumulates on the fenders behind the tire, the rear bumper, and the front gets bug splatters. You can't just keep dusting that and wiping it away forever. Eventually it will take its toll.

FromZto5

Correct, my little padwan

Some folks want to "Detail" by dusting using MF towels and detail spray, repeatedly.... but yes, doing so will significantly increase the risk of micro-marring versus performing the same task safely via 2 bucket wash method or foam cannon. Why? Because dust at a minute level are like solid sand particles. What happens when a solid particle gets between your towel and your paint as you "rub"? Ding ding ding. Scratch.

Bottomline, whenever you touch paint or rub it, or wipe it, etc... with WHATEVER tool you use (your hand, MF towels, applicator pads, etc etc), you ARE scratching it ever so slightly. It's the degree to which you are scratching, that matters. In other words, OVER TIME, when the micro marring and light scratches get elevated enough, they become VISIBLE, in the form of swirls or scratches or lines in the paint.

This is why "buffing" is needed. What usually happens is, you buff DEEPLY (2 or 3 step buff) ONE time, then maintain it with a light polish once to twice a year max. All the while, during the year, you perform PROPER WASHING AND MAINTENANCE techniques to (as I mentioned above) REDUCE the amount of swirls and scratches you inevitably instill on your paint.

Does that make sense to everyone?

JCStang

Which is why I chose silver.....I can examine it in any light, including the sun, and the paint is perfect...yes, it will never "pop" like a dark color but it also will never look like crap and full of swirls that jump out at you....

xtc.inc

Haha i actually wish i lived near otherwise i would certainly bring it to you.

I know youre a real car guy and you drive your car and mod it with all the best stuff. I really appreciate looking at my car too, i know you do the same and you also know how to have fun and arent afraid to drive it hard. Thats what its all about if you ask me.

scott9050

24,000 miles on my 14, no scratches or door dings. I do have rock chips, but that is inevitable.

FromZto5

actually, rock chips ARE avoidable and not inevitable.

ClearBra.

www.xpel.com

I have it, and thousands of others have it. Protect your paint. Get Xpel'd.

JoeMidnight

unless you wrap 100% of your car, rock chips are inevitable. I have stone chips on the roofline of the hood. I've got chips the have taken chunks off the Mustang Club of America on both sides of my doors ( who would have figured) and all over the front side of the car.

FromZto5

When I say avoidable and you want to get technical, I mean the chances of rock chips are GREATLY REDUCED. When I say greatly, I mean a WHOLE LOT. Wraps are available for the WHOLE HOOD, WHOLE FENDERS, WHOLE BUMPERS, and yes, the whole car. Just fork out the dough/$$$. So balance your need to clear bra with your budget. Some folks wrap their whole car. Rock chips occur on the front of the vehicle, and the lower rockers. You wrap those, and yes, rock chips are avoidable.

TripleBlack14

I regret not getting a clear bra nose wrap (or whatever it's called) when I got my car this time last year. Dumb mistake.

I have a moderate amount of tiny pin-point chips on the front cover, hood, and tops of the fenders, most on the leading edges of the sheet metal where a clear bra would go. One or two are a little larger than most others.

I wouldn't be as concerned if my car was silver or white, but on a black car it looks like tiny particles of dust.

I use Ford touch up paint, and the repairs are really only visible upon very close inspection. The casual observer wouldn't even notice it, but I know that they're there.

FromZto5

^ yeah I hear ya Tom... that's why that Clear Film is so important. It's optically transparent (Xpel brand, that is), comes with a 10 year warranty for any fading, yellowing, peeling, bubbling, you name it. I've also heard that IF you get a chip inside the clear film, Xpel will not only replace the film, but pay for the repaint if needed.

In your case now, since you are using touch up paint, try this technique to help make your touch up better and less noticeable:

touch up, dab spot
wait 3 minutes for paint to get semi-solid (jelly like)
come in with a plastic razor blade and trim excess
polish remaining when dry

This gives you a complete fill of the crevice with no overfill. Flat surface means, equal reflection of light, making the chip virtually unnoticeable except REALLY up close and knowing what to look for.

GBStang13

just turned 32K and She is begging to be plowed down the road. Or eating little rodent's cars, firechickens and shmaros on the street