Is it just me or is the paint that ford uses extremely delicate, and scratch easily. I have a 13 black GT ( I know it's a hard color to maintain) and it seems every day I notice new scratches on the car, there very fine scratches but nonetheless my car is covered in them ( doors, hood, door handles, fenders, etc) I have a friend with a 13 DIB and he says the same thing. I have owned over 10 black cars and non of them scratched this easy. I currently have a 06 black Infiniti and I can honestly say the paint looks better on a 7 year old car then on a 1 year old car. Anyways was just wondering if ford uses some crappy paint that allows this to happen.

 

The person putting those fine scratches and swirls on your paint is more than likely you, during improper car washing and drying, or a detail wash shop, if you're running it through those person dryers. :cringe:

 

Nope, definitely not me I'm very cautious when I hand wash my car, never had a problem in the past with other cars.

 

The dealer put all those scratches in my car when they prepped it.

 

I can attest to the light scratching of clearcoat surfaces. My '07 GT had them here and there and it was certainly all MY fault. The following may seem rather picky to some of you but, I learned a few things along the way that keeps my Mustang scratch free...

Never would I run the Mustang through an automatic car wash that touches the painted surfaces. I never use a car wash brush either. I also do my own detailing. I DO NOT take my Mustang to detail shops. I don't want grime from other people's cars transferred to mine, through the multi-use of rags and chamois.

I stopped using paste waxes of any kind and exclusively moved to bottled liquids only. I previously tried to be extremely careful but, grit still gets in a paste wax can from applicator pads. There's no way to avoid it, other than using a clean pad each time you dip into the wax can. Who's going to do that? No one.

I stopped laying my wax pads and buffing cloths on my work bench and places where grit, dirt, sand, metal shavings or metal dust could be or has been. If they are not in my hand, they are placed on a "known clean" surface.

Fabrics oftentimes retain unnoticed or visually undetectable imbedded abrasives that can be picked up from most anywhere around the garage or shop. Grit, road grime and brake dust from rocker panels, wheels and lower body areas are prime sources that contaminate waxing pads and cloths. Wax nothing you haven't meticulously washed and cleaned.

I also learned not to machine wash my car waxing pads/cloths with any other fabrics. I ensure my waxing fabrics are washed after each use. I keep them clean and bagged between uses. No more expensive than microfiber fabrics are, as compared to my Mustang's paint, I replace the older ones long before they are worn out. The older cloths and pads usually end up in my "clean rag barrel" for other automotive uses.

I hope some of my meticulous detailing steps help in keeping your Mustangs scratch-free.

 

Good advice.

 

paint on all newer cars are a lot easier to scratch than on older cars due to the regulations they have to meet now. i think the paint has to be water solvable now. its really easy to get the really light scratches out every time you wash it.

 

Good advice from Mo Hoss, never lay your cloth or pad down unless you know it's a clean surface.
Also, I have adopted a 3 bucket wash system, one bucket strictly for tires and wheel wells, 2 buckets for paint, soap and rinse, I also use one wash mitt for upper body and a seperate mitt for lower body.
Seems like a hassle but once you get use to it, it is very easy.
I agree with the local detail shop ban, at least in my little town, I watched them use dirty water, 1 bucket, hi pressure hose to wash cars and just walked away vowing to never go there again. At least it wasn't my car!

 

I'll say the paint on my 2012 is WAY BETTER and stronger then my 2011 SS Camaro. The paint on that car was CRAP !

 

When I ordered my2013 GT, I had the salesman write on the invoice "do not wash car". The didn't, never even removed the plastic on the seats or the window sticker. Sure glad I did that. The car was a MESS of dirt, and had they done their crappy wash job, it would look like heck.

 

Good idea on the multi-bucket and wash mitt system. I'll be adopting those techniques from now on.

One orther thing I forgot to mention was glass cleaning. I'm sure everyone has a problem obtaining streak and smear-free glass. A friend of mine turned me onto a product called, Dirtex. It comes in an aerosol spray and also as a liquid (gallon) for spray bottle use. The rear glass on our Mustangs is very long and wide, or it seems like it to me. My shoulders and short arms don't work like they used to, so I have to stretch to clean the entire glass. Dirtex is a wipe-on and dry product. It's a little pricey at $12 or so per gallon, but it easily eliminates smoke film, grease, oil, wax and other crap that often gets on glass surfaces, then smears when we try to clean it off with products like Windex.

 

Truth and Knowledge is POWER!!!!

Now you guys are armed with proper detailing

And the "truth shall set you free"

 

I just spent time at Griot's Garage yesterday getting tips from one of the staff. One of the things I learned is that some cheaper microfiber towels have the edges stitched with polyester thread that will scratch the begeebers out of your paint.

 

I have been very caution in washing and drying my new mustang(actually only washed it twice so far). Use the two bucket method or three! Also get some grit guards for your buckets. I use a leaf blower to get most of the water off of the car. Check out Auto geek lots of good info to help stops the scratches and get rid of them

 

Question - everybody subscribes to the two-bucket method but I think what I do is the equivalent or even better so would like to get your opinions. I've got the Ultimate Wash Bucket from Griot's:



When I wash, all my clean, soapy water goes in there and rather than have a second bucket for rinsing, I use the hose to thoroughly clean the wash mitt prior to putting it back into the bucket.

Any reason this is not as good as the two-bucket method? Seems even safer since there's no chance of picking up any grit from the second bucket.

 

Kyle, that method is fine, but the benefit of then2 bucket method is you have the grit guard to rub the mitt against so the grime is knocked loose. A buddy of mine does this: he uses 10 mitts or so. Each panel gets a mitt lol. After panel done, he tosses in laundry

 

So basically he thinks you're too careless with your detailing huh?

 

No, I meant he's more insane than me hahaa!

 

I use a new pad each time I wax, and use Mothers carnuba paste wax. The pads are only a buck; buy a 3 pack for under 3 bucks, and put them in a zip lock bag.

Paste waxes give the highest content of carnuba, so that's why I use it. Liquid is fine, but I prefer the longer durability of Mothers carnuba paste wax.

As far as ridding the fine scratches and swirl marks you may now have, use a sealer first, then a good wax.

 

How you been? Are you still enjoying those gt500 axlebacks?

As far as your comment though, applying a sealant does not rid scratches and swirls. Try only way to rid them is to "correct" them, via a buffer (da or rotary). Hand polishing can also be done, but is less effective and time consuming. You could also use a filler glaze, but those effects are barely noticeable at best and last through one car wash.

Again, the point is, sealants and waxes are your very LAST steps of protection (LSPs), and should only be used once your paint is perfect and ready for it. It's like having your wife put make up on when she's filthy from not showering . Need a fresh clean palette from which to start from.