Ditto. Bought a 2007 Mustang GT Vista Blue from a dealer in the Vancouver, B.C. area last November. Many clear coat scratches around the door handles and the rear deck lid. Appears the former owner preferred to try and open the door with a key and missed, rather than use the fob. Got all the clear coat scratches out using 3M Scuff and Scratch Remover, then applied a coat of Meguairs Fine Cut Cleaning Polish and then Ultimate Wax. Looks like new. Deck lid scratches are right into the black paint have ordered a GT vinyl replacement decal to cover up the deck lid scratches. Key point is "do not use a key" to unlock the door or open the trunk lid.

 

Within a year, my black Mustang was just covered with swirls, surface scratches, and holograms, most noticeable in direct sunlight. I figured it was my cleaning technique, but after speaking with several pro detailers and body shops, my technique was just fine. It's the paint and clearcoat process used on today's autos that lends itself to most common surface defects.

The single best purchase I've made for my Mustang, even more than wheels or the axlebacks, was a DA buffer. I never used any kind of buffer before, but the process is a no-brainer and there's more than ample information and instruction on YouTube. I made some minor rookie, but easily reversible, mistakes, and I achieved that "holy sh*t" moment on my very first buffing session. My cleaning techniques have not changed one bit in between buffer use, and I look forward to the next time I'd like another coat of wax. It looks as scratch and swirl free now as it did a few weeks ago when I first did the corrections.

 

I hate the paint... I need to do a full detail twice a year it seems. Never used to be that way... With my '88 Chevy pickup I could Polish once every other year and have it remain mostly scratch free.

 

I just polished my car with some Poorboys SSR1 with a white Lakes Country Pad (Light Cut) using a Griots Garage Random Orbital Polisher. I still had some very very slight micro-marring after applying the polish. I'm kinda bummed because I don't really know what to do after this, SSR1 is a very light cut. I wonder if its my crappy microfibers that are micro-marring my finish, either that or the paint just sucks. OP, I to have a black 2013 Mustang.

 

Everybody has a different technique, and we all swear by the products we use. But I was advised by a pro detailer to use a lambs wool hook and loop velcro pad on my disc, then cover it with a microfiber bonnet for buffing. The lambs wool serves only as a cushion. The other thing I do, and some may think I'm nuts, is that I now discard my bonnets after each use. I don't bother washing them. They're inexpensive....two for $6.50 @ Advanced Auto Parts. I bought a healthy supply and start fresh each time.

 

Ford has the worst pant jobs there is. Ford dealer told me the coats have been getting thinner and thinner through out the years. It is the worst of all my cars. I have a 12 year old Suburban that the paint is better and looks better too. I am perplexed why Ford and other Korean / Asian car company shave crap for paint? I love my new Mustang but the Paint is terrible.

 

I came from a Subaru and the paint is just as bad. If you want to see terrible paint, look at your door sills. It is crazy thin there.

 

my car has 11K on it, and i see swirls already.

 

Ford's clear coat is very soft. Which is good if you don't mind polishing and compounding several times a year. But for mostly everyone it sucks because it is very easy to put swirls in your paint even with proper washing techniques.

I did a solid detail in April and I just had to polish and clay the car again all day yesterday. Black paint sucks, but Ford is not making life easy for us. Spend a little extra money on some nice microfiber towels, always use a two bucket wash system, and always clean your wash mits once you're done.