Glutton for punishment... (New Vehicle)

S

Spy021

New member
Ok...



So after debating on purchasing a new vehicle for the past year and a half and several test drives later, I finally pulled the trigger.



I am now the proud owner of a new 2005 BMW 330ci. The vehicle is Jet Black with Sand leather interior.



Obviously, I am interested in keeping the car looking as nice as possible. However, it seems I have the deck stacked against me...



  • First Black Car :confused:
  • Very light color interior :nixweiss
  • No Garage or Carport :nono



I'm in the process of making a grocery list of the tools and supplies that I will need to tackle the task of keeping this vehicle looking as good as the day I picked it up. I know that I seem to already have 3 strikes against me, but I really loved the color combination and decided that I would meet the challenge head on.



I've been reviewing the posts in several of the forums and reading up on the how-to articles, but would like to get some advice on a couple of things...



  1. Are there any specific products that are more geared towards vehicles that do not have the luxury of a home?
  2. Any sage advice from others who may have a black car, but no garage or carport... Unless I'm the only one..

    [/list=1]



    Well I'm off to continue browsing the forums. In the meantime, any words of wisdom are appreciated (other than Trade it in..) :p
 
tdekany said:
I am glad I read the whole post because I was going to suggest to trade it in for a silver one. :D



If that isn't an option, then...



1 wash

2 clay

3 polish (how aggressive a polish is based on how bad the paint is)

4 sealant (a few coats) FK1 #2180 ( you could continue applying this alone every 4 weeks or so and skip the wax.

5 wax ( a few coats) Pink wax, Natty's #16



After you've applied all the **initial* coats, I'd put a layer of wax on there every 3 to 4 weeks, based on the temperature.



To maintain black paint.



Wash at least every 7 days. 4 days would be ideal.



Interior - wipe down with a wet MF towel and protect with NL weekly.



THIS IS WHAT i WOULD DO IN YOUR CASE.



Others will have different/better opinions most likely.



FYI, I used to wash mine every 4 days. (dark blue)
Click to expand...
 
Hi,



Good choice for a car.



We bought a 98 323is with a beige interior last year. I can say has worn well. I used Leatherique on the seats and it improved them a lot. Softens the leather and cleans it really well.



As far as the black paint is concerned, the major problem will most likely be swirl marks. Check put the tips here for proper washing and detail techniques. That will help prevent the swirls.



I also bought a silver 530i last summer. I started with carnuba wax, but switched to Klasse for the winter because its too cold here to wash it every week. I really like the Klasse AIO & SG and will probably stick with that even during the summer.



Opinions vary on wax and sealants. But I think a good start for your black paint would be Klasse AIO, 3 layers of Klasse SG, finally topped a really good carnuba wax like Pinnacle Souverain. That should give you good protection and a beautiful, deep shine.



Hopefully, others with more experience with detailing will kick in with tips and their opinions.
 
Looks like tdekany quoted himself.



I didn't mention claying and polishing the car becuase I assume the dealer polished the car before delivery. You polish to remove swirl marks and clay to remove embedded grit. Hopefully you new car doesn't have those problems yet.
 
tdekany said:
always clay a new car.
Click to expand...



Second that. I am sure others (including Accumulator) will jump in here and say the same thing. Claying when new will save you all kinds of work and headaches later.
 
It will save you headaches because it will make claying 6 months down the road easier or just because it improves the surface so much? Just trying to see the logic there.



My brand MY2002 car needed claying BADLY and it was certainly worth the effort. Friend just bought a 2005, and the surface seems okay, so I'm thinking to skip claying. Will be using Meznerna FP and then going right to Zaino or FMJ.
 
Very nice choice of car and I agree, the black on beige is a great looking combination--we have a Lexus GS300 in the same color.



My advice: keep it as well protected with sealant or wax as possible, protect the interior (especially the dash) as it will get HOT in the summer and keep some dressing on the tires. Tinting the windows will help. Wash and clean frequently. And don't let your kids (if you have any) drink 32 oz colas and eat crumbly snacks in it. :p Oh yeah, I will never buy that same color combination again, no matter how much I like how it looks. ;)
 
ok it seems to me your trying to keep it on the cheeper side of things which is good I did also You have some good products in mind and Just need a hand so one word for ya ""KIT""



I bought a few kit and they made all the differance becaus of the MF and other bonus i got with themm



http://www.autogeek.net/

Wolfgang Elastic Poly Clay Kit

I love this clay

Klasse Kit

what can i say it's the best(zanio lovers would pic zanio I just haven't tried that and I get results with klasse)



http://www.premiumautocare.com/

Four Star Ultimate Detailing Clay Kit Deluxe

never used it but you get FOUR towels

Detail City Favorite Kit #1

Some say UPP is better then SG Plus you get MORE TOWELS ( you can never have enough towels)

Menzerna Get Acquainted Kit

Cheep, good produts(I posted about them in the detailing dissution fourm) and should be enough for your car



http://www.ocdpharmacy.com/

it's anouther place but I didn't see too much there





and last but not least

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/



Sonüs Perfect Paint Finish Kit

Never used it But I LOVE sonus Cockpit spray



Sonus makes it easy. Start with the Sonüs Perfect Shine Base Finish Kit (SON-BASE-KIT), then select the top-coat kit that best suits your needs.





So there you go a few place to look around and get some stuff I'm not really recomending one store over another just wanteding you to see what is out there and to beable to get the most for your money



patrick



you can always PM me if needed
 
I've had my Jet Black M3 for a little over 2 years now. I do not have a garage. My car looks better now than most of the new cars in the BMW showroom. Why? I became a detailaholic and spend time on this board each day learning. I've invested in detailing tools and products including a PC dual action polisher, a Makita rotary polisher (this I bought mainly for the fun of it), various waxes, sealants, tire dressings, leather treatments, microfiber cloths, and the list goes on. One product which has really helped me is QEW (quick and easy wash) from Protectall. This makes frequently washing a breeze as no rinse is needed so no hose is necessary. Most of all I enjoy the process. I detail for today, and there is no cure!



My favorite combinations thus far is Klasse AIO followed by Pinnacle Souveran Paste wax. Alternatively Klasse AIO followed by multiple layers of Klasse SG followed by either Pinnacle paste of P21S paste wax. My next experiment will be Poorboy's EX which I recently tried on my neighbor's M3. So far I just can't stop using the Souveran - I think I'm addicted.
 
2wheelsx2 said:
Second that. I am sure others (including Accumulator) will jump in here and say the same thing. Claying when new will save you all kinds of work and headaches later.
Click to expand...



Yeah, I *do* agree that every new vehicle should be clayed (or even deconatminated with ABC). Not *quite* as critical on black, but still a good idea.



IMO the whole "no garage" thing will be the biggest factor and I'm no expert on how to deal with that. Look into products that can be used in the sun. This is gonna be a big factor in your washing regimen too. You might look into an EZ-Up (sp?) canopy or something similar.
 
you would probably want products that can be used in the sun. clearkote and poorboy's make products that can be used in the sun. i've read that you can pretty much use any product in the sun so long as the paint surface isn't hot, but i have no experience with that. also, you might want to look into Quick & Easy Wash (QEW) as you don't need a water hose to use it, just two buckets, a good quality wash mitt, and some good quality MF towels to dry.

lastly, you might want to consider investing in a good car cover, like one from covercraft or other reputable manufacturer. not only will it protest your paint, it can help provide some protection for your interior.



and i think with the knowledge you pick up here, you can make your new bimmer look way better than the day you picked it up! good luck! :wavey
 
Keeping the car outside is not really that big a problem as long as you do not try and short cut the normal procedures.



Claying always seems to be a good idea :up
 
Is it still necessary to use something like ABC on a fiberglass car? It already has the clear bra installed so I'm not sure if it is safe to use a decontaminant.
 
JustinTRW said:
It will save you headaches because it will make claying 6 months down the road easier or just because it improves the surface so much? Just trying to see the logic there.



My brand MY2002 car needed claying BADLY and it was certainly worth the effort. Friend just bought a 2005, and the surface seems okay, so I'm thinking to skip claying. Will be using Meznerna FP and then going right to Zaino or FMJ.
Click to expand...



In my experience, most of the new cars that felt smooth got my clay bar the dirtiest.



It only takes 20 minutes and will do a world of good for the paint.



Remember prepping is the 90% (as/Scottwax)
 
A big thanks to everyone that's taken the time to post some feedback. I'm definitely looking forward to the challenge. Being that the car is new, it should be easy to find the desire to get out there and do it right from the start. Hopefully, by starting with the solid information on this forum, I'll be way ahead of things before the car gets too bad.



I've made a list of the products recommended thus far and will look into each of them.



Currently all I have to work with is a bucket and water and a bottle of Meguiar's Quik Detailer. I'll be purchasing a host of products in the coming days - but unfortunately, I will have to slowly build up my supplies. At the moment, I guess I will need to concentrate on the core essintals to get me started. I will likely add to my list every week as allowed.



It seems that from what I've read I need to start with the basics...



  • (2) Wash Buckets
  • Wash Mitts
  • Car Wash Solution
  • MF Drying Towels
  • Clay Bar
  • Polish
  • Wax
  • Leather Cleaner/Conditioner
  • Tire Dressing



I've had several member recommendations thus far and will seriously consider them. Based on the fact that I have really never spent much time on detailing I am sure I'll be impressed with most any product if I take the time to properly apply it.



Thanks again for all the input and I look forward to anything else contributed!
 
JustinTRW said:
Is it still necessary to use something like ABC on a fiberglass car? It already has the clear bra installed so I'm not sure if it is safe to use a decontaminant.
Click to expand...



Just because the pannels are fiberglass, doesn't mean it doesn't still have BC/CC paint just like nearly every other car out there. That reminds me of my aunt's boyfriend, who says "yeah I use windex to wash my corvette because it's fine for the fiberglass" -- yeah right :scared
 
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