New to Black...looking for guidance?

S

scurti

New member
Hey everyone ^_^



So I just leased a 2012 Black Sand Pearl Toyota Corolla about 3 1/2 weeks ago and I've been dying to put wax on it. Based on seeing it the first three weeks I'm almost positive the car has never been waxed. It's a metallic black and absolutely gorgeous. I don't want to put product on it that I don't need. But I also don't want to skip necessary steps.



From what I have read the most heavily suggested options for a new car is a good quality shampoo, clay bar kit, very light polishing if absolutely necessary, no compound, and as many layers of paste wax as my arms can bear to buff on.



I've heard a lot of good about Meguiar's, Cobra, Stoner and Mothers. Right now the "list" I'm composed includes Meguiar's bottled and wax products, cobras towels, Stoner glass cleaner, and Mothers tire brush.



Any suggestions on other products to look into, things to do or not do with a metallic black car...or anything else? Thank you for reading...going to go post in the intro forum now :)



Oh also...I'm located in Southern California. We get little rain but have a lot of wind and dust. Basically we are in the desert. Temps here where I am average 65-80 in the summer with very little humidity but the sun itself can be very strong and the car is subjected to 110 degree heat in the summer (depending on where I am)



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Don't worry about the "rain" affecting your black car, rather worry about how most waxes will be evaporated from the clearcoat/black basecoat of your vehicle.

Use a good liquid sealant type product, as they are not only contain anti-corrosive resins, but have very high melt temperatures, much higher than "normal waxes".

Know your area well, years ago kept my Egg Harbor up at Venture Isle Marina.

The salt air, if you are close to the beach, is also a concern and a polymer based sealant, (anti-corrosive) is the most resistant to the effects of the salt that combines with the morning dew to get agressively corrosive on car finishes.

Grumpy
 
I'm about 9 miles as the crow flies directly inland from Malibu...mountains separate us. We do get "sea breezes" from Ventura maybe 10-15 miles away and we are technically part of the marine layer for fog and clouds. I grew up in New England so salty air never occurred to me because it's so much drier here. Do you have any specific suggestions for products along the lines of what you suggested? Any product lines you would stay away from?? Thank you for responding :)
 
Everyone around here has their "favorites", but in reality it just comes down to personal preference.

Hang in there, I am sure you will be getting a lot of "this is the best" input from many.

Grumpy
 
With black it often comes down to how much time are you willing to invest. For minimum maintenance I would look into a permanent coating such as Opti-Coat. It might be a tad pricey up front but the ease of maintenance will make up the difference in the long run. Clay and a light polish will likely be necessary from the beginning, regardless of what products you choose to use. For protection, as stated, there are a lot of opinions. I recommend going with a sealant rather than a wax for the durability.
 
Forget about layering any sort of wax, it really doesn't work. Its a lease, don't go crazy so someone ends up with a nice car. To keep it looking good, invest in good wash media and take the time to learn about good wash techniques. I'd just wash it normally, spray Optimum Car Wax on it once a month and be done. When you turn it in, the dealership will be thanking you.
 
scurti- Welcome to Autopia!



IMO the primary factor with black is not marring it up, primarily when you wash. Yeah, even with "metallic black", which was the color of my Yukon. FWIW, I use FK1000P on it and the paint never suffered from stuff like bird bombs or bugs, even when I let 'em sit on the vehicle for ages between washes. Two to three coats, just apply the second/third ones after regularly scheduled washes.



And concentrate on not marring the paint *during* those washes ;) That's what having a nice looking vehicle is really all about.
 
Dan said:
Forget about layering any sort of wax, it really doesn't work. Its a lease, don't go crazy so someone ends up with a nice car. To keep it looking good, invest in good wash media and take the time to learn about good wash techniques. I'd just wash it normally, spray Optimum Car Wax on it once a month and be done. When you turn it in, the dealership will be thanking you.
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Agree. Don't drive yourself nuts. If you wash it properly (and regularly), use something like Optimum Car Wax or Opti-Seal 3-4 times a year it will still look great at the end of the lease.
 
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