Re: Caring for my brand new black car (attn detail guys)
Lots of good products out there but the fact is-"ain't nothing lasts more than 6 months". Remember all coatings are a sacrificial barrier and need constant renewal. That's their job, keep crap form sticking to the paint but they don't last forever due to normal abrasion, heavy car wash chemicals, heat expansion etc. Black is especially bad if it gets away from you, takes a pro to get it flat again. Mild soaps are a must, regular washings mandatory BY HAND, no stinkin' automatic car washes! The chemicals are WAY too hot and most of them have brushes that will strip/scratch your clearcoat first pass. I recommend a professional polish once a year with black or red paint with at least a couple of waxings. Especially true with Japanese clearcoats that are notoriously soft and will trap dirt and grime permanently if left for more than a year. My cars are white for a reason...
It's really basic especially with US painted cars that use VOC compliant paints. They are typically water based and get brittle with normal expansion and contraction. Dirt gets into the small fissures in the paint and causes surface failure. Any wax regularly applied keeps the surface flexible and takes that beating instead of the paint surface. Softer poly paints on imports don't typically peel like water based paints, but dirt drills them and they're very prone to swirls and pitting. Again, a barrior coat will prevent this.
Annual professional polishing will keep the paint surface flat and clean off the chemical and dirt build up that causes dulling and paint failure. But it's GOT to be maintained with regular waxing to keep the top coat flexible.
