|
You shouldn't need to T-Cut polish off. I've pushed liquid polish on mine and it cleaned up nicely except for all the mentioned scratches of course.
|
Black Mondeo-Best way to keep it clean?
Trade it in for a silver one.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
Try a black polish - like a 'Colour Magic' type one - works quite well.
The better polishes, i.e. more expensive, leave less residue (won't name any as it's well discussed on here). Even better if you use a 2 stage one - polish then a high gloss protector !
|
|
|
|
Sorry, I do not know where my question went..
You upset the swearfilter. DD.
|
|
Trade it in for a silver one,black looks good once - in the showroom and then its a continuous loosing battle.
|
I had a diamond Black BMW 3 series.
A PIA to keep clean.. BUT...
Colour Magic Black all over to fill any scratches then a two stage wax system as described elsewhere.
(or black wax crayon to fill the scratches)
madf
|
Lambswool washmitt, two buckets, car shampoo.
Claybar and lubricant spray.
Depending on the paintwork condition, a carpaint restorer and/or Carnubia wax.
If this is too much hassle, whack it through the carwash and dry with a chamoix using Turtlewax Wax it Wet.
I used WiW on the Barchie and can *really* recommend it BTW, lovely finish, zero hassle - but then the paintwork is in good condition.
|
Black is an absolute rhubarb and custard to keep looking good.
My only advice is to give the car a good hadwash and handdry every week and keep on top of it.
IMHO Pearlescent Black is by far and away the best looking colour of any car on the road when it is clean - sadly, it is the when it is clean bit doesn't last long.
MTC
|
|
Surely the constant rain in the lake district keeps the 300C nicely rinsed tho, Murphy? ;-)
|
also - there's room in the boot for a team of car washers who can leap out and do their stuff whenever it comes to a halt.
|
Murphy has plenty of "staff" to clean the car, after all it is a pimps motor. ;)
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
Every few months (Spring and Autumn are enough for me) give it a very thorough wash and hose-down to remove every spot of dirt on the car. Then apply black T-cut and polish with an electric buffer fitted with a fluffy polishing mitt. Apply Back-to-Black on whatever parts of the body trim are plastic rather than painted.
In between, use Mer wash/wax when you clean the car and dry off with a chamois leather.
That's as much as I do for my flat black Fiat Punto and it keeps it looking well. Though I'll admit its in need of some TLC at the moment...
|
Beaks, it depends how far you want to go, and how fussy you are.
Personally I spend the best part of most Saturdays keeping my black Leon looking tip top, but I also fully understand that not many people are as fussy as me.
Stay away from T-Cut, it will do more harm than good on a black car, as you know black shows up every little defect, and T-Cut will actually make lots of little scratches to remove bigger ones, as it has very aggresive abrasives in it.
As barchettaman has already hinted the best thing for you to do is concentrate on your wash technique to stop you inflicting more damage on the paint surface. Stop using a sponge, as this causes the swirl marks you see when the car is parked in direct sunlight.
Use a wool wash mit and two buckets, one with the wash solution and the other with clean water. dunk the wash mitt in the wash bucket, clean one panel of the car, then rinse the mitt in the clean water, and repeat around the car. It more time consuming but does reduce the swirls A LOT.
|
|
|
Surely the constant rain in the lake district keeps the 300C nicely rinsed tho, Murphy? ;-)
A serious question ? I'm not sure. But I'll give you the serious answer !
I can leave Arnie in absolute sparkling condition after finishing my weekly wash, walk away, watch a shower come in, wait for the sun to come out and dry out the rain, return to Arnie, scratch my head and wonder why I waste my time cleaning a Black car !
Whether it's just an isolated thing, or whether I never used to notice it with my previous (Gold coloured) car, but the rain at the moment is absolutely filthy and when it dries it leaves loads of dust splodges about 1" across.
So plenty of rain yes, but unfortunately the wrong type of rain !
MTC
|
I treated myself to a Autoglym Hi tech flexi blade at the weekend to help dry off Arnie a lot quicker and it makes a world of difference.
Not cheap at £14.99, but makes the whole chamois dry process a lot quicker.
tinyurl.co.uk/ainj
MTC
|
|
|
|
|
|
First, if the polish is any good, it shouldnt be too hard to get off if you use a clean bit of cloth, so it shouldnt be a nightmare. I hope you not one of those people who gets polish all over the plastics as I know that can be hard to remove.
If you use a decent polish, the colour of it shouldnt matter one bit. Black T-cut is a gimmick because it doesnt actually have any 'cut' in it over and above a normal polish, its just colour enriched.
|
.....Autoglym Hi tech flexi blade.....
Murph, be really careful with the blade that the car is 100% clean before you dry it - it´s apparently easy to put in a nasty scratch if you drag a wee bit of grit under the blade.
...... hope you not one of those people who gets polish all over the plastics....
I just did this on the Astra side strips and can confirm it´s a right pain to remove!!!! Next time I´ll be more careful, maybe using the 3M 3434 tape. A real Homer Simpson ´Doh!` moment...
|
.....Autoglym Hi tech flexi blade..... Murph, be really careful with the blade that the car is 100% clean before you dry it - it´s apparently easy to put in a nasty scratch if you drag a wee bit of grit under the blade.
good advice barchettaman and it's identical to the advice on the box. In fact the box is VERY specific about how it is to be used. Fortunately, I'm one of life saddo's who always reads instructions - but I could see someone doing a fair bit of lumber, really quickly with one.
BTW, it does a cracking job of taking the water off.
MTC
|
We have something similar to this (Hydraflexi blade IIRC). I didn't think it was that much quicker than a chamois to be honest. As I keep mentioning, Bilt-hambers Autobalm wax produces NO annoying 'dust' and fills holographic swirls easily.
|
We have something similar to this (Hydraflexi blade IIRC).
Just checked the packaging, and that's what mine is as well. Got it off the market for £6. Seen similar products in various "any item for a £1" type shops, but the blade is made of hard rubber, whereas the Hydra flex blade is soft medical grade silicone.
www.hydra-flexi.co.uk/
|
|
Yeah DD, that looks like it. I paid about £8 at Costco for it. Still prefer a chamois though.
|
Yeah DD, that looks like it. I paid about £8 at Costco for it. Still prefer a chamois though.
nnnooooooooooooooooo
I use the blade first to get most of the water off, then Sammy The Chammy to get the little thats remaining off.
My car does have quite a large surace area when it comes to cleaning / drying and the blade has cut down the drying tiome dramatically.
MTC
someone mentioned getting a Silver car - no thanks, it might be easier to keep clean, but IMO silver (grey) is the dullest car colour in the world.
|
IMO silver (grey) is the dullest car colour in the world.
As will your black car be unless you spend endless hours cleaning it. Give me silver any day. Stays clean for weeks on end.
|
>>Stays clean for weeks on end.
Weeks ? The Galaxy is coming up to 3 years old (actually could be 2, I don't remember) and just about due its first wash.
Weeks ? Hah ! You're a mere beginner.
|
The Galaxy is coming up to 3 years old (actually could be 2, I don't remember) and just about due its first wash.
Is that so you can remind yourself what colour it is?
|
|
I'm with MTC here, albeit because I follow barchettaman's advice to check that the blade is 100% clean first.
Since adopting a water blade some years ago, the rate of adding scratches to SWMBO's 306 has markedly decreased compared to a chamois and my V70 on which the water blade has always been used has hardly any.
Having ensured that the car is thoroughly rinsed (and here Halfords shampoo helps as the rinsing off water beads like on a newly polished car whereas I only polish once a year, tops) I use the water blade on the roof and any other large enough surface to warrant it, carrying a damp chamois in the other hand to collect the remaining dribbles or wipe the more awkward areas.
|
|
|
nnnooooooooooooooooo I use the blade first to get most of the water off, then Sammy The Chammy to get the little thats remaining off.
Well that?s what I used to do, but the car's tiny in comparison to your 300C, so its just as quick to use a chamois than it is the blade. Especially when you have to go around the car for a second time, drying the bits it missed. As far as waxes are concerned, Autoglym is easily bettered and not worth the money. Meguiars is better, but not as good as my favourite Bilt-hamber!
|
|
|
|
|
|
