Maintaining Black Paint!! (Part 2)

["Manuel Paredes" <ddrk1@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here is the other half

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Part 2

Hi Manuel,
I have a black 328i (MY 98), with those same damned scratches.  It was 
delivered witha large number of them...  Causes:

1. Washing (soaping) a car with some amount of dust on it.  Doesn't have to 
be a lot of dust.

2. Buffing a car (such as after applying wax, polish, glaze, cleaner)
outside, where a slight amount of dust can settle on the car between drying 
and buffing.

3. Using buffing towels that aren't made of cotton. You asked for advice on 
avoiding another round of scratches on your now-fresh paint surface.

Here goes:
- - I would suggest using the lightest pressure when soaping your car.
Maybe drip water and/or soap over the car beforehand in the hope that most 
of the dust will come off before you have to touch the surface.  I 
personally use a cotton bath towel (tagged:100% cotton made in USA)  to soap 
the car.

- - Avoid buffing the car whenever possible.  Avoid polishes and glazes
until your paint actually seems to need it (imperial hand glaze is great at 
getting off those bird stains on an unwaxed surface).  Use
  a wax that is easily removed and in particular doesn't require
strenuous rubbing of the surface.

- - Use towels that are truly cotton.  I use Fieldcrest towels.  I've been 
told that towels that aren't made in the USA and claim to be cotton may not 
be; and I've ruined my own paint using the  cheapo Detailer's Choice 
towels.I used to own an auto detail business. The most important thing about 
those hair line scratches is to go along with the wind. Your car will 
develop them due to particles in the air, as you drive at 60-70-80- maybe 
90-100 mph, they scratch your car. While washing your car use forward to 
rear movement with
your mit (going along with the wind marks). While waxing your car do the 
same DO NOT GO IN A CIRCULAR MOTION!!!!!!!!! I can not stress that enough. 
That is where most of your visible markings come from. Do small areas at a 
time so you do not have to use a lot of pressure or friction to get the wax 
off. While washing your car you do not really need any type of soap in the 
water. If you choose to use a soap (USE A CAR SPECIFIC soap) you only need a 
small drop in a gallon of warm water. The more you use does not get the car 
any cleaner. It will only remove the wax from the paint. If you have any 
other
questions, I would enjoy answering them.

Pete



Manuel,
     I have a black '94 325.  Based on my experience, Meguair's polishes 
work great on BMWs but their waxes do not.  After 15 years of using 
Meguair's, I changed to 3M Imperial Hand Glaze for polishing and Blitz One 
Grand Wax.  For the first time ever I am getting very good results without 
needing to buff the final coat of wax repeatedly.  Apparently the Meguiar's 
wax has some polymers in it that react with the BMW paint, causing the wax 
to become slightly cloudy.  Visually this looks like big smudges in the 
finised wax job that no amount of buffing will remove. I would recommend 
calling Larry at www.carcareonline and getting his advice.  He stocks a lot 
of product, prices are reasonable, and if you tell him what you want to do 
he will recommend the right products. FWIW, Zymol is good but very expensive 
for what you are getting. HTH,
Mike


I'll give you my formula.  I have a "Lapis Blue" '87, 325 I bought new. This 
is almost black.  I had a terrible time with swirls, etc. for years and 
finally found this solution (YMMV). Throw out the wash mitt and the chamois. 
  The chamois drags off all the wax. Get some 100% cotton terry towels, 
older the better. If you are not sure if they are 100% cotton, you can hold 
a match to a few threads.  If they give any sign of melting instead of just 
burning, they have some polyester in and you don't want to use them. Wash 
towels in hot water two or three times using a powder detergent.  Make sure 
they get a good rinse each time.I use all Meguire's products. Wash with 
their car wash liquid.  Start at top and work down. Change the water, soap 
and towel at the first sign of any of it getting visibly dirty. Take a small 
(4-in.) squeegee and very lightly flick off any standing, or
beaded water.  Then dry with the toweling. I have a Porter Cable orbital 
buffer with separate foam pads to apply the following:If the car is very 
dull and swirled start with No. 2- Fine Cut If not too bad, skip the No. 2 
and go straight to:No. 9 - Swirl Remover No 7 - GlazeNo 26 - Yellow Wax. 
Each of these has to be applied, let dry and buffed off using the toweling. 
Now go and wash all the towels on hot again with the powder detergent at 
least twice.I only have to do this once a year.  In the meantime, a wash and 
the squeegee, followed by a quick dry does it all. Depending on what your 
car looks like initially, you will be amazed after you finish the Nos. 2 
and.  The car actually looks best after the No. 7 and I think this is where 
people with show cars stop, but it will not last and the wax is needed to 
preserve the shine.

MANUEL:
IMNSHO, black (or any dark color) paint requires special care and
attention to look nice.  You're on the right track in using Meguiar's Number 
7, Show Car Glaze as your polishing product.  You might also try their 
Number 81, Hand Polish.  3M also makes a great polish in their Foam 
Polishing Pad Glaze Swirl Mark Remover For Dark Colored Cars, PN 39009: 
http://www.mmm.com/market/automotive/showcar.html
Now on to waxing.  Unless you only drive your car on sunny weekends I'd 
avoid the Zymol products.  They have a half life measured in days!!  The 
best wax I've found for a black BMW daily driver is One Grand Blitz.  Call 
Larry Reynolds at CarCareOnline: http://www.carcareonline.com/
Several Digest folks have raved about the Zaino Brothers' products:
http://www.zainobros.com/index.shtml
The best investment I've made towards dark car care is a Porter Cable random 
orbit polisher, Model 7336 or 7424:
http://www.toolsforless.com/porter_cable/sanders_polishers.htm
Usual disclaimers apply.  YMMV.

Jim Millet1995 M3,
Hellrot, Sharked and Blitz'd
Formerly owned a black 1994 325iS.

Manuel,
I was busy during the holidays and missed your post and the replies to it.  
Do you mind sharing some of the good tips you received?
I have a black 94 325is and it's been a real pain to keep looking good.  I 
have read a lot of articles on paint care, talked to several high-end auto 
paint shops and tried most of the major polishes and waxes.  The best 
results I've gotten are polishing with Meguiar's #9 swirl remover or #7 
glaze followed by a coat of #26 (I think) wax.  To do it right takes 7 or 8 
hours. Here is one of the better articles I've found on the web: 
http://vettenet.org/wax.html
I have also called Meguiar's 1-800 number (listed on all their products) 
several times and have found them to be helpful.
Terry Thorntonterry.thornton@domain.elided

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