New BLACK car paint protection
Got to love that new car smell. And that perfect shine in the showroom, it’s hard to stop smiling as you sit into your new pride and joy for the first time.
But car dealers can be a bit lazy and may not have protected the car properly.
They may have washed it with harsh chemicals. They may have used a brush or a sponge which will cause scratches. Your car might have been parked outdoors for months.
They might even have taken it to a car wash!
But I have very good news for you.
Modern products can remove scratches and protect your paint for years. Below I will talk about the modern miracles of Sealant and Ceramic Nano Coatings which can last YEARS!
If you are happy with the shine on your paint and you just want to protect it then follow these easy steps…
- Learn the right way to wash and dry your car so that it keeps that perfect shine much longer.
- Wash the car with a degreaser shampoo such as CarPro Reset so that the new sealant bonds properly.
- Dry the car using a large microfibre towel.
- Apply a sealant.
I’m recommending Meguiar’s Ultimate Fast Finish because it’s so easy to apply. You simply spray the product onto the supplied microfibre towel and wipe it over your paint. You then wipe it down again with another towel to prevent it from streaking. It’s ridiculously easy and quick to apply when compared to a wax. Meguiars claim that this polymer sealant will protect your car for up to a year but you can top it up every few months if you want.
Steps to protecting a new black car of yours are a detailing perfectionist.
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- Thoroughly wash the car using the proper techniques.
- Clay bar the car if needed (or clay glove).
- Polish out scuffs or light scratches if needed.
- Apply a ceramic coating.
- Apply wax or sealant for maximum shine.
In the old days, you would just apply a nice carnauba wax after a quick wash and the car would look amazing. But modern products are so much better and have a longer life than the old carnauba wax pastes.
Applying a sealant or coating to your car will help to protect the paint from UV rays and will also help to protect the car’s clear coat from scratches. Your protect car will have better water beading too which means dirt won’t stick so well. This means that washing with a pressure washer and foam cannon will take more dirt off than it would from an unprotected car.
Also read 38 Effortless Black Car Detailing Tips.
How to prepare a new black car for protection.
The key to getting the best protection is the prep work. Good preparation of the surface of the car will help the polymers bond to your car to protect it. You might like to remove any water spots or scuff marks first. Also bird poop can leave a stain on the clear coat that you should deal with. You can deal with small things by hand, there is no need to use an electric polisher unless you want to cover a larger area.
- Wash the car with a wax-free shampoo.
- Use iron remover spray such as Iron X if the car has covered a few hundred miles.
- Use a tar remover if required
- Clay bar the car if required (see below)
- Compound and polish if required (see below)
- Clean with IPA (isopropyl alcohol) mixture like Geon Prep to remove clay lube or polishing oils.
- A high-powered flashlight will help you to find paint defects. Look for defects in the reflection of the light.
Is it okay to polish a new black car?
Polish and compound are abrasive and are designed to smoothen down the top layer of clear coat on your car and restore its shine and reflection. If you have any light swirl marks or light scratches you should try to remove them before you apply the sealant or coating.
Compound is more abrasive than polish so you should try to solve the problem with a light polish first. If that doesn’t work a compound would be needed and then follow up with a finishing polish.
In a new car, you are unlikely to have scratches all over it so you should only apply polish or compound to the area that needs it and not the whole car.
If you are happy with the shine of your car the way it is, then there is no need to polish it. Instead, just prepare the surface for a sealant and apply your favorite one.
What’s the difference between sealant and coating?
Both sealants and coatings are man-made or synthetic chemicals that are designed to protect your paint. A coating costs more and lasts longer than a sealant. Coatings (which are sometimes called nano coatings or ceramic coatings) are designed to be “permanent”. But nothing is permanent so it’s better to say that coatings last longer than the sealants.
If your car is not washed and cared for properly then the coating will degrade over time. Also if you use compound or an abrasive polish on your car you will remove part or all of the coating.
Coatings have a downside though. Some users have reported that they leave streaking on their paint. The stuff usually bonds very quickly, sometimes in a few seconds. So if it’s not applied evenly you could have problems with streaking or white residue staining on your paint. And because coatings are so hard it can be difficult to polish them out even with a dual-action polisher.
But follow the instructions carefully and you will have amazing results.
Do I need to clay bar a new black car?
Your paint should feel smooth as glass. If parts of your paint feel rough to the touch this can cause problems when you apply other products such as polish, sealant, or wax.
Clay bars can also help to remove tree sap and tar.
When you apply these products you will need to rub the paint and these tiny bits of stuck-on grit will become loose and scratch the paint and you’ll end up with swirl marks and scratches. These bits of dirt will also prevent coatings and sealants from fully bonding and protecting your car.
“A clay bar will remove contamination that becomes stuck to the paint and can’t be removed with washing.”
If you tried to remove that contamination with a mitt or sponge you would scratch the paint. A clay bar is an easy way to remove this contamination. Use a light clay bar with plenty of lubrication. Lubrication is extremely important to prevent scratching. You should use little or no pressure with using the clay bar.
What is a ceramic coating or nano-coating?
A synthetic chemical call SiO2 silica dioxide sets like glass when applied to your paint. They have great hydrophobic properties to repel water and dirt. They produce a high gloss on your car. They can last for years because they are highly durable.
Best ceramic coating for a new black car
CarPro CQuartz is a powerful nano-coating that is very popular with detailing enthusiasts as well as detailing professionals. CarPro claim that it will last for two years under normal circumstances.
Chemical guys carbon flex c9 and CarPro CQuartz are two products I can recommend.
Best coating for plastic trim
Adams Ceramic Trim Coating provides a ceramic coating for plastic trim. It will protect your car from UV rays which can cause plastic trim to look white over time. Also, some waxes and sealants can stain plastic so a ceramic coating will help protect from that too.
How to apply Sealant to a black car.
Read the instruction on whatever sealant you decide to try. These are just general guidelines.
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- Prepare the car as outlined in the section “How to prepare a new black car”
- Park in a shady spot and let the paint cool, ideally in a garage.
- Keep dry. Don’t apply if there is a risk of dew forming in the next 12 hours.
- Apply by hand with an applicator pad or with a polisher.
- Once the vehicle is covered allow a specified time to cure.
- Buff off with good quality microfiber towels.
Best sealant for a new black car.
Wolfgang deep gloss paint sealant is my absolute favorite due to the unbelievable levels of deep shine that can be easily achieved.
How to apply a ceramic coating
You should very carefully read the instructions for whatever product you get. Also, search youtube for videos of people who have already done it. But remember not everyone on youtube knows what they are doing. Here is a list if typical steps to apply a coating.
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- Prepare the car as outlined above
- Park the car indoors.
- Apply a few drops of coating to the supplied sponge or applicator pad.
- Work in 2ft squares
- Buff off with a microfibre towel
- Don’t use the microfibre towel again to clean your car as the coating sets really hard.
- You may need a different coating for glass or plastic.
- The product may need 24 hours or longer to bond.
How to wash a new black car without scratching it.
Your washing technique is VITAL to help prevent scratches and paint swirls. Proper washing will also protect your coating/sealant and wax. Use a car wash shampoo that protects the paint. The two/three bucket method is probably the most popular way to safely wash a car. But there are other methods you could try. Use grit guards and microfibre wash mitt.
What’s the best way to wash a new black car?
I’ve explained the choices for washing a new black car. But the best way is always going to involve water and elbow grease. And the more water the better. Water is a great way to lubricate off access dirt and dust before you lay a mitt on it. As soon as you start to touch your paint you begin to introduce scratches.
A pressure washer with a foam cannon will get a huge amount of dirt off. If there is still some dirt left you should use the multi-mitt method. Here is a quick overview.
The Multi-Mitt Car Wash Method
- Use a pressure washer of at least 1200 psi to remove heavy dirt.
- Use a foam cannon to heavily soak the wheels in foam
- Use your wheel brushes to clean the wheels.
- Rinse wheels with a pressure washer.
- Use a foam cannon to heavily soak the car in foam
- Allow to soak and use a pressure washer to wash again
- Use a foam cannon again to lightly soak the car in foam
- Use one side of a mitt to lightly agitate the dirt on one section, eg a door.
- Use the other side to do another section.
- Use up to 8 clean mitts to do the whole car.
- Use a pressure washer for a final rinse.
- Dry car with a leaf blower or car dryer.
What’s the best way to wash a new black car if you don’t have access to a hose or water?
What if you have no choice? You live in an apartment and you can’t get a hose and buckets out to your car. If you have access to a self-service coin wash you should use the pressure washer to remove the access dirt first. You can then wash your car with a waterless wash to take care of the rest of the dirt.
If you can’t get to a coin wash then a waterless car wash is your only choice. Make sure you use high-quality microfiber towels and use plenty of the product you chose to lubricate the dirt off. Use a clean side of the microfiber towel for each wipe. You will probably need a lot of towels.
After washing your car with a waterless wash you should then apply a sealant to protect it for the next wash. The more protection you have on your car the easier the dirt will come off.
How to DRY a new black car without scratching it.
Learning to dry your car properly is definitely something worth doing. Poor drying technique will quickly introduce scratches and cause your paint to fade. A bath towel should never be used. And never ever use a water blade. A blow dryer of some kind is probably the best way because you don’t have to touch your car. A leaf blower also works great in my view.
If your car was slightly dirty and you just quickly hosed it down and didn’t give it a full wash then you will still have some dirt on your car. You should use microfiber towels and a drying aid spray or sealant spray to dry and clean the car. Use a clean side of the towel for each wipe. You might need to use multiple microfibre towels.
If you had given your car a full wash and all of the dirt was removed and you want to dry it with microfiber towels then you can use a large microfiber drying towel and pat dry your car.
How to keep dust off a black car.
Don’t be tempted to dry wipe dust or dirt from your car paint. This will scratch your paint really badly. Some form of lubrication must be used to get the dirt off whenever you are touching the car.
“Use a leaf blower or car dryer to blow the dust off if you can.”
Carnauba wax has a reputation of attracting dust and pollen so try avoiding these waxes if you are having problems with dust.
There are some products on the market that claim to be anti-static. Some waterless washes and detail sprays have this feature. It’s worth trying these products out to see if it solves your problem.
Can I take a black car to a car wash?
Modern car paint has come a long way. But I still don’t think it’s a good idea to take your car to a car wash. These WILL cause your paint to fade and scratch and your paint will quickly look old and faded. If you do take your car to one of these be prepared to have to do some kind of paint correction a few times a year to keep your car looking good.
Protecting new wheels and tires.
You can usually apply sealant or nano coatings to wheels. Read the instructions of whatever product you chose to get. For a new car it might be worth taking the wheels off so that you can apply sealant or a ceramic coating more carefully and get in behind the wheel also.
Protecting glass.
Rain-x is a product that can be put on your glass to help water and dirt to glide off. Some users have complained that their wiper judder when rain-x is placed on their windscreen. If this would bother you then you should only be use it on side and rear windows. Users have reported that.
