Keeping Black Clean

[NorCalStorm]

Hey guys....so I keep flip flopping on what color I want for my camaro. I really really want black; however, the only thing stopping me is how hard it is to keep black clean (my next choice is white which is obviously an easier color to keep clean). I have heard that it is hard but I am looking for a realistic answer as to how hard it actually is to keep the swirls out and keep it clean. I am in college so it is hard to keep it spotless all the time and am sometimes forced to take it through a car wash.

so realistically how hard is it to keep the swirls out and keep the car clean?!

thank you very much!

[AdamZ]

Black is impossible. You'll see a layer of dust on it as soon as you get out of the car wash. You don't ever want to use a car wash however. Only way to do it is a 2 bucket wash with proper equipment.

I have found that if you touch it with any type of towel other than a Ziano Borderless Blonde then you will get swirls.

Ideally, if you go black, you never want to touch your car with a towel. Air dry it every time with an electric leaf blower or something like that.

[lscamaro]

If you want your car to look spotless all the time, black is definitely not the way to go. It is impossible to keep clean. As soon as your done washing it, it's dirty again. And you will see every single swirl in it.

If you want your car to look good most of the time, I'd definitely go with white. Even when white is dirty it looks clean haha

Take it from a college student as well, I know how hard it is to keep the car clean at school so I'd definitely recommend the white.

[NorCalStorm]

Okay thanks for the advice... agggggh black just looks so fresh and gorgeous...but it only looks that way when its clean, which is a huge dilemma!

Im pretty sure I will go with white, but if there is a black one just sitting there at all alone and scared, im not sure I will be able to resist haha

[BRAVO 2SS]

I spent two days using Adams with a porter cable with severe swirl haze remover, haze remover, fine polish, sealant, brilliant glaze, wax...then finished off with brilliant glaze again! Ten minutes later...dirty. Then two hours later...filthy dirty! Black pops when it's clean but by far the hardest to keep clean.

At the end of the day...it's a car and is going to get dirty! Good luck on your choice. Any color you get...you can't go wrong...it's a CAMARO!

[Char1ieone]

NorCalStorm, if you are concerned about which color to choose from between white and black in terms of trying to keep it clean, you are going to want to skip out on black. Yes, black is a sexy color when it is clean, but like how lscamaro and AdamZ mentioned, it is absolutely hard to keep that mo fo spotless. Once you clean it, you will begin to see the dust settle on top and unless you get the right cleaning products and towels, you will undoubtedly add swirls, marks, and scratches to your car. White is easier to keep clean and you will not see the swirls as you would on black. Also, another thing to take into consideration, black is the number one selling color for the 5th Gen Camaro, so you are pretty much going to be just another black Camaro as nearly 25% of them out there are black. Get something that may stand out more.

I myself live near El Paso, TX, out in the desert, where during the month of March and parts of April, it is ALWAYS windy and dust flies everywhere out here, so having a black car drives me freaking insane. When it is not windy and the weather looks good for the next week or two, what I do is get Adam's Polishes Waterless Wash with they're single soft towel and wipe the dirt off. As you were asking on what type of products to use, I would highly suggest Adam's as in my opinion their stuff is top notch. A little expensive, but the quality is top. If you are concerned about scratches no matter what color you have, it always depends on the microfiber towel that you use. Don't get that pack of 5 for $5 from Wal-Mart or Autozone as those are some of the worst microfiber towels that you can get. Like I said Adam's has the best an softest, that won't ruin your cars' paint.

[DagoCountyGee]

If I were you I'd go with red. But seeing as how your current car is red I don't think you want another red car. Sooo go with the blue. Imperial blue metallic or blue ray metallic both look awesome and won't look as dirty as black and plus both colors are dark and will look somewhat black lol

[Cangt77]

Get a California car duster and your golden

[rontammy0]

takes alot of work.but worth it..try not to let any dirt build up

[dewag62]

I love my black 2012! Yes, you have to put some effort into it to keep it clean, but when it's clean...it looks awesome! I never use the car wash -2 buckets & I wash it right in the driveway.

Dee

[mpiper]

I have black and its my daily driver. I don't consider mine show car quality, but I do think I've found a realistic solution.

I was the car regularly with meguiars ultimate wash & wax. Followed by meguiars ultimate wax. I do two coats every 2 months during the warm part of the year and every 3 months during the cold.

Then I run it through a touchless carwash about every second fill up. Or if need, such as after a rain. Ill also do a fast wash with the meguiars wash & wax about a month after the full wax.

When washing, I use a microfiber-wrapped sponge or a microfiber mitt. Leaf blower dried, then wiped down with a series of around 3-4 microfiber towels (changed when they get slightly past damp). Then a final polish with a fresh microfiber towel.

I wash in straight lines front to back, not circular motions, and I dry the same. Polish is applied in circular motions, put wiped off in straight lines.

So far, there's almost no swirl marks anywhere, because any marks are linear with the body lines.

Following that routine, my (bought dec. 2010) 2011 black paint looks pretty clean and shiny most of the time and the paint itself has a great like-new finish.

[WildOne]

It's a lot of work...my car is driven about 1-2 times a month and it takes me twice the time to clean than my IOM that is a daily driver! If you have the time and patience it is a great color, if you don't you will curse it every time you clean. I won't buy another black car.

[PhoenixZL1]

Black is always a Pain to keep clean. More times than not the car will look dirty unless it's garage kept at all times.

[DRKS1D3]

Agreed with all of the above...black is impossible! I said I'd never own a black vehicle again, but when I saw it, I had to have it. Mine sits in my garage all the time and it's dirty as hell. It sits in there so much that it is always covered in dust. With yours sitting outside the entire time at college, it will be dirty all the time. It's your choice, but you'll be washing it 3-4 times a week.