I have a new '11 Black Prius that is barely two months old. I've washed it about 6 times and not sure if it's my sponge w dirt and debris in it or the cotton bath towel I'm using to dry, but I've noticed tiny 'swirly' scratches all over the car's surface. Not bad, but I can see them and know they're there. I stopped today at a paint/body/car detail shop and they looked it over. They suggested I let them perform their basic wash and wax detail which would be a better first step than trying to buff them out. Seems like a nice reputable shop and they're charging $45 an hour and said it should take about 1 hour to complete. Also, I have thrown out all the sponges and cheap towels that I've been using and am purchasing some quality items. So much to choose from w regard to sponges and chamois and synthetic drying towels, etc... Anyway, any suggestions to my paint situation would be appreciated.
Its Toyota paint mixed with black. Our new Corolla (Red) had bad swirl marks after the very first wash! I even used microfiber wash thingy. This is why I am glad I got the Blizzard Pearl on the Prius.
Stop using bath towels to dry it, and launder your wash mitt after each use. Waxing the paint will only hide the swirls, not remove them. Then again, some swirls are going to be inevitable on a black car so polishing the car out expecting it to stay perfect is probably unrealistic. If you are interested in removing most of the swirls, then go on autogeekonline.net and watch the videos they have on paint polishing.
As above, don't use a towel to dry it. Use either a real or synthetic chamois. Diapers or, better yet, non-woven cloths without sewn edges are best for cleaning door jambs, wheels, and other areas. Launder or at least hand wash the mitt regularly. And make sure it's a quality mitt, too. Use enough soap to float the dirt off. Don't skimp and mix a wash bucket full of a solution lacking enough soap. Use quality products: Meguiar's at a minimum, Zaino for best results. To remove the scratches, clay bar the paint (I use Zaino products throughout) then follow with a coat of Z-2 followed by Z-5, and add the catalyst to each for a harder finish. Those little scratches will come right out with a few hours worth of work, and the final steps will make it look better than the day you took delivery.
Great tips! As stated earlier, I have thrown out all the car wash supplies I'd been using. Funny thing is, is that I'd been using the same sponges and towels on all of our other cars for years, (Honda Accord, Honda Passport, Acura, Suburban) and have never had any of these scratches? Guess all the reports are correct that the Prius just has a lesser quality paint job.
The swirls were likely there before you washed the car the first time. Have you ever seen how cars are washed at most dealers before customer delivery. An old bucket of dirty water, by a minimum wage worker. I always tell the dealer to not wash/detail my new cars. With a black car, there's basically no way to avoid seeing some level of swirls (they exist on all color cars, just are more visible on darker colors). A coat of wax will temporarily fill/hide minor swirls.
Is there a sensible number of waxes one should get per year? I've heard too many can lead to nasty build up or yellowing?
Not true. Wax typically deteriorates within several weeks to a few months, depending on type, weather conditions, and how often the car is washed. So there's really no max per year, just a question of how often you feel like doing it.
I guess it depends on your point of view. Paint formulas have changed over the years to reduce their negative effects and manufactures use less. Remember when paint contained lead & pigments were metal oxides? When was the last time you had to clean brushes with turpentine? Today's eco-friendly paint is not as durable & the coat is thin. All cars will show the same results, some more than others.
