[Teemo Panda]

I would suggest plasti-dipping your car to any color you want

[armanm]

lol ^ that would be wonderful but I dont want to scrape off all that paint when I turn the car in at lease end.

[jamie335i]

never dry with a chamois...guaranteed to get swirls on black bc there's dirt and other particles that stick to it and lightly scratch the paint as you dry. i've been using a leaf blower for a few years now and will never go back.

[B-1Pilot]

Originally Posted by utenigma

I just had Scott from scottwax opti-coat my jet-black F30. He spent about 4 hours polishing the dealer-installed scratches out of the car. The clear on the car is so soft that he had a hard time cleaning the car after polishing so he could apply the opti-coat without marring the paint again.

He suggested after the opti-coat only use ONR to clean it, apply with a microfiber applicator then dry with a super fluffy microfiber towel

btw it looks AMAZING now

Do this.. pay the few hundred it will cost you. have the paint corrected, the swirls polished out, and then have it opti-coated (if youa re going to put film on, do that right before the opti coat). Afterwards, use Opti products to wash it... 2 bucket is good but plain old water wash with new MF every time and a grit guard works well too.

Did all of the above to my black sapphire..many swirls and spiderwebs in the clear coat even when it had 35 miles from the dealer. Now it is flawless and remains so. Who ever claimed paint protection doesnt work is just wrong wrong wrong. Read this: http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-det...st-review.html

[utenigma]

little update

We've had 2 weeks of on and off rain here and my car was filthy

I checked the weather and as far as it says, it'll be sunny, so I washed it for the first time (besides when scott washed it) today in the garage

I used ONR, with a microfiber sponge to wash and 2 cobra super plush delux microfiber towels (the purple ones)

Happy to say, I managed to not mar up the paint

[DSTJ99]

I just picked up my 328xi Jet Black a few days ago. I asked the dealer not to do anything but hose / wash off (no wax).

After I picked it up I drove home into the garage (heated to 65) and then spent 3 hours doing the following
1. Washed the whole car (was going to clay but the paint was in good shape)
2. Applied 1 coat Zaino AIO
3. Applied ZS Clear Seal
5. Wiped in with Z6

Two days later it rained during the day and I have to say the car shed water very well. I washed it with ONR & another coat of Z6 again but so far the paint is flawless. Can't see any scratches in the clear coat. I've been very impressed with Optimum No Rinse. I can now wash my car in the garage all winter long!!!

Tough to beat the shine of a Jet Black car that is freshly waxed

[buildbright]

BMWs are hard to polish because the clear coat is so hard. Also it is thin but still a good detailer can do it. Most important this you can do is make sure it is washed and waxed properly.

I am still not sold on opticoat. I prefer optiseal and opti spraywax combo. I would spend the money on proper paint correctiion. Also not a rinless wash fan except for touch ups between washes. I am in no way saying any of it is wrong just sharing what I do and never had a swirl.

[FotiosF90M5]

Originally Posted by bnekic

Yeah black cars are a lot of upkeep, I would personally never get one. If it's going to bother you that much and you don't want to be OCD with it I'd get a different color.

I think buying a whole new 3 series because of swirls is extreme lol. I do miss my alpine white though. My black car is still pretty much swirl free and I've had it for 8 months or so. OP , what are your washing methods?n

[Who?]

Originally Posted by jamie335i

never dry with a chamois...guaranteed to get swirls on black bc there's dirt and other particles that stick to it and lightly scratch the paint as you dry. i've been using a leaf blower for a few years now and will never go back.

+1 leaf blower
make sure you use a electric one though, you don't want pretrol fumes etc going straight back to your car

[jamie335i]

Originally Posted by newbmwuser

+1 leaf blower
make sure you use a electric one though, you don't want pretrol fumes etc going straight back to your car

Exactly! Pick up a good craftsman, The one I use blows 150 mph.

[armanm]

Here is my method:
Buckets of water splashed all over the car then using a microfiber towel to clean and dry the car. I follow with the caranuba wax that BMW sells in a white bottle. I have tried using swirlx and scratch doctor but they do nothing to fix the swirls. I have talked to my sales agent to possibly do a lemon buyback because most damage to paint was visible when I just bought the car and some spots it seems as if something dripped and destroyed the paint. The service advisor refused to do anything and per my sales agent if he refused I can file a lemon buyback along with many other technical problems the car is having.

[armanm]

Here is my method:
Buckets of water splashed all over the car then using a microfiber towel to clean and dry the car. I follow with the caranuba wax that BMW sells in a white bottle. I have tried using swirlx and scratch doctor but they do nothing to fix the swirls. I have talked to my sales agent to possibly do a lemon buyback because most damage to paint was visible when I just bought the car and some spots it seems as if something dripped and destroyed the paint. The service advisor refused to do anything and per my sales agent if he refused I can file a lemon buyback along with many other technical problems the car is having.

[armanm]

Thank you all for the tips and information you have provided. After picking up my car from service and with the way they washed it they have added more damage to the paint. Im going to get rid of it.

[Who?]

Originally Posted by armanm

Thank you all for the tips and information you have provided. After picking up my car from service and with the way they washed it they have added more damage to the paint. Im going to get rid of it.

Getting rid of the car because of a few swirls? A little extreme considering all it takes is a decent detailer, and costs roughly $200-300. Changing cars will cost more than that..

[armanm]

Its not mainly because of the swirls, its having electrical problems and after two visits it still has not been resolved. And they are not just swirls my friend they are alll over the car due to poor service on the dealers end. After recently picking up my car from the second round of service I saw that those paint defects have grown.