[Monkeyboxers]

Got our new X3 a 2 weeks ago and when compared to our Alphine White, Sophisto Grey seems to be dirty in like a few days! It's really cold in Melbourne (Australia) now, so I haven't given it the first wash yet. But would do the normal clean and apply some sealant.

Is there any tips to keep a dark coloured car looking cleanish?

[Desertnate]

I'll start with my two philosophies when keeping up dark colored cars. This comes after owning black, dark maroon, and gray cars for years now.

1. Dark colors show dirt and defects easier. Keep them clean and take care to wash/dry them properly to prevent swirls in the paint.

2. Don't be afraid to let the car get a little dirty until you can't give it a proper wash (see rule #1)

In general dark colors just take more frequent washes to keep them looking good. I use a quality car wash soap, a really soft microfiber wash mitt, and a soft microfiber waffle weave towel to dry.

Applying a sealant or a coating will also help keep the car clean and make it easier to wash. There are a huge range of products depending on how much effort you want to put into it, and how much you want to spend. The rabbit hole is deep.

I go with "semi-pro" coatings because they last a long time, don't attract dust and pollen like traditional waxes and some sealants, and have great water behavior. That's just me because I detail as a hobby. There are other good products which should serve you well. The important thing is to do something and don't just let the paint sit naked.

[Monkeyboxers]

Thanks Desertnate. I went ahead yesterday and did the first clean. Gave it a coat of sealant and then a coat of spray wax. But yeah, I'll probably wash less frequent. Dirty SUV means it's been off road right?

[Desertnate]

Originally Posted by Monkeyboxers

Thanks Desertnate. I went ahead yesterday and did the first clean. Gave it a coat of sealant and then a coat of spray wax. But yeah, I'll probably wash less frequent. Dirty SUV means it's been off road right?

You don't have to wash less frequently, I actually wash my cars more frequently overall, but I just make sure I have enough time to do it properly. If not, I wait until I can, which means the interval might be a little longer and the car might look rather dirty.

I just don't want to do a half-baked or rushed wash job and end up with some swirls because I didn't take the time to do a good job and be careful.

[Monkeyboxers]

The issue I have bird droppings. I don't mind have a dusty/muddy car and wait for the right day with good weather to do a full clean. But if there's bird droppings I try and clean is ASAP, which means I need to do a thorough clean for the sake of a few bird droppings on the car

[Desertnate]

Originally Posted by Monkeyboxers

The issue I have bird droppings. I don't mind have a dusty/muddy car and wait for the right day with good weather to do a full clean. But if there's bird droppings I try and clean is ASAP, which means I need to do a thorough clean for the sake of a few bird droppings on the car

For stuff like that I keep a soft microfiber towel and a bottle of quality Quick Detailer (QD) close at hand in the garage.

If you have a good sealant/wax on the car and you catch it quick enough you can just clean the spot using the QD spray and towel. Unless you had a large-scale air strike from a flock of birds (been there...) and you need to wash the whole car.

It might leave a small clean spot on a dirty car, but at least you get the bird dropping off before it does any damage.

[auburnf30x]

If that fails...

Good advice already here, I would like to re-emphasize a point already made by another poster. With darker color cars it is absolutely critical to keep a clean and delicate wash system to avoid swirls and paint haze. Once there, they are an absolute royal nightmare to get rid of, and if bad enough, sometimes can never be completely removed.

With that in mind: stay away from automatic car washes! At least the ones with spinning brushes. The touchless pressure wash systems are okay, but aren't as common as they used to be.

If you don't already do so, learn the two bucket wash system...and get grit guards for the bottom of each. Make sure you use the same bucket for soap and rinse each time you wash the car.

As mentioned a few times, don't let anything other than quality microfiber products touch your car during the cleaning process. Sponges, mitts, towels, etc.

And as mentioned earlier, coat it with something (which you've already done). Darker colors shine up and deepen extremely well with top end traditional waxes, but don't last long and are dust magnets. A good sealant works nearly as well, lasts for a long time, and won't attract dust. They're also a lot easier to apply than traditional waxes.