Ichigo

Im just as diligent as you in washing my SGM IS, but the scratches and swirls still happen. Its annoying yes, but it happens. Do what you can to keep your car looking nice, but its not worth it for any of us to get too worked up about the "quality" of paint. I bought the car for driving, not for having pristine paint.

silversx

i'm sorry can you explain the differences between the washes?? i live in arcadia so i can goto either one..

also do they leave spots?? or can you just drive off and it dries spotless.. how does it work.. this could save me tons of time

Cali_Girl

They have 3 types:

Basic (I believe it's call the Works or something like that) - basic wash + soap + spot free rinse (high pressure rinse) + drying

Deluxe - basic wash + soap + color wax + clear coat + spot free rinse + drying

Extreme - basic wash + hub scrub + color wax + clear coat + drying + spot free rinse + drying

I like the Extreme since it washes the hub area. I just look at my Chevron receipt, it actually $7.99 for the Extreme wash if you fill up the tank; otherwise, it will cost $8.99.

The Chevron on Colorado Blvd. cleans better but the dryer is not as good as the one near Baldwin Park.

As for being spot free, it's good enough for me since I wash my car every week. After the dryer is done, you can always wipe off any water spots remaining. It's not as good as washing the car yourself, but it's good enough for getting rid of the dirts, grinds and poops from everyday city/hwy driving. The whole process only takes about 5 minutes or so. Extreme Wash takes longer. Drying takes about 60 sec., but you don't have to stay for the whole 60 sec.

Cali_Girl

I'm one of those who will never buy black again even though I love the sleek look of a clean black car. My new IS - crystal white

KevinL

Believe me though, no matter which make of car you buy in black it WILL be the same. I don't care what you use to wash it with. I bought very expensive Su-Pima cotton towels from a dept. store just for drying my black car and spent hundreds of dollars on Zaino, used only Culligan soft water to wash the car and I got the same thing. Black paint looks like ***** most of the time because of the reflective qualities of the color. You wouldn't have these problems with white I can guarantee you. Do you think that Lexus uses different paint for their white cars? I don't think so.

As far as bird poop goes, that stuff is VERY acidic and needs to be removed ASAP!!! Again, this will happen to any car.

I suggest that you go to a body shop or automotive paint resseler and ask them what they think about your experiences with black paint swirls and bird crap. I have a feeling they will tell you the same thing.

Ramon

I bought it to drive a nice car... Paint is a big part of that "niceness"

But I agree that it's too little too late to really get worked up over it, not much you can do about it at this point.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

It is not just the black paint. It is all Lexus colors. My 04 Lexus is not black. My 94 Lexus has original paint and has much less rock chips in it than my 04. It can't be the way the cars are driven or taken care of since I own them both and drive and wash them the same. It is true that since the EPA removed oil based paints all manufacturers paints are softer, but the Lexus is by far the softest of the cars I personally have owned thus far no matter what color. No other car I have did bird poop etch the paint as quickly. Either the birds today suddenly increased their acid diet, or the Lexus paint is just softer. Since I've owned cars other than Lexus along side my Lexus, it is easy to see the difference.
I've onwed more than one black car as wel and while it is true that swirl marks are easier to see on them than other colors, that still does't explain how easy the Lexus paint chips and etches in.

sailing217

Car washes---never.

Microfiber everything and still swirls but not as bad. Yeh the neighbors think I'm weird too. The swirls will build up faster than I can keep up with it, then I'll get the car detailed in the spring and take most of them out, then the process starts again.

Clear bra has paid for itself many times over already and I've only been driving the car for 3k miles.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

one reason I got a pearl white prelude and soon to be moving to a starfire pearl IS, its black im sure you are aware what youre getting into, thats why again ill be getting a white car. Sometimes I didnt even dry my prelude, only the windows, wouldnt be able to see waterspots anyways

Also the paint thing is going to be for all manafacturers now since they started using more environmentally friendly but at the same time more water based and softer paint, its not a lexus problem

tgara

As people have said, black has long been known to be difficult to keep in good condition. If you have a black car, its something you'll have to accept.

Here are a few tips to minimize scratches and swirl marks.

1. Wash the car yourself. I don't care if a carwash is touchless or not, car washes cause swirls in the paint.

2. Use soft cloths, mitts, etc. when washing, and do a thorough rinse of the car beforehand so that bulk grit will float off.

3. Use a buffer to polish out the existing swirls, then coat the car with 2 or more coats of wax or sealant for protection. This should minimize new swirls. Also, if you polish by hand, the suggestion above about moving back and forth with the polish instead of a circular motion is a good one. The theory is that a circular swirl will reflect light from all angles (and thus be easier to see), but a straight scratch or swirl will only reflect light from one angle, and thus be more difficult to see.

t.is350.h

iTrader: (3)

I totally agreed........Just like tofu......

iainthim

Two bucket systems, special wash mits and drying towels, Zainos 100 step process......to much labor. I wash mine 2 or 3 times a month, use a hose, a bucket, a wash mit and some microfiber towels to dry it. Throw a coat of Meguires Gold Class on once or twice a month (if that) and call it done. Black looks the best when it's clean and the worst when its dirty. Oh well, at the end of the lease it goes back to Lexus and I get a new black car.

kilo6_one

iTrader: (2)

well, since most people other then yourself see the car in that light or angle i have come to terms with it. My neighbor has a new S class and i notices the same swirl marks.

my issue is that the car came from the dealer with a good amount of swirl marks so i have just given up on the whole thing, just wash it myself and wax it by hand.

should have bought white

my other car is white and i hardly ever have to wash it, and you cant see any scratches and that is on a scion Tc and they are known for having crappy paint.

albertchun

mine got rock chip when it is still 400miles on odo. what should i do with it..? when i checked the chipped area i found the paint is just terribly thin layer. no doubt the paint is gone so quickly.

iainthim

get some touch up paint from the dealer, worked for me. I have several chips, all of which are "less" noticeable with the touch up paint applied.