Austin-Guy

Hi Everyone,

So after about 9mo. of ownership I'm starting to see the dreaded swirl/scratches. Thankfully I have Basalt Black Metalic so it hides it a bit..

First questions:
Is this for the most part just the clear coat starting to get the swirls and not the paint?

Second question:
If I have a paint correction done and then have a ceramic coating applied will it prevent the swirls in the future.

Unfortunately we get a lot of rain here in Austin and the amount of oak tree pollen is ridiculous so if you go more than 1 weeks without washing the car it looks like it's covered in dirt/dust.

Thanks for your time and Happy Thanksgiving.

The Fat Kid

Swirls should just be in the clear coat, and easily removed by a good detailer, but you need to change how you are washing the car to prevent future swirl marks.

Ceramic coatings are great at making the car easier to clean and keeping light scratches/swirls off the clear coat.

You need PPF for the entire car if you want the most protection.

Homeles

Having multiple black cars, I feel ur pain. U may want to try swissvax first. It's designed for Porsche paint. I've been using it on mine for several years and no swirls. It's not cheap, but it lasts forever.

Austin-Guy

Unfortunately I'm not able to always wash my car. I've taken it to a few different car washes that always have luxury cars being washed but have yet to find a really good one.

I live in a high rise with the car parked in a garage making it difficult sometimes to work/detail the car so I'm hoping for a way to protect it from future washes and/or detailers so this might be an option. Although I don't really have any tools to do it myself (maybe Santa..)

STG

If you do any automatic type washes, you're in for a stressful existence with black.

Even finding a good place that does hand washes is tough. Hand washing can even swirl paint without the right procedures.

Austin-Guy

I know.. I only go to places that do hand washing

The Fat Kid

I bought my brand-new '15 S4 and drove it directly to detailer for Xpel/Opti. We have one outdoor parking spot and the paint still looked great 18 months later when I traded it in on the C2S.

Applying PPF and/or ceramic coating will let you get away with quickly cleaning it at a self-service car wash, and then using the two-bucket method when you have time. Take it back to the detailer annually and let him deal with any swirls that arise.

I feel your pain when it comes to not having a private garage

MinMay

I have seen hand washes place only and they use the same dirty towel for the whole car. The minimum wage workers don't care if it's a Porsche or a Toyota

Needsdecaf

This. It's unfortunate when you don't live at a single family house.

I call my local auto wash the "scratch and swirl".

Needsdecaf

Even PPF Will swirl. Sometimes worse than the paint. See the pics of my car. This is how I bought it. Previous owner did a half bra....which is worse than the paint.

Driven991

Even some Porsche dealerships don't get it. Watched a car wash guy at one dealership washing a 911 with a long handled brush...yes a brush. I'm sure it had soft bristles but still, I could almost see the swirl marks forming.

I talked with my salesman there about it and explained the whole microfiber mitt and two bucket system but it may have fallen on deaf ears.

Black is a beautiful color but those swirls drove me crazy and after having two black vehicles I do not plan to own another. The PPF hid them on mine but as mentioned above PPF will get scratches also if not washed and sealant applied correctly.

The Fat Kid

Is that the old 3M stuff? Pretty sure my C2S also came with an old 3M clear bra, and whoever installed it did a terrible job. I had planned on having Xpel/Opti done, but things got hectic.

Xpel Ultimate (and most newer films, I believe) on my S4 was self healing.

Jenner

Do this. Stage 1 or 2 paint correction followed by Ceramic Pro 9H (1 or 2 coats).

Come back here and thank me after

This is exactly what you want and need. Check out this reply I just posted in another thread:
https://rennlist.com/forums/991/9635...l#post13765550

Very similar to you your situation. You'll just need more paint correction to start due to the color.

Porsche_nuts

Porsche dealerships are hacks when it comes to washing cars. Whenever I have to take my car in, I leave specific instructions not to wash it. They are no better, and maybe worse, than the automatic car wash guys.

LexVan

I would never own a black car again. It's been many years since I have.

There are two things you need to own, prior to owning a Porsche, especially before owning a black Porsche:

1) a home
2) a home with a garage

My opinion only.