I try to take the best care of my BBP Fit as I can and was very upset when the dealers "courtesy wash" destroyed the new luster of the paint finish. However, the dealership offered to fix it. They did a great job...or so i thought, after about a week of driving around there was the typical dust and dirt covering the paint. The thing is that in the sun I could see the same directional scratches under the dirt. From the time that the dealer "fixed" the paint till when i noticed the scartches nothing had touced the car. I was told that my car recived a power buff and paint sealant. Can anyone give insight into why my paint would return to what it was befor the sealant?

 

You might want to try a reputable detailer in your area to correct the paint's issues. Its very possible the dealer added more swirls when they buffed it.

 

It is somewhat of a problem with the Honda Fit is that the paint swirls like a spiders web. My dealership did a great job of prepping my car and I had very little swirls on the car until I ran it through the hand wash a couple of times this past winter.

You should always try to detail your own car to prevent the problem. Definitely purcahse high quality microfiber towels to use when washing, drying, and detailing the car. I just found out this weekend that the ones I was using from the local Auto Zone are way rougher than the one I got in Meguiars clay bar kit. I would definitely take it back to the dealership and show them what it looks like and see if they will have any recommendations to making it better. A buffer is a great tool if you know how to use and which products are safe to add to the process.

Cat :x

 

Many "glazes" that detailers use contain ultra fine clays or fillers that temporarily cover scratches. After a few washes the scratches come back. The truth is that they were never removed. BBP paint requires special care. It scratches no easier than any other Fit paint but it shows it better. Search the "fit care" threads but read carefully. There is wisdom there if you're careful! 3/4th of the information in posts appears to come from the back of products off Walmart's shelves. Google car detailing and prepare to read till your eyes bleed. Be careful when you touch the paint! 99% of scratches are caused by something the owner did.

 

Great points!
I've spent many hours reading on Autopia and really like DetailingBliss as well. Car detailing can be very addictive.

 

And Honda paint is notoriously soft.

I did the detail for Autopia for The Perfect Shine on a Berlina Black S2000 and that paint showed micromarring even with a soft finishing pad.

Glazes will wash out. Getting a proper detail (or doing it yourself) and maintaining it with proper two-bucket (or more) wash technique is the only way to keep your car looking good. A foam gun is a great tool to have in your arsenal, as is a solid quick detailing spray and QUALITY plush microfiber towels.

Use a quality wax/sealant and wash it properly. My last two cars sold for a great price in good part because I maintained them well. Good luck.

And don't ever let the dealer wash your car!

 

the detail products i like to use are the wolfgang line from autogeek.net
it is a sealant, not a wax, and gives a great shine.
my gf has a black 2004 civic that looks like it was in a war , and the wolfgang system brought it back to looking really nice. (except the corners of the bumpers where she hit stuff) but the hood and roof pannels look great. awesome refelection and shine. the glaze hid a lot of the spider webs.
also,
this is a trick i picked up years ago when i was OCD about detailing my cars, when applying wax or sealant, use a piece of foam, and rather than circular motion, move the product in a straight line front to back, and overlap as you go across the hood. i have found that if this is done from the beginning, it will help keep the spider webs away.

 

I use wolfgang's paint sealant 3.0 from autogeek. It works superbly but someday I'm going to try Zaino which is reputed to be THE sealant. You do know if you become a member of autogeeks forums you get free shipping on orders over $75. There are no deals, PERIOD, however on Zaino!

 

What is a good brand of MF towel?

 

Autopia's house brand are quality towels. I love their yellow-orange ones for drying (Sonus Ultimate Detailing) and the Perfect Shine (orange) and Blue Perl (um, blue) for polish removal, quick detailing. The Sonus Ultimate Detailing are great on glass, too.

I've got a few other brands, too. Pakshak is great for buying in larger quantities, too.

 

How can you keep the black parts between the windows looking good? Wax?

 

I use 303 protectant. It protects and provided a low gloss.

 

:iagree:

some synthetic sealants also work well. Or something like Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Detailer with a small amount of paint sealant in it.

 

Can I get this retail somewhere?

 

Look for a West Marine or similar boat store. They tend to stock it.

 

???? Boat store??? We're land-locked here in Houston...no coasts except for the Gulf...well, maybe there's a boat store somewhere...I'll check into it...

 

There are plenty of places to get it online. Most all detailing stores online carry it.

 

google for 303 protectant and once at 303's site use the "find a store" function. Boat and RV stores sell it. I get mine from autogeek.net.

 

You can get 303 Aerospace cleaner (one gallon) via Autogeek website. It is best used for cleaning the interior (plastic component).

Myself, I also use Zaino products, along with various gadgets (foam gun, porter cable).

If you need a detailer within Greater Houston, please feel free to contact Josh Ottmann at his website – Ottmann Detailing. Granted, he is from DFW; nonetheless, he does travel to your area once a month or two.

Damien

 

303 cleaner is great but it's not the same as the protectant. 303 protectant is sort of like the new age armorall. Much better an every way. 303 cleaner is a superb all around cleaner which can be diluted in different strengths for different purposes. While we're discussing this 303's fabric protectant FAR outclasses 3m's scotchguard. Liquids literally "hover" over your upulstery and carpet and the treatment lasts for years instead of months. By the way if you want to buy 303 at Walmart that's not going top happen. Walmart, and I'm expecting to get flamed, does not carry high end (nice) merchandise.

303 Products - Aerospace Protectant, High Tech Fabric Guard - World's Leading Automotive Care Products