Just wanted to say hi as I wait for my new Black Cayman. Is a public car wash just a complete NO NO with a black car?

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Tomasz

Apologies for spelling mistakes, most of them are keyboarding errors. To enjoy this forum I run out of time to proof read.

public car wash is a no no with ANY car....that's if you care about the exterior of your car

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2004 BMW 745Li (Sterling Grey)
2006 Porsche Cayman S (Seal Grey)

A public car wash is ok if by `public' you mean a do-it yourself wash place (the kind you feed quarters into a machine). Definitely not ok if you mean an automated car wash or where other people hand dry your car with who knows what for towels.

And remember, on a car, black is not a color it's a hobby!

Have you considered.................

This is a fake. Porsche Design edition 1 Caymans have "PORSCHE DESIGN" in left stripe and alcantara steering wheel.

And, BTW, here in Italy it will arrive at the end of this month.

I'll use a touchless wash to knock of the heavy stuff before I use the hose at home. Be careful with some of the high pressure washes around seals and brakes. If you're talking public wash as in guys washing and drying, though, I'd stay far away. The best way to get micro scratches and swirl marks is to have someone use a towel on the car. Who knows what they've used it for before or how they've taken care of it. My recommendation is to always use a microfiber towel to blot the car dry, not wipe it dry.

Even the touchless carwashes will leave swirls on your paint.

When I say touchless wash, I mean the "do it yourself" coin-op washes, not the drive-through, regurgitated water with dirt touchless wash...should have clarified. As long as it's clean water, there won't be any swirls. It's anal, but that's the only way I'll wash my car other than at home...the result, no swirls.

I am seriously loving those stripes on that cayman. Makes me drool just looking at that car. Definitely makes the car look a lot more sportier. And it's sooo clean

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She's a BEAUTY.

My last four Porsches have been black ones - you just have to live with the fact that your car will look at least a little dirty 98% of the time... get over that hump and you'll dig having a black Porsche - they are really the best.

brad

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21-year PCA Member
PCA DE Instructor

I have Basalt Black, and in my opinion it makes a huge difference. Partially, I think the metallic flake makes it just look better, but then that's just opinion. The best part is that the metallic flake seems to hide the very light dust/dirt a lot better.

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"Anyone who has not broken the speed limit in their CS is a nerd. Of great, glorious, mammoth proportions." --- jlambeth

The flakes may hide the dirt/dust a bit better then black, however, I feel that the plain black gives a more mirror shine finish when waxed.

My wife's car is black. While I was away she took it to a car wash. The kid who dried it used dirty towels. It took me a weekend to buff out the swirls.

As others have said, if you go to a quarter car wash – the kind that uses a wand – just be careful where you point the spray.

The safest way to clean it is to do it yourself. Nobody cares as much about your car as you do.