Black M3 So dirty after rain!

[Niasku]

I have had my Model 3 black for 5 months and I absolutely love it except it always seems dirty after every time it rains with water marks and other dirt seeming to stick to the car much more than my previous cars. I wash it every week or two and wonder if I need to do something different.

Do other people see this on their cars particularly black ones.

Any tips to stop this happening?

 

[sroy]

Use ceramic coating. I am not an expert on that but a lot of forum members either get it done by a pro (cost about 1K I believe) or do it themselves. The former needs to be redone/touched up every other year the later requires it to be redone/touched up every quarter.

 

[Gasaraki]

Black cars are always hard to keep clean. Tesla is not special.

 

[vogz]

In other breaking news: Water is wet!

 

[JBT66]

I had an Black Model 3 previously, it was dirty the next day here in AZ, dust, pollen, you name it and it was there with in a day of a wash. Even after a car wash it could be gross unless I did it manually.
But as mentioned dark cars always have this problem. I had a very dark blue BMW 430 which was similar. Not quite as bad as black but still hard to keep clean looking.

I’ve since changed to a white MYP and it’s light years better about dirt. Pretty much just bugs on the front which I never see.

 

[CanadianRob]

I'm finding it's the back of the car that is the dirtiest. After taking a drive in the rain, came home to find the back of the car caked in filth while the sides were wet, but relatively clean.

 

[TomT]

One of the many reasons why I will never buy a black car again!

 

[M3DS]

Ceramic Coating and a lot of stuff won't stick or will release easily with a wash

 

[calidreamz808]

I agree with all above with the idea of ceramic coating. I live in Southern California where rain is a rarity and seemed to get the dust/dirt/pollen all over my black paint. I dipped it in ceramic and what a huge difference. I definitely was able to wash less as well.

 

[Kat Jacks]

I have the PPF on the front and ceramic coating overall. As someone else said, the back of the car gets the dirtiest. Front of mine is the cleanest. I always wash by hand using ONR. Mild dust and pollen are only visible up close. From 10 feet + distance it looks clean. After a wash, very shiny and new-looking.

 

[f308gt4]

I have a pact with a buddy of mine. Anytime I go to a dealership, he comes with me. As soon as I start to say, “I’ll take the black one”, he is instructed to beat me to my senses. I will do the same for him when he goes to look at a car.

 

[jjrandorin]

A black car gets dirty quickly? in all the time I have spent on car forums, I have never heard that before!







Sarcasm of course,.....this is well known to anyone who has ever owned, or leased any car color that is "mostly black". this includes jet black, or any sort of black with metallic flakes in it). How good the paint is or isnt doesnt have anything to do with black cards getting dirty. All the coatings etc can "help" but unless one is a person who "gets their zen on" by washing their car, or doesnt mind their car looking dirty all the time, they shouldnt own a black car.

I do know people who really enjoy washing their car, though, and their black cars always look fantastic.

 

[Pyre]

Black cars are always hard to keep clean. Tesla is not special.

How dare you! Every flower is special.
Greetings fellow syracuse goer.

Bummer even more so is we have no nice touch free washes. I hear near old babies r us by destiny mall might turn into one.

 

[father_of_6]

Mine is MSM and "same here"... my last car was a similar color but I don't remember it getting nearly as dirty.

 

[run-the-joules]

Black cars are for people with household staff to keep them clean, or neurological disorders that make them enjoy cleaning constantly.

Or people who just don't GAF.

 

[JayNJ]

Pollen/dirt and rain make spots.

 

[ModLTh3]

So, I'm on the more mature side (older) and have owned probably a half of dozen black cars in my lifetime. I would buy one, get thoroughly discusted with the speed of dirt accumulation, and sell the car. After approximately 6 to 8 years, l would forget about the PITA constant cleaning (one of them was a show car), and l would buy another black car, and the cycle continued until my purchase of a black lr_awd Model 3. I loved the car so much that l put up with the dirt for 14 months before l traded it in on a WHITE Model 3 Performance. I don't think I'll ever buy another black car again... but who knows (never said l was a genius).

BTW, l don't think anyone else has mentioned this, but it appears that birds love black cars to make their deposits. I've read somewhere that they like think large dark shinny objects resemble water, which is supposed to be attractive to birds to release their excess waste. I'm not sure how true it is, but l can attest to the fact that all my black vehicles seemed to accumulate more droppings than any other color cars I've owned, particularly right after washing/waxing!! Lol!!

 

[Camryguy]

I had the same issue. I went to the local ceramic place and although they do very nice work but I couldn't go for $2,000 for a coating that might need additional work after a year or so. I went for Mothers CMX, (approx $16.00). Wash the car, spray it on a rag, wipe it on the car and wipe it off after 5 minutes and Shazam! I left some panels uncoated to look for the difference and it is huge. I will have to reapply every few months but it takes less than 20 minutes to do the entire car. I also did the wheels when I had them off the car.

Now I am looking for the best option to self coat the glass if anyone has ideas.

Good Luck!

 

[imschur]

I had the same issue. I went to the local ceramic place and although they do very nice work but I couldn't go for $2,000 for a coating that might need additional work after a year or so. I went for Mothers CMX, (approx $16.00). Wash the car, spray it on a rag, wipe it on the car and wipe it off after 5 minutes and Shazam! I left some panels uncoated to look for the difference and it is huge. I will have to reapply every few months but it takes less than 20 minutes to do the entire car. I also did the wheels when I had them off the car.

Now I am looking for the best option to self coat the glass if anyone has ideas.

Good Luck!

Look at the Optimum products - OptiCoat for DIY paint coating that lasts 3-4 years in my experience, and Opti-Glass DIY glass coating for the glass.

 

[calidreamz808]

I had the same issue. I went to the local ceramic place and although they do very nice work but I couldn't go for $2,000 for a coating that might need additional work after a year or so. I went for Mothers CMX, (approx $16.00). Wash the car, spray it on a rag, wipe it on the car and wipe it off after 5 minutes and Shazam! I left some panels uncoated to look for the difference and it is huge. I will have to reapply every few months but it takes less than 20 minutes to do the entire car. I also did the wheels when I had them off the car.

Now I am looking for the best option to self coat the glass if anyone has ideas.

Good Luck!

I use "wash wax" on Amazon for the whole car every week or two. I use it on the glass too and have good results however, I also just bought CMX that you recommended.