New Car Washing

[RD7673]

I'm having some problems with washing my new car. I'm using Gold Class Car Wash. My car is dark blue. During the wash, I'm getting a blue tint on my wash mint. (The same color as my paint.)

Is this normal? Should I be worried?

[Mike Phillips]

Hi RD7673,

Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

99.9% of all new cars come with a clear coat finish, so if you're seeing blue pigment, or dye or color of any kind showing up on your wash mitt, then it sounds like something is terribly wrong.

Even a single stage finish, (non-clear coat paint), should not release color easily when washed with a gentle, conditioning wash like our Gold Class car wash.

What kind of car is it that you purchased new?

[RD7673]

Mike,

Thanks for your quick response. But I am going to worry now.

It is a 2005 BMW. Toledo Blue (Metallic) Paint.

As I wash the car, the mitt gets the tint on the edges. It is happening on all areas of the car.

[gb387]

Welcome!

Hummmm.... that can’t be good! I was checking BMW's web site and the color you have only comes on some higher end cars, pay that kind of money you shouldn't have a problem.

Just a shot in the dark, not sure what kind of wash mitt you have but the mitt doesn’t have any blue material as a liner or something that might be bleeding through? Just a thought.

[the other pc]

Is the car shiny? Does wiping this "blue stuff" off make the car look better or worse? Does it leave the area damaged, dull or funky?

Just throwing out some wild guesses here:

Any idea if the car was delivered to your dealer "in the plastic"? Maybe it was driven over from another lot and got exposed to this stuff along the way.

Maybe the car was parked near some kind of re-spraying/repair operation. Just close enough for residue of a similar color basecoat to drift over and land but not close enough for it to land wet and stick too hard.

Maybe the dealer makes a habit of using one of those cheesy "color matched polishes" you see around. The sales pitch claims it's a good idea to use colored polish or wax because it matches your paint. The reality is that your paint's surface is clear and the stuff just helps hide swirls (at the expense of real gloss) until it wears off. By then it's somebody else's problem.

Ever notice that brand new tires with white lettering always come with blue gunk on them for protection during shipping? Maybe it's something like that. Could be that it wasn't completely removed during dealer prep. Could be that it came off something else and got transferred onto your car by bad towel handling practices.


PC.

[Boss_429]

Yep, to be on the safe side, I would take a good paint cleaner like Deep Crystal Paint cleaner it give it a light cleaning............. just in case the dealer was "hiding" something.

Chances are it's just fine, but now is the time to find out. If you get "a lot" of blue with the paint cleaner............. something is going on that you should have checked out.

If everthing looks OK, just lay down a couple of light coats of NXT for some protection. (NXT looks very nice on that color)

[RD7673]

Thanks for all of your replys. I am confused as to whether there is something wrong. To answer some of your questions:

I am using the Lambs Wool Wash Mitt. There is no color inside it or the liner. I have used this mitt about 6 times previously on three other cars, colors two black and one red. The red car had paint that needed work. Used the Gold Class Shampoo also on all three and had no colors bleed through onto my mitt.

Car looks very good after the wash. No dull areas. Just the oposite. No chance that the car was shipped "in plastic". I was fortunate by the fact that I picked it up at the BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg (point of manufacture). No dealer has touched it nor do I believe that it could get any overspray.

After the second wash, I put on a coat of NXT wax. The application also put a blue tint on my bonnet during the buffing of the wax. But then again, the paint shined.

The car is only three weeks since manufacture. Would a paint cleaner be necessary or could I add to any problems?

Since it does look fine, maybe I should just give it a little time and watch for changes.

Thanks for all of your ideas and I'll let you know if something comes up....

[Boss_429]

Originally posted by RD7673


The car is only three weeks since manufacture. Would a paint cleaner be necessary or could I add to any problems?

The paint cleaner won't hurt a thing, but it may "uncover" something the dealer might be hiding........... a touch up perhaps?

Again, probably nothing to worry about....... but you did spend a "lot" of money......... best to be sure!

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by RD7673
After the second wash, I put on a coat of NXT wax. The application also put a blue tint on my bonnet during the buffing of the wax. But then again, the paint shined.

Hi RD7673,

If you're seeing blue pigment transfer to your bonnet, or applicator pad this means that either the car never came with a clear coat finish or part of the clear coat finish is now missing.

Take a paint cleaner like ScratchX, or even NXT Tech Wax, or any product that is white and a piece of with cloth like a piece of T-shirt and rub the paint with your product in an inconspicuous area and see if it turns the white cloth blue. Try this in a couple of different places.

This should indicate very quickly whether or not you have a clear coat finish.

Quick questions. Is this a metallic paint?

Mike

p.s.

Tried to call you and left a message on your voice mail.

[Boss_429]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
or part of the clear coat finish is now missing.

Exactly!

I'll be shocked if that is single stage paint, but anything is possible!

[STG]

Originally posted by Boss_429
The paint cleaner won't hurt a thing, but it may "uncover" something the dealer might be hiding........... a touch up perhaps?

He picked up his car at the factory.

[gbackus]

Originally posted by STG
He picked up his car at the factory.

Factory cars have touch ups as well.

[STG]

Granted, but the DEALER didn't have anything to do with it.

As a relavent side bar:

Mike Phillips deatailed my 2004 Mustang Mach1 last year and found the base color paint oversprayed ON TOP of the clear coat . Figure that one out!

[RD7673]

Just a little update on my situation.

I took Mike's suggestion and tried a little Scratch X in an inconspicuous place. Two swipes produced blue on my white terrycloth towel.

I called my dealer (place of purchase) first thing yesterday morning. He also agreed that this should not be happening. He logged it in as a report from a new purchaser for record. I will have it there next Saturday for their service manager to see.

I'm confident that they will stand behind it, but I am not enjoying the issue on a car that I am excited to have.

I will keep you updated....

[jfelbab]

Some clear coat finishes contain a tint. It is possible to get some color from these clear coats but not when washing them with a gentle car wash soap like Gold Class and a sheepskin mitt.

I'd take a bottle of polish and a white terrycloth towel to the dealer and show him what is happening. I'm betting it is a color tinted clear coat.