Was hoping to find a group of people from FLA, that are in to detailing their own car and stumbled on your site. I'm not a BMW owner by any means, just a new owner of a really dark blue Santa Fe who's new to trying to take care of her latest family addition properly.

I've been on other websites/forums that deal just with detailing, but finding other Floridians isn't always easy. I think that being in Florida makes one use products that are different than those from say, New York.

Was hoping that the masses down here could tell me what they use on their cars, particularly dark paint colors, that you've found work well in our hot, humid and rainy climate. For instance, I was going to use a carnuba wax when I got around to finally doing a first-time wax job, but I was then told that that type of wax isn't good since it's so hot, and a synthetic is better? Also, what do you all tend to use on your black rubber to keep it nice and clean - I'm thinking the 303 Formula may be good to use.

Any other tips would be GREATLY appreciated. I've done nothing more than wash and dry my 1 1/2 month old car - next major thing will be trying to clay it, but that may not be anytime too soon - this is from a person that rarely ever washed their cars over the last 7 years I had it (at least the last car I had)

THANKS FOR ANY INPUT ON PRODUCTS TO USE / STAY AWAY FROM and your experiences with them!!!:D

Debbie

303 Formula is GREAT for protecting rubber in FL sun. Also, I highly recommend Zaino. I dont sell it, but I love it. It’s a synthetic polymer protectent. It’s NOT a carnauba wax that will melt in the sun then wash off in the summer downpours. I would use Z2 Pro, Z7 car-wash and the Flash accelerator to start off with. Also check out the Detailing Forum and read the FAQ. Good luck

Thanks Dwight - I've heard MANY sing the praises of ZAINO but I'd like to find something other than that - sounds too labor instense for me, too many steps.

Can anyone tell me what are the factors that make the dark cars down here (red, blue & black, mostly) look so bad? I've always had light colored cars and really, not caring about the way cars looked, never payed too much attention to what happens to neglected cars. Now that I have this near-black car, I notice all these cars that look so bad, like someone stripped the clearcoat off and started eating the paint - and I sure don't want that to happen to this car - I plan on keeping it at least 10 years!

Will check out the DETAILING FORUM - Thanks again!