Well, you don't want paint correction so there isn't much options out there to cover up the swirls. A good waxing is the best way, just tell the detailer you want to wax the car.

You also mention the paint looks dried and dull, you gotta clay and wax for that shine.

 

You identified the problem in your post. Cheap car wash.

 

Even prior to cheap car wash. I can recall taking delivery of the car and having some dust on it the next day. I dusted the trunk lid with a clean towel- full of scratches.

 

Wow that looks so bad, I like to use Meguiars products. Take the afternoon to do a "2 Bucket wash", Clay Bar the car, Ultimate Compound, Polish, and Wax. Should fix most of that up.

 

take it to a pro or...

 

Dang...I drove a black Honda Civic for 15 years and never did it look like that.
Granted it was always hand washed with a micro fiber towel. I stay away from car washes.

 

Get it buffed out and waxed. Then hand wash yourself from now on

 

This look awful. I have a 2016 IS 350 F- Sport in Obsidian as well and yes the paint is incredibly soft but I only have slight swirls from the dealership. I use an MTM foam cannon and some Adam's Polishes car shampoo and some high quality wash pads to wash my car and haven't had any major issues. The definite culprit is going to those corner cheap handwashes that aren't professional detailers. Obsidian paint is incredibly delicate. I would suggest paint correction (it shouldn't cost thousands) and then maybe washing it yourself at a coin wash. Hope this helps

 

I have experience with the atomic silver color and found it does a good job of hiding swirls but hand washes by competent detailers have always proven best. Is the car wash you visited one of those drive through touchless ones? If so you should try to examine the car under scangrip lighting or other detailing tools to truly see the condition of the paint.

 

Problem is I live in an apartment building and car is garaged. I'm hoping to have the car done in the next few months when the weather breaks here in NJ.

 

You were able to get this car but you cheaped out on the car wash? I am in Toronto and I get my car wash at a touchless wash in the winters and I have no swirls. I also find it EXTREMELY hard to believe you swirled the paint just using a cloth to wipe dust off your new car when you first got it. Unless that cloth was extremely dirty and you were scrubbing it quite hard. The only real fix now is as others have said, paint correction and to maintain that you need to stop using cheap car washes.

 

Get some Optimum no rinse and wash and wax and some very nice towels for washing and towels for drying. The stuff is awesome and doesn't require rinse. That way, you can hand wash it nicely at an apartment. That's what I did. I now own a home, but still use this method.

 

You should see the paint on my black GS I just got, its really bad, like they went thru auto carwashes. Just ordered some new polish and plan on tackling it, will seal with Sonax after and wax.

 

Go to a high end detailer and pay the $500-1000 for paint correction + ceramic / opti coat. I put opti gloss coat a year ago and my car is super shiny everyday. It's worth it.

 

I'm looking into opti coat. You in the tri state area? Need a good recommended place.