So the car's black, new, and for at least a short time, it will be kept outside. So I want to wash it often and make sure the car stays looking shiny and new.
I don't wash my own cars all that often, and for the last four years I had a car that looked clean even if it were caked in three inches of dirt and pollen. On black, everything shows.
Should I do anything special for the first wash? When should I wax it for the first time?
I know these are stupid questions, and the answer is probably just "take it to a brushless car wash", but I really want to do it right with this car, from the beginning. So when I come back here and ask more stupid questions, take it easy on me.
It's black, so you have two choices.
One is take it to the oldest, seediesty looking carwash you can find. That way you'll get over the whole problem with fretting over swirl marks. You'll have them, and they'll stay there.
Or, if you don't wish to take that piece of sensible advice, my advice is to wash it as little as possible, and when you do take extreme care that you never use a dirty towel on it.
It's going to be in snow a lot, so I want to wash it pretty often in the winter.
Quote from: Raza on August 06, 2008, 06:16:32 PM
It's going to be in snow a lot, so I want to wash it pretty often in the winter.
Keep a good coat of wax on it in the summer, and never wipe it with anything until you've sprayed the salt off. Never, ever use dish soap.
You do need some special things. Here's a list of what I use:
-Wheel brush and a bottle of Meguiars Gold Class wash soap diluted with water in a spray bottle.
-Tire brush removes all of the caked on crap on the tires.
-Meguiars microfiber mit, which should NEVER touch the ground EVER!!!
-Two buckets. One for rinse and one for soap.
-Meguiars Gold Class soap
-Meguiars Quick Detail for reducing water spots when drying
-Meguiars microfiber waffle weave towels to ensure that the paint doesn't get scratched when drying
-Meguiars alloy wheel polish. Really brings the color out of the wheels.
-Meguiars NXT Tire Shine. Lasts a good while and is really easy to remove from the tires.
-Stoner's Invisible Glass. It's tint safe and leaves no streaks.
-Any brand microfiber cloths from O'Reilly Auto Parts or some other parts store. I get the 24 pack. It's $19.
-Meguiars Quick Clay kit. It's $20, but comes with two bars, a bottle of Quick Detail, and a 4 oz. bottle of cleaner wax. Trust me when I say that 4 oz. is MORE than enough to do a whole car. Clay the car when wet and DO IT IN THE SHADE. Use lots of lubricant/quick detail.
-Meguiars NXT 2.0 Tech Wax. Really adds a nice shine and great depth to the paint. Goes on easy after the paint cleanser. Comes off easy after the paint cleanser as well. You don't have to completely remove it at first. Let it cure for 10-15 minutes and remove with a microfiber cloth. Use the supplied microfiber cloth that came in the clay kit to apply quick detail and remove any residue from the wax removal.
-Rain-X, if you like it.
INTERIOR:
-Vacuum.
-Mequiars Quick Interior Detail. Spray on, wipe off. Doesn't leave any residue or add any shine.
-Stoner's Invisible Glass. Tint safe and makes glass really clear.
All in all, it's about $150 worth of stuff. And if you let a microfiber cloth get on the ground, then it's useless. It's nearly impossible to remove the shit that gets in them. I relegate those cloths to interior, glass, and wheels. Also, you can use the wheel polish to polish the exhaust tip. Use steel wool for that and some gloves. Leaves a nice shine. You can also apply NXT 2.0 to the wheels. It makes brake dust very easy to remove.
With the waxes, apply as thin of a coat as possible. And remember, use what you like and use it often.
I've tried that NXT wax and though it was crap. It's easy to apply, but has too much gloss on its own, and detracts from the depth of the paint.
I prefer a good traditional wax, like Mother's.
I like NXT. I thought it added quite a lot of depth and a nice gloss to the paint. I use it on all of our cars, sans Integra...it's not worthy.
A lot of gloss, but no depth; especially in the sun and on tri-coat paint jobs, it seems to wash out the base coats.
wowsers-
I use:
a hose, bucket, sponge, and car wash soap..
Luckily my driveway now is sloped so I don't have to step in puddles of water...
I have an ionizer for rinsing.
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on August 06, 2008, 07:05:03 PM
wowsers-
I use:
a hose, bucket, sponge, and car wash soap..
Luckily my driveway now is sloped so I don't have to step in puddles of water...
And that'll work 99% of the time for 99% of the people.
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on August 06, 2008, 07:05:03 PM
wowsers-
I use:
a hose, bucket, sponge, and car wash soap..
Luckily my driveway now is sloped so I don't have to step in puddles of water...
I have a Super Soaker that looks like this:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41JC1QWRX9L._SL500_AA280_.jpg)
Works well on the Subaru. Audi hardly ever gets washed because it goes bye-bye in December, and the BMW gets free washes at the dealer.
If your dealership was reputable (which I'd like to believe it was), then they detailed the car before delivery. Wash it, put another coat of wax on it, call it a day.
Quote from: Soup DeVille on August 06, 2008, 07:23:36 PM
And that'll work 99% of the time for 99% of the people.
I don't even use a sponge, I use brush on a stick kind of a thing, that I'm not even sure it's for cars. I washed the whole of my last car with it - for 10 years and 165k+ miles - and it looked almost like new when I finally sold it.
If one is in and out of cars every couple of years it'll probably tolerable, but anymore than that and black will be major trouble.
Okay, so I've had the car just over a week. Is it too early?
And barring CJ's professional detail kit and twenty hour job, I'm still not sure what to do.
Car wash?
WTF?
Wash by hand if possible...
After 5 years of having a black car mine paint still looks very good except for the damn paint chips. I wax with NXT 2-3 times a year. Use their spray wax every 2-3 washes during the summer. Wash weekly. Claybar in the spring.
One hint for summer washes if your washing your car in the heat of the day - rinse it off, knock the excess water off, take a paper towel and drench it with the NXT spray and go over the whole car. Let everything dry to a film (like a very thin wax job) and then use a towel to rub it off.... then you have a spot free wash job in the middle of a sunny 90 degree day you'd otherwise think were impossible to obtain for a black car.
I've detailed more cars than i can count over the past few years so I'll chime in. Go get yourself a good chamois, two buckets, some car wash soap and a sponge or car wash mitten. Use one bucket for the soapy water and the other for clean water. After you run the sponge over the car wring it out in the clean water bucket and then soak up more soap. Use the chamois to dry but picking up a California water blade(it's a brand of squeeges) will help and save a lot of time. That's all you need for a basic car wash.
I'd bet the dealership didn't wax the car besides a cheap showroom-shine spray. Go get a good wax, not Turtle wax and not NXT either. Get a good natural carnuaba wax. Wax it every 3months or so.
Other than that don't freak out over light scrathes, spider-scratches, paint chips, etc. You have a black car and you're driving it year-round. Those are inevitable.
Quote from: r0tor on August 07, 2008, 08:57:26 AM
Wash by hand if possible...
After 5 years of having a black car mine paint still looks very good except for the damn paint chips. I wax with NXT 2-3 times a year. Use their spray wax every 2-3 washes during the summer. Wash weekly. Claybar in the spring.
One hint for summer washes if your washing your car in the heat of the day - rinse it off, knock the excess water off, take a paper towel and drench it with the NXT spray and go over the whole car. Let everything dry to a film (like a very thin wax job) and then use a towel to rub it off.... then you have a spot free wash job in the middle of a sunny 90 degree day you'd otherwise think were impossible to obtain for a black car.
I have 3 150 watt flood lamps so I can wash at night. Believe me when I say it's brighter that day when they are on.
While CJ has a solid method of cleaning, it's expensive and time consuming. When I wash, I use a power washer (set on it's absolute lowest setting unless Im cleaning the wheel wells or undercarriage, gold class soap, a large amount of towels, and always make sure to rinse often. After that, I take a leaf blower to dry it off. A great job it does, actually.
As for the interior, I frequently vacuum, polish the wood, condition the leather, and if anything spills, I use my Bissel to suck it up. It looks new inside and out. I have it waxed by my dealership at least once a year.
Quote from: Raza link=topic=15434.msg858876#msg858876 date=1218066994
So the car's black, new, and for at least a short time, it will be kept outside. So I want to wash it often and make sure the car stays looking shiny and new.
I don't wash my own cars all that often, and for the last four years I had a car that looked clean even if it were caked in three inches of dirt and pollen. On black, everything shows.
Should I do anything special for the first wash? When should I wax it for the first time?
I know these are stupid questions, and the answer is probably just "take it to a brushless car wash", but I really want to do it right with this car, from the beginning. So when I come back here and ask more stupid questions, take it easy on me.
Get some detailing brushes to get the wax residue out of the cracks and body joins. Nothing ruins the looks of a good polish and wax job more than wax residue.
I wash at least two of the cars each week and polish and wax each one every 3 months or so.
I wash using a pressure washer, never held really close to the car body, to rinse off the dust and grit before I wash the car. I use Meguires products exclusively, I also use the pressure washer to rinse the car. I hand wash with a hand towel and dry with large towels.
I buy towels to be used strictly for washing, polishing and waxing. Since three of our cars are red I buy red towels; that way any strings snagged by trim don't show up much.
Swirl marks are virtually a fact of life with a black car.
DO NOT GET A CALIFORNIA WATER BLADE EVER. DO NOT GET A CHAMOIS. DO NOT GET A SPONGE. Those are the three worst possible things you could possibly get. They grab dirt and they do not let go of it, putting swirls/scratches in your paint.
Well, this seems rather controversial.
Quote from: CJ on August 06, 2008, 06:24:34 PM
You do need some special things. Here's a list of what I use:
-Wheel brush and a bottle of Meguiars Gold Class wash soap diluted with water in a spray bottle.
-Tire brush removes all of the caked on crap on the tires.
-Meguiars microfiber mit, which should NEVER touch the ground EVER!!!
-Two buckets. One for rinse and one for soap.
-Meguiars Gold Class soap
-Meguiars Quick Detail for reducing water spots when drying
-Meguiars microfiber waffle weave towels to ensure that the paint doesn't get scratched when drying
-Meguiars alloy wheel polish. Really brings the color out of the wheels.
-Meguiars NXT Tire Shine. Lasts a good while and is really easy to remove from the tires.
-Stoner's Invisible Glass. It's tint safe and leaves no streaks.
-Any brand microfiber cloths from O'Reilly Auto Parts or some other parts store. I get the 24 pack. It's $19.
-Meguiars Quick Clay kit. It's $20, but comes with two bars, a bottle of Quick Detail, and a 4 oz. bottle of cleaner wax. Trust me when I say that 4 oz. is MORE than enough to do a whole car. Clay the car when wet and DO IT IN THE SHADE. Use lots of lubricant/quick detail.
-Meguiars NXT 2.0 Tech Wax. Really adds a nice shine and great depth to the paint. Goes on easy after the paint cleanser. Comes off easy after the paint cleanser as well. You don't have to completely remove it at first. Let it cure for 10-15 minutes and remove with a microfiber cloth. Use the supplied microfiber cloth that came in the clay kit to apply quick detail and remove any residue from the wax removal.
-Rain-X, if you like it.
INTERIOR:
-Vacuum.
-Mequiars Quick Interior Detail. Spray on, wipe off. Doesn't leave any residue or add any shine.
-Stoner's Invisible Glass. Tint safe and makes glass really clear.
All in all, it's about $150 worth of stuff. And if you let a microfiber cloth get on the ground, then it's useless. It's nearly impossible to remove the shit that gets in them. I relegate those cloths to interior, glass, and wheels. Also, you can use the wheel polish to polish the exhaust tip. Use steel wool for that and some gloves. Leaves a nice shine. You can also apply NXT 2.0 to the wheels. It makes brake dust very easy to remove.
With the waxes, apply as thin of a coat as possible. And remember, use what you like and use it often.
Mother christ you have too much time on your hands. I wash at the pay-for-a-hose and wax with Meguiar's cleaner wax.
Quote from: CJ on August 07, 2008, 02:25:00 PM
DO NOT GET A CALIFORNIA WATER BLADE EVER. DO NOT GET A CHAMOIS. DO NOT GET A SPONGE. Those are the three worst possible things you could possibly get. They grab dirt and they do not let go of it, putting swirls/scratches in your paint.
Water blades can, sponges might if they're natural, and chamoises? Are you kidding me?
Quote from: CJ on August 07, 2008, 02:25:00 PM
DO NOT GET A CALIFORNIA WATER BLADE EVER. DO NOT GET A CHAMOIS. DO NOT GET A SPONGE. Those are the three worst possible things you could possibly get. They grab dirt and they do not let go of it, putting swirls/scratches in your paint.
Theres a difference between those three things and this you know:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Schleifpapier_verschiedene_Sorten.jpg/800px-Schleifpapier_verschiedene_Sorten.jpg)
Quote from: Danish on August 07, 2008, 04:46:19 PM
Theres a difference between those three things and this you know:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Schleifpapier_verschiedene_Sorten.jpg/800px-Schleifpapier_verschiedene_Sorten.jpg)
DUDE WHAT THE FUCK THAT STUFF HAS DIRT GLUED ON TO IT WHO WOULD DRY THEIR CAR WITH THAT SHIT ZOMG ROFL
It's all about Zaino!
Quote from: Danish on August 07, 2008, 04:46:19 PM
Theres a difference between those three things and this you know:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Schleifpapier_verschiedene_Sorten.jpg/800px-Schleifpapier_verschiedene_Sorten.jpg)
They don't let go of dirt, even when wrung out. Just trust me on this one. Detailing World has taught me a lot. One of those things is to never EVER let your dealership wash the car. EVER. Our Accord went in for tint and a specific order to NOT wash it. What do they do? Move the dirt around and scratch the paint. I work hard on that paint and what do the half wits do? They ruin it. I specifically put on the work order to not wash it.
This is what a BRAND NEW Honda Civic Type-R looks like after dealer washes:
(http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee41/DaveKG/A1.jpg)
This is what can happen if you take your car to the dealership monkeys and have them wash it. Delear was doing a wash and chamois for cheap.
Here's what it looked like before:
(http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/detailni/a4%20130%20sport/audia4b6061800x600.jpg)
And after:
(http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/detailni/e60530dmtech025800x600.jpg)
Here's a thread on good washing technique:
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=4637&highlight=poor+washing+technique
If you don't have time for what I layed out, then just do a simple two bucket method wash with a microfiber mit and dry with microfiber towels or a water magnet. Not a water blade. Those grab dirt.
Okay, I have no hope of winning this argument but consider this: My car is dirty so I wash it. I decide to dry it with a chamois or a california water blade. How is my car going to get scratched from dirt when I JUST washed it and there is no dirt on it?
Quote from: Danish on August 07, 2008, 06:11:29 PM
Okay, I have no hope of winning this argument but consider this: My car is dirty so I wash it. I decide to dry it with a chamois or a california water blade. How is my car going to get scratched from dirt when I JUST washed it and there is no dirt on it?
They just do. It's best to have microfiber cloths to dry. They prevent scratching.
Quote from: CJ on August 07, 2008, 02:25:00 PM
DO NOT GET A CALIFORNIA WATER BLADE EVER. DO NOT GET A CHAMOIS. DO NOT GET A SPONGE. Those are the three worst possible things you could possibly get. They grab dirt and they do not let go of it, putting swirls/scratches in your paint.
I've been detailing and washing cars for almost 4 years and never once have I scratched a car with either. I've scratched more cars with microfiber towels than with a chamiois or squeege.
Those scratched on your car look like they probably either came from a automatic car wash or from a mop that was full of dirt. Even still those aren't deep at all. A medium compound with a foam pad will take those out.
So still no consensus.
I've got the ionizer with attached soap thing. I'm going to look at that and report back.
Post a pic.
Jesus frumps, just get a wash mit, some decent soap, a bucket, some detailer spray and a few microfiber cloths. Fill the bucket, put in soap, lather up soap, dip mit into foamy water, put onto car, wash. Rinse, let dry, and use the spray detailer to get rid of spots. Or, get a nice vacuum that has a reverse function so that you can "blow-dry" your car. A lot of ShopVacs have such a feature so it can double as a leaf blower...I use mine to dry off my car touch-free. Shrug.
You don't need to go nuts, especially if your car is going to be going through winters and what not anyway.
(http://fp.enter.net/~justin/newcamera.jpg)
5 years of hand mit washing, drying with a cheap ass bath towel, and using crap NXt wax.... clearly i'm doing something wrong :mask:
Quote from: Danish on August 07, 2008, 06:11:29 PM
Okay, I have no hope of winning this argument but consider this: My car is dirty so I wash it. I decide to dry it with a chamois or a california water blade. How is my car going to get scratched from dirt when I JUST washed it and there is no dirt on it?
BECUZ THEY SUCK IT UP N SPIT IT OUT AND THEY LAUGH AT YOU. I TELL YA THEY ARE EVIL CREATURES THEM WATER BLADES.
Power wash with soap. Get as much dirt off as you can, rinse it with water, then perhaps use the microfiber. Less dirt means less scratches? :huh:
Quote from: Danish on August 07, 2008, 06:11:29 PM
Okay, I have no hope of winning this argument but consider this: My car is dirty so I wash it. I decide to dry it with a chamois or a california water blade. How is my car going to get scratched from dirt when I JUST washed it and there is no dirt on it?
You're in a no win situation here. Best to throw your car away and buy a new one.
If you're going to throw it away........I'd love to take it off your hands..... :ohyeah:
Quote from: 2o6 on August 08, 2008, 10:50:26 AM
If you're going to throw it away........I'd love to take it off your hands..... :ohyeah:
FYI, I drive a Corolla
Actually, maybe you
would love to take it off my hands
Quote from: r0tor on August 08, 2008, 05:55:04 AM
(http://fp.enter.net/~justin/newcamera.jpg)
5 years of hand mit washing, drying with a cheap ass bath towel, and using crap NXt wax.... clearly i'm doing something wrong :mask:
Thats an awesome pic.... I think it should be your new sig
First, rinse it off using purified water imported from Germany.
You need to wash it using Volkswagen brand soap from the dealership. The water needs to be at exactly 82 degrees farenheit. Make sure that your wash bucket has been thorougly cleaned and sterilized.
Agitate the water for 3 minutes to ensure that the soap is properly mixed. Make sure that you use a natural sheep skin wash mit from a pure bred sheep. You may want to check the sheep's pedigree ensure that you have the have the highest quality wash mit.
Using extremely light pressure, carefully and throughly wash the vehicle one panel at a time. Make sure you do this in doors in a clean temperature controlled room. Any dust in the air is unnaceptable. I highly recommend Hepa filters for this process.
Rinse it again using the same purified water from Germany.
Dry it off using the most expensive microfiber cloths you can find. Cheap ones will strip the paint right off the metal. Throw out the cloth immediately if you suspect any molecules of dirt have gotten into the cloth. I generally recommend using 30-40 cloths per wash to prevent scratches.
Quote from: Danish on August 08, 2008, 01:20:28 PM
FYI, I drive a Corolla
Actually, maybe you would love to take it off my hands
Considering I have no car whatsoever, i'd be glad to have anything.
Quote from: 280Z Turbo on August 08, 2008, 01:54:27 PM
First, rinse it off using purified water imported from Germany.
You need to wash it using Volkswagen brand soap from the dealership. The water needs to be at exactly 82 degrees farenheit. Make sure that your wash bucket has been thorougly cleaned and sterilized.
Agitate the water for 3 minutes to ensure that the soap is properly mixed. Make sure that you use a natural sheep skin wash mit from a pure bred sheep. You may want to check the sheep's pedigree ensure that you have the have the highest quality wash mit.
Using extremely light pressure, carefully and throughly wash the vehicle one panel at a time. Make sure you do this in doors in a clean temperature controlled room. Any dust in the air is unnaceptable. I highly recommend Hepa filters for this process.
Rinse it again using the same purified water from Germany.
Dry it off using the most expensive microfiber cloths you can find. Cheap ones will strip the paint right off the metal. Throw out the cloth immediately if you suspect any molecules of dirt have gotten into the cloth. I generally recommend using 30-40 cloths per wash to prevent scratches.
You forgot to mention the virgin blood and ground rhinocerous horn you'll need to clean the tires. :ohyeah:
Quote from: Tave on August 08, 2008, 03:06:19 PM
You forgot to mention the virgin blood and ground rhinocerous horn you'll need to clean the tires. :ohyeah:
And German beer that HAS to be drunk while washing, or the whole wash is ruined.
I've used a chamois and water blade on every car wash.
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c178/jyoder240/IMG_1473.jpg)
But, but...the water blade...it...it'll scratch! 'Cause it's..it's made of soft rubber stuff and like...there's no way it could NOT scratch your car! With all the dirt it accumulates from your just-washed car?!?! Ohnoes! Don't even get me started on California Car Dusters!!!!!!!!11!11one!!!!111!!
Quote from: JYODER240 on August 08, 2008, 10:51:18 PM
I've used a chamois and water blade on every car wash.
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c178/jyoder240/IMG_1473.jpg)
:clap: :clap: :clap:
Wow, VERY nice.
Dude, just hit up the closest gas station with a touchless carwash once every year or three, like I do. Or if you're feeling real fancy-pants, go to the coin-op DIY. :lol:
(Using soap outside of a commercial carwash is illegal here.)
Quote from: JYODER240 on August 08, 2008, 10:51:18 PM
I've used a chamois and water blade on every car wash.
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c178/jyoder240/IMG_1473.jpg)
Okay. I can take the same picture only with the Accord or Camry. I used a water blade for all of a few washes simply because it was easy. Then I saw the scratches it left. It's surgical silicon, but it gathers microscopic pieces of dirt that you can't remove with just a wash. It's just the truth. Go to www.detailingworld.co.uk and tell them what you use to dry. They'll murder you.
Well guess what, douchebag, there're always going to be "microscopic pieces of dirt that you can't remove with just a wash", so please e-mail these mystical scratch-free drying powers you have so I can be sure to not catch any microscopic pieces of dust in my drying cloth!!!!!!!!!!!
Bah, you guys are spending too much time (and money) on your washes. I just use 80 grit sandpaper, it gets all the dirt off in one pass. Water is optional too.
Quote from: 93JC on August 11, 2008, 03:42:17 PM
Dude, just hit up the closest gas station with a touchless carwash once every year or three, like I do. Or if you're feeling real fancy-pants, go to the coin-op DIY. :lol:
(Using soap outside of a commercial carwash is illegal here.)
Yeah, seriously.
Quote from: CJ on August 11, 2008, 07:01:38 PM
Okay. I can take the same picture only with the Accord or Camry. I used a water blade for all of a few washes simply because it was easy. Then I saw the scratches it left. It's surgical silicon, but it gathers microscopic pieces of dirt that you can't remove with just a wash. It's just the truth. Go to www.detailingworld.co.uk and tell them what you use to dry. They'll murder you.
I've been using it for the past 2 years and I've never scratched my car. I've used them on literally thousands of black cars at work and never once saw a scratch from one. Even still Raza is going to be driving this (black)car daily even through the winter. A waterblade is going to be the least of his struggles.
If you drive your car daily it's going to get light scratches and oxidation, regardless of what you do to it. A waterblade is far easier on your car than what 30,000miles will do to it. Take a medium compound on a wool pad and everthing looks like new.
"Take a medium compound on a wool pad and everything looks like new."
HAHA! That's a joke, right? You can't just use the compound and let it be. You have to use a compound, a refiner, and a finisher. THEN you can seal the paint and wax it. Only then does it look like new.
Quote from: CJ on August 13, 2008, 11:34:45 AM
"Take a medium compound on a wool pad and everything looks like new."
HAHA! That's a joke, right? You can't just use the compound and let it be. You have to use a compound, a refiner, and a finisher. THEN you can seal the paint and wax it. Only then does it look like new.
I've detailed more cars than I can count. I'm guessing you've done no more than the cars in your driveway, and maybe you've used a buffer. I figured it was implied that I would have to remove haze and swirls from the buffers. That's like me saying that i'm going to wash my car and then you saying "No idiot you have to dry it too!"
:lol:
I KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT CAR DETAILING CUZ I READ IT ON A CHEAP BRITISH FORUMZORZ!!!!!!!
Face it. You are going to get swirl marks sooner or later. Make it easy on yourself and go over the car lightly now with a Scotchbrite pad and get it over with. :lol: ;) :lol:
I hate to break it to you CJ, but your car is going to suffer scratches at one point or another, it's that simple. There are preventative measures one can take to minimize scratches (from driving or washing) but eventually, you will need a good polishing to remove the scratches that inevitably form.
Heres what I would do.
1. Rinse off the car throughly. Use either a hose (or high pressure washer with soap) to rinse off as much dirt as possible without using a cloth.
2. With a microfiber cloth, wash the car with a good detergent. Ring out the towel in another clean water bucket to minimize dirt transfer. Switch sides frequently.
3. Rinse frequently with a good amount of water.
4. Use a drying agent, clean cloth, or water blade to dry
5. Have a good import or local micro brew
I'd tried to wash and polish my VW. The paint is faded to a flat red. The wax just soaked into the pores of the paint and turned the car almost pink.
Last Monday night, while having a beer and decided I couldn't take it anymore. I took a two dollar bottle of STP Son of a Gun and sprayed the whole car down and wiped it off. I didn't even wash it first. The car looked great. My wife couldn't believe the difference. I told her it would last till the first rain, but hey, it looked good for now.
Then, it did rain, Wednesday. I drove the car to work. Rain was beading on the paint like it had just been waxed. The next day was sunny and it was still shining...as well as it is going to shine.
I'd spent almost 75.00 on cleaners, waxes, and a buffer. A $2 bottle of STP from the dollar store did more in 45 minutes than three to four hours of screwing around. It looks better than when I bought the car.
Quote from: JWC on August 17, 2008, 02:09:32 PM
I'd tried to wash and polish my VW. The paint is faded to a flat red. The wax just soaked into the pores of the paint and turned the car almost pink.
Last Monday night, while having a beer and decided I couldn't take it anymore. I took a two dollar bottle of STP Son of a Gun and sprayed the whole car down and wiped it off. I didn't even wash it first. The car looked great. My wife couldn't believe the difference. I told her it would last till the first rain, but hey, it looked good for now.
Then, it did rain, Wednesday. I drove the car to work. Rain was beading on the paint like it had just been waxed. The next day was sunny and it was still shining...as well as it is going to shine.
I'd spent almost 75.00 on cleaners, waxes, and a buffer. A $2 bottle of STP from the dollar store did more in 45 minutes than three to four hours of screwing around. It looks better than when I bought the car.
:confused:
Quote from: JWC on August 17, 2008, 02:09:32 PM
I'd tried to wash and polish my VW. The paint is faded to a flat red. The wax just soaked into the pores of the paint and turned the car almost pink.
Last Monday night, while having a beer and decided I couldn't take it anymore. I took a two dollar bottle of STP Son of a Gun and sprayed the whole car down and wiped it off. I didn't even wash it first. The car looked great. My wife couldn't believe the difference. I told her it would last till the first rain, but hey, it looked good for now.
Then, it did rain, Wednesday. I drove the car to work. Rain was beading on the paint like it had just been waxed. The next day was sunny and it was still shining...as well as it is going to shine.
I'd spent almost 75.00 on cleaners, waxes, and a buffer. A $2 bottle of STP from the dollar store did more in 45 minutes than three to four hours of screwing around. It looks better than when I bought the car.
Usually the cheap synthetic products are bad for your paint in the long run. But in your case it sounds like you've got nothing to lose.
Quote from: JWC on August 17, 2008, 02:09:32 PM
I'd tried to wash and polish my VW. The paint is faded to a flat red. The wax just soaked into the pores of the paint and turned the car almost pink.
Last Monday night, while having a beer and decided I couldn't take it anymore. I took a two dollar bottle of STP Son of a Gun and sprayed the whole car down and wiped it off. I didn't even wash it first. The car looked great. My wife couldn't believe the difference. I told her it would last till the first rain, but hey, it looked good for now.
Then, it did rain, Wednesday. I drove the car to work. Rain was beading on the paint like it had just been waxed. The next day was sunny and it was still shining...as well as it is going to shine.
I'd spent almost 75.00 on cleaners, waxes, and a buffer. A $2 bottle of STP from the dollar store did more in 45 minutes than three to four hours of screwing around. It looks better than when I bought the car.
I knew a guy in high school who worked in a full service gas station evenings and weekends. One day an old farmer brought in his car, an old green chevy, probably early 50's model and wanted a wash and wax. My friend couldn't get a shine on the car with polish and wax so he rubbed the car body with motor oil. Worked it in and buffed it and the cr actually looked pretty good. Didn't last though.
Quote from: Byteme on August 19, 2008, 06:20:33 AM
I knew a guy in high school who worked in a full service gas station evenings and weekends. One day an old farmer brought in his car, an old green chevy, probably early 50's model and wanted a wash and wax. My friend couldn't get a shine on the car with polish and wax so he rubbed the car body with motor oil. Worked it in and buffed it and the cr actually looked pretty good. Didn't last though.
That is how the idea started. I forgot to put the oil filler cap back on and drove the car about two miles. It splattered oil on the right rear fender and where there was oil, there wasn't pink any more. So...feeling I indeed had nothing to lose...
Good thing we have clearcoats now so we don't have to do such things.
Okay, I'm going to get a wash mitt from VW, and then pull out my Mr. Clean Autodry.
What kind of soap should I use? I think the Mr. Clean has its own soap. Is that cool?
Also, as far as wheel cleaners go. I have this Prestone Wheel Cleaner with Brake Dust Repellent sitting in my garage. I can't say accurately how long it's been there, but I remember buying it when I was in high school, so at least four years ago. Is that still good, and is it an okay product to use on my wheels?
Yeah, you're supposed to use the Mr. Clean soap 'cause it's got the "dry-rinse polymers" that help it dry spot-free. Also, IIRC, the manual/gun says that using other soaps could clog the water filter. :huh: I used to use the Mr. Clean Autodry method, but I found that it never did actually dry all that spot-free, but it was close enough that it was certainly satisfying for an average wash, and it was better than normal soap/water.
I'm sure that wheel cleaner will be fine. :huh: Just spray it on and wipe the wheels down with a rag or some other dirty-able cloth.
Get some tire shine, too! Gels last longer and sling less than sprays; and obviously get an applicator pad for it. Shiny tires really set off the look of a vehicle, I think.
I hate shiny tires.
I just scrub mine to get brake dust off and let it go. Well, not on my car, but the wife's.
I would get Meguiars Endurance Tire Gel. And I just use soap and water to clean my wheels. It usually works fine...
I haven't used tire shine since the sidewalls on my friend's Impala rolled over and he nearly slid off the road because of the tire shine.
I don't mind the look, but I'm not going to go out of my way to shine them.
I'm picking up one wash mitt for my car, and one wash mitt for my wheels. Does that work?
Yeah, get two buckets too.
Quote from: JYODER240 on August 19, 2008, 10:51:14 PM
Yeah, get two buckets too.
If I use the Mr. Clean Autodry, I don't really need a bucket for that; the soap sprays on after you rinse. And the wheel cleaner is spray and wipe. Do I really need buckets at all?
I don't know I've never used one :huh:
So here's the plan:
1. Spray down the wheels and wipe them them off with Mitt A.
2. Wash car
a. Rinse
b. Soap
c. Wash with Mitt B
d. Rinse with Autodry
e. Wait while it dries
3. Clean windshield with Invisible Glass
Good plan.
Quote from: Raza link=topic=15434.msg864184#msg864184 date=1219211644
So here's the plan:
1. Spray down the wheels and wipe them them off with Mitt A.
2. Wash car
a. Rinse
b. Soap
c. Wash with Mitt B
d. Rinse with Autodry
e. Wait while it dries
3. Clean windshield with Invisible Glass
Sounds good and it only took 3 pages and a couple arguements to come up with it.
Quote from: Raza on August 19, 2008, 11:54:04 PM
So here's the plan:
1. Spray down the wheels and wipe them them off with Mitt A.
2. Wash car
a. Rinse
b. Soap
c. Wash with Mitt B
d. Rinse with Autodry
e. Wait while it dries
3. Clean windshield with Invisible Glass
If I remember correctly, if you want to get technical, you're supposed to use three mitts. One for tires and wheels; one for upper body surfaces; one for lower body panels .
The third mitt is used so that there is always a separate mitt for areas of the car prone to dirt and sand kicked up by the tires...the side protect molding down. Doing it this way insures that no gritty dirt stuck in a mitt is used on upper, more visible, body surfaces. Wash mitts should be labeled to keep track of which ones are for a specific purpose.
Quote from: Danish on August 07, 2008, 06:11:29 PM
Okay, I have no hope of winning this argument but consider this: My car is dirty so I wash it. I decide to dry it with a chamois or a california water blade. How is my car going to get scratched from dirt when I JUST washed it and there is no dirt on it?
The wind blows and crap falls from the sky. It only takes a few grains of sand caught in a blade to scratch. A towel would also catch that sand but the blade, by virtue of how it works pushes the sand against the paint.
Quote from: Byteme on August 20, 2008, 10:55:13 AM
The wind blows and crap falls from the sky. It only takes a few grains of sand caught in a blade to scratch. A towel would also catch that sand but the blade, by virtue of how it works pushes the sand against the paint.
On the off chance that a grain of sand scratches your car, it could still be easily fixed in less than a minute.
Okay, so I went at it today.
I rinsed the car several times, but I still didn't get to start until about 11AM. Bad time, right?
I figured as long as I rinse often and wash in small sections, I should be okay. Right?
Disaster.
The soap must have baked in, or gone bad, or something, and after my ionized wash, the car dried to a tie-dye effect. I was freaking out. I washed the same section four times, and the same thing happened each time. After an hour and a half of washing my passenger side C pillar, I gave in, rinsed the car to keep it cool, and booked it to my local soft cloth car wash.
Failure.
They did a good job of cleaning up my mess, at least.
I think the lesson learned here is that I either need to do it very, very early in the morning when the sun is still low in the eastern sky (my house faces east-west, so there's virtually no shade on my driveway) or later on in the evening when the sun is also low in the western sky. And soap that's been sitting in my garage for five years may not be the best choice.
Next time I'll try it at a different time, with fresh soap and a new filter. I'll buy a fresh gun if I have to.
Thanks for the advice guys. I'll take this as a learning experience.
Quote from: JYODER240 on August 20, 2008, 11:04:02 AM
On the off chance that a grain of sand scratches your car, it could still be easily fixed in less than a minute.
Take a grain of sand and place it on the wet hood of your car and then run a squeege over it with the pressure you would normally use to remove the water. There is a good chance the sand sticks to the rubber blade and gets pushed into the paint as it's dragged across the car.
And wouldn't one need to dry part of the with towels anyway. Cars generally have curves, squeeges generally don't.
Washing cars in the sun is just for television commercials.
Quote from: JWC on August 20, 2008, 11:40:54 AM
Washing cars in the sun is just for television commercials.
Well, lesson learned. I tried to take care of it earlier, but I got sidetracked dealing with my two children.
I wash my cars in the sun, don't have a choice.
The soap isn't on there for more than a minute though(i move fast).
Anyway i personally try to minimize any contact with my car. I do NOT use a wash mit or anything to dry it. Normally i'll rinse with a pressure washer, then apply high pressure soap through the pressure washer then rinse again pressure washer. I then let the car air dry, YES i do recieve water spots from this. However the reason i do this is because after it is washed and air dried(there has been no contact with the car, so NO scratches as all). I park the car in the shade or garage and then after it has cooled down i use a good detailer(wizards Mist N Shine lately) and a CLEAN UNUSED microfiber towel and wipe down the whole car. This removes all water spots and gives the car a "just waxed" shine.
Also raza, be careful. VW paint is very very very poor. It's some of the worst paint in the automotive industry.
Quote from: Raza on August 20, 2008, 11:37:19 AM
Okay, so I went at it today.
I rinsed the car several times, but I still didn't get to start until about 11AM. Bad time, right?
I figured as long as I rinse often and wash in small sections, I should be okay. Right?
Disaster.
The soap must have baked in, or gone bad, or something, and after my ionized wash, the car dried to a tie-dye effect. I was freaking out. I washed the same section four times, and the same thing happened each time. After an hour and a half of washing my passenger side C pillar, I gave in, rinsed the car to keep it cool, and booked it to my local soft cloth car wash.
Failure.
They did a good job of cleaning up my mess, at least.
I think the lesson learned here is that I either need to do it very, very early in the morning when the sun is still low in the eastern sky (my house faces east-west, so there's virtually no shade on my driveway) or later on in the evening when the sun is also low in the western sky. And soap that's been sitting in my garage for five years may not be the best choice.
Next time I'll try it at a different time, with fresh soap and a new filter. I'll buy a fresh gun if I have to.
Thanks for the advice guys. I'll take this as a learning experience.
your experience has been marginally better then my mr clean experience... i was left with some kind of sticky waxy build-up from the soap
That bald headed bastard, stick to floors damnit.
Quote from: FlatBlackCaddy on August 20, 2008, 12:54:46 PM
I wash my cars in the sun, don't have a choice.
The soap isn't on there for more than a minute though(i move fast).
Anyway i personally try to minimize any contact with my car. I do NOT use a wash mit or anything to dry it. Normally i'll rinse with a pressure washer, then apply high pressure soap through the pressure washer then rinse again pressure washer. I then let the car air dry, YES i do recieve water spots from this. However the reason i do this is because after it is washed and air dried(there has been no contact with the car, so NO scratches as all). I park the car in the shade or garage and then after it has cooled down i use a good detailer(wizards Mist N Shine lately) and a CLEAN UNUSED microfiber towel and wipe down the whole car. This removes all water spots and gives the car a "just waxed" shine.
That's another way of doing it, and one that is safe.
And yes, VW paint scratches incredibly easy, but the paint is very hard and not willing to correct well.
Quote from: r0tor on August 20, 2008, 01:04:30 PM
your experience has been marginally better then my mr clean experience... i was left with some kind of sticky waxy build-up from the soap
I used it once before, and it worked very well. I'm surprised at this result.