The car cleaning thread

I gave my car a quick wash the other day and took the time to properly dry it and holy cow, it looks much better than improperly drying it or letting the water evaporate on its own. Never underestimate what a proper drying will do for your car.
 
Drying a car in direct sunlight sucks. I've found that water spots never go away no matter how many times you've gone over that spot with a damp towel.
 
93Flareside said:
Drying a car in direct sunlight sucks. I've found that water spots never go away no matter how many times you've gone over that spot with a damp towel.
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Dampen the towel with white vinegar and those spots will come off pretty easily. You may also strip off any wax on the paint too, so hit the spot afterward with something to protect it again.
 
My apartment complex set up a spot for people to hand wash their cars. I'm so happy. :D

I'll still use those power sprayers most of the time because I'm lazy (no, I don't use their mop thing) but at least now I can give the car a proper bath every once in a while. :)
 
You moved out? Sorry, didn't know that...

What apartment complex is that nice?
 
I get no shade in front of my house in the summer months and what with the days being so long, I have to get up and wash my car at 4:30-5:00am just to get it done before I get direct sunlight.
 
http://www.autogeek.net/tarminator.html

Stuff works miracles. Had a ton of tar residue on my Mustang door from all my Pittsburgh trips. I tried the RainX bug/tar remover, but that stuff was a waste of money. Just went to an Advanced Autoparts and the manager said he uses that Tarminator stuff on his SL55 AMG. Even went out to the parking lot and demo'ed it on his own car. No more tar on the mustang.
 
CrazyRussian540 said:
http://www.autogeek.net/tarminator.html

Stuff works miracles. Had a ton of tar residue on my Mustang door from all my Pittsburgh trips. I tried the RainX bug/tar remover, but that stuff was a waste of money. Just went to an Advanced Autoparts and the manager said he uses that Tarminator stuff on his SL55 AMG. Even went out to the parking lot and demo'ed it on his own car. No more tar on the mustang.
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Yup, been using it for years. Love it.
 
Does anyone have any experience with Pink Liquid Lustre?



Was talking to a Boss 302LS owner last night who mentioned that he washes his car exclusively with that stuff. I've never heard of it or seen it in stores, so I want to see if any FGers use it.
In its credit, his car did look beautiful. Near mirror finish on the paint that he attributes to this stuff.
 
Eliminates swirls? Woah.
 
Any recommendations for a "quick wax" that lasts about one month? I have been using PoorBoy's QW+, and it doesn't last longer than a week or two on the fleet cars (even when garaged indoors).
 
So my front bumper was caked in bugs after last weeks 3000 mile roadtrip. Went over it with Tarminator and nothing. Scrubbed with towels, microfiber towels, sponges, you name it and no good. Went out and bought these



And noticed an improvement at first touch. 3 hours of scrubbing later, and my bumper is as good as new (minus the rock chips :(). I highly recommend those sponges. Only thing that could make them better would be if they were slightly bigger. I went through 3 of them and they were really hard to hold due to their really small and thin size.
 
some bug removal solution (I turtle wax) then a good pressure washer and auto glym super resin polish have done the trick for me...
 
Nada. I bought the Tarminator...used as directed but the nasty tree sap is still there!!! I think it's pine tree sap...not that it matters. I've started scrubbing it off, but I have to be really gentle not to damage/scratch my paint.
 
_HighVoltage_ said:
Nada. I bought the Tarminator...used as directed but the nasty tree sap is still there!!! I think it's pine tree sap...not that it matters. I've started scrubbing it off, but I have to be really gentle not to damage/scratch my paint.
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Time to pick up some clay bar perhaps. I've noticed once pine tree sap gets on and bakes in a bit it needs to be warm and have some physical pressure applied to remove. Allowing the Tarminator to sit on the sap a little while beforehand helps too.
 
So I have a question. What do people think is better to use when doing a quick wash - just plain old car wash, or a wash-and-wax mixture?

I imagine a wash and wax would be beneficial in a quick wash, but should not be considered a replacement for proper polishing and waxing. Is this so? It seems like one of those subjects where everyone has different and extremely vocal opinions.
 
Question! appearances aside, is a dull finish any less protecting than a shiny finish? eg, is the acid rain more likely to sit on my dull finish and have more time to erode the wax and paint away than on a shiny but slightly thinner shiny layer (that hasn't had the wash/wax applied on top)?
 
The best wax is one you don't really notice, the finish will be smooth to the touch. A dull finish usually means there is too much wax left on the paint, this will rapidly attract crap. The protection wax really provides is a buffer, a slight layer between the elements and the actual finish. Another part of the protection comes from the fact that liquids have a better chance of rolling away, before causing damage.
 
Ah, too much of a good thing then. It makes sense that the coefficient of friction would be lower on the glossy surface, I wasn't sure that that was better than brute-force "MOAR-wax!" Thanks for the clarification.
 
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