I have always heard before and after. I think you want to do it before to protect against salt and other things winter will bring. Then I hear to do it after winter to get rid the salt and anything you might pick up during the season. If your going to do it yourself just do it before and after.

 

Sweet! Thanks, guys.

 

Best Rated Waxes by Consumer Reports:

Liquids
1. Black Magic, Wet Shine Liquid Wax (BM48016)
2. Turtle Wax, Carnauba Car Wax (T-6)
3. Eagle One, Nanowax

Pastes
Nu Finish (NFP-80)
Turtle Wax, Platinum Series Ultra Gloss (411R)
P21S, Concours-Look Carnauba Wax

Sprays
Eagle One, Wax-As-U-Dry
Turtle Wax, 1 Step Wax & Dry (T-9)
Turtle Wax, Platinum Series Ultra Gloss (413R)

 

First off, I assume you're washing your car "outside". When washing outside you have that big hot thing in the sky baking down, drying the water before you get to it.

Also, there's another thing called acid rain. It comes from the rain itself, and other things like sprinklers that have lead in the water.

The second part is really the main reason why you have spots. They sell chemicals that you hose down the car with water, spray it on the car, wash it off then presume to wash your car.

I have it at my job, but I forget the name of it.

best thing to use to dry your car is a leather chamois. Not those ones that feel rubbery, I mean the uneven, "leather" one's. I never liked the absorbers.

 

Here are the steps I use once a week or once twice a week with spectacular results.
You need to make sure you wash your car early in the morning or late evening when there is no sun hitting your vehicle (always in the shade

1. Clay your vehicle with Mothers Clay
http://www.autogeek.net/motcalgolcla.html

2. Polish your vehicle with Mothers Power Polish
http://www.microfiber-products-online.com/mopopos1.html

3. Wax your vehicle with Mothers Power Wax
http://www.bikedepot.net/mo8716.html

DO NOT USE CHAMOIS, I learned the hardway, USE micro fiber cloth and dont use the cloths underneath the vehicle, or anywhere were alot of dirt remains after a wash.

The polishes and waxes I use you need a power buffer you can purchase on ebay for about 60.00 which is an incredible deal, they also come with pads to buff your car!

With these steps your car will look incredibley shiny.

 

like the previous post mentioned...sun is bad for a black evo

avoid washing in direct sunlight...after you do the final rinse just dry off ASAP

you should get most of it out...i use megiuars quick detail spray to prep the surface...works wonders to get the water spots removed

then i use a quick wax spray to bring out the shine

 

You're nuts!! I've used real leather chamois on brand new zo6's, nsx's, sti's, evo's etc...

Here's a picture of a 04 sti with 35k miles on it after I detailed it, and yes, dried it with a chamois, lol:



A microfiber is good for taking polish, compound, wax off. You don't need to use it a microfiber to dry the car. They don't hold that much water to begin with.

 

My god, there's so much bad information in this thread it boggles the mind!

If you really want to take care of your car... I mean really take care of it... spend some time over on this site.

You'll learn everything you ever wanted to know about keeping your car in better than showroom condition.

Just go give you an idea, these are the steps I did on my Evo during a bigger cleaning a few months ago (weekly cleanings aren't as involved, but you get the idea...):

- FK Paint Decontamination
- Sonus Green Clay
- Dawn Wash (to clean off any remaining waxes/oils that may have been missed in the previous steps)
- FK 2180 (x2) with a PC and black finishing pad
- Natty's Blue (x2)
- FK FX-100 between each layer of sealant and after the final layer of wax
- FK 425 to finish off
- Trim was dressed with PB Trim Restorer
- Glass was cleaned with combination of Stoners Invisible Glass and NXT Glass Cleaner, and then topped with a layer of FK 425
- Wheels were cleaned with Eagle One All Wheel and Tire Cleaner, and then I added 2 layers of PB Wheel Sealant and finished it off with FK 425
- the tires were cleaned with Tropi-Care Silicone Free Tire Prep, and then dressed with 3 layers of Tropi-Care Silicone Free Tire Dressing
- and of course I did the necessary steps on the inside (vaccumed, cleaned/conditioned the leather trim on the seats, cleaned the carpets, QD the dash and plastics, etc.)

I didnt' bother using any polishes, as I had done some during it's initial cleaning over the Spring and I didn't need to redo it at that point. I've since gotten some different products for a few of the steps though, and when the car comes out again in April next year I'll be adding some additional steps as well as changing some products around again to see if I can get something I like even better.

 

Crasher does an AMAZING job. I had done a great job of waxing my Evo - then a week later Crasher and I redid my car. Smoothed out my Spoiler with the clay, waxed the hell out of my car with the buffer. Buffed an abrasion i got that was real nasty, came right out. Listen to Crasher about the tools to use.

 

claying and waxing all help out but make sure you use good soap .I used meguirs gold class since the day i bought my whip and nothing else. You can get a gallon and a costco for like 10 bucks.try it you wont be disapointed!

 

Thanks a lot guys. A lot of good information. I do have special soap strictly for cars. Do you guys recommend the autodry thing?

 

Have to agree with Geese1 on this one. This thread is horrible and out of control with poor tips.

Go to www.autopia.org.. forums.. sit back, crack a beer or 5, and start reading.

First of all - DON'T use a power washer to wash your car unless you want to mar the hell out of your paint.

Secondly, leather (or any) chamois is terrible for your finish.. especially those with soft paint. I don't care how many years you or your father or your grandfather used them. Today's paint is soft.. weak.. look at all the complaints about mitsubishi's paint. It's not just mitsubishi, it's 90% of the cars out there. it's the environmental standards that have degraded the durability of modern day paint finish. In the end though, ALL paint is different.. it's important to understand the characteristics of your paint before taking an 'ebay buffer' to it. YES, use QUALITY microfiber towels (no, walmart/costco does not sell them.. they aren't cheap).. The key is to use the waffle weave MF towels. My WW MF towel will hold 10 times the water that any chamois or "absorber" can and won't cause marring.

9xfaster - sure you used a chamois.. and yes the car looks shiny. But my guess is A. If you examined that paint up close under 1000watts of halogen it would be enough to make a grown man cry. B. I would venture to guess that the polish/wax you contains fillers... which works great on hiding imperfections... that is, until the car gets wet again. The key is to FIX the problems.. not to hide them.. and then know how to prevent them.

Thirdly - Meguiars Gold Class is garbage. Meguiar's DOES make some decent polishes/waxes.. most of which can't always be found at your local auto parts store. But this does not include their Gold Class line. Of course you think its great.. after all, it's called "Gold Class"! Ahh, the power of branding is alive and well.

Fourth - Someone mentioned they are claying their vehicle once every 1-2 weeks? That's absurd.

Fifth - Consumer Reports is not in the auto detailing business.. they're recommendations are absolute trash. Black Magic Wax #1? I'd like to see how that holds up against the likes of PoorBoys, Zaino, Optimum, etc etc. The products they are recommending are all mass-marketed consumer grade items that I wouldn't come within 100 feet of my Evo with.

I don't mean to sound like a jerk... but it PAINS me to hear people share misinformation like this (I'm obsessive compulsive, I know). PLEASE, for the sake of your evo's finish, go spend some time on Autopia.org if you need wash/wax tips and want a flawless finish. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about.. I'll post pics up of my car this weekend under 1000 watts of light (close up) .. there is not one marred area, scratch, scuff, swirl on my entire car. I don't use fillers either. It's all in the prep.

Check out the Autopia store or Autogeek.net for some good prices.

Flame suit on.

 

I would use anything POWER, unless you cannot use your noggins and make good judgements.


With a power washer, dont point the GUN too close to the paint, do it at a safe distance, and only you will know!

power buff tools, I highly recommend but first READ ONLINE HOWTO buff with a powered buffer or you will burn your paint.


Chamois doesnt have a fluffy thickness to it, and if the chamois gets a tiny speck of sedament, it will scratch your car, you need to make sure your car is completely clean on all corners and wedges of your vehicle before you run a chamois over your paint.

With high quality microfiber its alot more texture and the dirt particles are not hitting the paint as you move your cloth back forth.

 

+1...i use the dupont wax with teflon between wax jobs too...use good microfiber...

 

+1 to reading Autopia for detailing advice FTW!