Carrera GT

Always fun to see these dusty, old threads revived! : )

I agree the Honda spray cleaner was amazing. You could buy it over the counter at a Honda motorcycle dealer and Honda sold it as an "accessory" on their US Web site, but that all changed when it was found to use a chemical which harms the ozone layer. So they changed the formulation to something more generic that's still a great cleaner-wax for non-concours purposes just to keep a track car or daily driver tidy. There's also a very (very) similar formulation to the old Honda formulation that some sell in a purple and black spray can that smells like the Honda stuff and seems to be very good on jet skis (dealing with hard water, salt, etc.)

The top shelf now for tire marks is Mothers R3 available on amazon.com cheaply enough. Works well, doesn't seem to attack plastic, paint or 3M paint film. Amazing stuff -- no mechanical force needed, just let the chemical work, wipe off, rinse off with filtered water, done.

V

Carrera GT, I saw before that you advised against using this on the paintwork. Is that true? Seems like many here on the board have been using this as a quick detailer but I wouldn't want to do that if it's harmful to the paint itself. I was under the impression that it could be used pretty much everywhere, body, glass, wheels, plastic etc. Typically if the car has been washed and put in storage, to get the watermarks off the car or even the dust when sitting in storage. The extra 5% to get that showroom finish.

Resident Sicko

Anyone care to comment on the prolonged effects of this on window trim, rubber, etc?

Carrera GT

Mothers is just for bugs. If you mean the Honda magic paint can, I use it for clean-up, not broad paint maintenance. The lower on the car, the better. Wheels especially.

Carrera GT

Both Mothers and the Honda stuff (or any of the "bug & tar" chemicals) will not do anything to plastics (rubber seals, etc.) But don't actively use it on flexibles -- for all flexible plastics and unpainted surfaces, use 303 -- it's great.

http://303products.com/index.php/pro...-1-gallon.html

I have used 303 on cars, trucks, plains, bikes ... dogs and babies ... it's all good.

I use 303 inside and out (with clean microfibre rags and plastic gloves ... since this stuff is a chemical, I don't want it on my skin or in my lungs or eyes.)

I use it to clean seatbelts, door trim, window seals (not the fabric sliders that have a hairy texture ... for that, I use a specific clear lithium spray or convertible top protection product) and the wheel well liners, the plastic "chin" spoilers, door seals, 993 body parts and bumper moldings, etc. etc. Motorcycles, wheels, boat trim. It's brilliant. Dries without excessive shine and non-greasy. I don't use it on the dash or anything with leather or "touch" surfaces. I prefer those to be "factory" and dry, so I clean with distilled water and dust cloth, then a long boar's hair brush to clear away dust from time to time if I'm feeling like it.

Carrera GT

Right. That's the current best alternative to the "old" Honda stuff I mentioned. I have it in a dark purple and black can.

http://www.originalbikespirits.com/p...leaner-polish/

You'll even see it when you search Amazon alongside the Honda stuff.



I think it's reasonable to accept the environmental concerns about various chemicals like VOCs and use other products that don't (necessarily) burn up the atmosphere quite so vigorously. Who knows? If I could clean the whole car with orange peel extracts, that would be fine by me.

V

Yup I was referring to the Honda stuff. I bought two boxes of this stuff back when the thread was alive a few years ago, it will last for a while .

My cars paint is surface treated with a two-component kind of thin clearcoat, which is supposed to 1. protect the paint from fine scratches and 2. make the car easier to clean. Every other year or so the car is treated again to keep the surface looking good. So from a starting point, the paint is more protected than it was from factory. It's ok to use mild degreasers on this thin clearcoat, so I think this Honda spray would be fine to use all over the car (at least on mine). But it seems to be petroleum-based, so that is something to keep in mind. As per your original statement, I was afraid that it would damage the paint if you finish of a wash with the Honda stuff, so thanks for clearing that up.