When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Meh most of the time DIY spray car wash. Occasionally sponge with two buckets and maybe claybar and whatever wax I have sitting around. I bought it to drive it, not to spend 5 hours out of my weekend rubbing it with who knows what.
Swirlies come from people running their cars through a regular car wash; take that out of the equation and you're 99% there.
Meh most of the time DIY spray car wash. Occasionally sponge with two buckets and maybe claybar and whatever wax I have sitting around. I bought it to drive it, not to spend 5 hours out of my weekend rubbing it with who knows what.
Swirlies come from people running their cars through a regular car wash; take that out of the equation and you're 99% there.
I find swirls can come from many sources such as drying the car with a chamois is there is a little dirt in the chamois or on the car and you rub it in then you will get swirls on a black car water spots are also problems, brushing snow off a car, washing with dirty water etc.
Don't get me wrong, I will use the pressure washer at work to rinse off, but about once a month I will take the time to properly wash my my car. Clay Bar is only twice a year, once in spring after the gravel is off the roads and once to help with paint protection before the snow falls
I face the same challenge with my Midnight Blue Metallic C4S. I can get it swirl-free with the polisher, but the swirl marks do come back quickly. I've found that the following things have made a big difference:
- Make sure to use the "two bucket" method when you wash (one soapy water, one clean rinse water). Make sure there are dirt traps or screens in the bottom of your buckets.
- Make sure to use a clean wash mitt - which it sounds like you do. I love the Adams merino wool wash mitt.
- Don't use microfiber towels or rags to dry the car. I have found these to really create swirl marks quickly. I use drying towels from either Griot's Garage or Adam's Polishes and they work very well.
- Use Adam's Paint Glaze after you have polished out the swirl marks and before you wax. This stuff is like magic.
- Use spray wax after each wash to keep your wax fresh and keep swirl marks down.
These are my best suggestions. They work pretty well. Overall though, I agree with you - this car is the most difficult to keep swirl-free of any car I've ever owned.
Call me old fashioned, but a damp, clean, real chamois leather pad… unfolded and spread flat, then dragged across the surface by two adjacent corners will remove 95% of the water droplets and prevent spotting… Wring the chamois out when soaked and keep going. I start with the windows to get it evenly wet. Rinse the chamois out when done and hang it in the shade to dry and it will give you years of excellent service (i.e. don’t roll it up wet, it will rot and develop that special 3-days locked in the washing machine aroma).
Chamois? Yikes! That's what I used back in the 80s when I didn't know any better!
Yes, Korean microfiber drying towel or an electric air drying tool (NOT a leaf blower!).
My go-to is to spray the clean car when still wet with Adams Polishes H2O Guard and Gloss, then wipe with a double soft microfiber towel soaked in hot water.
Dries the paint off without any streaks or spots and provides protection until the next wash!
Disregard the headlight covers, old picture, they are gone!
I might have to try some of this new fangled detailing dognology. I just watched a twisted microfiber demo online - pretty impressive.
Not sure how the microfiber will look, tailored into a pair of lederhosen for car wash day though... the neighbors may prefer my traditional canary yellow chamois leather number - hard to beat real leather!!!
And noted re the decadal bump - I will read the fine print more closely next time.
I would not do this today but I used a P21S synthetic drying chamois for years with great results...as long as I did my part and removed all traces of dirt during the wash, it did not mar the paint. Of course, I think this synthetic chamois was easier on the paint than a real genuine chamois.
I actually use the griots top cleaner in a Bissel little green machine. Followed up by their fabric top sealer. Does nice job on carpet and mats as well.
12-09-2012, 07:16 PM
