Stephenkng

Hi Ben, the starting kit with Mr. Clean come with a trail filter only good for three wash. However, the replacement filter will last for ten wash. I think it costs about $7 - $8 from target.

vove

I only wash my car with my hands, never use a sponge unless its on the wheels. My neighbors must think that Im a nut but they dont understand.

OCBen

They're not the only ones. ..

OCBen

Here's something worth mentioning. I had been making the mistake, in an effort to get rid of the unsightly rust film on the rotors after a wash, of driving up and down the driveway and hitting the brakes to remove the coat of rust. But I would always be baffled by this thick, sticky goop that would mar the inside of my wheels and was sometimes difficult to wipe clean, requiring a wet sponge at times.

But then I had "a moment of clarity, as alcoholics like to say" (sorry, got Pulp Fiction quotes on the mind) and realized that this goop is nothing but a mud of brake dust and rust and water that forms when the rotors are still wet and you're trying to use the brakes. .. D’OH!

So now, after I wash the car I don't do that silly routine that confirms my neighbors' suspicions of my being a nutcase (well, they've known that for years since the day I sanded the paint on a brand new Boxster, but that's another story). ... I now simply let the rotors dry fully before driving off or storing the car for the night in the garage. ... Having one of those blowers might come in handy for that too.

munro86

i wanna hear the Boxster story

gota911

Me too, me too! Tell us the Boxster story, Uncle Ben! After that, we promise we'll go to sleep!

Deanski

Menzerna P085RD polish for micro marring since this is one of the finest polishes out, but hard to find as they do not import this polish to USA. They have several others as well, but find this one the best.

You could also use any other "final polish" with a "PC" polisher.

Washing, well, I strip waxes with a Dawn wash, then clay, and start polishing. I use a two bucket method and only sheep-skin mitts.

You can read more at Car Finish Care or at: More finish care

You can find some very good products and people to assist you!

Regards,
Deanski

OCBen

You guys are too much. I thought I told you guys that story before. Anyways, it was published in the local PCA chapter magazine. I'll see if I can find a link for it in their archives, otherwise I'll post in the Non Sequiturs thread.

Racer48

A Question for OCBen and friends:

My almost-new basalt black 997 has acquired some fine clear coat scratches on the hood where a cat apparently decided to climb aboard for a nap. Kitty claws and a black Porsche are a bad mix! These scratches are quite visible if the lighting is correct, but they can not be felt by hand and I do not believe that they penetrate the clear coat. FYI, I have been using Klasse AIO and Klasse Sealant, and the car is otherwise immaculate.

What type of polish (and process) do you folks recommend for removing the scratches? I am assuming that I should remove the wax/sealant, polish the affected areas with some type of very fine polish, then reapply wax/sealant. Would 3M Hand Glaze be appropriate for this specific situation?

Thanks!

OCBen

Those fine feline scratches can be polished away rather easily. And you don't have to worry about removing the wax first - the polish application will do that nicely for you.

Try the 3M Imperial Hand Glaze first, and if that doesn't quite cut it, use a swirl mark remover like 3M's Swirl Mark Remover to eliminate them. Then follow up with IHG to bring back the high gloss and then seal and protect with Klasse HGSG. You can read up on the process by following the link in my signature here on waxing.

P.S. A dust cover will prevent kitty scratches in the future.

woodranch

Ben would you be able to remove these hairline scratches by hand or do you need machine help.Also when removing these micro scrathes are you removing a little paint in this process?

Racer48

Thank you, Ben. I do in fact own a nice dust cover, but the scratches occurred while at friends house for dinner, and I did not even have the cover with me. Doh!

OCBen

Racer: You're welcome. Yeah, not much you can do when you park it outside temporarily.

Woodranch: See my thread on polishing and waxing, and post #30 this thread for your answers.

uzj100

Ben, on hand applications (i.e. IHG) what 's your preferred applicator--foam pad or microfiber?

OCBen

Joe: I've indicated in the referenced threads that a high quality foam pad works better than microfiber for hand polishing. I used to be baffled when I found myself contributing to the fine scratches, to my frustration, that I was trying to remove on my black Boxster while using a microfiber towel for polishing. (See my section on scratches.) I learned the hard way why pros recommend a quality foam applicator for polishing away fine scratches. It has to do with fibers and pressure distribution. Unlike a microfiber towel a soft foam pad is soft throughout with no fibers or isolated elements that can scratch under intense pressure. The physics behind this is discussed in detail at the beginning of this thread for anyone else interested.