Archimedes

No, the nano coatings do nothing to protect against rock chips. They keep out contaminants and make cleaning the car easier, that's it. I have no issues with rock chips, as I want my car to age naturally and not look pristine. But I want it to be easy to clean and the least amount of swirls possible.

For washing, I have some OptimaNoRinse, but haven't used it yet. Probably going to start using that some soon. My detailer swears by it.

vantage

Wolfgang Waterless/Rinseless concentrate from Autogeek. $20.

Search the autogeekonline . net forum for an explanation on best techniques. You really do need to be careful to spray on some of hte solution to pre-treat, use many long nap towels, and use each side of a towel for only one pass. You do not want to rub dirt into your paint.

I agree with the prior poster that said that the best way to avoid swirls is to avoid touching your paint. Even clean paint can be scratched by a spec of dust in your towel. I don't overly worry about it because life is too short, but this is also the reason I don't do rinseless, much less if the car is extremely dirty.



Re the CR Spotless unit. The owner of this business did a demo for my Lotus club maybe 7-8 years ago, thought it was a great product. Never bothered with it because I spray my Quick detailer product on my car while it is still wet. But for those that don't use this technique, it's a good product.

switchface

Wow, some of you freaks (I mean that in the nicest of ways) take your wheels off to wash the car?? Man, I love this place.

For those using pressure washers, which one are you using and why? I'm looking to get one so I can use a foam cannon - I don't need to clean concrete or anything. Looking for an inexpensive electric one and came across:

Sun Joe SPX3001

.

Both are at least 2000psi, but the AR is 1.4 GPM and the Joe is 1.76. Both around $200-220 range.

Shockwave

I have the AR390SS and love it... The Hose Reel is useless however because the hose is way to stiff. I use it with a MTM Foam Cannon and couldnt be happier.

I had the AR383 prior and it was also really good.

Friends have the Sunjoe SPX3000 and they all love it.

user1029

Dr. G

This was one of the best things I bought for cleaning the car:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003CU...pf_rd_i=mobile

Had the high impact areas covered with Xpel Ultimate and the rest of the car done in Gyeon Q2 MOHS+. I do the wheels with Sonax, then foam cannon and pressure washer get the car clean and then I use the master blaster to dry. Wipe down with a little bit of Gyeon Cure and she's stunning.

MrNurse

So I kept hearing of this "waterless spray wash" and had no idea what it was. For some reason I thought it was something crazy that you would need a house for. It turns out that it's the opposite as I just looked it up.
I live in an apartment in Manhattan so I don't have access to a hose which has always been a problem for me. I would wash my car at a self wash before work by my job about 30mins away.
I'm going to be looking up videos of this wonderful waterless car wash tonight.

rk-d

I use optimum wash wax and also meguiars. Both are great. Griots is always reliable. There are many others. They key is having super plush microfiber cloth. Spare no expense on that. It really works. I have a basket full of cloth -I'll fold them into quarters and change sides frequently. I'll go through several to clean the car.

Yeah - waterless is just the ticket for you. No doubt. I'll still do a traditional wash if the car is very dirty but for most cases, I prefer waterless.

okie981

This combination of a thermos bottle sized but powerful sweeper and an attachment assortment with micro-sized tools is one of the best things I've discovered after way too many years of detailing my car interiors. There's a 12v and 110v version of the sweeper. For scale, the white hose you see is about 5/8" OD.

Carcam

I drive less than a mile to a touchless drive thru car wash. $8.00 and I get a super foam canon, lots of rinses including wheels and underbody, a spotless rinse then a good blow dry. What water is left takes 2 minutes with a Griots waffle drying towel. It's covered completely with Xpel so I'm not worried about micro scratches and swirls. Couldn't be easier, takes less time then getting everything out and winding the hose back up at home. After that I do wax it myself, P21S- like rubbing oil on a model

Joemat

I still believe that you need to "feed the paint" with quality carnuba wax for long term luster. Do PPF and Ceramc Coatings prevent one from nourishing the underlying paint?? Not sure. I have my E92 M3 partially covered with a clear bra and my incoming GT4 scheduled to have XPEL applied. I often wonder if I will see a difference in covered vs. uncovered sections over 5-10 years

okie981

With good overall exterior care of your car, PPF full or partial, you will not see any noticeable differences unless the PPF gets lots of road rash. Just wax and apply detail spray to the PPF just like you do the paint. Don't use any abrasive cleaners or abrasive polish on PPF just to be safe. I assume you are referring to Xpel Ultimate or Suntek clear PPF. Not sure how other PPF films will hold up.

From my PPF installer's website (Invisibra.net):
Wax the film as you would the paint. Detail sprays and sealants will not affect the film. Hard coatings are not recommended by the makers of the film (but many people have done it with no concerns). Clay bar should be done as with a soft clear coat, allowing the film to cool in the shade first. Edges, if there are any, can be cleaned with rubbing alcohol and a natural bristled brush.

He uses 3M, Xpel Ultimate, Suntek, and Llumar, but prefers Suntek if you have no preference.

Crazy Eddie

3M pro series is the best film on the market
IMHO
Sorry but I had to say it
Regards
Ed

okie981

I'm open to trying anything that comes with a real world recommendation

My installer will use 3M, Xpel Ultimate, Suntek and Llumar, but prefers Suntek. I scrutinized XU and Suntek side by side, and if the only factors of concern are looking most like your original paint, between those two products, I can confirm that Suntek wins. He had 3M and Llumar but didn't pull them out for a comparison. Guess I should have done that, when I'm in there in July to have my GT4 covered, I'll look into the 3M product he has.

Invisibra.net, Brian is the owner and does all installations. A lot of shops are using hired help to do the installs. I like working directly with the owner due to the excellent reputation an owner will work to maintain.

GT4Tony

I drove my car in the rain today. It's cleaner.