balakris

Is there any way to mitigate them? When washing I use two separate buckets one clean with soap, the other to wring out my microfiber wash mitt. Careful not to ever drop them. I've clayed the car once and waxed it once. I've been using a synthetic shammy for drying which is washed after every use.

I've only had it for about 8 months and I am beginning to see the spider web marks. Not terribly noticeable at this point, but it shows in the Guards Red. Is it just inevitable? Any suggestions?

Marine Blue

I have gone a year without introducing any swirls in the paint on my Spyder (3300 miles) but in that span I only washed it once with water. Picture below shows the car with about 3000 miles on it.

To dry the car I would use a Microfiber Towel and throw out the synthetic chamois. A synthetic chamois does not have a rough surface like a microfiber and if you happen to miss any dirt or debris you will trap it between the chamois and paint. This debris is then dragged on the paint resulting in spider webs/swirl marks. Stick to a high quality Microfiber drying towel. Also work from top to bottom as the bottom may not be as clean as the top. Never use the drying towel on the wheels, use a separate towel for the wheels and never mix.

CW-VIESOCK

When you wash, do you use str8 stokes or circular ones? Horizontal surfaces using front to back and vertical surfaces up and down. Str8 is better for washing and waxing. Forget about that Karate Kid business.

Do you rinse off the car before you begin washing to remove fine dust and grit? A pressure washer works great for this. Go easy on the joints and seams.

balakris

Well my car has about 7000 miles, and I have washed it at least 7 times. I think I am going to junk the synthetic dry towel and get microfiber dry towels. I have smaller ones for spot drying but use the synthetic for most of the surfaces.

I never use the same towel for the wheels and body. I have a feeling that the lack of nap on the synthetic chammy is causing the marks. But still I'd like to hear from some folks that have washed their vehicle more than once. Even with microfiber dry towels, I have a feeling the marks are inevitable.

redyps

Balakris -

I have washed my car numerous times and had no problems but I use a de-ionizer (CR Spotless) and my car is white. I rinse the car first and then wash it with a good car wash (Mcguire's or Wolfgang's), lots of suds, take my time, don't scrub real hard with a wash mitt. Then I rinse it. With the DI unit, it will dry spot free on its own. If I want to dry it more quickly than letting it air dry, I use 100% cotton dish towels, the plain white kind that you can dry good crystal drinking glasses with. You can get them at Williams Sonoma.

Every 2-3 washes I wax the car with Wolfgang's Estate Fusion wax.

Every time I take the car for a drive I wipe it down afterwards with a good detailer spray (Mcguire's or Wolfgang's) using a microfiber towel and I keep it covered in the garage (California Car Covers - Dustop). Make sure the car surface is cleaned before you put on a car cover.

Hope this helps,
Phil

thatguitarplace

guys,how do you wash your spyder hood ?

CW-VIESOCK

They are but it's their orientation that makes the visible difference...

balakris

Ahhh you guys with white and silver cars have it easy

redyps

I have owned 2 red Ferraris and both had some small amount of spider webbing. A friend of mine who really knows cars and paint said it was due to the California Car Duster that I was using. I stopped using it.

CW-VIESOCK

I know my advise was not extensive or elaborate but centered on the things that you may or may not know that effect the swirls and webs the most, at least from my past experience with black and burgundy vehicles.

My 2006 rig is Dark Green metallic and with 600k miles, looks like the day it rolled out of the factory paint shop. Well, except for the repaired rock chips.

perfectlap

Take it from someone who has a garage full of EVERY brand of wax, polish and car wash solution.

If you want to eliminate this problem stop washing the car with suds. It's overkill for a well-maintained surface. Use a waterless wash like Optimum NoRinse. Add one ounce to a bucket of water using a grit guard at the bottom. Don't use a mifcrofiber sponge or towel. Use a regular sponge or one of those coral sponges that look like swiss cheese. Before touching the surface, dunk the sponge in the bucket and hold it over the panel to wet it down. i actually use this method or a 2 gallon pesticide sprayer from Home Depot.

The point is to only touch a lubricated surface with a non-prickly cleaning object. Then swipe the songe in one fluid motion from one end of the panel to the other, going in the direction of the wind. Dunk the sponge in the bucket to break loose the large swirl-inducing sediments. The No-Rinse is claimed to drag that to the bottom of the bucket (hence the usefulness of the grit guard). Also don't doble dip. That means don't clean the bottom edge of the car where there is the most road debris and go back up towards the top of the panel with the same towel. Leave the bottom of the car for last and contain the sponge to that area.

I would actually keep a few sponges on hand so that you are working with as clean an object as posible, why not? what's another couple of things in washer. Constantly cleaning of the sponge is the key before you make contact with the paint. Once you're ready for drying you can either go the touchless route with a leaf blower or if you go the invasive route you need to furher lubricate the damp surface and your drying towel with a quick detail spray and use the same single sweep method -- no circles and back and forth. I like waffle weave towels. Again no prickly microfiber. I only use that for interiors and wheels.

Same goes for waxing or polishing. Never touch dry paint. Lay down some lubrication before applying the wax. let it haze. Then apply more lubrication. Use speed and not pressure in long motions with the non-prickly side of the damp microfiber towel. Less weight and less friction equals less force. But using an orbital like the Porter Cable is the best way to avoid the microfiber and get the most speed into wax removal.

orthojoe

I thought I was taking good care of my spyder until I read this thread...

redyps

For both the front and back hoods I take extra care. Every time I either wash the car, use the detailing spray between washes or wax the car every 2-3 washes, I look closely to see if there is anything 'new'. Maybe there is a small tar ball that needs a special cleaner. Maybe there is a new rock chip since you heard something hit the windshield on the last drive. Those areas I go over with a detail spray to remove it or a pre-wax cleaner (e.g., Wolfgang's).

In regards to suds, I forgot to mention that I also have a whole house water softener system so the water is 'slick' to begin with and the suds have never posed a problem. If you are in an area that has hard water this can really make a big difference whether or not you have a DI unit. You can usually get your water tested for free. Remember, hardness is a measure of the Total Dissolved Solids in your water. That includes a big list of bad stuff for your car paint and wash process.

Phil

perfectlap

I am very lazy. I try to make as little work as possible. But the key is not to do things that are counter-productive and wreck the paint. As a matter of fact I've been known not to dry the car at all. I simply jump on the nearby highway and wipe down whatever is left beading when I get to my destination. Dress the tire and wheels and that's the end of it. The less you touch the paint the better you are off. These modern paints only need a little clay bar and a durable synthetic wax to look brand new year after year. Constant detailing is a no win.

Marine Blue

Keeping a black car swirl free really does take effort. It requires the right tools, products and most importantly the right technique.

The one thing I have learned is that waxes and sealants have very little affect on the finish.

I apologize for my brief reply earlier in this thread. There are some very good points brought up in this thread already and so I will summarize and add to them.

Before I begin I will say that I do not regularly drive my car in the rain which is the reason why I don't need to wash it frequently. I have figured out how to clean the car without using a hose. I typically use a California duster after every drive and I follow this up with a complete wipe down of the paint and wheels using quick detail spray and microfibers. It usually takes me about 1 hour to do the whole car. Yeah I know I'm nuts but I actually enjoy it and it gives me time to relax and also take in the curves on the car.

So if I was washing the car regularly I would do the following:

1. Start by purchasing a high quality wool wash mitt, Griots has a really nice one that holds tons of soap and water.

2. Park the car in a shaded area so the sun doesn't dry the product and hard water on the paint.

3. Like already suggested, a two bucket approach is best. One bucket should be for rinsing only and it should have a grit guard on it to keep the sand/dirt settled at the bottom and insure that it doesn't get stirred up when you dip the mitt. The second bucket should have the soap, I personally like Meguiars Gold Class because it helps to sheet water off when you're done. Another approach is to use a foaming gun, Griots has a cheap one that works well although it uses a ton of product. Since soap is relatively cheap I don't mind.

4. Wash the car two panels at a time and start at the top and work to the bottom. Rinse each set of panels after washing it to prevent the product from drying.

5. Once your done washing I would pull the car into the garage and use a soft microfiber drying towel to remove the bulk of the water from the panels. I then use a blower to force water from any cracks/crevices. It's this water that usually creates the hard water stains you see on the bumpers, under the door mirrors or in other areas that hold lots of water. Follow up with another microfiber to fully dry all exterior panels.

6. Once you're done with the exterior panels open up the hood, trunk and doors and wipe down all the hidden areas.

7. Something you can also do when drying the exterior is spray some spray wax on the surface before you do the final drying step. This will not only add protection but it will also increase the lubricity of the surface thus reducing the chance of scratching and also making it easier to wash in the future. Pinnacle makes a very good spray wax which doesn't contain silicones.

Since you already have some swirls in your paint you are going to need to polish the paint. That's another process in itself. Once our house in MA is sold and we have finally settled in Cary I would be happy to let you borrow my random orbital and show you how to use it to get your paint looking better than new.