Originally posted by Masherbrum
Hey Rip,
I just did a 1/2 arsed wash with my new car, as I've had it around a month now. The weather finally allowed a wash, I will NOT be taking it to "automatic washes". Any tips you'd like to share on keeping this looking good?
I love the 31 mpg this thing gets!
COngrats! Nice looking auto, and you gotta love that gas mileage!
Considering its dark color, I'd do the following (Albeit alittle anal, YMMV)
Dark colors will show all paint imperfections the most (and, as most of you know, it shows dirt the best)
The following is for those who are obsessed with keeping their paint finish like it is factory new! For those that don't care, don't read any further!
Caring for dark colored paint have two primary catagories:
---> washing of the vehicle--
---> polishing/waxing of the vehicle---(I won't get into this discussion because it could take up 3 pages!)
Washing dark colored vehicles, I recommend the following:
Do's:-Hand wash only!
-Always hose off any caked on mud.
-Wash in a "linear" direction, never in circles, you'll induce swirl marks if you wash in circular motion.
-When washing using linear method, flip the wash mitt over before going back over the same spot as to not drag dirt over the same spot, or you'll induce swirl marks.
-Wash beginning top down.
-Use 3 different wash mitts. One for the everything above the rocker panels and bumpers. One for the rockers and bumpers. One for the wheels. The reasoning is that your vehicles is dirtier as you go down, and you don't want to be dragging particles of dirt over you finish.
-Use "2 bucket method" if your comfortable taking an extra step of precaution.
-Use quality car wash soap. There IS a difference!
-Do one body section at a time, and rinse. Sitting soap especially in heat is not good for the finish after you've washed a section. Rinse it, and move to the next section.
-Dry with chamois, microfiber chamois or 100% cotton ONLY!
-A light spritzing of quick drying wax (many on the market) is good, just be sure apply it in the shade and quickly dry it. Do one body section at a time.
Don'ts:-Don't wash a dark vehicle in bright sunlight, unless you actually LIKE the looks of dried on water spots.
-NEVER use anything but chamois or 100% cotton to dry your vehicles. Anything else will induce swirl marks.
-Don't re-use a wash mitt for more than 12-15 washes. Rotate it "down" to the Rocker/Bumper mitt, and the Rocker/Bumper mitt to the wheel mitt and get a new mitt for the upper parts. Chenille wash mitts are cheap, and if you paid this much money for a great 4x4, you can afford a $3 wash mitt every 3 months or so.
-DON'T use Dawn or Dish washing detergent to wash your vehicles! This will STRIP all the wax off the vehicle! If you are going to do a full detail, then Dawn is okay, because you're going to re-apply new wax afterwards!
-Don't use those brush type car washes! That is like INSTANT SWIRL MARK CITY!
-Don't use any brush on your vehicle except possibly a Boar's hair brush for the lower parts (That's my opinion, as I could see the swirls that an expensive Boars hair brush did to my black finish!)
-NEVER wash the towels you dry your vehicle with fabric softner, the small amount of fabric softner in the towel will break down the wax and induce swirl marks.
Regardless of how careful you are washing your vehicle, swirl marks are gonna happen. If you follow the recommendations above, you will have significantly LESS swirl marks and this will make the detailing portion (Polishing, Waxing) alot easier for you.
That's about all that I can think of at this moment in the morning, I'm sure I'll remember a few others.
And if you're asking what swirl marks are? Go look at some of the Black painted SUV's and Trucks in your area closely in the sunlight. You'll know what they are when you see it!
Good luck!
