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Car wash geeks.... Unite!

6K views 21 replies 13 participants last post by  suzq044  
#1 ·
Hello All!!


I have some swirl marks and light scratches from where I took off my window air deflectors.
What light polish and/or technique does anyone recommend to remove the swirls, but not mess with the new paint.

I know you are not really suppose to hit new paint with a polish during the first year or so, that's why I am looking for advice.

I was thinking of getting this combo and actually trying just the finishing polish first before trying the swirl remover.

fwiw.. this is going to be my procedure now...

1-wash.
2-clay bar.
3-wash.
4-(do swirl remove here possibly pre wax if no swirl remove).
5-reflections wax.
6-reflections top coat..
7- wipe down in between washes with showtime

Thanks, and ANY car wash/wax tips or ideas, please post away.
There is a HUGE car wash/detail culture out there and it would be cool if we had a nice thread about it.

thanks again
Jim

DETAILING TIPS
CAR CARE HANDBOOKS AND VIDEOS
 
#2 ·
#3 ·
Thanks for the tip.
The Meguiar's stuff I jave tried was top notch.

Do you happen to have a more specific suggestion in re: to my problem?
I am looking for a super light polish to remove light scratches but safe for new paint.

thanks
Jim
 
#4 ·
you can check out the Meguiar's online forum for more professional advice than I can offer you.

It is my understanding that new paint is hardened enough that something like their scratch-x would work. But again, the Meguiar's guy does this stuff for a living, so he would have better advice on his online forum.
 
#5 ·
I use for the detailing job this products, here is my procedure

Wash with soap has dishes dry-clean
dry with microfiber
clay-bar
scratch and swirl remover(turtle wax)
24 karats wax with carnauba (more beautiful finish)
Poor Boy's Spray and Gloss (detailing spray,remove great carnauba wax, and gloss more everything)

Maguiar's cleaner wheel (purple botle)
'amguiar's tire shine (Gel)

and every week wash the car with 24 karats soap-wax for restore the wax job, post picutre next week after wash my patriot!
 
#6 · (Edited)
A product called dri wash n guard. I have used it for years. Its a micro polish, and when I say micro i mean micro! When I got my patriot it had some dull spots (2 to be precise) that were dull from the factory fixing the paint in a couple of spots and they forgot to buff it! crazy huh? First I got mad cuz the dealer that I got it from should have seen it and second the factory should have finished what they started. Oh well life is too short to stay mad. Rather than drve 3 hours back to the dealer I got out the ole trusty dri wash n guard and about 2 min later I got a perfect gloss that matched the rest of the vehicle! I swear by the stuff!
http://www.dri-wash.us/ Looks like they have some new products after watching the video on this site. I am gonna try the ultra ion stuff as they say it will repel dust...
oh yeah, it will NOT leave swirlies and will remove ones that are there.
 
#8 ·
I used this stuff called Liquid Glass on both of my Jeeps and it's great. It's long lasting and bugs, bird droppings, etc.. wipe off with ease. It is kind of expensive [$20 at Autozone] but it lasts a long time. So far I've polished 3 vehicles with 2 coats and still have half a can left.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Here's my procedure....

1. Drive my Jeep to the neighborhood car wash

2. Tell the attendant what I want done, wash & spray wax, tire shine, no Armor All on the interior.

3. Remind the attendant not to use ammonia cleaners on my front windows as it will cause the tint film to fade to purple over time.

4. Give the keys to the attendant, then walk inside to get out of the hot Florida sun.

5. Pay for the service, $15 to $20. Watch the Jeep, in air conditioned comfort, as it passes by down the wash & wax tunnel.

6. Go outside once the kids have finished attacking the Jeep with hot dry towels, the interior gets vacuumed out, and the tires are being shined.

7. When the signal is given, I head out to my Jeep, slipping a $5 bill into the hand of the kid who handed my keys to me.

8. I pull out of the car wash and head home, weary that it took 20 minutes to to get the Jeep cleaned.


It's a Jeep. Not a Maserati, not a Ferrari, and not a Rolls Royce. Its a Jeep.

:doh:​
 
#13 ·
It's a Jeep. Not a Maserati, not a Ferrari, and not a Rolls Royce. Its a Jeep.[/CENTER]



Some of us take more pride and time in the care of our posessions than others.
Does not matter what level of posession or cost.


Do you have any actual car washing tips in the spirit of the thread, or was this just an attempt at condescendsion.
 
#10 ·
Wade...too funny!

Alas, I am such a tighta$$ that I couldn't spend 20-25 dollars (tip included).
Hence, I do it mostly myself.

FWIW, my wife says if I get to be anymore of a tighta$$, I'm gonna be able to bend rebar with it. (wow, she can be harsh..)

I have to admit though..I like your procedure a lot!;)
 
#11 ·
Wade -

You and I are cut from the same cloth. :)

Except that my local car wash (former employer of K-Fed) has a coupon cutting their $27 service down to $16. I'll do that and take the extra $10 and purchase two "ride and shine" tokens, allowing me to drive my car through just the carwash/toweling off station whenever the outside is screaming for attention and the inside is OK.

Only a couple more weeks to go, and I can finally order my Jeep!
 
#14 ·
The Maguires 3 step has always worked for me.
1. Paint Cleaner
2. Wax
3. Polish

Admitedly though, I havent washed my Jeep as often and as thoroughly as I wish I had. Work, weather, and a general lack of free time have put a damper on my cleaning efforts. Before it gets too cold though, I'll be hitting it hard one last time to prepare for the winter.
 
#15 ·
I used to use (haven't had to break out anything on my Jeep yet) 3M products to get scratches out, but this tended to work mostly on deeper ones, it'd be overkill on anything else. Anyway, the stuff I used to remove the scratch was something called Finesse-It (spelling may be off) if I remember correctly, it was white in color. Then I'd follow up with another of their products, can't remember the name, but it was a glaze which was clay colored. I removed many, many scratches that way. I bought both the bottles, about a liter in size each, about 10 years ago and still am using the same bottles of both. Best I can remember they ran about $30 total and I purchased them from a body shop supply store. Sometimes the glaze itself was enough to get out minor scratches.
 
#18 ·
Gaze said:
The Maguires 3 step has always worked for me.
1. Paint Cleaner
2. Wax
3. Polish
Hi Gaze,

Do you use a carnuba wax or paint sealant?
Buffer or hand?


ben said:
3M products to get scratches out, but this tended to work mostly on deeper ones, it'd be overkill on anything else. Anyway, the stuff I used to remove the scratch was something called Finesse-It
Hey Ben,

http://www.autogeek.net/3mfiniimacpo.html
Someone else here recently was touting the benefits of 3m swirl remover.
The Finesse reads a little strong possibly.



Thanks
Jim
 
#22 ·
anybody use the turtlewax "Ice" line yet? If so, what do you think of it? I haven't tried it yet, but wanted to know if it worked the way they say it does in the infomercials. lol