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Washing your car

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I believe I purchase the carnauba wax. Any tips for that type of wax? Or should I just return it and get the liquid/synthetic type?
 
I prefer Meguiar's NXT for wax. Not quite a deep of a shine as carnauba but it lasts longer and is easy to apply.

No real tips for either. Just....
Screen-shot-2010-06-16-at-12.jpg
 
NutBucket said:
I prefer Meguiar's NXT for wax. Not quite a deep of a shine as carnauba but it lasts longer and is easy to apply.

No real tips for either. Just....
Screen-shot-2010-06-16-at-12.jpg
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how familiar you are with Carnauba wax but when it dries and hazes and it comes time to remove that layer do you wash out the towel/applicator after each panel or just keep going?
 
xSkyDrAx said:
I'm not sure how familiar you are with Carnauba wax but when it dries and hazes and it comes time to remove that layer do you wash out the towel/applicator after each panel or just keep going?
Click to expand...
Keep using it until it fails to cleanly remove wax. Also toss it aside if it touches the ground or any dirty parts of the car.
 
Howard said:
Keep using it until it fails to cleanly remove wax. Also toss it aside if it touches the ground or any dirty parts of the car.
Click to expand...

Once it fails to cleanly remove the wax do I just rinse it off and go back to using it or do I have to use a new one?
 
jteef said:
a drying "trick" is take the nozzle off the hose and turn the water on fairly low so a weak stream comes out. You then use the hose to sheet the water spots away. what remains will always be much smaller spots, will make your towel last longer and should make it easier to blot instead of wipe. You can also use some of the rinse-free products to save the scratching/swirling associated with towel drying. .
Click to expand...
This works. I can't be bothered to towel, but I can tell you if you use the multi-jet spray option with the hose to cover lots of area it will water mark like an absolute bastard, but if you let it sheet off as described it really makes a big difference. I don't use an attachment anymore and let my hose run, which is a horrendous waste of water. I will be buying an on/off simple switch for it shortly 🙂
 
1. Join Autopia.org - a forum dedicated to car care
2. Don't use a water blade to dry your car because you risk catching a piece of dirt and dragging it across your paint
3. Don't clay your car unless you plan to follow up with a polish because clay can mar the paint. Clay is generally used to prepare the paint for polishing because it removes the dirt and grime that is fused to the paint and cannot be removed by simply washing the car.
4. As far as washing the car goes, detailers like to use the two bucket method with grit guards that was mentioned above. One bucket is for rinsing only and the other bucket has your water/car soap solution.
 
I use the 2 bucket method and then use Eagle One Wax-as-u-dry aerosol. Spray a little on as you are drying and it looks like you spent all day detailing it. Doesn't last as long as other products but considering there is virtually no additional effort (you have to dry it anyway) it's awesome. Feels smooth as glass. Aerosol means no pumping and it smells great too.

http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-One-5988...7264037&sr=8-4

Old photo:


IMG_1607 by JJR329, on Flickr
 
Use 2 mitts.

1 for the main body of the car. Use this one first while your water is all clean.

1 for the wheels and the very bottom part of car. Do this part second after the main part of the car is done. This ensures the brake dust and other grimey crud from the wheels and bottom part of the car doesn't get rubbed on the main part of the car.
 
Two of my cars get washed once a year. I usually just use detail spray and a microfiber cloth in between washes to get the dust and bugs off.
 
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