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I think my Tbird is proof positive that one doesn't need too, or should never. use soap on a vehicle, EVER.
I spend about 10 minutes every three or four days to keep the bird looking like it does.
All that is involved is taking a damp rag and wiping a section at a time, followed by a dry, soft towel to buff.
If one can't take 10 minutes out of a week to do this, then they need to take a hard, serious look at what their life is all about.
My 11 year old Dakota pickup is also proof positive that there is no reason to be using any kind of soap on any vehicle.
In all the years, none of my vehicles have been to a car wash.
People that use a car wash are either very lazy, are much to busy , or just hate doing anything themselves when it come to vehicle upkeep.
Bob.
I just want to point out a few things.
One - you had to repaint your T-Bird, so I'm not sure your paint care technique is that great.
Two - you have demonstrated a limited knowledge of car care in several areas, so I don't presume you to be an expert. I am glad you are sharing your anecdotal experiences, but I don't endorse them for anyone.
One - you had to repaint your T-Bird, so I'm not sure your paint care technique is that great.
Two - you have demonstrated a limited knowledge of car care in several areas, so I don't presume you to be an expert. I am glad you are sharing your anecdotal experiences, but I don't endorse them for anyone.
I didn't have the Tbird repainted, I bought it that way.
It had just under gone a full restoration just before I bought it.
I never said I was an expert, but told members the process I use,and why I feel soap is bad for the finish on any vehicle.
One thing I will admit too is, all my vehicles always look like they have been detailed by a professional detailing company, and that in itself speaks volumes of how I take care of my vehicles.
I never asked for your endorsement of how I take care of my vehicles.
I only explained why I think soap should not be used, and did my best to show (with pictures) the results of the process I use to keep the vehicles looking better than anything in the dealer showrooms.
It is up to those reading the post to decide if they want to follow my direction, or pass on it.
Bob.
Last edited by CALGUY; 03-02-2013 at 02:05 AM..
Reason: add
Of course. By the way, your Thunderbird looks beautiful, and I'm glad to hear that you actually drive it like a car should be driven, rather than store it like a garage queen.
Location: Butler County Ohio and Winters in Florida
929 posts, read 2,724,579 times
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D rt
Quote:
Originally Posted by CALGUY
I think my Tbird is proof positive that one doesn't need too, or should never. use soap on a vehicle, EVER.
I spend about 10 minutes every three or four days to keep the bird looking like it does.
All that is involved is taking a damp rag and wiping a section at a time, followed by a dry, soft towel to buff.
If one can't take 10 minutes out of a week to do this, then they need to take a hard, serious look at what their life is all about.
My 11 year old Dakota pickup is also proof positive that there is no reason to be using any kind of soap on any vehicle.
In all the years, none of my vehicles have been to a car wash.
People that use a car wash are either very lazy, are much to busy , or just hate doing anything themselves when it come to vehicle upkeep.
Bob.
Sorry off topic, I just do not see many nice Dakota RTs anymore. Here is my theory: Many were bought back due to the tow issue by Chrysler. My 1998 was. I drove it for about 2 years, Chrysler bought it back 100% no charge for miles....Done !. Many of those fell into 2 and now 3rd and 4th owners who actually use them as trucks. By today's standards they are not very fast and super poor MPG. BUT I do love them. Local group here in Tampa Bay is pretty large and keeping them around.
About the exterior, Honda Van, Car Soap is fine. Wax with a product designed for new cars twice a year. Automatic Wash and Wax is better than No Wash and Wax. Drive it enjoy it, service as the Dealer Recommends. You should get many years of service out of it. Our 2005 Dodge Grd. Caravan just turned over 151 K this morning. I should get 200K out of it easy and past the 10 year mark. Sunny FL is tough on cars. My cars sit outside 24/7. I wash weekly, wax twice a year.
I posted earlier about looking for a "people hauler" under $25k. We ended up getting a Honda Odyssey LX last night for $25k! Base model, no add-ons but the tinted windows.
I've never had a new-new car, so here is my chance for a fresh start. I am wondering how to best keep the paint all shiny and fresh. Do you wax? If so how often? Automated car washes ok?
If it matters, we live in Houston. No snow, no salt trucks. Lots of sunshine though! It is garaged only at night. Just too much in-out during the day.
Stay away from automatic car washes unless they're the "no-touch" variety that doesn't use the spinning brushes. Those will ruin the clear coat with swirls and micro scratches that make most paint jobs look like hazy crap in direct sunlight.
A good hand-washing with a lambskin mitt and car wash soap in a 5 gal bucket is the best way to wash a car, but I know that isn't always realistic in winter time.
You can dabble in claying and waxing if you want to go the extra mile, but in reality, modern clear-coated automotive finishes are very durable and can look good for decades with minimal care. What will also ruin paint is dings and chips that puts a hole in the armor, so to speak. Try to park away from other cars to avoid getting door dings or tailgating people the freeway to keep the chips off the hood and bumper.
Some of the things I read here just amaze me. Clay bar every week? Wipe a car while it is dry? Never use soap?
If the primary goal is preserving the paint, regular washing with an automotive wash (which is soap) and waxing twice a year will do just about everything you need.
You can do other things, and may need to, depending on what happens to the paint. A clay bar is really good at removing dirt particles that adhere to the paint and survive a wash. I claybar when the paint still has grit after washing. Just rub your fingers over the surface while it is still wet and soapy. If it feels dirty, then it is time for a clay bar.
Over time your paint will develop swirl marks, which are very shallow scratches. Could happen from wiping dirty paint, using a dirty sponge or cloth, etc. With modern vehicles those scratches are in the protective clear coat. You can ignore them, or remove them using a light abrasive compound designed for shallow scratches. Lots of times the swirl marks will disappear with a fresh coat of wax.
If you choose to remove swirl marks (or other surface defects) you will probably want to buy a good dual action orbital machine.
When you wash your car, use two buckets. One with the "car wash" soap, and one with just water. When you finish washing a section, rinse the sponge or wash mitt in the bucket of water. You want the dirt to come off the mitt so you don't get the wash solution dirty and minimize the risk of scratching the paint.
I occasionally use "touch less" car washes - no brushes or fabric touches the vehicle. I use these in the winter when I can't wash my cars at home.
I've found that using a clay bar twice a year (once in the spring and once in the fall for those of us in the northern climates) is all that you need. Usually I will wax once in the summer between each claying/waxing. My car is also garaged 80-90% of the time (home and city parking garage), so it rarely sits out in the sun which is why I don't bother waxing as often.
Generally when I clay bar in the spring you can feel the accumulation of debris that has built up over the winter, but in the fall the paint surface is still usually smooth except areas like the front bumper and mirrors that see a lot of bugs.
If you're looking for a good wax, look no further than Meguiar's Nxt Tech 2.0 wax. I can't remember the website, but an automotive forum did a test comparing Meguair's, Mother's, Zymol, and Zaino and Meguair's performed the best over the longest period of time. The results were surprising because Zaino is very hyped among the enthusiast community and much more expensive. If I remember right it performed a close second best, but Meg's simply gives you a better product at a better value.
Edit: Found it, but it was Zaino, Meguiars, Fukken, and Chemical Guys instead of Mother's and Zymol as I had mentioned earlier. Go to page 9 where they reveal that Zone 1 was Meguiar's.
I think my Tbird is proof positive that one doesn't need too, or should never. use soap on a vehicle, EVER.
I spend about 10 minutes every three or four days to keep the bird looking like it does.
All that is involved is taking a damp rag and wiping a section at a time, followed by a dry, soft towel to buff.
If one can't take 10 minutes out of a week to do this, then they need to take a hard, serious look at what their life is all about.
My 11 year old Dakota pickup is also proof positive that there is no reason to be using any kind of soap on any vehicle.
In all the years, none of my vehicles have been to a car wash.
People that use a car wash are either very lazy, are much to busy , or just hate doing anything themselves when it come to vehicle upkeep.
Bob.
I'm not very fond of washing my car while wearing a parka and boots. I run it through the car wash in the winter to remove salt. Also, if the car is heavily caked with mud, it's a lot easier to do a proper wash at home after a run through the car wash.
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D rt
