Hand wash=Paint fade?

[INeedNewTires]

I'm suprized nobody has mentioned a clay bar... also parking under tree's will get a bunch of sap on the car which can also fuck it up ESPECIALLY if its already peeling or cracking.... I wash my car about once a week, start with a pressure wash, which as we all know doesnt do the greatest job, then hand wash with some rain-X car wash additive, water blade it dry, finish up a few spots with a chamois and then spot wax any bird crap spots or other road grime spots.

Then I give it a full wax every month, and clay bar every 2-3 months.... origional paint is shining like new

[slideways2004]

if you're not washing the car with just water before you handwash, then yes it will scratch pretty easily. whenever you wet/wash the car that breaks up all the dirt and stuff on the car and your soap provides lubricant as to not scratch your piant

[0wn3r]

Originally Posted by slideways2004

if you're not washing the car with just water before you handwash, then yes it will scratch pretty easily. whenever you wet/wash the car that breaks up all the dirt and stuff on the car and your soap provides lubricant as to not scratch your piant

yes, which is why i think just going through a wet to dry to wax process is also failure. Without using the water/soap to remove the 'stuck on' dirt, you'll only be waxing the small dirt particles into your paint.

also, when going to the coin-op places, it's best to spray the gun for a few seconds to clear out anything sitting in the hose (wheel cleaner, engine cleaner, soap, etc...) then take the spray gun and spray off the brush well if you plan on using it.

oh also on the diapers, yea they are the cloth ones hahaha..but i'll typically go through about 8 of them during a wax cycle...folding around and using every side possible.

[kandyflip445]

There was a car washing thread that me and Phlip contributed to greatly a while back, as well as some other members. It has a LOT of info on maintaining your exterior.

It doesn't matter how much you wash or how carefull you are, if your paint is crap it will eventually go. I would wash my car and wax it often. You check to see if it needs wax by wetting your finger and dragging it across clean paint. If it squeaks/drags you need wax, if it glides you're good. It always had wax and it STILL oxidized like hell. Fuck Maaco.

[apexhumper]

What I do is spray my car down with the hose first(I do it in the evening so the surface is cooled down) then use the soap and then wax, is that what you guys are saying we should do?

[0wn3r]

Originally Posted by apexhumper

What I do is spray my car down with the hose first(I do it in the evening so the surface is cooled down) then use the soap and then wax, is that what you guys are saying we should do?

I personally think so. Although if doing this during the late evening, depending on your climate, watch for dew forming while you're waxing. wax + dew = fail.

[kuruptR]

Originally Posted by LloydXmas

I do paint work so let me tell you that the least amount you touch your car the least imperfections it will have, pressure wash then air dry then hand wax. .

Sooo hard to maintain black, I swear every time I dry the car I wreck the paint....sooo many swirls and the paint is only a couple months old.