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Scared to machine wash

Budgetcon

Well-known member
I’ve been to scared to machine was this car as I watched the car go through a car wash not dirty and come out with swirl marks. I bought a foam cannon and air dryer and while it does look great, it does not really get the dirt stuck on paint. Best way of removing without touching?
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SweetAndLow

Well-known member
I’ve been to scared to machine was this car as I watched the car go through a car wash not dirty and come out with swirl marks. I bought a foam cannon and air dryer and while it does look great, it does not really get the dirt stuck on paint. Best way of removing without touching?
View attachment 1235View attachment 1236
You can't actually clean the car without touching. Foam Cannon is mostly for fun and doesn't help much with preventing scratches. To do it properly you need to do something like the 2 bucket method with an incredipad. Wash your wheels first with completely different tools that never touch your paint.

Then blow dry using a leaf blower or something similar and then using a couple microfiber towels dry the car with a drying aid.

This is also where a good ceramic coating comes into play. Basically it makes it so less dirt sticks to your paint and that will decrease the chances of scratching the paint during washing. Check out obsessed garage YouTube channel for one of the options on how to wash your car. Lots of different opinions out there so find the one that works for you.
 
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Budgetcon

Well-known member
You can't actually clean the car without touching. Foam Cannon is mostly for fun and doesn't help much with preventing scratches. To do it properly you need to do something like the 2 bucket method with an incredipad. Wash your wheels first with completely different tools that never touch your paint.

Then blow dry using a leaf blower or something similar and then using a couple microfiber towels dry the car with a drying aid.

This is also where a good ceramic coating comes into play. Basically it makes it so less dirt sticks to your paint and that will decrease the chances of scratching the paint during washing. Check out obsessed garage YouTube channel for one of the options on how to wash your car. Lots of different opinions out there so find the one that works for you.
I picked up a bottle of Carbon Force Ceramic Coating from Chemical guys it’s a very small vial about 1-2oz. I also got a clay bar as it has very light contamination. I’m going to try and apply tomorrow if weather permits.
 

SweetAndLow

Well-known member
I picked up a bottle of Carbon Force Ceramic Coating from Chemical guys it’s a very small vial about 1-2oz. I also got a clay bar as it has very light contamination. I’m going to try and apply tomorrow if weather permits.
I would avoid chemical guys if you can buy since you bought it it's fine. To apply the ceramic coating you should use a chemical iron remover, a tar remover then clay bar of some kind. After the clay bar you need to polish to remove the marring the clay bar introduced. Then you prep each panel using a prep solution and apply your coating using a sued applicator pad. Let it flash and wipe off.
 

Budgetcon

Well-known member
What’s the deal with chemical guys? I used them just because I used their stuff before. I am not a detail guy by any means I am just a garage DIY guy. Any information or more tips would be helpful!!!
 

PRspawn

Well-known member
What’s the deal with chemical guys? I used them just because I used their stuff before. I am not a detail guy by any means I am just a garage DIY guy. Any information or more tips would be helpful!!!
I used their interior all in one cleaner with some quality microfiber cloths. Streak-free and low scent.
 

SweetAndLow

Well-known member
What’s the deal with chemical guys? I used them just because I used their stuff before. I am not a detail guy by any means I am just a garage DIY guy. Any information or more tips would be helpful!!!
Chemical guys is a product built for a price point and to be sold to mass consumers at Walmart. They are good at marketing and make acceptable products. If you wanted to go with a little better product you could go with grios or McGuire's. After that there is then higher end stuff from gyeon, gtechniq, car pro, ect. They are all good and everyone has different levels of acceptable.

Lots of people think paint on a new car is great other people will spend 100h+ fixing the paint on a brand new car. Both ways are fine just depends on the person.
 

Budgetcon

Well-known member
Chemical guys is a product built for a price point and to be sold to mass consumers at Walmart. They are good at marketing and make acceptable products. If you wanted to go with a little better product you could go with grios or McGuire's. After that there is then higher end stuff from gyeon, gtechniq, car pro, ect. They are all good and everyone has different levels of acceptable.

Lots of people think paint on a new car is great other people will spend 100h+ fixing the paint on a brand new car. Both ways are fine just depends on the person.
Make sense. My main goal for ceramic coating the car is to make it easier to hose the car off without really scrubbing it. If I can achieve that I will be happy.
 

Viper15

Active member
You can only get heavier dirt (driving in the rain dirt) off by washing it off. Surface dust (no rain or mud) I just rinse, foam, rinse, and dry, no cloth used what so ever. After driving in the rain, I rinse first with just water to get the heavier stuff off, then foam gun and rinse again to get the finer stuff off. Wash using a two bucket system with a clean microfiber, and dry with an electric leaf blower. Gas blowers leave oily residue. Use a different mitt to do rockers. Start from the top and work down. You won't eliminate swirls, (depending on how clean your wash mitt is) but you will greatly reduce them using this method. Yes it's a bit of work, but it depends on how much you want your vehicle to look GREAT !!
Here is a great guy to follow....https://driveviper.com/forums/threads/601-Junkman-s-2-Bucket-Car-Wash-Technique.... you can also YouTube him
I have a 2010 and 2012 that people are always asking if they are new using this method.
 

SRBLV

Well-known member
Be careful when air drying the car at the car wash. That front hood bounces up and down a lot when air hits it. I am afrad its going to dent it. I never seen this before. That sheet metal is very very flexible.
 
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