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Old 06-21-2009, 08:35 PM   #1
babyjulie83
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Unhappy I know nothing.....

Ok so today was the first time I washed my Camaro.....it did not go well. I bought everything I thought I would need to hand wash it. I have never hand washed a car before so I tried to read up on it a bit.

First I hosed down the car to just remove any dirt that I could....didn't use any kind of sprayer.....just normal water hose stream.

Then I put a little big of Meguair's gold class car wash soap in a bucket and added water. I used a microfiber mit to wash the car. I washed it in sections so I could get that section dry before any water spots.

I rinsed off the soapy area and then attempted to dry it with a shammy (i'm sure this isnt' the correct spelling but it'll work). Ok so I had trouble with the shammy. I did wet it first and wring it out....then I place it on the car and pulled it towards me......lots of water was left behind...which quickly turned into water spots. I tried to wring out the shammy more and tried again...still streaks of water left behind. I finally got pissed and just used my microfiber towels to dry the car. I started from the very top and worked my way down.

I noticed a little scratch on her drivers side 'hip'.....i'm sure this scratch is my fault from my failed attempt at hand washing the car.

Does anyone have any advice for me? I'm so frustrated and I don't want to cause anymore damage. It's pretty obvious I do not know much about cars....I just know that I love them. I love the Camaro's sporty lines and the power of my V8 but beyond that i'm clueless. I really want to learn how to take care of my Camaro so it lives long beyond it's golden years....please help!
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Old 06-21-2009, 08:38 PM   #2
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I think you needed a more absorbent chamois (proper spelling ).

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Old 06-21-2009, 08:57 PM   #3
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Well it's very hard to scratch your car by washing it especially when using microfiber towels and wash mits and sponges. You have to make sure there are no pieces of dirt or stuff on the sponge/mitt. Sometimes it may get in there, rarely, but it happens.

As per waterspots, you should have one of those detailer sprays like Turtle Wax Ice and etc. That will get out any streaks, dirt marks, and water marks.

I've had my car for about a month now and it still looks like I just got it from the dealer. I've only washed it twice since then, and have used showroom car dusters to get off pollen and dust off, and have used detailer sprays to get off dirt marks, dead bugs, bird crap, and water spots.

One final tip...

DO NOT EVER TAKE YOUR CAMARO TO A CAR WASH!
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Old 06-21-2009, 09:15 PM   #4
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Thumbs up

(There are some really useful threads if you do a search for car wash in this section for more info.)
But, for a "quickie" lesson, you should wash your car in the shade or away from the heat. Avoid washing the car when it is warm also.
Next, get yourself a "GOOD, QUALITY" drying microfiber towel made especially for drying off your car. A nice plush wash mitt should be used as well for applying the soap/water to your car. Mind you, these items will cost you some coin, but way worth it in the long run.
Hope this helps out a little bit.
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Old 06-21-2009, 09:19 PM   #5
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Is there a type of fliter you can connect to the hose you use to clean your car, to help with hard water spots, here in Tucson it can get pretty bad.
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Old 06-21-2009, 09:21 PM   #6
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I think there is a filter, but not positive about that.
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Old 06-22-2009, 03:34 AM   #7
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Op it takes a few times but u will get it down. Practice on a crappy car if u have one before going at it with your 40k camaro. Have your water tested see if thats part of the problem. Drying a car i use a electric leaf blower it removes 95% of the water then i go over it quickly with a microfiber drying towel. After that quick detail spray and your done car should look brand new. Good luck
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Old 06-22-2009, 06:47 AM   #8
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You can always bring it down to my house one early morning weekend and i can give it the Zaino treatment.

I live near eastfield college.
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Old 06-22-2009, 06:49 AM   #9
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Quote:
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You can always bring it down to my house one early morning weekend and i can give it the Zaino treatment.

I live near eastfield college.
I wish I lived in Dallas I would take you up on that offer
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Old 06-22-2009, 07:00 AM   #10
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I wish I lived in Dallas I would take you up on that offer
I used to live in Sunrise
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Old 06-22-2009, 08:19 AM   #11
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God I hate that sham-wow guy. WTF does he have a head set on for?
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Old 06-22-2009, 09:09 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by babyjulie83 View Post
Ok so today was the first time I washed my Camaro.....it did not go well. I bought everything I thought I would need to hand wash it. I have never hand washed a car before so I tried to read up on it a bit.

First I hosed down the car to just remove any dirt that I could....didn't use any kind of sprayer.....just normal water hose stream.

Then I put a little big of Meguair's gold class car wash soap in a bucket and added water. I used a microfiber mit to wash the car. I washed it in sections so I could get that section dry before any water spots.

I rinsed off the soapy area and then attempted to dry it with a shammy (i'm sure this isnt' the correct spelling but it'll work). Ok so I had trouble with the shammy. I did wet it first and wring it out....then I place it on the car and pulled it towards me......lots of water was left behind...which quickly turned into water spots. I tried to wring out the shammy more and tried again...still streaks of water left behind. I finally got pissed and just used my microfiber towels to dry the car. I started from the very top and worked my way down.

I noticed a little scratch on her drivers side 'hip'.....i'm sure this scratch is my fault from my failed attempt at hand washing the car.

Does anyone have any advice for me? I'm so frustrated and I don't want to cause anymore damage. It's pretty obvious I do not know much about cars....I just know that I love them. I love the Camaro's sporty lines and the power of my V8 but beyond that i'm clueless. I really want to learn how to take care of my Camaro so it lives long beyond it's golden years....please help!
BabyJulie I feel your pain and completely understand. Take a look at this link. It should have everything you want to know about how to wash a car. BTW I use this stuff and its great and smells good too.

http://www.adamspolishes.com/t-videos.aspx

Just click on the link and watch the videos on you computer.
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Old 06-22-2009, 07:20 PM   #13
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You can use Meguiars Swirl X Swirl Remover with a foam applicator to remove that little scratch you got on your new ride. Make sure a little elbow grease is use to remove it. And this should help you out on washing your ride.
So Here's my take and I hope it helps some of you in maintaining your ride. You would be surprised how much good you can do your car's finish just by washing it. Aside from maintaining the oil and keeping a coat of wax or sealant on the surface, routine washing is the most beneficial treatment you can give your vehicle.

Armed with two bucket's with grit guards and hose, here are the proper steps to make car washing easier:

1. If possible, work in the shade, out of direct sunlight. Elevated paint temperatures cause the wash and rinse water to evaporate too quickly, increasing the likelihood of water spotting.

2. Start by preparing a bucket with clean water and wash the wheels first with a proper wheel wash and brushes too. This prevents you from splattering cleaners, dirt and brake dust on already cleaned panels.

In addition to oily, road grime, wheels get coated with black, metallic, dust particles every time you brake. Car wash shampoos alone may not have the power to remove this baked-on combination. Many inexpensive wheel cleaners use an acid or petroleum solvent to dissolve this bonded contamination but these cleaners can stain alloy and anodized wheels. I use a item that works great and safe for your rims (P21S Wheel Cleaner).

3. Pre-rinse the entire vehicle. This quick rinse removes surface dirt and lowers the paint's temperature.
4. Now prepare another bucket with your favorite car wash shampoo. I also place a Grit Guard in the bottom of my wash bucket. (You'll be amazed at what you'll find in the bottom of the bucket after washing!)
5. Wash the vehicle from the top down. I use either The Bone , a Microfiber Wash Pad or a sheepskin wash mitt.
6. Rinse often during washing. After washing a section (i.e. door, fender, hood, etc.) rinse completely to prevent soap films from drying on the finish.
Detailing Secret #2 - After washing the entire vehicle, do a final rinse with free-flowing water (nozzle off the hose). This sheets most of the water off the vehicle. Trust me on this. I know it takes a minute to take the nozzle off the hose and do this final rinse but it will allow you to dry your vehicle in a fraction of time you would normally require.

7. Dry the vehicle like you washed it, from the top down. I do the roof first, then all the windows, the hood and trunk and finish with the sides. I use a leaf blowner to speed the process and then a waffle weave drying towel to finish it off.

Hope this helps you all out.
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Old 06-22-2009, 07:23 PM   #14
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Quick Question, did you wash the card in the shade or in direct sunlight..was the car sitting in direct sunlight before yo started washing it..a car should be cool to the touch before you wash it..And I take all of my cars to the car wash and have no problems..you just have to find the right car wash.
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