Cleaning Products

[nobbles]

Now the better weather is here what do you people recommend for waxes, polishes etc. A particular interest is alloy wheel cleaner, until now my wheels (S2)have been ok with just washing and waxing. Now they are begining to yellow in the corners and also have some splattering of tar spots - so before I ruin them by buying the wrong product what do you recommend. Also whoever is in the US this includes you!

[gfoz]

for the wheels it's got to be Wonder Wheels - it's miracle stuff - exceptionally good at getting copious amounts of brake dust off too!

[bogie]

If you have the later S2, with the revised brake discs which have an anti-rust coating on them dont use any form of wheel cleaner. If youre brake discs/hubs are already rusty then no worries - stick on some Wonder Wheels etc. The discs/hubs on my S2 were rust free, until after a few months I decided to use Wonder Wheels - within hours they were brown as it had stripped off the protective coating they have on them.

When Ive got some new discs fitted I will be sticking to soap and water - a good idea is to take the wheels off, clean them up separately with WW or similar and then stick some alloy wheel wax on them (why this isnt done from new I dont know) try www.wheelwax.co.uk - then in the future they will be a pice of p*ss to clean.

As for the rest of the car Ive used most stuff in the past (even Zymol) and for the money you cant beat Meguires 3 step - clean, polish, then wax for £7.99 a bottle, get the pads and polishing cloth too www.meguiars.co.uk/acatalog/ Zymol is great stuff, but a bit rich for me, and it certainly wasnt 10x better shine, or last 10x as long...in fact to the naked eye youd struggle to tell the difference except that it costs 10x as much

HTH

bogie

[Davey Boy]

Yep, definately go along with Wonder Wheels. Think they have also just brought out some resin polish as well but yet to try it.

Also Meguires. Nicked some of my dads last week and it is very good. He also uses Zymol which is v expensive. IMHO it is great stuff if you have a car used for concourse events but on a car like a Lotus which is for driving it will get dirty no matter what so better off using something cheaper.

Also endorse Meguires leather cleaner (smells good too) and tyre gel which is brilliant. A bit like the other tyre shine sprays but lasts about a week or so.

[madmike]

We just went over this on another thread...here's my response to that one:

Seeing as I just did it this week:

First off, I use all Zaino products www.zainobros.com

1. Wash with Zaino Show Car Wash (White Fieldcrest 100% cotton hand towel...no sponges!!!)
2. Rinse and dry with white Fieldcrest bath towels (because they have no dyes, chemicals, etc.)
3. Polish with Zaino Z-5 polish (using fieldcrest hand towel to apply) Don't apply in circular motion, straight line back and forth (see zaino site for better instruction)
4. Let dry for about 30 minutes to an hour, and remove with bath towels.
5. If I have time, spray with Z-6 Gloss Enhancer and immediately remove with towel.

I also have to find a good wheel cleaner and tire dress and do this next time.

Total time (without the Z-6 enhancer) took me about 3 hours.



Mike
check out the rest of the pics: http://metalasylum.com/evilyn/zainoimages.html

[Davey Boy]

madmike said: I also have to find a good wheel cleaner and tire dress and do this next time.

Mike see my comments above about Meguires tyre gel. well worth a go.

p.s like the car!

[nobbles]

I found that MAXWAX in the UK was a good inexpensive wax although the max power flourescent colour tub was scary, certainly better than the autoglym rip rubbish. In the US at the moment and not wanting to carry an opened bottle of wonder wheels in my suitcase what is the equivalent in the US....

Madmike - is there a lotus club in the DC - NC area, I went up to VIR on the mazda day last month for a look and a parade lap?