Discussion
I would not recomened using a power hose - the paint is quite soft etc. - just a normal hose with a little squirty adaptor and a nice clean very soft brush or a sponge works fine for me - and I always take the car for a quick blast afterwoods to the dry the parts - chamois can't reach (engine bay and brakes etc.)
Use a hose, sprinkler head, bucket of hot water, a non-detergent based car shampoo (i.e. something that is expensive, not your £5.99 5L Halford special) and a micro-fibre cloth (get a few of them - one for "dirty" areas like the wheels, one for clean areas like bodywork).
Wash a panel at a time, and keep the whole car wet until you have finished.
Dry with a chamios leather.
Drive the car around to get the settled water out of the car.
Then, apply a decent carabuna wax based wax (following the "two step" or "three step" process that comes with the products).
See www.swizol.com, www.zymol.com and www.meguiars.com
Results are in my profile...
J
Wash a panel at a time, and keep the whole car wet until you have finished.
Dry with a chamios leather.
Drive the car around to get the settled water out of the car.
Then, apply a decent carabuna wax based wax (following the "two step" or "three step" process that comes with the products).
See www.swizol.com, www.zymol.com and www.meguiars.com
Results are in my profile...
J
I got a "Diamondbrite" kit for crimbo & can thoroughly recommend it. 2 stage treatment once and then subsequent washes with a replenisher shampoo. Supposedly fills in pores in paintwork and puts a water repellent coating on. The car is definitely easier to clean after the treatment.
O.
O.
The comments about going for a drive are very important as a large amount of water collects in the car ontop of the flooring in the front calm and rear engine bay. I would suggest that you need to get this out if you don't want premature corosion of the chassis.
When I wash mine, and drive it off the drive the water all pours out. I then as recommended earlier drive it around for a few mintes to get as much water as possible out.
I have considered giving this area a good spraying with Waxoil or equivalent, and trying to drill a few small drain holes in the undertray to let it out.
When I wash mine, and drive it off the drive the water all pours out. I then as recommended earlier drive it around for a few mintes to get as much water as possible out.
I have considered giving this area a good spraying with Waxoil or equivalent, and trying to drill a few small drain holes in the undertray to let it out.
Not sure really. Holes would potentially let salt etc. from the road in??
As a matter of course I've driven around every car that I've washed as you tend to overload the water channels that are there to cope with rainwater. Certainly the Quattro, Elise and X5 leave huge trails of water, but then I tend to pop the bonnet/boot/clam and clean out all the channels and engine bay as well.
Thinking about it, I've not noticed a pool of water in the garage if I park up after driving in rain, so perhaps it only collects when you wash it?
J
As a matter of course I've driven around every car that I've washed as you tend to overload the water channels that are there to cope with rainwater. Certainly the Quattro, Elise and X5 leave huge trails of water, but then I tend to pop the bonnet/boot/clam and clean out all the channels and engine bay as well.
Thinking about it, I've not noticed a pool of water in the garage if I park up after driving in rain, so perhaps it only collects when you wash it?
J
The panels are aluminium aren't they? Water isn't going to corrode them (anymore than they are already - aluminium forms a thin layer of Ali oxide as soon as bare ali is exposed to air. It's self limiting though, unlike ferrites...)
You could spray it with a bit of duck oil or the like, that helps keep the salt off (which would cause it to corrode).
The spaceframe is fairly well treated, so also shouldn't corrode. Assuming they used liberal amounts of waxoil or similar whenever holes were drilled in the tubes of course...
Jim
You could spray it with a bit of duck oil or the like, that helps keep the salt off (which would cause it to corrode).
The spaceframe is fairly well treated, so also shouldn't corrode. Assuming they used liberal amounts of waxoil or similar whenever holes were drilled in the tubes of course...
Jim
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