I used to own an Wrangler that I used for offroading so the more mud on the body and inside (cleaned the frame and underneath) the happier I was, and I let it sit for weeks haha. But now that I have this nice looking car and I took it Dukes of Hazzard style through a dirt road (smooth and windy = fun) and its now in need of a wash. Seeing as how I dont think i can powerwash the MC like the Jeep, any hints for waxing to prevent damage and swirls?

 

wither hand wax it or get a random orbit buffer what i do is take a microfiber towel after it and whip the entire car to make sure all is off and helps elimnate any swirls, it usally works pitty good

 

if ya take a look in my album or photobucker you can see the results i have gotten

 

Wash it thoroughly by hand twice by using dawn soap. Then clay if needed then wax twice. Don't use Black Magic wax haha. Mothers Hard gold is very good or Jax Wax. And make sure your hand wand or rag is cleaner than bleach when rubbing haha.

 

isnt dawn a dish soap? thought it was bad to use that kinda stuff on clear coats and what not.

 

The reason you would use dawn is to get rid of any contaminants on the car. Like oil and grease. I would also use it as lube for the claybar. make sure you use plenty of soapy water. Then wax it with Meguiare's Gold Class.

 

Waxing won't prevent damage or swirls, it simply protects your paint from the elements.

 

thats not true! Theres enough wax on my car to deflect a bullet haha.

 

Damn man, what do they feed you guys out there in Minnesota?

Why do you suggest dish soap? And why wash it twice? IMO, claying is a complete and total waste of time if you aren't going to polish afterwards. And waxing twice is also a waste of time depending on what wax you use. Most 'nubas have enough abrasives in them to where you can't layer them because the second coat removes the first. There are some that can be layered though, S100 is one that comes to mind.

I would only suggest dish soap if the vehicle has was on it already that you want to remove, other than that, just use the car wash soap of your choice. No real need to wash it twice unless it's not clean after the first wash.

If you're going to clay it (to make the surface smooth and remove contaminants on the paint) then you might as well polish it to a high gloss shine which will not only add additional depth and gloss to your paint, but will also allow the wax to be applied more evenly and make it alot easier to apply and remove. This polishing also helps to lessen or get rid of any swirls you might have, it all depends on how heavy the swirls are, the product being used, as well as how you're applying it. Wax should not BE the shine, it should only ENHANCE it and protect the paint from the elements.

Not necessarily a bad thing if you use it right and under the right circumstances.

Vehicles that get waxed alot tend to get wax build up, which ends up detracting from the finish and can result in a somewhat cloudy reflection. Dish soap has strong cleaners in it that removes said build up and strips the wax from the car. It's highly suggested that if you use dish soap that you do so in the shade so as to prevent the soap from drying up too fast on your paint because it can and will leave horrendous residue behind if allowed to do so. You just end up creating more work for yourself.

If you have a freshly waxed car and don't want to strip the wax, don't use dish soap.

Any car wash soap worth it's weight will remove any oil/grease on the paint. Using dish soap doesn't just remove oil/grease, it also removes wax too so unless that's what you want I wouldn't go using dish soap.

Not a good idea to use dish soap as clay lube either, for a few reasons.
The soap can and will dry out, leaving horrible residue on your car which can be a PITA to get off. And the soap will also dry out your clay bar, rendering it useless. The best thing to use for lube is either diluted car wash soap or quick detail spray, which also can be diluted to make it last longer.

Maybe you should wash your car with dish soap then

 

04montels what u mean? my size hell gotta store up for winter...20below gets a little rough...or about my photobucket and the bashed buick