How do you clean your C-Class? Coatings?
08-02-2016, 08:41 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
How do you clean your C-Class? Coatings?
Hi guys,
I get my new C200 in the next 2 weeks and want to get my cleaning gear ready. Currently I have an old Mazda which I never clean, but I want to get in the habit of cleaning my new car properly!! I jumped on the Autogeek forums as suggested by someone here, but being fanatics, some of their suggestions seem to be a lot more time-consuming than what I was hoping for, and probably a lot more comprehensive than what I need. I'm time poor and quite lazy, so I want a very quick, easy method.
I plan to buy a high pressure cleaner like this one, with the foam sprayer attachment - Gerni High Pressure Cleaner - 1,520PSI I assume this is ok?
I don't want to spend time applying a coating or waxing it myself. I was quoted for a Cquartz Finest coating but not sure if it's worth $1,000.
Some questions:
1) What product should I use for the foam wash? I'm based in Australia so want something I can buy locally...
2) What product should I use for a wheel cleaner?
3) In terms of the process, will this suffice? I will aim to do it every weekend, or every 2nd weekend (every 400-800kms). I'm quite time poor so really want a quick, easy method.
- Rinse car + wheels with pressure cleaner
- Spray wheel cleaner on wheels, clean wheels with brush
- Rinse wheels with pressure cleaner
- Spray car with foam gun
- Rinse car with pressure cleaner
- Use leaf blower to dry car
4) Is the Cquartz Finest coating really worth $1,000? Alternatively, is there some sort of wax/polish which only needs to be applied once every 3 months or so, which is a quick 5 minute job?
5) How do I keep the leather interior clean? Should I spray it with something when I get the car?
Any help is appreciated!!
Cheers
I get my new C200 in the next 2 weeks and want to get my cleaning gear ready. Currently I have an old Mazda which I never clean, but I want to get in the habit of cleaning my new car properly!! I jumped on the Autogeek forums as suggested by someone here, but being fanatics, some of their suggestions seem to be a lot more time-consuming than what I was hoping for, and probably a lot more comprehensive than what I need. I'm time poor and quite lazy, so I want a very quick, easy method.
I plan to buy a high pressure cleaner like this one, with the foam sprayer attachment - Gerni High Pressure Cleaner - 1,520PSI I assume this is ok?
I don't want to spend time applying a coating or waxing it myself. I was quoted for a Cquartz Finest coating but not sure if it's worth $1,000.
Some questions:
1) What product should I use for the foam wash? I'm based in Australia so want something I can buy locally...
2) What product should I use for a wheel cleaner?
3) In terms of the process, will this suffice? I will aim to do it every weekend, or every 2nd weekend (every 400-800kms). I'm quite time poor so really want a quick, easy method.
- Rinse car + wheels with pressure cleaner
- Spray wheel cleaner on wheels, clean wheels with brush
- Rinse wheels with pressure cleaner
- Spray car with foam gun
- Rinse car with pressure cleaner
- Use leaf blower to dry car
4) Is the Cquartz Finest coating really worth $1,000? Alternatively, is there some sort of wax/polish which only needs to be applied once every 3 months or so, which is a quick 5 minute job?
5) How do I keep the leather interior clean? Should I spray it with something when I get the car?
Any help is appreciated!!
Cheers
08-02-2016, 09:55 AM
#2
Senior Member
I'd recommend not using any waxes. Wax certainly will give a nice deep shine to the car, but as waxes are highly volatile, they quickly evaporate in heat and offer very little protection to the elements. In their stead I recommend the use of polishers and paint sealants.
Clay the car and then wash with Dawn, or any other good detergent soap. Wash with sponge, dry with microfiber towels. Now this is the most important step, use a good polish to ensure that the car's paint job is sparkling and then apply you sealants. Sealants are usually optically neutral and the beauty of the car, its paint job, is what shows through the sealant. The sealant's job is to bond to the surface of the car and protect it for the elements. BTW, sealants do not harm the car's pain job and can be removed via claying or the use of alcohol. Good sealants will usually last anywhere from 6 to 9 months...meaning you may not have to do anything to your car, other than wash and maybe quick detail type spraying, for a very long time.
There are many good polishes and sealants out there, far too many to make a suggestion. However, if you think this approach makes sense, I'd suggest that you do some googling and research them. You will find that the initial process may take some time, but once done, life is easy. Good luck.
Clay the car and then wash with Dawn, or any other good detergent soap. Wash with sponge, dry with microfiber towels. Now this is the most important step, use a good polish to ensure that the car's paint job is sparkling and then apply you sealants. Sealants are usually optically neutral and the beauty of the car, its paint job, is what shows through the sealant. The sealant's job is to bond to the surface of the car and protect it for the elements. BTW, sealants do not harm the car's pain job and can be removed via claying or the use of alcohol. Good sealants will usually last anywhere from 6 to 9 months...meaning you may not have to do anything to your car, other than wash and maybe quick detail type spraying, for a very long time.
There are many good polishes and sealants out there, far too many to make a suggestion. However, if you think this approach makes sense, I'd suggest that you do some googling and research them. You will find that the initial process may take some time, but once done, life is easy. Good luck.
08-02-2016, 10:36 AM
#3
Senior Member
Sealants and waxes are essentially the same thing, with some differences. Sealants are more synthetic products where waxes are more well, waxy. In a nutshell, sealants can last longer but has a cold, hard shine... Waxes may last a bit less long, but have a nice, deeper and warmer shine... Big difference IMO. Best idea : cover a sealant with a good, durable wax...
Be advised that pressure washing a dirty car with lots of pressure will cause scratches as your blasting dirt laterally on the paint... Water in itself does not provide sufficient lubrication to avoid these scratches. I would recommend applying a thick foam using a foam cannon to a DRY car (not rinsed)... Allow the foam and soap to dwell and wick the dirt away from the paint... After 10 minutes, rinse with a light amount of pressure...
NOW, there is absolutely no way you can get a clean car without physical contact with the vehicle. You need to wash the car with a mitt, preferably using the 2-bucket system with grit guards in both buckets (look it up)... Without mitt contact, you will always leave a film of dirt... The only way is to use very harsh chemicals (like in touchless car washes), which in the long run will harm your paint finish and other finishes on your vehicle (black trim, plastics, wheels, wipers, etc.).
The real way, as stated above :
Wash with Dawn, clay with a mild clay bar and lots of lube!!, apply a mild polish to remove any micro-marring left from the claying, apply sealant (optional, IMO), apply wax. Done.
I use the following products with my Griot's DA Polisher (Version 2) :
Lake country pads (Orange for compound, white for polish and black for finish polish and wax)
Meguiars M105 compound (for paint correction, only use when necessary - very abrasive)
Meguiars M205 polish (for general polishing, however it still has some bite, so be careful)
OptiCoat as a sealant - although I'm not overly sold on this step, don't feel it adds much, but my opinion only
Collinite 845 Sealant/Wax - Somewhat of a hybrid between a wax and a sealant, has some components of both - one of the best waxes you can find - lasts a very long time and produces deep shine
Be advised that pressure washing a dirty car with lots of pressure will cause scratches as your blasting dirt laterally on the paint... Water in itself does not provide sufficient lubrication to avoid these scratches. I would recommend applying a thick foam using a foam cannon to a DRY car (not rinsed)... Allow the foam and soap to dwell and wick the dirt away from the paint... After 10 minutes, rinse with a light amount of pressure...
NOW, there is absolutely no way you can get a clean car without physical contact with the vehicle. You need to wash the car with a mitt, preferably using the 2-bucket system with grit guards in both buckets (look it up)... Without mitt contact, you will always leave a film of dirt... The only way is to use very harsh chemicals (like in touchless car washes), which in the long run will harm your paint finish and other finishes on your vehicle (black trim, plastics, wheels, wipers, etc.).
The real way, as stated above :
Wash with Dawn, clay with a mild clay bar and lots of lube!!, apply a mild polish to remove any micro-marring left from the claying, apply sealant (optional, IMO), apply wax. Done.
I use the following products with my Griot's DA Polisher (Version 2) :
Lake country pads (Orange for compound, white for polish and black for finish polish and wax)
Meguiars M105 compound (for paint correction, only use when necessary - very abrasive)
Meguiars M205 polish (for general polishing, however it still has some bite, so be careful)
OptiCoat as a sealant - although I'm not overly sold on this step, don't feel it adds much, but my opinion only
Collinite 845 Sealant/Wax - Somewhat of a hybrid between a wax and a sealant, has some components of both - one of the best waxes you can find - lasts a very long time and produces deep shine
The following users liked this post:
Shadwell (08-03-2016)
08-02-2016, 12:57 PM
#4
flycaster and nvestr both gave some great advice in terms of claying the car and using a foam cannon (less than $75 by the way and a great investment) if you have a pressure washer which you seem to have, etc.
Another thing nvestr said that I love is mentioning a polisher and some Megs compounds, polishes and pads. Even new cars can come with some factory sanding marks and pigtails from polishing. While hopefully you will not need a compounding step (The M105) on a new car, it is a nice idea once it is clean, to do a polish step with the M205.
A third (actually 4th looking at nvestr's mention of Collinite) option you may want to consider for a finishing product is a hybrid wax/sealant like Kamikaze Infinity wax. It is part wax and part glass coating (Google is your friend on glass coatings) and give the best of both (wax and sealant) worlds in terms of shine and protection.
I used 22ple on my last BMW, but hydrophobic finishers like that need some experience to put on effectively. The Kamikaze product goes on like a regular wax, cures for about 90 minutes and then is removed like a wax. Hard to make any mistakes.
All that said, just to get you started, here are some products I use in other areas:
- Wheels - Sonax Full effect
- Car Shampoo - Chemical Guys Honeydew snowfoam
- Bug and Tar - Sonax Insect Remover
- Meguiars Detailing clay
- Leather seats and dash - Lexol Leather Conditioner.
- For polishing I use a Rupes 15 Bigfoot with Rupes foam and microfiber pads as well as polishes.
- and lastly, between washes, I use Zymol spray detailer
Last but not least, it is a bit more money than towels, but I use a hot air dryer to dry the car. Any time you can avoid rubbing your paint with a cloth of any kind, it will cut down on scratching of any kind.
PM me with any questions.
EDIT: Most of the stuff we all mentioned is available online if you cannot find it locally. Good Luck. and by the way, the best advice I can give you if you do decide to jump in and go with a polisher and compounds or polishes, is always start with the least aggressive polish/compound and pad...you can always go more aggressive if you are not getting the results you want, but you cannot undo going too far at first!
Another thing nvestr said that I love is mentioning a polisher and some Megs compounds, polishes and pads. Even new cars can come with some factory sanding marks and pigtails from polishing. While hopefully you will not need a compounding step (The M105) on a new car, it is a nice idea once it is clean, to do a polish step with the M205.
A third (actually 4th looking at nvestr's mention of Collinite) option you may want to consider for a finishing product is a hybrid wax/sealant like Kamikaze Infinity wax. It is part wax and part glass coating (Google is your friend on glass coatings) and give the best of both (wax and sealant) worlds in terms of shine and protection.
I used 22ple on my last BMW, but hydrophobic finishers like that need some experience to put on effectively. The Kamikaze product goes on like a regular wax, cures for about 90 minutes and then is removed like a wax. Hard to make any mistakes.
All that said, just to get you started, here are some products I use in other areas:
- Wheels - Sonax Full effect
- Car Shampoo - Chemical Guys Honeydew snowfoam
- Bug and Tar - Sonax Insect Remover
- Meguiars Detailing clay
- Leather seats and dash - Lexol Leather Conditioner.
- For polishing I use a Rupes 15 Bigfoot with Rupes foam and microfiber pads as well as polishes.
- and lastly, between washes, I use Zymol spray detailer
Last but not least, it is a bit more money than towels, but I use a hot air dryer to dry the car. Any time you can avoid rubbing your paint with a cloth of any kind, it will cut down on scratching of any kind.
PM me with any questions.
EDIT: Most of the stuff we all mentioned is available online if you cannot find it locally. Good Luck. and by the way, the best advice I can give you if you do decide to jump in and go with a polisher and compounds or polishes, is always start with the least aggressive polish/compound and pad...you can always go more aggressive if you are not getting the results you want, but you cannot undo going too far at first!
Last edited by Jdem22; 08-02-2016 at 02:28 PM.
08-02-2016, 01:50 PM
#5
Senior Member
Excuse me for I can't stop myself from the following comment on the use of leather conditioners on our cars. As far as I know, and until proven wrong, our car's leather is called "treated" or "coated" leather. Meaning that the leather has some kind of urethane (or similar long lasting sealing product) on its surface. It is there to protect the leather from staining and undue wear. To test this out, put a few drops of water on the seat and let stand for a few minutes. If there is no water stain as evidenced by a darkening and the drop is nicely balled, then the leather has been coated. If there is a darkening, indicating some absorption of water, then this would be untreated leather (like glove leather.) Buying and using leather conditioners is a waste of time and money as they don't penetrate the coated leather. However, as the car ages and the leather wears, this might be the right time to use conditioners.
So, for our new cars, clean leather and vinyl with mild soap and water. And, if you want to, you can use Protectorant 303 on both the leather and vinyl to put on a pleasantly dull sheen that will also protect against UV light damage.
So, for our new cars, clean leather and vinyl with mild soap and water. And, if you want to, you can use Protectorant 303 on both the leather and vinyl to put on a pleasantly dull sheen that will also protect against UV light damage.
The following users liked this post:
Jdem22 (08-02-2016)
08-02-2016, 02:27 PM
#6
Excuse me for I can't stop myself from the following comment on the use of leather conditioners on our cars. As far as I know, and until proven wrong, our car's leather is called "treated" or "coated" leather. Meaning that the leather has some kind of urethane (or similar long lasting sealing product) on its surface. It is there to protect the leather from staining and undue wear. To test this out, put a few drops of water on the seat and let stand for a few minutes. If there is no water stain as evidenced by a darkening and the drop is nicely balled, then the leather has been coated. If there is a darkening, indicating some absorption of water, then this would be untreated leather (like glove leather.) Buying and using leather conditioners is a waste of time and money as they don't penetrate the coated leather. However, as the car ages and the leather wears, this might be the right time to use conditioners.
So, for our new cars, clean leather and vinyl with mild soap and water. And, if you want to, you can use Protectorant 303 on both the leather and vinyl to put on a pleasantly dull sheen that will also protect against UV light damage.
So, for our new cars, clean leather and vinyl with mild soap and water. And, if you want to, you can use Protectorant 303 on both the leather and vinyl to put on a pleasantly dull sheen that will also protect against UV light damage.
08-02-2016, 02:37 PM
#7
Senior Member
I will add on a few more things...
1) The hot air dryer can be problematic if you have hard water... It will evaporate the water and leave white water spots on the finish - essentially the same as leaving the car to dry in the sun... To use this, you would need a water treatment unit that strips out mineral content from the water. To avoid water spots, I think the water needs to have less than 60-75 PPM (parts per million) mineral content... Most municipal water supplies are in excess of 150 PPM, I believe (don't quote me on that).
2) One of the things I shied away from when I got into detailing was investing in quality microfibers. DO NOT BE LIKE I WAS. High quality microfiber is worth it's weight in gold. Good microfiber is not cheap, but it's absolutely worth it. You want a good microfiber that is VERY plush and soft, some even have fluffyness on both sides of the towel. I used cheap MF for years - NEVER again. The Costco MF's (yellow) are the minimum level of quality that I would let near my vehicle. They are a tad bit plush but I would most likely only use them on less important parts of the vehicle. I would recommend going with something like a Cookie Monster http://autoobsessed.com/shop/microfi...wel-p-214.html (Canadian website, not sure if available in the US)
Edit: I will also add that my C450 has horrendous swirl marks when I took delivery of it. I think the dealer's initial detailing was to blame - so don't expect a new car to have perfect paint.
1) The hot air dryer can be problematic if you have hard water... It will evaporate the water and leave white water spots on the finish - essentially the same as leaving the car to dry in the sun... To use this, you would need a water treatment unit that strips out mineral content from the water. To avoid water spots, I think the water needs to have less than 60-75 PPM (parts per million) mineral content... Most municipal water supplies are in excess of 150 PPM, I believe (don't quote me on that).
2) One of the things I shied away from when I got into detailing was investing in quality microfibers. DO NOT BE LIKE I WAS. High quality microfiber is worth it's weight in gold. Good microfiber is not cheap, but it's absolutely worth it. You want a good microfiber that is VERY plush and soft, some even have fluffyness on both sides of the towel. I used cheap MF for years - NEVER again. The Costco MF's (yellow) are the minimum level of quality that I would let near my vehicle. They are a tad bit plush but I would most likely only use them on less important parts of the vehicle. I would recommend going with something like a Cookie Monster http://autoobsessed.com/shop/microfi...wel-p-214.html (Canadian website, not sure if available in the US)
Edit: I will also add that my C450 has horrendous swirl marks when I took delivery of it. I think the dealer's initial detailing was to blame - so don't expect a new car to have perfect paint.
Last edited by nvestr; 08-02-2016 at 02:40 PM.
Trending Topics
08-02-2016, 03:39 PM
#8
The one "factory" issue that bothers me about this car (and my previous BMW) is the orange peel. I cannot get over the orange peel. I am certainly not going to wet sand a lease.
08-02-2016, 05:27 PM
#9
i get the earlybird special of $6.99 at my local auto wash.
i wish i could do the $15 special, but none of the dudes know how to put my car in neutral. So i gotta go early in the morning when it's self-drive.
ohhh, and it's just $6.99. i always tip them $2 bucks
i wish i could do the $15 special, but none of the dudes know how to put my car in neutral. So i gotta go early in the morning when it's self-drive.
ohhh, and it's just $6.99. i always tip them $2 bucks
08-02-2016, 06:19 PM
#10
Senior Member
I agree with another poster...find a reputable car wash/detailer and have them maintain it for you. As far as the leather is concerned...I have Ash colored seats and I do clean them regularly and despite any coating which may be on them they still get dirty and I've noticed the transfer of dye from dark colored jeans on them...I use a leather cleaner and then a conditioner. The ideas folks have recommended are all great...but if you have limited time then that's not gonna work...just pay and have it done
08-02-2016, 06:48 PM
#11
I used to religiously wash my car every weekend. Wash, dry, and then detail. It'd take me more than an hour each time. It looks really good and shiny. Then the next day, at the end of my shift, my car would be half dirty. My car is black (or shall I say was), so it shows. After I viny wrapped my car, I'd only have to wash it like once every 3 weeks. And washing it is so easy. No more worries about scratching up the paint and leaving swirl marks. And if the birds decide to have a party on my car, I would not even care.
08-03-2016, 07:48 PM
#12
Super Member
Good grief, not sure where to starrt here...
Short answer.. spend some time reading nay tutorials and posts on Autogeek.... great and helpful site..
"Waxes" these days is term used to describe a multitude of product types..
Traditional waxes without additives (align most closely to some of the points made... utilise a number of natural waxes and certainly protect but their durability is reltively low.. re aply ing monthly is typical.
They gloss well and add a depth visually, sometimes darkening the paint colour.. great on darker colours a a final layer.. eg Pinnacle Souveran paste wax...
Moderm Waxes, with extensive additives to ease application and removal, make them more resistant to chemical and UV damage... similar gloss and potential to change colour ever so slightly.. many of these last 3-6 months some even up to a year..(look up Collinite 845 / 476s)
Sealant waxes (aren't actually wax at all but synthetic products) achieving similar function as a modern wax with extended durability by in large...
tend to lok more plasticky and not quite as deep as a wax.... generally preferrred on lightr colour cars.. as they maintain the light reflective aspect of the colour..
Coatings.. these are if you like a semi permanent sealant coating often ceramic based.. take a little more care and detail in application but offer very long periods of protection and usually a very high gloss plasticy look.. 12-36months possible with correct mainenance procedures and products...
All of these products perfrom optimally when the paint is prepped, ie , washed decontaminted, iron fallout removed, clayed, and polished...
Dawn by in large is NOT a great product to use to wash the car even when you are looking to "strip previous products.. it basically doesn't work.. the apearance of no wax afterwards is largely due to surfactants remaining on the paint.. a wipe with IPA will often remove the surfactant layer and appear to restore the "wax" properties..
To strip previous products either use paint cleaner product or polish the car with a paint cleaner polish or a finishing polish etc.. depending on the level of correction required..
Great thing about this is there are options to suit your level of interest and time availability.... good practice and smart cleaning ulimatley matter most as much dmaage to paint is irinically caused during cleaning..
All the best...
Short answer.. spend some time reading nay tutorials and posts on Autogeek.... great and helpful site..
"Waxes" these days is term used to describe a multitude of product types..
Traditional waxes without additives (align most closely to some of the points made... utilise a number of natural waxes and certainly protect but their durability is reltively low.. re aply ing monthly is typical.
They gloss well and add a depth visually, sometimes darkening the paint colour.. great on darker colours a a final layer.. eg Pinnacle Souveran paste wax...
Moderm Waxes, with extensive additives to ease application and removal, make them more resistant to chemical and UV damage... similar gloss and potential to change colour ever so slightly.. many of these last 3-6 months some even up to a year..(look up Collinite 845 / 476s)
Sealant waxes (aren't actually wax at all but synthetic products) achieving similar function as a modern wax with extended durability by in large...
tend to lok more plasticky and not quite as deep as a wax.... generally preferrred on lightr colour cars.. as they maintain the light reflective aspect of the colour..
Coatings.. these are if you like a semi permanent sealant coating often ceramic based.. take a little more care and detail in application but offer very long periods of protection and usually a very high gloss plasticy look.. 12-36months possible with correct mainenance procedures and products...
All of these products perfrom optimally when the paint is prepped, ie , washed decontaminted, iron fallout removed, clayed, and polished...
Dawn by in large is NOT a great product to use to wash the car even when you are looking to "strip previous products.. it basically doesn't work.. the apearance of no wax afterwards is largely due to surfactants remaining on the paint.. a wipe with IPA will often remove the surfactant layer and appear to restore the "wax" properties..
To strip previous products either use paint cleaner product or polish the car with a paint cleaner polish or a finishing polish etc.. depending on the level of correction required..
Great thing about this is there are options to suit your level of interest and time availability.... good practice and smart cleaning ulimatley matter most as much dmaage to paint is irinically caused during cleaning..
All the best...
08-03-2016, 07:54 PM
#13
Super Member
Mine was not terrible when I took delivery, but someone did leave behind some tails. I always told BMW not to wash my car after a service, that I would do it.
The one "factory" issue that bothers me about this car (and my previous BMW) is the orange peel. I cannot get over the orange peel. I am certainly not going to wet sand a lease.
The one "factory" issue that bothers me about this car (and my previous BMW) is the orange peel. I cannot get over the orange peel. I am certainly not going to wet sand a lease.
Aw c'mon,, its only a little wet sanding..
I did my S205... well worth the 50hrs, nerve damage and 2-300 dollars of materials it consumed.. ??????
08-03-2016, 08:05 PM
#14
Super Member
Hi guys,
I get my new C200 in the next 2 weeks and want to get my cleaning gear ready. Currently I have an old Mazda which I never clean, but I want to get in the habit of cleaning my new car properly!! I jumped on the Autogeek forums as suggested by someone here, but being fanatics, some of their suggestions seem to be a lot more time-consuming than what I was hoping for, and probably a lot more comprehensive than what I need. I'm time poor and quite lazy, so I want a very quick, easy method.
I plan to buy a high pressure cleaner like this one, with the foam sprayer attachment - Gerni High Pressure Cleaner - 1,520PSI I assume this is ok?
I don't want to spend time applying a coating or waxing it myself. I was quoted for a Cquartz Finest coating but not sure if it's worth $1,000.
Some questions:
1) What product should I use for the foam wash? I'm based in Australia so want something I can buy locally...
TAKE YOUR PICK, ALL THE MEGS SHAMPOO'S FOAM WELL..
CT18 OR EVEN ARMOR ALL HEAVY UTY WASH ALSO FOAM WELL.. JUST BE SURE TO RINSE OFF VERY WELL..
2) What product should I use for a wheel cleaner?
AUTOSMART RED 7 AS AN IRON FALLOUT REMOVER OR CARPRO IRON X IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY.. ASIDE FORM THAT A WHEEL WOOLIE BRUSH AND CAR SHAMPOO WILL GET ALL THE CRAP OFF IF YOU WASH THEM REGULARLY.. ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE COATED OR EVEN WAXED (COLLINITE FOR EXAMPLE)
3) In terms of the process, will this suffice? I will aim to do it every weekend, or every 2nd weekend (every 400-800kms). I'm quite time poor so really want a quick, easy method.
- Rinse car + wheels with pressure cleaner
- Spray wheel cleaner on wheels, clean wheels with brush
- Rinse wheels with pressure cleaner
- Spray car with foam gun
- Rinse car with pressure cleaner
- Use leaf blower to dry car
INITIAL RINSE NOT WORTH IT.. JUST GO FOAM STRAIGHT ONTO CAR.
DO THE WHEELS WHILE THE FOAM WORKS AWAY.. DON'T LET THE FOAM DRY ON THE PAINT. DO NOT DO IN DIRECT SUN ON HOT DAYS..
THE RINSE I WOULD USE THE GERNI THEN ACTUALLY JUST TAKE THE ATTACHMENT OFF THE HOSE AND SHEET THE WATER ON THE CAR.. LESS WATER REMAINS ON THE PAINT TO DRY AND GREATER VOLUME OF WATER DILUTES AND RINSES THE DIRT AND SOAP OFF MORE EFFECTIVELY.
4) Is the Cquartz Finest coating really worth $1,000? Alternatively, is there some sort of wax/polish which only needs to be applied once every
3 months or so, which is a quick 5 minute job?
WORTH IS UP TO YOU... BUT NOT A GRAND.. BUY IT AND APPLY YOURSLF.. 300 BUCKS..
COLLINITE 845 IS SUPER EASY TO USE LOOKS GREAT AND IS VRY EASY TO APPLY AND REMOVE.. APPLY IS SUPER THIN.. GOOD ARTICLES ON AUTOGEEK FOR THIS..
5) How do I keep the leather interior clean? Should I spray it with something when I get the car?
NOPE.. JUST USE A MICROFIBRE AND WATER FOR REGULAR WEEKLY, AND EACH MONTH OR AS REQUIED USE SOME DILUTED APC (MEGS 101 IS GREAT).. WITH MICROFIBRE..
Any help is appreciated!!
Cheers
I get my new C200 in the next 2 weeks and want to get my cleaning gear ready. Currently I have an old Mazda which I never clean, but I want to get in the habit of cleaning my new car properly!! I jumped on the Autogeek forums as suggested by someone here, but being fanatics, some of their suggestions seem to be a lot more time-consuming than what I was hoping for, and probably a lot more comprehensive than what I need. I'm time poor and quite lazy, so I want a very quick, easy method.
I plan to buy a high pressure cleaner like this one, with the foam sprayer attachment - Gerni High Pressure Cleaner - 1,520PSI I assume this is ok?
I don't want to spend time applying a coating or waxing it myself. I was quoted for a Cquartz Finest coating but not sure if it's worth $1,000.
Some questions:
1) What product should I use for the foam wash? I'm based in Australia so want something I can buy locally...
TAKE YOUR PICK, ALL THE MEGS SHAMPOO'S FOAM WELL..
CT18 OR EVEN ARMOR ALL HEAVY UTY WASH ALSO FOAM WELL.. JUST BE SURE TO RINSE OFF VERY WELL..
2) What product should I use for a wheel cleaner?
AUTOSMART RED 7 AS AN IRON FALLOUT REMOVER OR CARPRO IRON X IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY.. ASIDE FORM THAT A WHEEL WOOLIE BRUSH AND CAR SHAMPOO WILL GET ALL THE CRAP OFF IF YOU WASH THEM REGULARLY.. ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE COATED OR EVEN WAXED (COLLINITE FOR EXAMPLE)
3) In terms of the process, will this suffice? I will aim to do it every weekend, or every 2nd weekend (every 400-800kms). I'm quite time poor so really want a quick, easy method.
- Rinse car + wheels with pressure cleaner
- Spray wheel cleaner on wheels, clean wheels with brush
- Rinse wheels with pressure cleaner
- Spray car with foam gun
- Rinse car with pressure cleaner
- Use leaf blower to dry car
INITIAL RINSE NOT WORTH IT.. JUST GO FOAM STRAIGHT ONTO CAR.
DO THE WHEELS WHILE THE FOAM WORKS AWAY.. DON'T LET THE FOAM DRY ON THE PAINT. DO NOT DO IN DIRECT SUN ON HOT DAYS..
THE RINSE I WOULD USE THE GERNI THEN ACTUALLY JUST TAKE THE ATTACHMENT OFF THE HOSE AND SHEET THE WATER ON THE CAR.. LESS WATER REMAINS ON THE PAINT TO DRY AND GREATER VOLUME OF WATER DILUTES AND RINSES THE DIRT AND SOAP OFF MORE EFFECTIVELY.
4) Is the Cquartz Finest coating really worth $1,000? Alternatively, is there some sort of wax/polish which only needs to be applied once every
3 months or so, which is a quick 5 minute job?
WORTH IS UP TO YOU... BUT NOT A GRAND.. BUY IT AND APPLY YOURSLF.. 300 BUCKS..
COLLINITE 845 IS SUPER EASY TO USE LOOKS GREAT AND IS VRY EASY TO APPLY AND REMOVE.. APPLY IS SUPER THIN.. GOOD ARTICLES ON AUTOGEEK FOR THIS..
5) How do I keep the leather interior clean? Should I spray it with something when I get the car?
NOPE.. JUST USE A MICROFIBRE AND WATER FOR REGULAR WEEKLY, AND EACH MONTH OR AS REQUIED USE SOME DILUTED APC (MEGS 101 IS GREAT).. WITH MICROFIBRE..
Any help is appreciated!!
Cheers
Where in Oz are you based... I'm north end Gold coast and happy to run through it some time if you wanted to drop by..
all the best
08-04-2016, 06:36 AM
#15
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Guys, thanks so much for all your advice. Shadwell, I'm in Sydney unfortunately but really appreciate the offer!!
The guys on Autogeek recommended CarPro HydrO2 which is a spray sealant (spray on, rinse off) product which sounds right down my alley! I'm going to look into it further this weekend.
So would this be the process:
Once every 1-2 weeks:
- Spray wheel cleaner on wheels, and spray car with foam cannon (on dry car - don't rinse first)
- Use wheel brush to clean wheels
- Rinse car + wheels with pressure cleaner
- Two bucket method, then pressure cleaner rinse again
- Use leaf blower to dry car
And then use CarPro HydrO2 from time to time.. How often should I use it? Does this protect the car and also give it a nice shine? (white car) I'm guessing I should do this when I first get my car?
In terms of products, it seems like these are recommended:
- Wheels - Sonax Full effect
- Car Shampoo - Meguiars Shampoos/Chemtech CT18/Armor All Heavy Duty Wash
- Leather seats and dash - Lexol Leather Conditioner.
With regards to the leather, I should mention that my car has ARTICO leather, not real leather. Should I use some sort of product to protect it, or not worry about it?
Also, can I just use the same car shampoo (for eg CT18) for the foam cannon and also the two bucket method?
Cheers
The guys on Autogeek recommended CarPro HydrO2 which is a spray sealant (spray on, rinse off) product which sounds right down my alley! I'm going to look into it further this weekend.
So would this be the process:
Once every 1-2 weeks:
- Spray wheel cleaner on wheels, and spray car with foam cannon (on dry car - don't rinse first)
- Use wheel brush to clean wheels
- Rinse car + wheels with pressure cleaner
- Two bucket method, then pressure cleaner rinse again
- Use leaf blower to dry car
And then use CarPro HydrO2 from time to time.. How often should I use it? Does this protect the car and also give it a nice shine? (white car) I'm guessing I should do this when I first get my car?
In terms of products, it seems like these are recommended:
- Wheels - Sonax Full effect
- Car Shampoo - Meguiars Shampoos/Chemtech CT18/Armor All Heavy Duty Wash
- Leather seats and dash - Lexol Leather Conditioner.
With regards to the leather, I should mention that my car has ARTICO leather, not real leather. Should I use some sort of product to protect it, or not worry about it?
Also, can I just use the same car shampoo (for eg CT18) for the foam cannon and also the two bucket method?
Cheers
08-05-2016, 02:22 AM
#16
Super Member
Guys, thanks so much for all your advice. Shadwell, I'm in Sydney unfortunately but really appreciate the offer!!
The guys on Autogeek recommended CarPro HydrO2 which is a spray sealant (spray on, rinse off) product which sounds right down my alley! I'm going to look into it further this weekend.
So would this be the process:
Once every 1-2 weeks:
- Spray wheel cleaner on wheels, and spray car with foam cannon (on dry car - don't rinse first)
- Use wheel brush to clean wheels
- Rinse car + wheels with pressure cleaner
- Two bucket method, then pressure cleaner rinse again
- Use leaf blower to dry car
And then use CarPro HydrO2 from time to time.. How often should I use it? Does this protect the car and also give it a nice shine? (white car) I'm guessing I should do this when I first get my car?
In terms of products, it seems like these are recommended:
- Wheels - Sonax Full effect
- Car Shampoo - Meguiars Shampoos/Chemtech CT18/Armor All Heavy Duty Wash
- Leather seats and dash - Lexol Leather Conditioner.
With regards to the leather, I should mention that my car has ARTICO leather, not real leather. Should I use some sort of product to protect it, or not worry about it?
Also, can I just use the same car shampoo (for eg CT18) for the foam cannon and also the two bucket method?
Cheers
The guys on Autogeek recommended CarPro HydrO2 which is a spray sealant (spray on, rinse off) product which sounds right down my alley! I'm going to look into it further this weekend.
So would this be the process:
Once every 1-2 weeks:
- Spray wheel cleaner on wheels, and spray car with foam cannon (on dry car - don't rinse first)
- Use wheel brush to clean wheels
- Rinse car + wheels with pressure cleaner
- Two bucket method, then pressure cleaner rinse again
- Use leaf blower to dry car
And then use CarPro HydrO2 from time to time.. How often should I use it? Does this protect the car and also give it a nice shine? (white car) I'm guessing I should do this when I first get my car?
In terms of products, it seems like these are recommended:
- Wheels - Sonax Full effect
- Car Shampoo - Meguiars Shampoos/Chemtech CT18/Armor All Heavy Duty Wash
- Leather seats and dash - Lexol Leather Conditioner.
With regards to the leather, I should mention that my car has ARTICO leather, not real leather. Should I use some sort of product to protect it, or not worry about it?
Also, can I just use the same car shampoo (for eg CT18) for the foam cannon and also the two bucket method?
Cheers
A little Meguiars APC 10:1 diluted with micro fibre to clean off grime as required..
No need to treat but if you like the leather smell of some leather and vinyl protectant sprays then it's your call.. Some matte some glossy .. Matte non sticky generally better...
Re wash... Sure use the same through the foam cannon and bucket wash...
CT- 18 is how to say "industrial" and whilst a good cleaner arguably doesn't have as much lubtication in it and doesn't rinse off quite as easily..
That's fine as long as you know and make sure to rinse off properly..
Just a heads up...
I've used Megs, auto glym, mothers, armour all, ct-18, and they all work....
Some vary on how much they foam.. But they all clean..... I grab whatever's on sale in bulk that isn't total crap..
Sign up to SCA for the sales and stock up when it's on 30% off or half price...
They come around every quarter or so...
Ps hydro 2 is great..
All the best...
08-05-2016, 11:31 AM
#17
But
to you on the job you did. Was that 50 hours just the sanding or does that include a 3 step polish as well??? 
08-05-2016, 11:43 AM
#18
I agree with another poster...find a reputable car wash/detailer and have them maintain it for you. As far as the leather is concerned...I have Ash colored seats and I do clean them regularly and despite any coating which may be on them they still get dirty and I've noticed the transfer of dye from dark colored jeans on them...I use a leather cleaner and then a conditioner. The ideas folks have recommended are all great...but if you have limited time then that's not gonna work...just pay and have it done
TOTALLY agree that if you want a great detail and you don't have the experience or time to do it yourself, it is much better to pay someone reputable to do it. Just better to have that resource reasonably close.
08-05-2016, 04:45 PM
#19
Super Member
Reason so many steps is cos it was single stage white and it's crazy hard paint.... And I wanted a very high level of finish...
I'd do it again on a different colour being softer would be al lot quicker..
08-06-2016, 06:25 AM
#20
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Okay so I finally had time to do some research today and I'm getting there...
My shopping list is as follows:
Two buckets + Grit guard
Microfibre mitten
Wheel cleaner - the brushes seem a bit harsh so I'm wondering whether I should get a microfibre one instead?
Sonax full effect wheel cleaner
Chemtech CT-18
I'm also going to buy the CarPro Hydro2 and put that on when I get the car, and regularly thereafter. I'm guessing it will last 3-6 months? And then weekly I'll use the foam cannon then 2 bucket method. Some final questions:
1) Is it okay to use a leaf blower to dry the car?
2) Should I use a leather conditioner? My car has ARTICO (man-made) leather and also seat warmers so is it okay to use a conditioner?
3) Today I saw tyre shine sprays ranging from $4/can to $24/can. Are all tyre shines created equal or is there really that much of a difference between them in quality?
Cheers
My shopping list is as follows:
Two buckets + Grit guard
Microfibre mitten
Wheel cleaner - the brushes seem a bit harsh so I'm wondering whether I should get a microfibre one instead?
Sonax full effect wheel cleaner
Chemtech CT-18
I'm also going to buy the CarPro Hydro2 and put that on when I get the car, and regularly thereafter. I'm guessing it will last 3-6 months? And then weekly I'll use the foam cannon then 2 bucket method. Some final questions:
1) Is it okay to use a leaf blower to dry the car?
2) Should I use a leather conditioner? My car has ARTICO (man-made) leather and also seat warmers so is it okay to use a conditioner?
3) Today I saw tyre shine sprays ranging from $4/can to $24/can. Are all tyre shines created equal or is there really that much of a difference between them in quality?
Cheers
08-06-2016, 11:44 PM
#21
Super Member
Okay so I finally had time to do some research today and I'm getting there...
My shopping list is as follows:
Two buckets + Grit guard
Microfibre mitten
Wheel cleaner - the brushes seem a bit harsh so I'm wondering whether I should get a microfibre one instead?
Sonax full effect wheel cleaner
Chemtech CT-18
I'm also going to buy the CarPro Hydro2 and put that on when I get the car, and regularly thereafter. I'm guessing it will last 3-6 months? And then weekly I'll use the foam cannon then 2 bucket method. Some final questions:
1) Is it okay to use a leaf blower to dry the car?
YES, especially if it's only a blower and not the vac... If vac too it's possible debris inside may be blown into the car.. Use common sense..
2) Should I use a leather conditioner? My car has ARTICO (man-made) leather and also seat warmers so is it okay to use a conditioner?
No it's not leather.... Mild detergent and MF....
3) Today I saw tyre shine sprays ranging from $4/can to $24/can. Are all tyre shines created equal or is there really that much of a difference between them in quality?
Massive variance... What you use and prefer is up to you.... Some are matte some gloss, some fling badly, others not. Despite their generally average product range the turtle wax endurance tyres shine is one of the best for a mild gloss zero fling very durable and easy application...
Cheers
My shopping list is as follows:
Two buckets + Grit guard
Microfibre mitten
Wheel cleaner - the brushes seem a bit harsh so I'm wondering whether I should get a microfibre one instead?
Sonax full effect wheel cleaner
Chemtech CT-18
I'm also going to buy the CarPro Hydro2 and put that on when I get the car, and regularly thereafter. I'm guessing it will last 3-6 months? And then weekly I'll use the foam cannon then 2 bucket method. Some final questions:
1) Is it okay to use a leaf blower to dry the car?
YES, especially if it's only a blower and not the vac... If vac too it's possible debris inside may be blown into the car.. Use common sense..
2) Should I use a leather conditioner? My car has ARTICO (man-made) leather and also seat warmers so is it okay to use a conditioner?
No it's not leather.... Mild detergent and MF....
3) Today I saw tyre shine sprays ranging from $4/can to $24/can. Are all tyre shines created equal or is there really that much of a difference between them in quality?
Massive variance... What you use and prefer is up to you.... Some are matte some gloss, some fling badly, others not. Despite their generally average product range the turtle wax endurance tyres shine is one of the best for a mild gloss zero fling very durable and easy application...
Cheers
08-07-2016, 06:56 AM
#22
MBWorld Fanatic!
I use Meguiar's products (Gold Class car wash, microfiber wash mitt, clay bar kit, Ultimate liquid synthetic polymer), I hand wash mostly (I'll go to a touchless car wash couple times in the Winter when the car is really dirty) using a dedicated mitt just for the wheels/tires, I use an electric leaf blower to get most the water off after a wash, then I use an "Absorber" to get the remaining water drops off.
I usually only clay bar a car once shortly after I buy one (every two to three years), but I do wax the car twice a year, using leftover clay bar to rub out any stains or tar marks prior.
I usually only clay bar a car once shortly after I buy one (every two to three years), but I do wax the car twice a year, using leftover clay bar to rub out any stains or tar marks prior.
08-07-2016, 09:26 AM
#23
2 bucket wash method is pretty much the most over rated recommended washing technique IMO.
Where you avoid scratching the paint is a pre-foam soak and washing from the top to the bottom.
You really want to soften the dirt/release it from the paint before rubbing something over the paint.
Also, never put you sponge/microfiber, or whatever else you're washing the car with touch the ground.
Where you avoid scratching the paint is a pre-foam soak and washing from the top to the bottom.
You really want to soften the dirt/release it from the paint before rubbing something over the paint.
Also, never put you sponge/microfiber, or whatever else you're washing the car with touch the ground.
08-07-2016, 07:58 PM
#24
Super Member
Well 2 bucket in isloation is better than 1 bucket in isolation..
But safest way is for sure to foam and soak the acr.. let it dwell and pressure hose off to remove as much aspossible..
I personally re foam the car and use the chenile mitt with a rinse bucket incl grit guard... couple of reasons the foam is super slippy helps prevent marring from the mitt, secondly the pressure wasehr was already out..
I then final rinse with the hose and no attachement to sheet the water, helps rinse better (reduce water spots) and leaves less water on the paint before drying with the blower.. then MF twell the remaining ares with some ONR diluted..
Over time you always get some marring.. its just minimising the impact and making it look better for longer.
But safest way is for sure to foam and soak the acr.. let it dwell and pressure hose off to remove as much aspossible..
I personally re foam the car and use the chenile mitt with a rinse bucket incl grit guard... couple of reasons the foam is super slippy helps prevent marring from the mitt, secondly the pressure wasehr was already out..
I then final rinse with the hose and no attachement to sheet the water, helps rinse better (reduce water spots) and leaves less water on the paint before drying with the blower.. then MF twell the remaining ares with some ONR diluted..
Over time you always get some marring.. its just minimising the impact and making it look better for longer.
08-08-2016, 03:57 AM
#25
Are Meguiar's line of products good and effective? I have included a few relevant links below. Thanks!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
My issue is I do not have a garage or access to a water hose making the foam method inaccessible to me. I am left with the two bucket method.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
My issue is I do not have a garage or access to a water hose making the foam method inaccessible to me. I am left with the two bucket method.
