Roswell

Glad to help! I should give credit to 1stAMG for introducing me to his California duster... I was sold ever since!! :P

C63newdude

That is up to you. The value of your car is going to the toilet(already started). Keep leeting thye bird **** and mosquitos kit your front grill and hood and everything elese and you will see how many permannent stains you get.

The car needs to be washed, the bird crap will destroy your clear coat in hours. If you let it sit for weeks months then is too late.
You can have basic car washs done for $3,99 even if you do a light car wash with clean water rinsing. Trust me!!

C63newdude

I need to add one more comment because I truly believe that am not the only one that think this way but I always consider my car wash a good light work out that makes you work your body, muscles, allows you to strech and also makes you burn calories so in a good sense I always see the positive side of it.

_AMG_

Lol as long as its water and soap, then its all good.
Thanks for the comment.

California Duster is awesome!
Had mine for 3 1/2 years and works better the more you use it.

jvanbrecht

My major details, about twice a year (takes about 2 days worth)

I have a porter cable RO buffer, and the full detail is in the following order.
* Wash with Chemical Guys Citrus Wash (can also be used as a product stripper in more concentrated forms)
* Clay bar (with Dodo juice slippy lube)
* Wash again
* Menzerna (medium and light abrasive) polishes for paint correction.
* Wipe down with Isopropyl Alcohol to remove any left over polish.
* Chemical Guys EZCreme Acrylic glaze to hide light scratches that cannot be corrected as well as give it a nicer shine)
* Blackfire Wet Diamond paint sealant
* Wait 24 hours and another coat of sealant
* Chemical Brothers 50/50 concourse wax

Basic wash and maintenance (every week or 2, except for the waxing, takes about 30 minutes)
* Chemical Guys Citrus wash
* Towel dry
* Reapply wax every 3 or so months

coladin

I would be lost without it, especially on a black car...mine is like, 7 years old and it works better with age. 1stamg's duster is about 16 years old. I am not kidding. had it since his 1993 canary yellow RX7 TT .

That damn diffuser acts like a vacuum cleaner and makes a beautiful rooster tail that coats the back of your car afterr literally one wheel rotation. I guess it works. After the duster i would quick detail it with Meguiars. I also am finicky with the wheels and wipe them at the end of the day. I purchased a product call FW1 that I have applied on the rims and it does a heck of a job keeping them easy to clean and repel brake dust.

16NiSSC350

Once a week, but that is because this is my first black car and it is IMPOSSIBLE to keep clean lol. When I had my white benz, maybe once every two weeks in the summer. Its pretty dry here in Dallas June-September.

Donald-E55

3 Times a Week: Every Month A Full Clay and engine cleaning. Every 6 months a Minor paint correction and sealant.

SonnyakaPig

This may have been discussed in this thread already: what would be a good product to use after you wash your car and you want to go over different parts of the paint that may have a little debris or smudge that didn't come off in the wash? Perhaps some thick, liquid-type polish of some kind that you can wipe on/off?

noodleman

i wash my car about once a week, and i daily drive the C63 I almost find taking care of a Black car easier than White. Or at the very least less annoying. On a white car you can see every little carbon spot stuck on to the back of the car when you wash it, making me wanna clay it every time i wash the car lol.

I had a black Z and i find it much more satisfying washing that car than i do with this one.

As for products I have been using ONR wash, sheepskin mitt, and a simple coat of Zaino for sealant/wax. I'm running low on supplies though, so I'm probrably going to try something else after the Zaino stuff runs out. I've recently read about Grout Sponges from HomeDepot/Lowes as a replacement for sheepskin mitts (on autopia), so I'm going to give that a shot. Not sure what sealant i'm going to use going forward after the Zaino runs out.

Rowell is right about the Cali duster. The way I use it is to lightly brush the car to take the dust off the car, then do a spray down with Quick Detailer and a MF towel. It's a fantastic product, especially for those who don't drive the car often and has a dusty garage. Just make sure you're not pushing the brush in like you would a "normal" brush. Just running it over and let the fibres do the work for you.

604 C63

Every 3 days.

LuisC55AMG

Once a week. Probably once each 2 weeks if it gets rainy.

jvanbrecht

Debris that is stuck to your paint, you will want a dedicated cleaner for that, tar and bug remover and do spot cleans in those areas. Use any type of regular car shampoo and a sponge/sheepskin mit and trying to rub off the debris will only result in you grinding it into the paint.

Light passes using a claybar and some lubricant will also work pretty well.

Like autopia, I highly reccomend people go peruse the howto's on Detailed Images website (detailedimage.com assuming the forums here do not eat the url)

jvanbrecht

I'm a big fan of Chemical Guys and Dodo Juice brand products.

As for the grout sponge, most people (myself included) use that on the side skirts and splitters/lower bumber areas. Using a grout sponge on the paint will probably result in swirlies and scratches since the sponge does not really do a good jon of lifting dirt into itself like a good quality sheepsking mitt, or those microfiber covered sponges with the fingers.

bushburninc63

It seems like it would scratch the paint? Probably have to go over the paint lightly correct?

LuisC55AMG

Also: Keep your exhaust pipes shiny and clean. I followed the steps in the link below with excellent results. It changed the appearance of the rear end dramatically.

People often leave the exhaust pipes dirty, even the detailers!

http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/d...aust-tips.html

SonnyakaPig

Thank you. I appreciate the feedback.

May I ask what would be a good product to use when the car has been washed, and there is no debris left but you just want to polish the paint a little with a MF? I've seen my auto detailer use some kind of cream that he wipes around on the car and it really brings out a nice polish.

I'll check out that website.

SonnyakaPig

That was one heck of write up. Thanks for sharing. I'm going to try that exact procedure.

jvanbrecht

I use Chemical Guys Citrus wash. It can be diluted to 3 different levels, chemical stripping (removes previous waxes, sealants and glazes), regular wash level, safe to use on wax and sealant, and detail dilution level. The latter is what I stick in a spray bottle, and use with a quality MF cloth for quick detailing.

You can generally do this with most quality car shampoos.

SonnyakaPig

Oh... very cool. Thanks!

grane

My car duster is getting dirty. How would you recommend I clean it?

Another good product are those microfiber towels todry the finish after the wash or use on the interior. Beats Terry cloth or those chamois of yore!

noodleman

Well, the top part of my car is generally pretty clean, so maybe two sponger would be ok?

Yea, you don't have to work it in hard, just run it over panel and it'll pick up most of the dust.

Thanks! My exhaust tips have been driving me nuts and i'm going to try this. The previous owner left it really dirty and it's annoying me. Hopefully it can take out the caked on carbon bits as well.

Roswell

16 years old? Wow.. It was still working clean!!!

Roswell

I was told not to wash it, just shake it outside? Not sure though as mine is fairly new still.

Roswell

Yes, just use it lightly on a dusty car, not dirt. If 1 or 2 strike doesn't clean it, then it means u need a wash.