HARD WATER SPOTS: anyone buy a new car (dealer) with this prob??
 

just bought the car 2 weeks ago from the dealer here in Pasadena, CA. the car is full of hard water spots, so bad that 2 run throughs at the local car wash did zero. i called them, they have offered to take the car and send it to a detailer. apparently, they have to use either special compounds or CLR (calcium remover) to get this stuff off. i had originally thought that they were water spots resulting from the wash prior to the delivery. it looks more like something caused by many months of "valet" type washing on their lot.

anyone experience anything like this?

just curious (as to the result)

regards

hey, i havent experienced anything like this, but your dealer should give it to you with wax on it, and fully prepped. if your willing to spend some monwy, and time, i would get some detailing products. i use zaino, and with everything, those spots should come right out. there is a detailing forum here, and also there is atopia.org to get more info. GL with it, hopefully the dealer will get them out.

Before you freak out, try a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. Spray on, wipe off. It worked fine for me.

Some think it is bad to leave it on the car. If you're really worried, hose it down when you are done.

Clay bar also works great in case you get it again later.

Make sure the car is in the garage/or shade and cool when you add these things..

Why are you washing your MB with a local car wash? Absolutely a no-no unless no other resources available. As for the hard water spots, try a a very diluted solution of vinegar ( mild acid) and water. Should do the trick. Only spot treat. Claying is an option. Check out www.autopia.org to get into detaing your car. Amazing and very helpful site and forum like this one.
Best Regards,
Jay :zoom:

I'd let the dealer do a detail for you and insure they use a good wax. I've had several MB's and never had this problem but you should never use a local car wash. My dealer gives free car washes that are not bad but if I have the time, I do it myself. Dark colors show the problem more than white which is the color I usually get.

Desert Silver may be the wussiest possible color for an E500, but let me tell you, it doesn't show dirt until the car is filthy and doesn't show swirl marks at all. I wash the car when the wheels get too black with brake dust, not because the body looks dirty.

DWP, I'm with you! My silver E500 never looks dirty. I've had the black car curse in the past - never again! SoftTouch car washes are fine. BTW, the vinegar and water thing should work for the waterspots mentioned above. :y

i would also stop going to the dealer to get car washes if you want your paint to look nice, dealers dont use good products at all, and they basically wash the car the same way as a touch free car wash would. i reccomend detailing it yourself, or get a good detailer, like a hand wash. GL

All of my personal cars have been washed at the local car wash all of their lives. No marks, no probs. Just dont go to an old crappy car wash. Some of the OLD crappy joints here in metro NY still have chains pulling the cars. All the new "deluxe" washes are fine. Of course my neighbor has a 50th anniversary Vette which has never been driven in the rain. Depends how crazy you are!

How does it pull the car through without a chain?

I meant a chain that connects from the chain in the washes track to the frame under the car. At the end of the wash the chain is popped off the in track pulling chain & hangs from the bottom of the car waiting to be unhooked. Not the chain in the track of the car wash that has rollers that push the car forward behind the tires of the car.

Barry45rpm: Where on Long Island are you and which car wash do you think is not a crappy old car wash? I've used the place on Old Country Rd near Roosevelt Field and it seems fine.

Most all of the washes on L.I. are great. The advice about crappy washes was geared more to the rest of the country where a car wash owner might not invest in replacing old equipment as frequently. Here on L.I. there are very few old equipped washes. You can tell by looking at the building & you'd pass them by anyway, so don't sweat it.... I use "State of the Art" on Rte 110 Amityville once or twice a week just because its convenient to my work place.