DanielKSpencer

Another Tip. . .

Plexus, which is a motorcycle plastic polish, works great on polished wheels to give them a quick shine. You don't want to use it if the wheels are dirty because you could end up scratching your wheels by rubbing the dirt into the metal. But if they are "clean" but just need a quick shine, or have water spots you want to get off. Spray a little on a microfiber and wipe the wheel then keep rubbing it until it's dry and shiny.

Redfire_07

except you have even an extra step... wake up before sunrise to wash the car so light direct light doesnt hit the paint

DanielKSpencer

Got that right, lol I have a large garage, but my drain is permanently stopped up. So, even though I do all my polishing, etc. inside I still have to wash mine outside. I've been known to do it at night, early morning, or on a cloudy day to avoid the sun. If it's not too hot I can usually do pretty good if I go fast and use the sheeting method to get most of it off. The blower takes time and on even a semi hot day lots of times I'll get some spotting before I can get around the whole car.

I could use a microfiber drying towel to do it quicker, but it's not worth the streaks IMO

DanielKSpencer

I'm sure the people that saw me last week at the car wash on the way to the show thought I was crazy. Me, my gf, 2 small buckets, 1 large one, 2 gallon jugs, a microfiber sponge, a leaf blower, and an extension cord all in one bay. All I needed was a live chicken . . .

geocomp

I am glad to hear about someone else using a leaf blower to dry there car. I have been doing that with my motocycle and mustang for a while now. All the neighbors and even my wife laugh at me for doing it that way but it sure is a lot faster and it gets all the water out of the nook and crannys.

For anybody that is interested there is a great web site for detailing called the theDetailersCafe.com. There are some truly great guys over there and I have learned alot from them.

07BLACKGT

Thanks for the great tips! I didn't even know about "sheeting".

I have noticed my car is getting more and more swirlmarks... I'm going to start trying your method.

DanielKSpencer

Yeah, the leaf blower is the poop on a stick, lol It's really nice for getting all the water out of the wheels, trunk channel, gas cap, and door jams. The better the wax job the faster it goes, too. I just open my doors and blow off the jams while I'm at it, since it usually doesn't get all the water off of them if you leave the doors closed.

Here's a note about car covers. . . Car covers are great if you are going to be storing you car for an extended period of time, even in a garage. But, they can do damage as well. If you car is not completely clean or you cover has dust or dirt in it you can damage your paint when you put it on or remove it. So, don't use one every day, and keep it stored in a dust free container when you are not using it. The dust that settles on the cover when it's on the car can very easily fall back onto the car or get on the inside of the cover. So be careful and try to take it outside and shake it out good before storing it.

I put mine in a rubbermade container and I only use it if the car is not going to be driven for weeks at a time. I always notice some very minor scratching every time I use it. Nothing that I can't buff out easily, though