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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

General Car Washing questions


MrRalphMan

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Guys,

 

Can anyone give me some advice please?

 

1) - Does anyone use a blade to remove water from their car after washing it?

If so, what make/model and is it that much better then a cloth.

 

2) - What do you use to clean your wheels?

My wheels are clean, but would like to keep them that way without causing any damage.

 

3) - My wifes wheels are not so clean, is there anything out there that will get off the brake dust/crap that I cannot get off with a sponge?

 

4) - Wax, if you use it, what do you use.

 

Thanks,

 

Paul.

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Wonder Wheels is ok for use a couple of times a year maybe. Don't use it regularly as it'll take off the lacquer on the wheels.

Also beware as it shouldn't be used on some types.

 

There's a turtle wax product designed to keep brake dust at bay (a kind of polish for wheels) which works ok after you've got them nice and clean.

 

I use autoglym polish and then gold resin usually, although I'm going to try meguires soon as a friend keeps raving about it.

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1. I use a blade, it's good as long as you wipe it after every swipe (just with your fingers). When it starts screaching it's scratching the paint!!

 

2. I only use the normal (Sonax) shampoo on the wheels, I have wonder wheels and have used it before with great results but not on my new wheels yet.

 

3. Wonder wheels should be good to bring the wheels up to spec then use regular shampoo again.

 

4. I've never waxed, only polished. I may one day get a clay bar and a full set of stuff and do a proper job with some nice high quantity carnauba wax, but for now polish does me fine every month or 2.

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Would recommend Wonder Wheels as Rogue said, good stuff but make sure you follow the instructions. Always a good idea to polish them after using it.

 

Talking of polish, I can heartily recommend Sonax, which is sold here on the board:

 

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=43055&highlight=sonax

 

Easy to use and gives a great finish.

 

As for blades, I use the Autoglym one to clear the main panels of the car after washing and rinsing then a chammy.

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Guys,

 

Can anyone give me some advice please?

 

1) - Does anyone use a blade to remove water from their car after washing it?

If so, what make/model and is it that much better then a cloth.

 

2) - What do you use to clean your wheels?

My wheels are clean, but would like to keep them that way without causing any damage.

 

3) - My wifes wheels are not so clean, is there anything out there that will get off the brake dust/crap that I cannot get off with a sponge?

 

4) - Wax, if you use it, what do you use.

 

Thanks,

 

Paul.

 

 

1. Yep I use one of the rubber blades, I can't remember what make it is, but picked it up from the AutoGleam stand at Japfest. It's good at large open areas, like the roof, bonnet and windows, etc. I still use a shammy for the smaller areas though. (The shammy I have is from a valeters and seems to work better than normal shammy's)

 

2. Just hot soapy water normally, or pop down to the valeters and use their wheel cleaner. (It contains some sort of acid, burns like hell if you get the vapour in your eyes or breath it in). But this brings the wheels up gleaming!

 

3. Sweet talk a valeter to spray some on your wife's wheels ;)

 

4. No wax, I should do really though.

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Hmmm, maybe I go overboard...

 

Sonax Car shampoo to clean it and an egyptian cotton towel to dry

Meguiars Cleaner Wax to clean it up

Meguiars Wheel Cleaner

A mixture of autoglym super-resin/megauirs gold glass/colour magic (equal quantities)

Turtle Tyre Gel on the wheels

Turtle Wax for Wheels to keep the alloys shiny

Autoglym bumper care for the black rubbery bits

Autoglym glass polish for the outside of the windows and headlights

RainX for the front window

Autoglym fast glass for the inside of the windows

Autoglym Metal Polish for the exhaust

Meguiars plastic polish for the back lights

AutoSol for the polished bits under the bonnet

Meguairs leathercare for the seats.

Autoglym vinyl care for the dash and other bits.

Autoglym interior shampoo for the carpet

 

And my paint work isn't in the best of nick anyway, but it doesn't half shine when I'm done

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Guys,

 

Can anyone give me some advice please?

 

1) - Does anyone use a blade to remove water from their car after washing it?

If so, what make/model and is it that much better then a cloth.

 

Always use a leather ....... especially if I'm not planning on a quick polish afterwards. Planing on trying one of those micro fibre drying towels but will probably only use it on skirts, sills door handles and round lights where the water rests in nooks and crannies and the towels will suck it out.

 

2) - What do you use to clean your wheels?

My wheels are clean, but would like to keep them that way without causing any damage.

 

Buy new ones and keep em clean from day 1 !!!!!! Failing that I under stand that a mild cutting paste or chrome polish works wonders occaisionally to get the hard to shift crap off ....... they're only painted afterall !!!!!! Best thing though, once they'r clean, wash once a week and dust off each evening if possible...... bit anal I know but no pain, no gain !!!!!! Tyre gel from Autoglym in the bright green bottle is great stuff

 

3) - My wifes wheels are not so clean, is there anything out there that will get off the brake dust/crap that I cannot get off with a sponge?

 

See above ..... failing that you could get them powder blasted, coated and laquered for £200 - £400 depending on the size and if you leave them on the car or just deliver the rims !!!!!

 

4) - Wax, if you use it, what do you use.

 

Zaino ......... makes the zed look good but the black Supra FANTASTIC !!!!!!!

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Careful with the wheels, they're a bit sensitive, especially the polished lip! Meguiar's Hot Wheels spray is one of the safest around and really good for shifting grime and I had some Swissol wheel wax which was good for adding a bit of protection after washing.

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big plug for a frind of mine......Muc-Off.......no not you lot, the product....traditionally the mountain bikers friend, the de-greaser is xxx and they do a silica wheel treatment which works really well...the better the more often you use it...alloy / stainless / tyres / trim etc....wax, Id agree on Mguires......Flash Auto dry system really works, so no chance of tiny scratches from leather or blade - just be careful its a bit ungainly to hold and sponge at the same time - Ive found that the ionised water rinse (autodry bit) works even when u use normal shampoo as long as suns not too hot

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