Keeping your new CR-Z looking new

20913 Views 123 Replies 42 Participants Last post by CRZY 1, Jun 15, 2011

GoHuskies

Discussion Starter · Sep 17, 2010

How are you all planning on keeping your new car looking fresh and clean. (Those of you who plan on keep it clean of course :blush

Wax, sprays, what will you use and how do you recommend going about your duties.

101 - 120 of 124 Posts

Epee

· #101 · Mar 18, 2011

Scotty, don't tell me you use a CA Carduster...

Next thing you are going to tell me is you voted for Moonbeam too. (I know you are from the PNW, but hey you got a Ca Carduster)

Wonders never cease.

hoisumguo

· #102 · Mar 18, 2011

Croftgate is an amazing dust or after rain product.
I'm warming up to the wheel and tire product from them too.

-Hoi

Epee

· #103 · Mar 18, 2011

hoisumguo,

Which product? Aquanil-X? I use the wheel and tire product, plus the Multi-cleaner is wonderful on bugs.

Scotty001

· #104 · Mar 19, 2011

:blush:

Epee said:
Scotty, don't tell me you use a CA Carduster...

Next thing you are going to tell me is you voted for Moonbeam too. (I know you are from the PNW, but hey you got a Ca Carduster)

Wonders never cease.

Seriously.. I actually do. Lived on Oahu for many years prior to PNW.. A times when I didn't take the Harley out, it worked pretty good at getting the dust off and out of all the crevices on the V-twin, frame, seat, lights etc....

No I don't use it on my cars. Too wet here anyway...

Oh, Moon beamer for president....

Epee

· #105 · Mar 19, 2011

Sigh, I asked for that comeback, and I'll take it, this time. <G>

716atHeart

· #106 · Apr 11, 2011

Was just perusing the Croftgate site. Is it legit (ie: safe for our cars) if there is actual surface dirt?

And yes I would be using a proper Microfiber towel.

716atHeart

· #107 · Apr 12, 2011

/cricket :sadwavey:

Epee

· #108 · Apr 13, 2011

5000 miles and loving Croftgate products. I'm surprised bizzy doesn't weigh in on this. He is the one who got me to try it. I'm sure Zaino or Adam's might give you a better shine, but the ease of no buckets and water is a wonderful thing.

wicked1

· #109 · Apr 13, 2011

Same w/ Optimum stuff.. Opti-clean (or optimum no-rinse) is all I use anymore.
I tired water and soap a couple of washes ago, and it was a very disappointing experience. These new cleaners are amazing.

crxtocrz

· #110 · Apr 14, 2011

wicked1 said:
Same w/ Optimum stuff.. Opti-clean (or optimum no-rinse) is all I use anymore.
I tired water and soap a couple of washes ago, and it was a very disappointing experience. These new cleaners are amazing.

Agreed. The results of my first wash with Optimum's Car Wash amazed me.

716atHeart

· #111 · Apr 14, 2011

Well I've always loved washing by hand with the soap and bucket, always been a fun thing to do.

But living in Queens and not having a driveway or a hose to use leads me to have to take two hours out of my saturday to wait in line for some crap car wash and shell out far too much than I prefer.

So I'm going to give croftgate a shot.

Thanks :thumbsup:

forumonlooker

· #112 · Apr 14, 2011

Water and soap is fine as long as you get a perfect drying application, I just can never get it right. Ive tried old t-shirts, chamois, microfiber towels, and it always leaves water or streak marks, and yes I use the two bucket method. Now that I live in a high rise, I only can do a good cleaning when its nice out on a day off (which is like a one in ten chance til mid summer and then it will be hard to find shade!). Unfortunately its lots of auto car washes for Odo.

716atHeart

· #113 · Apr 15, 2011

Croftgate ordered!

Bring on the cleannnnnnnnnnnnn

Epee

· #114 · Apr 15, 2011

716atHeart,

Congratulations, I'm sure you will love it. I sure do enjoy the ease of keeping my car clean.

wicked1

· #115 · Apr 15, 2011

crxtocrz said:
Agreed. The results of my first wash with Optimum's Car Wash amazed me.

Woo Hoo another optimum fan. (now that a 2nd person has mentioned them here, I can be a little less vocal about them)
Although, the "car wash" is one of the products of theirs I haven't tried. I think it's they're most like soap and water wash. I'll try it next, as I'm about down to my last wash of "optimum no-rinse" which is their intermediate product. Bucket of water w/ no-rinse in it, wet towel and dry towel. Wipe panel w/ wet. Wipe it dry, move on.
Then opti-clean is their water-less system for when the car isn' t too dirty. (spray and wipe)

And like someone else said a couple posts ago, it really is all about the drying. I think these new cleaners completely soften the water so dry spotless. Plus they leave a thin coating of polymer sealant on the car which keeps it shiny and prevents new dirt from sticking.

I've started using opti-clean on my glass shower doors. I used to have to get an abrasive sponge and commit cleaner and scrub those things to get all the soap and hard water stains off. W/ opti-clean I spray them, wipe them down w/ a microfiber a second later, and I'm done! (that's almost more impressive than the car cleaning, as glass shower doors are a b17ch to clean.

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crxtocrz

· #116 · Apr 16, 2011

wicked1 said:
Woo Hoo another optimum fan
<snip>

I've started using opti-clean on my glass shower doors. I used to have to get an abrasive sponge and commit cleaner and scrub those things to get all the soap and hard water stains off. W/ opti-clean I spray them, wipe them down w/ a microfiber a second later, and I'm done! (that's almost more impressive than the car cleaning, as glass shower doors are a b17ch to clean.

I was just thinking the other day about trying this. Thanks for the report!

VTEC Mini

· #117 · Apr 16, 2011

wicked1 said:
I've started using opti-clean on my glass shower doors. I used to have to get an abrasive sponge and commit cleaner and scrub those things to get all the soap and hard water stains off. W/ opti-clean I spray them, wipe them down w/ a microfiber a second later, and I'm done! (that's almost more impressive than the car cleaning, as glass shower doors are a b17ch to clean.

I will have to try it!

only9balls

· #118 · Apr 16, 2011

This thread was too long to read the whole thing, so not sure if this has been posted yet, but I use this: P & S Sales, Inc.

I was a professional detailer for about 5 years before I went hi-tech, and have used their stuff for years... it's da bomb :thumbsup:

chazdawg35

· #119 · Apr 16, 2011

Living in So Cal pretty much ALL the carwashes are run by mexicans who IMO do an awesome job detailing cars, for about $15 + tip I get the wash and wax job with the interior wipe down. I like to wax it myself everyother weekend and use turtle wax ICE, it give it a nice glow. I have 303 protectant but haven't used it on the interior yet. Anyone used 303 yet?

forumonlooker

· #120 · Apr 16, 2011

Ok sorta spoke too soon on the limit of how often I hand wax my car, as I finally had the chance to do it yesterday. Washed, clayed it, and nxt 2.0. Anyways has anybody else noticed a roughness of the rear high 1/4 section? Even after clay and wax it still feels rough on the slanted section heading towards the hatch seam, then goes smooth as soon as it gets to the fender.

101 - 120 of 124 Posts

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