Really Dirty Daily Driver. What to do in dirt conditions aka road construction.

[JeffsRealm]

So this year the city I live in decided the 2 mile stretch of road in front of my house needed all new water mains and sewer. Oh what a mess. Basically think of your average city street with sidewalks on both sides and then side walk to sidewalk rip it all out deep enough to put in sewer and water mains including the first half of my driveway. Of course this is not going fast. Being I live in Michigan they started this in April and I manage to get a coating of Collinite 845 on back then, it was too cold out to do a coating or sealant. However, it now going on July and I really haven't been able to do anything except hose it off. I do attempt a 2 bucket wash fruitlessly on occasion. Unfortunately it is my only vehicle, so I can't really be without it. I do not have any family within 3 hour drive so I can go over there to wash do a sealant or anything.

Under these conditions when it rains I have mud, when it is dry the dust is unbelievable. I have actually changed air filters on my vehicle twice since this started. Furnace filters every 20 days and they are really dirty. My biggest problem is I cant really get a wash and a good prep on the finish to do anything. Seriously by the time I completely wash and dry the car I am afraid to do a clay bar, there is already a layer of dust on the truck. I don't really want to grind that in and polish it into the paint.

Ok now the good news, I do have a sidewalk and driveway back again the front yard from sidewalk to street is still dirt, black top road though doesn't go in for several more weeks. I still have a mile or so of this to drive through every day but the dust has settled down a little bit. I am thinking of putting on a coating like Wolfgangs Uber, or the Gyeon 2 on sale right now. Hoping this will help me. I was thinking maybe I could do one panel at a time, basically completely clean, dry, clay bar, polish, prep to remove all polish, then look to make sure no cars are coming then apply the coating, wipe off excess. Wait a little bit then do another panel starting with the wash again on that panel then clay bar, polish, clean polish, coating rinse and repeat. I can not find anywhere where Wolfgangs uber can not get wet shortly after it is applied and dried. Where Wolfgangs sealant, you have to let dry 24 hours. Does this sound like a valid plan? What would you do? Really open to suggestions. I know it is going to take a lot longer to do this but I don't think the truck would stay dust free long enough doing a full wash, then dry, then clay bar, then polish.

[blagunas6]

That sounds like a nightmare. I think you got the right idea though in your situation. It will take longer but its possible to do. Do you have any self servicing car washes near you? if you do why not take it there and do what you need to do to it.

[JeffsRealm]

That sounds like a nightmare. I think you got the right idea though in your situation. It will take longer but its possible to do. Do you have any self servicing car washes near you? if you do why not take it there and do what you need to do to it.

There is only one, kind of near me 20 mile drive, unfortunately it is old and out dated and they have a strict policy on hanging out there and doing anything. The other problem is doing a coating, there would be overspray from all the other cars washing. They want you to just come in and wash and go. I use them to rinse salt off and stuff in the winter and go there when my truck is caked in mud as of lately but not a viable option for that.

Then yeah it is a pain, however when it is done it will be a good thing, I keep telling myself that anyway. We never had fire hydrants before, it was more than a mile to the nearest hydrant, now there is one in my neighbors yard. Insurance will go down. There was a huge patch of crab grass I fought every year, which is now completely gone. I have a new driveway. Our old road was mainly just made up of patched potholes, so we will have a new road. You really learn what your neighbors are like though with such a project. Always thought the people in my neighborhood were calm and nice. Seen people get out of their vehicle and yell at the guys working on the road, scream and honk. Other people like me talk to them, told them feel free to use my hose to cool off on hot days if they need to. Every now and then on Friday if I get home early enough I stop and buy a couple cases of cold beer, offer it to the guys at the end of the day. I know they are just doing their job the best they can and they work long days some days.

[blagunas6]

There is only one, kind of near me 20 mile drive, unfortunately it is old and out dated and they have a strict policy on hanging out there and doing anything. The other problem is doing a coating, there would be overspray from all the other cars washing. They want you to just come in and wash and go. I use them to rinse salt off and stuff in the winter and go there when my truck is caked in mud as of lately but not a viable option for that.

Then yeah it is a pain, however when it is done it will be a good thing, I keep telling myself that anyway. We never had fire hydrants before, it was more than a mile to the nearest hydrant, now there is one in my neighbors yard. Insurance will go down. There was a huge patch of crab grass I fought every year, which is now completely gone. I have a new driveway. Our old road was mainly just made up of patched potholes, so we will have a new road. You really learn what your neighbors are like though with such a project. Always thought the people in my neighborhood were calm and nice. Seen people get out of their vehicle and yell at the guys working on the road, scream and honk. Other people like me talk to them, told them feel free to use my hose to cool off on hot days if they need to. Every now and then on Friday if I get home early enough I stop and buy a couple cases of cold beer, offer it to the guys at the end of the day. I know they are just doing their job the best they can and they work long days some days.

You're a good guy man ..hope good things come your way like having your truck clean longer than you normally do lol :xyxthumbs:

[DaveT435]

So this year the city I live in decided the 2 mile stretch of road in front of my house needed all new water mains and sewer. Oh what a mess. Basically think of your average city street with sidewalks on both sides and then side walk to sidewalk rip it all out deep enough to put in sewer and water mains including the first half of my driveway. Of course this is not going fast. Being I live in Michigan they started this in April and I manage to get a coating of Collinite 845 on back then, it was too cold out to do a coating or sealant. However, it now going on July and I really haven't been able to do anything except hose it off. I do attempt a 2 bucket wash fruitlessly on occasion. Unfortunately it is my only vehicle, so I can't really be without it. I do not have any family within 3 hour drive so I can go over there to wash do a sealant or anything.

Under these conditions when it rains I have mud, when it is dry the dust is unbelievable. I have actually changed air filters on my vehicle twice since this started. Furnace filters every 20 days and they are really dirty. My biggest problem is I cant really get a wash and a good prep on the finish to do anything. Seriously by the time I completely wash and dry the car I am afraid to do a clay bar, there is already a layer of dust on the truck. I don't really want to grind that in and polish it into the paint.

Ok now the good news, I do have a sidewalk and driveway back again the front yard from sidewalk to street is still dirt, black top road though doesn't go in for several more weeks. I still have a mile or so of this to drive through every day but the dust has settled down a little bit. I am thinking of putting on a coating like Wolfgangs Uber, or the Gyeon 2 on sale right now. Hoping this will help me. I was thinking maybe I could do one panel at a time, basically completely clean, dry, clay bar, polish, prep to remove all polish, then look to make sure no cars are coming then apply the coating, wipe off excess. Wait a little bit then do another panel starting with the wash again on that panel then clay bar, polish, clean polish, coating rinse and repeat. I can not find anywhere where Wolfgangs uber can not get wet shortly after it is applied and dried. Where Wolfgangs sealant, you have to let dry 24 hours. Does this sound like a valid plan? What would you do? Really open to suggestions. I know it is going to take a lot longer to do this but I don't think the truck would stay dust free long enough doing a full wash, then dry, then clay bar, then polish.

What part of Michigan?

[PaulMys]

I'm sure I am not the only forum member that cringed while reading that.

Hopefully they will be all done soon, and this mess will be a distant memory.

[JeffsRealm]

What part of Michigan?

Grand Rapids Area


I'm sure I am not the only forum member that cringed while reading that.

Hopefully they will be all done soon, and this mess will be a distant memory.

Yeah it is rough, let me share my pain with pictures, I completely did a 2 bucket wash Sunday. I usually spend half hour just hosing off solid particles. I took this pic last night. This is 2 and a half days worth of grime. End of the week its worse. Looks like I am out running trails but this is just the street I live on. They wet the road down several times a day to keep the dust down. I really need to keep protection on it. Hence the point of this thread. However, I really feel I am losing the battle. I completely quit doing tires and rims. There is really no point. Just keeping the paint protected.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/860/42915089024_25757d17d4_k.jpg

[DetailZeus]

What a pain! I would not take a buffer to the paint in those conditions let alone try to apply a coating. Just some spray way or spray sealant after a wash should be enough protection for the time being. The last thing you want to do is rub dry dust into your paint. Not to spend your money but a cheap electric pressure washer could help with your initial rinse, especially on those wheels. Best of luck!

[The Guz]

I agree. A coating is not going to solve the issue. Get yourself something like Optimum Car Wax, Rupes P808 or even something like Meguiar’s Ultimate Fast Finish.

[SWETM]

I would second to get a PW to easier get the loose dirt off the truck. Sunjoe has just been released their 9000 series which seems to be a great choice. They have gone with to look at the kränzle PW specs with a higher water flow which is something you want from a PW. Otherwise Greenworks and Sunjoe 4000 series is good choices too.

For protection when you have a PW you have the spray on rinse off coating topper. Gyeon Wet Coat and McKees 37 Hydro Blue or carpro hydro2 lite is some great options of those. If you get a good plastic sealant they keep it fresh to with those spray on rinse off products. The glass gets some hydrophobic too and the wheels gets easier to maintain. It fast to apply them and refresh them every other month.

[Farmallluvr]

I live in Michigan asparagus 2and a 1/2 miles down a clay road so I feel your pain
Black 2010 Accord is never clean but I try to powered most of the mud off before I wash it
Where I live is the main reason I quit doing sidework at home

[JeffsRealm]

What a pain! I would not take a buffer to the paint in those conditions let alone try to apply a coating. Just some spray way or spray sealant after a wash should be enough protection for the time being. The last thing you want to do is rub dry dust into your paint. Not to spend your money but a cheap electric pressure washer could help with your initial rinse, especially on those wheels. Best of luck!


I agree. A coating is not going to solve the issue. Get yourself something like Optimum Car Wax, Rupes P808 or even something like Meguiar’s Ultimate Fast Finish.

This is where I was thinking one panel at a time. Pretty sure I can wash, dry, polish and then do a coating one panel at a time before it got dirty. No way I can do the whole truck. I worry about waxes because dry time on them the dust and dirt that would get in then just wiping that all around.

[Finick]

I’d be worried about the dust accumulating on the panel somehow messing with the coating?

I think in this case I’d definitely grab up some type of spray sealant/wowa product like Opti-seal or ultima paint guard plus


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[Calendyr]

What I would do is go to that coin operated car wash to clean all the dirt off.

Then I would find a public parking lot nearby (Walmart for example) and do a waterless wash then apply a sealant. The waterless and sealant application should be pretty fast if you just pressure washed the car. So probably half an hour to clean completelly and an other half hour to use a Wipe On Walk Away sealant.

[The Guz]

This is where I was thinking one panel at a time. Pretty sure I can wash, dry, polish and then do a coating one panel at a time before it got dirty. No way I can do the whole truck. I worry about waxes because dry time on them the dust and dirt that would get in then just wiping that all around.

What I meant regarding my comment was that yes the self cleaning effect of a coating is great. But with the level of dirt, dust and what not, it is not going to matter if you go with a coating, wax or sealant. I understand your concern but it is sort of like a lose/lose situation. I'd ride it out and coat it later on. If you really want to try a coating perhaps Gyeon CanCoat would be a better choice.