What is the best way to maintain the car after a full detail job?

[BillE]

For a car cover, this is something I did/do.

Picked up a few 'flannel sheets' from the local thrift store, stitched them together to just make a 'bigger sheet'. I just lay it over the trucks horizontal surfaces (hood, cab, etc). I use some small (kinda weak) magnets that hold it down.

Disclaimer: My truck sits (sleeps) during the winter in the garage, so this is strictly NOT a form fitting true car cover, just a nice SOFT cover-up.
Using well worn flannel, they are about as soft a fabric as one can find.

Just my $.02...

Bill

[Derek Short]

opie 7afe,

Thanks for that info!


As far as spray waxes go what would you guys all recommend?
What seems to be the best?

[BobbyG]

Hi Derek,

Garage Queen

These are the gems that are taken out only on sunny days where there's little sign of anything coming in contact with the finish other than sunshine, a warm breeze, and an errant bird dropping....

For the most part a rinseless wash is all that's needed to clean the exterior and an occasional vacuuming for interior touch-ups.

Most of the micro damage to the exterior comes from direct contact.

When I wash my Z06 I mix up a pail of DP Rinseless Wash & Gloss and put it in my garden sprayer. I coat the exterior several times so that the solution dissolves and floats away any surface contaminates.

Once everything's thoroughly soaked I use an electric leaf blower to dry the exterior and again not touching the finish.

Now, this may sound extreme but the fewer things that contact the finish the less likely you are to impart scratches and other defects.

I don't believe in car covers..

Daily Driver

Normal care through general washing using a recommended car wash and suitable wash mitt will keep the exterior clean.

Drying can be accomplished using the leaf blower method mentioned above or a Microfiber drying towel.

Using a detail spray, rinseless, or waterless wash is another approach to exterior cleaning, all using a Microfiber towel with caution. I use DP Rinseless Wash & Gloss during the winter months here in New England but also use it in the summer as a quick wash.

Another suggestion after the finish is clean is to use a spray wax like Optimum Spray Car Wax. I've found this to be once of the nicest, easy to use spray waxes on the market. It's as easy to use as detail spray and leaves behind a gorgeous shine with 4 to 5 months of added protection.

All of this is nothing more than care and routine maintenance.

[Derek Short]

thanks for the info.

When i was the car would u guys suggest i fill my bucks with warm water to help clean it?
I remember when i was younger my friends dad would always wash his cars with warm water.

[Derek Short]

was looking at spray waxes on AG and came across this...
doesn't appear to be on the market yet but sounds like it will be a good product.

Meguiars Gold Class Carnauba Plus+ Quik Wax, spray wax, car wax spray


Anyone hear anything about this product yet?

[KneeDragr]

Would i be OK if i were to get a nicer higher end car cover and make sure to keep detailing it before the cover goes on and it sit for the week or so...?

Thats what I do - I never put the cover on my Vette unless Ive sprayed it with detailer. I dont have any marring ( yet ) but Corvettes have super hard clear coats.

My feeling is I will definitely incur more paint damage doing it this way than letting it sit dirty and/or uncovered, but I would rather have a super clean shiny car every time I drive, and I dont mind polishing it every year or two to get the paint back to near perfect.

[WaltJabsco]

I thought I'd post a message here rather than starting a new thread.

My car was detailed at the end of November. I've had it washed once at a hand-wash place. However, I'm not sure how often they change their mitts and towels.

I'll wash the car once a week with ONR and wipe it with a QD mid-week if it's not too dirty. I'd say it's outside about 12 hours a day M-F and a few hours on the weekends. At other times it's in a garage. During the Spring, Summer and Fall I go kayaking and camping and it gets very dirty as I go through some muddy and gravely roads. I went up to Bear Rocks in WV and the car was filthy afterwards.

At the end of February a Meguiars trained detailer will to teach me how to use a bi-directional buffer with cleaner wax. I'd like to wax the car on my own 3-4 times a year.

Assuming I don't cause lots of swirls or marring while washing or waxing the car, what factors/issues would require a 4-step process? Is this something detailers recommend once a year? I'm not sure if I'm up for doing the entire 4-step on my own. Do any of the detailers here have customers who wash weekly, wax 4 times a year and then bring the car in for a professional job too? If so, what do you see that would require a complete detail. I realize that if I follow through with my plan I'll be doing more than most people but at some point washing and waxing won't be enough, right? Anyway, maybe I can just answer my own question by saying it depends how I want the car to look.

Btw: It's a Subaru. A large number of people on various Subaru forums complain about the paint quality.

I just want to keep the car looking new. I can't justify spending spending hundreds a year on pro-details though.

[WaltJabsco]

I don't know how to edit my post but I meant using a dual-action buffer and something along the lines of a meguiar's smooth surface kit 3-4x a year.

Thanks.