New Car Wash Method Critique

Hi Mike,

I just got my dream car (Hellcat Challenger) and I've been thinking about the best car wash and polish routine. I usually wash my car (Meguiar's Crystal) about every 2-3 weeks. Since I just read on here recently that Dawn is not necessary to remove old polish and you can layer new polish without any issues, my plan is to polish (I use the 4 parts Duragloss 105 TPP and 1 part Duragloss 601 bonding agent mixture) 1/3 of the car every other wash and cycle (every 4-6 weeks) through that way to maximize efficiency and paint protection.

Many thanks in advance for taking the time to answer.

Welcome to the forum,

I know your message was for Mike but I will jump in anyway ;)

First, congrats on the new car. One amazing car that one is!

So first the wash...

The product you are using (Meguiars Crystal) is better than Dawn in the sense it will not be stripping the protection you apply on the car, but it's also one of the cheapest car soap available and it lacks in lubricity (which helps prevent scratching the car while washing). I suggest you replace it with Gold Class if you want to stay with Meguiars. Gold class is a much better car soap and is still affordable.

Also regarding washing, the best thing you can do it purchase a pressure washer. Even the cheapest pressure washer on the market will do a good job at removing most of the dirt on the car without you having to touch it. This is how you pevent scratches. After that, simply decide what wash method you want to follow, there are probably 3 good ones : 3 bucket wash being the most popular here. The second one is the one bucket, many wash mitts (or microfiber towel) and the last is the rinseless which can also be done with 3 buckets or multiple mitts/towels. All these will do a good job so it's really a preference thing.

Second, you should not polish the car on a regular basis. Polishing is done when needed. So if you start to see swirl marks, or notice the paint is getting dull, that is when you want to polish it. Polishing is done through abrasives. And while it is very light in terms of agressiveness, there is no reason to remove paint from the car on a regular basis if the car doesn't need it.

Finally, you need to decide on a protection regiment for the paint. The 3 major options are:

- Wax the car about once a month
- Apply a paint sealant every 3 or 6 months
- Apply a paint coating every 2 years or less (depends on the product)

Once you decide on that, you can choose a topper for everytime you wash the car. For example, if you decide on waxing, you could use a spray wax as a drying aid. Same for paint coating (spray waxes are actually sealants most of the time or a hybrid of wax and sealant). If you go with a coating, there are Silica based sealants that can be used as a drying aid, increasing the protection of your coating and serving as a sacrificial layer.

I hope this answered all your questions, if not, feel free to ask for clarifications. Mike might has some more insights for you as well ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SouthBayRay

Hi Mike,

I just got my dream car (Hellcat Challenger) and I've been thinking about the best car wash and polish routine.

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What color is it?

Does it have any matte graphics?



:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Calendyr

Welcome to the forum,

I know your message was for Mike but I will jump in anyway ;)

I hope this answered all your questions, if not, feel free to ask for clarifications.

Mike might has some more insights for you as well ;)

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I like what you posted, real-world good info.


:dblthumb2:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike Phillips

What color is it?

Does it have any matte graphics?



:)

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Hello! It is IndiGo Blue and has a painted satin black spoiler. It is my daily driver and is garaged at night. I did make a mistake in my OP, as I did graduate up to Gold Class some time ago (thanks @Calendyr!). ;)

After spending the last few days and a good chunk of my morning on this treasure trove (be it overwhelming!) of useful info, I think I am going to add a SunJoe SPX3000 to my routine.

Welcome to AGO, Ray.

Wow, a Hellcat!! As a MOPAR guy, I'm drooling.......... :)

While it might seem overwhelming at first (it did to me also), keep reading, and more importantly asking questions. Ask, ask, and ask again. The guys and gals here on this forum are just incredible at helping out with anything you may be wondering about.

It's a never-ending learning process for me, and I enjoy the heck out of it. :buffing:

get the pressure washer for sure. .Pre-rinse the car to remove dirt and debris..it will reduce the chances of scratching the car...get PFM towel it will make drying the car much easier and faster..