Washing your car...

[SilverSaloon]

I use the flash system -- nice to rinse off with ionised water to stop stains.....

i've got one of these - used it once and was not impressed.

should i of given it more of a chance? i've still got it in my garage along with the tubs of fluid that come with it.

 

[st13phil]

I've had a pressure washer for the last 12 years or so and it can be useful for car washing, but it's not the panacea that you may intuitively think it will be. As others have mentioned, it can be disturbingly easy to blow paint off the bodywork or wheels if you get the lance too close in an effort to "just blast off that stubborn bit of muck". There are a number of other "don'ts" that you ignore at your peril, including:

• Avoid pressure washing the tyres as it will damage them
• The high pressure jet can and will lift less-than-perfect seals around windows
• Don't be tempted to give brake calipers a blast - water can be forced past the seals

As long as you use common sense then they can be a useful tool and, as someone has already mentioned they are very miserly in their use of water.

Personally, when I wash the car most times I use a hose with a trigger gun, a lambswool mitt and a good quality car shampoo and the pressure washer sits unused in the corner of my garage.

 

[Dieselman]

nice to rinse off with ionised water to stop stains.....

What stains are you rinsing Crockers.? On second thoughts, best to not tell us..

 

[Dieselman]

just had some bodywork done so it looks pristine at the moment!

Are we still talking cars.??

 

[Howard]

Gina got her dents banged out ...

 

[Dieselman]

Gina got her dents banged out ...

Crikey H..

Wonder if they got a nice flat finish...

 

[Howard]

Sometimes you just can't cover things up with a respray ....

You have to grind back , treat and then fill first .....

Then a good polish , touching up any bits that you've missed ....



Just wait for the ' Banned ' notice to replace ' Mr Toad '

 

[Dieselman]

treat and then fill first .....

What would we do without Isopon P38..plastic padding.?

 

[Howard]

In the old days , people used to stuff it with newspaper ....

 

[Dieselman]

Difficult to get that paper mache to look just right both sides..

 

[bobby]

I learnt at my cost how "sharp" the spray can be - thought I'd just rinse my hands and put them into the spray - OUCH!!!!!!!!

i stand quite a way off from the car's body when spraying, probably half a foot to a foot.

Have taken on board all the warnings - but so far - am deeply impressed. I still wash the car with sponge and soap, but for the initial wetting and subesequent rinse - its great.

My wheels are unlacquered on the polished rim, and gloss black on the face. They need to be Autosolv'd every 6 weeks to get out "stains". This process takes about 45 mins!

Tend to wash the car and hoover interior every week, wax it every month, autosolv the wheels every 6 weeks. Leather treatment twice a year.

 

[daveuj]

if I am in the mood get stuck in and do a great job but most of the time just gets a wash and leather ,do not use hand car wash as found some very small scraches last time .Gave it a good hover out last friday put back into garage as the wife is off work and can use her KA not so much fun keep getting into the outside lane at lights not got the go of my MB plus forget it's a manual.

 

[Howard]

I love driving my wifes Ka , it's like a little go kart !!

 

[Shude]

This story popped into my head while reading this thread.

Get ready to set your time machines to just over five years ago!

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1726

 

[gina2201]

I love driving my wifes Ka , it's like a little go kart !!

I had one as a courtesy car a short while back, to be fair, it was alright! (but very girly and not really 'me-not into everything being round and circular) but was quite fun for a day or two!

 

[bobby]

I love driving my wifes Ka , it's like a little go kart !!

Try a Smart - it was so good, I bought the company! (I mean, the car - I bought the car)

 

[mb240]

No worse than doing 70mph in the driving rain. If a cars paintwork cant take that, then somethings wrong.

Well it is an 00 CLK, I think maybe that's ambitious

(No new rust spots yet!)

RE: wheels. How do people do wheels here? I got into the habit of taking each wheel off individually (i.e., jacking the car up, etc., ) and cleaning it all on the inside as well, it looks great then, but it takes a long time. 15 mins a wheel easily.

 

[dsolds]

OK then, ready for the OCD of car washing?

Foam gun on jetwasher. Thick layer of foam all over the car.
Whilst foam is softening the dirt I do the wheels with some Bilberry and a wheel brush.
Pressure wash the foam off along with 90% of the dirt.
Then wash whole car with lambswool mitt and 2 bucket method.
Re-rinse with a plain hose (no nozzles)
Leave water to sheet off.
Dry with microfibre towels.
Apply coat of Swissvax Best of Show wax. (every 4th wash)
Buff up with ultra plush microfibre.

repeat as required every week or so.

See, told you I had OCD

 

[The G.F.P]

i pay my mate who is a valleter/vallitier/vallatar with audi so does a good job

was, polish, windows inside & outside, wheels, shammy, hoover & sprays stuff on dash

all for £30 if i get both cars done together

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Don't place bare hands in the flow of a high pressure jet of any kind of fluid - including water.

The resulting injury may not be obvious immediately as the mark where tke skin breaks may not be easy to see - you only realise some time later when parts of your body die, and fall off.