Ahhh crap! Need detailing advice
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 415
Likes: 17
From: Mt. Airy, Maryland
Ahhh crap! Need detailing advice Long story short,
My daily driver crapped the bed this morning so I had to take the Firehawk to work in the pouring rain. The problem is that I have been detailing ALL WINTER and there was NO protectant or sealant on the car. I was days away from applying some Zaino Z-CS to top it off. But now this thing has seen 52.3 miles of the Baltimore beltway.... what do I do?
Do I just wash it with some gentle soap and then rub it down with a 50/50 mix of water and alcohol?
Please help.
My daily driver crapped the bed this morning so I had to take the Firehawk to work in the pouring rain. The problem is that I have been detailing ALL WINTER and there was NO protectant or sealant on the car. I was days away from applying some Zaino Z-CS to top it off. But now this thing has seen 52.3 miles of the Baltimore beltway.... what do I do?
Do I just wash it with some gentle soap and then rub it down with a 50/50 mix of water and alcohol?
Please help.
I'd wash it with car soap and water and dry with a chamois. I would not use alcohol on the paint, but I've used a 50/50 mix of distilled white vinegar and water to remove hard water spots and it worked very well. Then wax.
I would wash it and dry it and take a look under the lights to see what it needs.
Go around the car prepping it with quick detailer. If there are no swirls and no hazing, then just apply a good sealant and be done with it.
Go around the car prepping it with quick detailer. If there are no swirls and no hazing, then just apply a good sealant and be done with it.
I'm not really sure what detailing info your seeking. Do you have water spots on your paint? If so try using distilled white vinegar w/ water like it has been said before and that should do the trick, but if it doesn't use metal cleaner. Metal cleaner will not react w/ paint and will take away the calcium/mineral build up left from the rain. If that doesn't do the trick, sorry bud but you're gonna have to use a minor abrasive (compound/buffing (hand or machine))...one of these methods are sure to work. Because I left my car at home when I went to school the water spots on the rear deck of my trans am became baked into the paint from leaving it unattended for so long, so I encourage you to get on this as soon as possible or else the only way to remove these spots will require you to get some meguiars scratchx 2.0 or compound from your local pep boys. But that was a month of heavy rain and snow that sitting on my car that caused that to happen, so most likely your problem will be fixed w/ the white vinegar/water solution and a microfiber. Hope this answered your question, if not clearly state your question.
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Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 415
Likes: 17
From: Mt. Airy, Maryland
I ALMOST did! I am using a PC and just finished polishing. I ended up calling Steve at tropicare and he told me to just wash it down good with some soap, clay if needed, and apply the sealant.
Basically he told me to go wash my car haha. No idea why I was freaking out so much...first time it saw rain in...well a year and a half.
Basically he told me to go wash my car haha. No idea why I was freaking out so much...first time it saw rain in...well a year and a half.
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Wash it, Seal/Wax it and be done..
If you still have water spots ^^ Id get some buffing compounds and go to work but it shouldnt have as long as its not set in the sun and baked on..
If you still have water spots ^^ Id get some buffing compounds and go to work but it shouldnt have as long as its not set in the sun and baked on..
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,516
Likes: 0
I havn't washed my SS since october and it hasn't been of the road since I bought it. LOL. All winter long in Pittsburgh, PA bitches!!!!! 18 inches of snow cant stop me. I think i might wash and wax it when I get back from my little vacation this weekend. lol
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: New Hampshire
Haha...I saw this thread and it made me laugh. Your paint dissolve in water? :-p
I can understand though...when your car looks that good, just a small thing going wrong can make ya panic. Can't say it happens for my car haha, 130k highway miles in New England does that to a car
I can understand though...when your car looks that good, just a small thing going wrong can make ya panic. Can't say it happens for my car haha, 130k highway miles in New England does that to a car
I've just used clay bars to remove any tough water spots on my black Z28. But you mentioned you did not have any protectant or sealant. Not sure if there'd be a problem with using a clay bar.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 415
Likes: 17
From: Mt. Airy, Maryland
Haha I know it wasn't the end of the world. I was just ticked that after all winter polishing it in the garage, I had to go drive in pouring rain for fifty some miles.
I put my first coat of Zaino CS on there and it went pretty well.
I put my first coat of Zaino CS on there and it went pretty well.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 415
Likes: 17
From: Mt. Airy, Maryland