Homepage Garage Wiki Register Social Groups Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
#Camaro6
Go Back   CAMARO6 > Technical Camaro Topics > Cosmetic Maintenance - Wash, Wax, Detailing, Exterior Repairs


Phastek Performance


Post Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 03-23-2019, 06:48 PM   #15
bpang1234
You can only YOLO once.
 
bpang1234's Avatar
 
Drives: '16 2SS & '15 Subaru Forester
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Albany, OR
Posts: 1,677
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wierd Harold View Post
Go to a coin operated car wash,but don't use the brush.
Yeah this is what I did when I didn't have a place to wash my car back when I lived in an apartment. If you go at off hours you can bring your own buckets and stuff...I've never been kicked out for that even though some say you can't do that on the signage. This way you can use the high pressure water then hand wash off the dirt and then rinse off. Better than going through an actual car wash or a touchless wash.

One thing to consider is that our wheels/tires are typically too wide for a lot of the tracked car washes (both cloth and touchless). If you gotta go to one of these find one that (as Glen E wrote) doesn't make you send your car down the track but basically you sit there stationary while the washer moves around you.

I still once in a while will take my car through a car wash but that is like when I am desperate for a wash and not able to do it myself (for instance a road trip, the dead winter or recently when I broke my wrist). Even then, I had my winter wheels/tires on the car and they are 245 width.
__________________
2016 Camaro 2ss
-Summit White / Ceramic White
-8A, NPP, MRC, Ceramic White package plus knee pads, black bowties.
-1st Car to have the "full" SEMA High Performance Graphics kit from 6LEDesigns.
-1st Car to have the 6LEDesigns Blade Spoiler.
-Borla S-Type w/ custom H-Pipe
-Procharger P-1X Stage 2
bpang1234 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2019, 07:16 PM   #16
Whocares05050
 
Drives: 2018 Camaro SS 1LE
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Posts: 384
Quote:
Originally Posted by KirkH View Post
You probably have a local detailer somewhere nearby. They can give you a quality wash without scratching the paint.

Anytime above freezing you can do the rinseless wash method.

https://www.autogeek.net/how-to-use-rinseless-wash.html

I live 5 minutes from autogeek. Awesome people
Whocares05050 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-23-2019, 10:43 PM   #17
Scraps0f
 
Drives: 2018 NGM ZL1
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Buffalo
Posts: 145
Quote:
Originally Posted by zts1986 View Post
I feel very lucky to have Delta Sonic down here in Buffalo.
I wouldn't go to them for any car I actually cared about. Don't get me wrong they do a good job and have a great plan for daily washes, but I personally don't use them with my Camaro, even if I had narrower wheels.
Scraps0f is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2019, 07:58 AM   #18
zts1986
Account Suspended
 
Drives: 2019 Chevrolet Camaro 1LT 2.0T
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 330
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scraps0f View Post
I wouldn't go to them for any car I actually cared about. Don't get me wrong they do a good job and have a great plan for daily washes, but I personally don't use them with my Camaro, even if I had narrower wheels.
Any specific reason why? I haven't had an issue in 6 years of using the wash, but these are the widest wheels I've used and it's only been a month.

For what it's worth, I only intend on using it while there is salt on the roads. I despise road salt on my car. Sadly, I don't have the time to wash it by hand on a daily basis.
zts1986 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2019, 08:16 AM   #19
CruzinQueen
 
CruzinQueen's Avatar
 
Drives: 2017 1LT RS Convertible V6 A8
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Central Michigan
Posts: 280
Okay - I am guilty of running my 17 Vert through the touchless here in town every couple weeks. I find that the one here at least does a sub-par job of cleaning a really dirty car (like my Terrain) but on something that just gets dusty (the Camaro) it does just fine. And, contrary to what some people have said, it does not strip the Collinite wax off my car so I doubt it is doing too much residual damage.

Now, that being said, I do keep my cars waxed and I treat the top on the Vert with 303 Fabric Guard twice a year.

The dryers at this wash are somewhat powerful so I don't let the top "linger" under them too long. I usually drive through the dryers and then straight home to finish drying the door sills and wheels plus any other leftover water, usually with a spray and wipe product to keep it all lubed.
__________________
2017 Camaro 1LT RS V6 A8 Convertible - Silver Ice/Black Cloth, K&N CAI, MRT v. 2 Axle Back, Redline-style Badges and Wheel Hashes, American Authority Grille & a Whole Lot of Attitude

2019 GMC Terrain SLE 1.5T - Blue Steel Metallic/Black Cloth "Soccer Mom Spec"
CruzinQueen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2019, 08:27 AM   #20
HCI2000SS

 
HCI2000SS's Avatar
 
Drives: 2018 Camaro V6/RS
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: MI
Posts: 1,596
Quote:
Originally Posted by CruzinQueen View Post
Okay - I am guilty of running my 17 Vert through the touchless here in town every couple weeks. I find that the one here at least does a sub-par job of cleaning a really dirty car (like my Terrain) but on something that just gets dusty (the Camaro) it does just fine. And, contrary to what some people have said, it does not strip the Collinite wax off my car so I doubt it is doing too much residual damage.

Now, that being said, I do keep my cars waxed and I treat the top on the Vert with 303 Fabric Guard twice a year.

The dryers at this wash are somewhat powerful so I don't let the top "linger" under them too long. I usually drive through the dryers and then straight home to finish drying the door sills and wheels plus any other leftover water, usually with a spray and wipe product to keep it all lubed.

Maybe Collinite is more durable than most, because I've experienced the same thing even after dozens of these types of washes
HCI2000SS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2019, 07:01 PM   #21
CruzinQueen
 
CruzinQueen's Avatar
 
Drives: 2017 1LT RS Convertible V6 A8
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Central Michigan
Posts: 280
Quote:
Originally Posted by HCI2000SS View Post
Maybe Collinite is more durable than most, because I've experienced the same thing even after dozens of these types of washes
Yup. I believe in Collinite. It's an amazing product and very inexpensive.
__________________
2017 Camaro 1LT RS V6 A8 Convertible - Silver Ice/Black Cloth, K&N CAI, MRT v. 2 Axle Back, Redline-style Badges and Wheel Hashes, American Authority Grille & a Whole Lot of Attitude

2019 GMC Terrain SLE 1.5T - Blue Steel Metallic/Black Cloth "Soccer Mom Spec"
CruzinQueen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2019, 09:04 PM   #22
indyz
 
Drives: 2SS, CT-R, LC500
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: FLorida
Posts: 534
Quote:
Originally Posted by Glen e View Post
I use a touchless all the time. No wash, just rinse.

Then I go home and do a rinseless. See the instructions the way I do it in my signature below.

Do you think touchless carwashes, with their strong detergents, clean your car way better than some of these "mild" pH neutral soaps?

What kind of base layer / coating do you have on, before doing the touchless wash? Is it degraded after touchless wash?

Thanks
indyz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2019, 09:07 PM   #23
indyz
 
Drives: 2SS, CT-R, LC500
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: FLorida
Posts: 534
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunkk View Post
Exactly. High pressure rinse to get the dirt and grit off... followed by a low pressure wash with agitation and a pH neutral soap to remove oils and grease.

Best of both worlds.
If a soap is pH neutral, would it really remove all the oil/grease/fluids that get onto the car?
indyz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2019, 09:27 PM   #24
Gunkk
Thank you Al Oppenheiser!
 
Gunkk's Avatar
 
Drives: Red Hot A10 ZL1 Convertible
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 4,963
Quote:
Originally Posted by indyz View Post
If a soap is pH neutral, would it really remove all the oil/grease/fluids that get onto the car?
Yes with mild agitation (light hand wash with a chenille microfiber wash mit). Most of the best car shampoos are pH neutral. Grab a bottle of Adams, Meguiars, Cemical Guys, Carpro, etc. car shampoo and try it out for yourself.
Gunkk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2019, 10:26 PM   #25
indyz
 
Drives: 2SS, CT-R, LC500
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: FLorida
Posts: 534
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunkk View Post
Yes with mild agitation (light hand wash with a chenille microfiber wash mit). Most of the best car shampoos are pH neutral. Grab a bottle of Adams, Meguiars, Cemical Guys, Carpro, etc. car shampoo and try it out for yourself.
I use meguiar's gold class soap.

The reason I ask is I've been using meguiars gold class soap & ultimate wax on my honda, since I bought it new. I did have it "paint corrected" by a pro, prior to this regimen.
I dont have any swirls or anything but I was claying the car today after washing it clean. There was a ton of crap embedded in the paint/remaining wax, that appeared on the clay bar. I really keep this car super clean. Its always spotless and waxed regularly.

For being a bit OCD in keeping the honda so clean, I am shocked at how much grime has accumulated while using a reputed pH neutral soap and a decent wax (IMHO).
EDIT: The maximum I have gone without re-waxing this car has been about 7-8 weeks.

So, should I be claying more than once in 6-8 months? Because pH neutral doesnt seem to clean away all the grime the car collects. And this is not the daily driver, mostly sits in a garage. Its only been driven about 5500 miles.

I am not looking forward to claying the camaro. That car has seen 10k miles in the past year and sits outside a lot more than the honda.

Last edited by indyz; 04-15-2019 at 10:41 PM.
indyz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2019, 06:03 AM   #26
Gunkk
Thank you Al Oppenheiser!
 
Gunkk's Avatar
 
Drives: Red Hot A10 ZL1 Convertible
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 4,963
Quote:
Originally Posted by indyz View Post
I use meguiar's gold class soap.

The reason I ask is I've been using meguiars gold class soap & ultimate wax on my honda, since I bought it new. I did have it "paint corrected" by a pro, prior to this regimen.
I dont have any swirls or anything but I was claying the car today after washing it clean. There was a ton of crap embedded in the paint/remaining wax, that appeared on the clay bar. I really keep this car super clean. Its always spotless and waxed regularly.

For being a bit OCD in keeping the honda so clean, I am shocked at how much grime has accumulated while using a reputed pH neutral soap and a decent wax (IMHO).
EDIT: The maximum I have gone without re-waxing this car has been about 7-8 weeks.

So, should I be claying more than once in 6-8 months? Because pH neutral doesnt seem to clean away all the grime the car collects. And this is not the daily driver, mostly sits in a garage. Its only been driven about 5500 miles.

I am not looking forward to claying the camaro. That car has seen 10k miles in the past year and sits outside a lot more than the honda.
Everything has its purpose, and everything has its limit. Soap is for adhered dirt and soap with mild agitation for light amounts of oils and greases (example: fingerprints). Clay is for getting embedded particles out of the paint that regular washing cannot remove, regardless of choice or pH of soap. For tar and visible heavy grease and oils: tar remover. For iron: some folks prefer the better-living-through-chemistry approach with iron-x, etc. instead of clay.

6-8 months between clays seems entirely reasonable for an outdoor car. Not sure where you are in FL, but if you live downwind from the Big Bend power station in Apollo Beach every 6-8 weeks (or 6-8 days!) may be more the reality

Yes a high pH soap may have more chemical grease and oil-dissolving capability. And while you could use Dawn detergent or one of those super-harsh drive-thru-carwash soaps on the car that is not recommended (obligatory thread topic content), you would still need clay to get out the embedded stuff and tar-remover for the tar.
Gunkk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2019, 11:10 AM   #27
indyz
 
Drives: 2SS, CT-R, LC500
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: FLorida
Posts: 534
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunkk View Post
Everything has its purpose, and everything has its limit. Soap is for adhered dirt and soap with mild agitation for light amounts of oils and greases (example: fingerprints). Clay is for getting embedded particles out of the paint that regular washing cannot remove, regardless of choice or pH of soap. For tar and visible heavy grease and oils: tar remover. For iron: some folks prefer the better-living-through-chemistry approach with iron-x, etc. instead of clay.

6-8 months between clays seems entirely reasonable for an outdoor car. Not sure where you are in FL, but if you live downwind from the Big Bend power station in Apollo Beach every 6-8 weeks (or 6-8 days!) may be more the reality

Yes a high pH soap may have more chemical grease and oil-dissolving capability. And while you could use Dawn detergent or one of those super-harsh drive-thru-carwash soaps on the car that is not recommended (obligatory thread topic content), you would still need clay to get out the embedded stuff and tar-remover for the tar.

The car (honda) I was referring to is garaged 95% of the time. 5500 miles. I am in central florida now, close to Orlando.
I have not clayed the camarp yet, it sits in the garage about 75% of the time.

I guess I need to look into cleaner wax / polishing soaps / road & traffic film removers (interesting threads on this topic on autogeek) etc. I understand claying and polishing are required once or twice a year. i am more interested in preventing the build up of road grime.

Just pH neutral soap and waxing/sealants aren't going to cut it. I doubt even the highest quality wax/sealant will protect the car from road grime/film.

Not sure the time and effort involved, are worth it.
indyz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2019, 11:43 AM   #28
Glen e
Retired from Car mfrs....
 
Glen e's Avatar
 
Drives: 2LT RS/HR-V
Join Date: May 2013
Location: /Fort Lauderdale
Posts: 10,048
clay it , light polish and then collinite 845....stuff is indestructibe, 2coats....
Glen e is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Post Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.