Looking for some Car Washing Tips for my Black Calais

[AngeloVf]

You'll get differing answers to "the best" ... I think the top ones are all pretty good, especially for mere mortals of washing & detailing such as myself.

It's all a trade-off between cost & result, where the absolute best wax result is like buying a $250k AMG E63S and yet you only get maybe 10% more result than an $80k Clubsport Tourer.

Are you looking to buy the sorts of products you can get from an Auto One or a Repco like this, or are you willing to pay the extra & get something from Car Care Products like this? I know people on here will definitely be able to point you in the right direction, depending on your budget & goals (eg. the really expensive stuff is probably pointless unless you have electric/powered application methods but you DON'T want to use that gear on your good car unless you know what you're doing as you can totally stuff the paint!).

Im looking for the sort of stuff you can get at super cheap and repco, should i be using a specific wash and specific wax?

is there anything that would benefit me in terms of using on a black car? i really want my car to shine and look glossy

also I had the car detailed 3-4 months ago when i got the car but now I'm starting to see one or two small areas where the paint looks duller in the sunlight, maybe from a poor polish? so I'm assuming that would need another cut and polish to fix? but for now i really want to give waxing the car a try to get my desired results

 

[AngeloVf]

The best way to reduce swirl marks is to use a pre-wash foam. Check out Bowden's Own. They are based on the Sunshine Coast, made in Australia and have a great range. If you have a look at their web page there is a lot of detail about various cleaning techniques. I use all their products on my Empire Bronze Calais and classic Jag.

awesome thanks ill check it out

 

[RoganJosh]

Hi all!

I am new to this forum as I recently bought my first holden 2 months ago. 2015 Vf Holden CalaisV in the black colour.

I know there are many posts about car washing on here but I wanted to make my own thread to see if I can get my specific questions answered.
I bought my Calais which came with a few minor scratches and swirl marks, especially on the bonnet of the car, as I bought the car before it was detailed for sale. After I got it detailed the car looked immaculate, glossy and mirror-like, it was amazing and it still is! However obviously as it is black it has been getting dirty very easily especially due to stupid days where it would rain for less than half an hour a day, enough to dirty the car. Ive washed it a few times since the detail, where I would just take it to a touch free car wash drive thru, and use a microfibre chamois, however I want to start washing the car myself so I know what products I am using and that they are safe for the paint

I just wanted to know, what is the best procedure for washing my black car? How often should I use wax? polish? what products and procedures should I use when washing the car every couple of weeks or monthly?

sorry if this has repeated recent threads, like I said i wanted to see if i could get specific questions answered also if anyone has any other tips on the calais ill be happy to hear them haha thank you!

The same way as you wash any other car? Why is yours so special? I think the colour is irrelevant. Use water to rinse any dirt of grim off first and then a specific car wash liquid of your choosing.Use a nano fibre car mitt to apply the car wash liquid a section at a time. Use a waffle weave drying towel to dry your car. Use a car polish to shine your car. Use a nano fibre cloth to polish. Use special window cleaner for your windows.

Also you will need to regularly buff and use leather clean and feed kit for the leather trim on the seats . I use this kit
https://www.finalinspection.com.au/leather-kit

I buy all my car washing supplies from here

https://www.finalinspection.com.au/

 

[RED LION]

It's probably been covered but here are the things I use on my black car. Water marks and swirl marks are very minor if any and I'm pretty fussy

Gerni: Comes in really handy for getting the crap off before my sponge touches the car. Great for cleaning the sponge and chamois as well.

Microfiber sponge: using the 2 bucket method I go from high to low. Bottom of the car is the dirtiest part so it makes sense to do that last.

Microfibre chamois: first car I've used one but it really is a hell of a lot better. Probably doesn't pick up the water as well but doesn't leave water marks.

All I use is Autoglym these days(including polish and wax) Seems to work really well and is just quality. Only thing that isn't Autoglym is my Maguires tyre shine since it was the only one not in a spray bottle

 

[Forg]

Microfibre chamois: first car I've used one but it really is a hell of a lot better. Probably doesn't pick up the water as well but doesn't leave water marks.

They're usually sold as a "drying towel" rather than a "chamois" aren't they?
Just in case it's hard to find a "chamois".

Now as per I'm pretty-sure the previous page of this thread, I attacked the wet car with the leaf-blower on the weekend ... and to be honest, ran out of balls. I'd just spent so long carefully cleaning it, and I the way the water was moving ... I just wasn't game. So I went back to the microfibre drying towels to dry it.
Maybe next time ...

 

[PeteSS]

Unless I'm doing something wrong, i can't get these "drying towels" to work anywhere near as good as a proper chamois. The always leave water marks on the paint, to the point of re wetting the car and then drying it off with a chamois.

If the chamois is clean and all diet is off the car, i can't see how a chamois could leave scratches any more so than a towel

 

[Forg]

The chamois is a lot easier to use, but I can get the drying towels to do the same job on mine. I need two most of the time, the first to soak up the majority & the second to remove the leftover (largely because you can't wring-out a drying towel like you can a chamois).

I struggle to believe it makes much difference too; but given that you'd never know except over a longish period of time (and once it's damaged), I'd prefer not to perform that experiment on my car.

 

[ShinWow]

I only EVERY wash a dirty car with water from the hose top to bottom and a big fat sponge.

I think its fairly accepted practice these days that you should not use a sponge. Lambs wool and microfibre mitts are the correct choice. There are a lot of articles/threads discussing why this is the case, but basically it boils down to the sponge is typically a (relatively) hard, flat surface which doesn't allow for dirt particles to go anywhere besides between the sponge surface your paint, dragging it across the paint. A microfibre/wool mitt, however, is much softer in comparison and has plenty of room for particles to creep into, away from your paint.

I'm using this one at the moment. Only downside it it has an abrasive surface on one side and a stupid leather strap and abrasive wrist cuff, so I have to fold that and the strap in and make sure only the soft side touches the paint. If anyone knows of a similar quality mitt that is soft on both sides with no straps or cuffs, please let me know! I kinda like the look of this "Dodo Juice Supernatural Wookie’s Fist Wash Mitt", if for nothing else than the awesome name!

Then I chamois off longways never in a swirl.

As above, chamois are not as good/safe as a microfibre towel. Some more info here: http://www.drbeasleys.com/blog/2012/03/16/why-chamois-are-a-sham/

 

[mpower]

Im looking for the sort of stuff you can get at super cheap and repco, should i be using a specific wash and specific wax?

is there anything that would benefit me in terms of using on a black car? i really want my car to shine and look glossy

also I had the car detailed 3-4 months ago when i got the car but now I'm starting to see one or two small areas where the paint looks duller in the sunlight, maybe from a poor polish? so I'm assuming that would need another cut and polish to fix? but for now i really want to give waxing the car a try to get my desired results

First, why would you? Go to someone like Car Care Products and spend the same amount and get professional advice to go a long with it.

Secondly, you will need to do a clay bar and a mild polish - DON'T CUT. Cut and polish is for very poor paint finishes, you are better off with a machine and a very light polish to start moving up if you see no improvement. The dullness is most likely the sealant or whatever is on the car in need of removing. The clay will probably sort that.

I think its fairly accepted practice these days that you should not use a sponge. Lambs wool and microfibre mitts are the correct choice. There are a lot of articles/threads discussing why this is the case, but basically it boils down to the sponge is typically a (relatively) hard, flat surface which doesn't allow for dirt particles to go anywhere besides between the sponge surface your paint, dragging it across the paint. A microfibre/wool mitt, however, is much softer in comparison and has plenty of room for particles to creep into, away from your paint.

I'm using this one at the moment. Only downside it it has an abrasive surface on one side and a stupid leather strap and abrasive wrist cuff, so I have to fold that and the strap in and make sure only the soft side touches the paint. If anyone knows of a similar quality mitt that is soft on both sides with no straps or cuffs, please let me know! I kinda like the look of this "Dodo Juice Supernatural Wookie’s Fist Wash Mitt", if for nothing else than the awesome name!


As above, chamois are not as good/safe as a microfibre towel. Some more info here: http://www.drbeasleys.com/blog/2012/03/16/why-chamois-are-a-sham/

You don't use sponges because they pickup contaminants and then you just smear it all over the car. Microfiber cloth when used with a grit guard allow all the contaminants to fall off so you aren't essentially sandpapering your car.

 

[Forg]

I think its fairly accepted practice these days that you should not use a sponge. Lambs wool and microfibre mitts are the correct choice.

I don't really like mitts; I have a big fat sponge which is covered in thick fluffy microfiber. Was recommended by a near-fanatical Commodore-lover who only really details for friends & existing customers these days, but used to detail proper show cars.
The dirt never gets to the spongey bit, the sponge is really only there to puff-up the microfiber and give it some support.