bradykp

waterblade frightens me. make sure there are no particles on your car when you use that. if there's anything and it got trapped under that....that'd make a nice scratch. at least with the absorber or a towel, you would be able to tell a bit better if you caught anything on it.

MikeMa

Yeah.....I've probably paid for several of those kid's College Tuitions from that Canadian Tire store....It's way too easy for me to walk out of there with $100+ worth of detailing stuff.

FYI, yes they stock the California Water Blade there. I've got one and it's really nice--especially if you go to a coin-op place to wash, and you can get the majority of the water off really quickly before you hit the cold weather (without really needing a cloth).

If you want opinions on waxes and stuff, there was lots of discussion in one of the car care threads....but from Crappy tire, I usually buy:

- Meguiar's or Mother's clay bar with detailing spray
- Meguiar's or Mother's "Step 2" of their 3 step system
- Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax (really, really nice stuff--esp. on dark colours).
- And, I've taken a liking to Meguiar's NXT Insane Tire Shine (applies really easily....just do it outside, or you'll die from the fumes).

excited

Thanks.

Is the detailing spray with the Clay Bar, the lubricant for the clay bar, or is that something you apply afterwards?

I will be going to Cdn Tire after the Colts/Steeler game ( I hope that my Colts come back, but it is not looking good). I will likely pick up much of what you suggest, although I likely won't be able to use it for a few months other than the blade. I always wash mine at the wand (coin) wash.



Excited

acn684

The lubricant is a quick spray detailing stuff which u use while u clay so that the clay doesnt dry on your car. Be sure to rinse the car afterwerds when using clay to get rid of any residue.

haha I love your thread excited, i think im about to start one with my TSX =]

excited

Yea, the thread has a little of everything. LOL

I just came ack from Canadian Tire (that's our multi-purpose automotive store) and $134.75 later am all set. Although I feel like I am all dressed up and have no place to go.

I got the Original California Water Blade (made in China and they only included instructions in French. I will need my daughter to translate) My TSX is very clean so I will have to wait for my next wash to try it.

I decided to go with the Meguiar's Quik clay since I was going with the Meguiar's wax. It came with a bottle of Quik detailer and I also bought a second bottle of this spray.

I bought the second step Mequiar's polish and went with the recommeded NXT generation Tech wax.

Bought something called "the absorber" to pick up any water the water blade misses and bought another package of the Microtex "Professsional Detailing" microfibre cloths.

A number of instructions say that you can use a 100% cotton cloth, a terry towel, or a microfibre cloth to wipe off the detail spray, the polish or the wax, but will stay with the microfibre cloths.

I will have to wait for the next wash and warmer weather before I can try them out.

So let's see:

I wash it, dry it off with the water blade and absorbant towel.

I spray the detailer on it, use the clay bar as instructed, and then rinse and dry off as before

I apply the second step polisher and wipe clean.

I apply the wax to the whole car, wait for it to dry to a haze, then buff it dry using microfibre cloths.

Driivng home I noticed again how well the TSX cornered. It is a sweet car.



Excited

paranode

Nice car! I am getting one in Arctic Blue Pearl. I wanted it in 6MT and there were none to be found so I ordered one from Japan. So I will be waiting for 1-3 months.

Can't wait to get it.

excited

Artic Blue Pearl is a great colour, one of my favourites. It will be painful waiting, but you will love it.



Excited

MikeMa

Your instructions are pretty close, but you may want to add another step in there.... And that is to wash your car with Palmolive (or other dish soap) before you do the detail spray and clay.

The dish soap will strip the wax from the car, which is good.

After the claying, I like to use regular car soap to wash it off again (gets rid of all the detailing spray). After that, I usually try to do at least 2 coats of polish (not sure if that helps that much, but I don't think it hurts), and then 2 coats of NXT.

As far as other stuff goes, I use Lexol for leather (well, at this time, it's on my dad's TL, since my EL has cloth), Invisible Glass for windows and other clear plastics, and Formula 303 for vinyl. Both 303 and Invisible Glass are from Canadian Tire. I need to find a place to buy Lexol, though, since I ended up ordering it through PakShak when I bought my microfibre cloths.

I'm quite grateful I stumbled upon this forum, since it's taught me (really re-educated me) on all these cool tips, tricks, techniques, and materials for car care.

acn684

Haha nice, exactly like me!
Except I went a little bit further also. everything you have but i choose mother's...I don't know why but I'll see how well it works as the weather hasn't let up for a while. Be sure to have a set of microclothes, its always better to have an extra towel or two than to find urself out of a clean towel.

What else did I get..hrm...Oh yeah! Be sure to get some Polymer also. It protects longer, and if you don't like the look that it gives, you can use wax on top to get it a waxed look instead.

Hrm...what else....be sure to get a nice hose attachment, nothing too expensive though some people swear by them. But i guess those have multipurpose.

I haven't figured out the best Tire/wheel cleaners yet...though elbow grease seems to be the best solution....

I think thats all I have for the car, picked up lexol too for the leather inside, I don't know when i'll apply it, but maybe soon so that it preserves it, I just don't want it to get "shiny and slick." I like how the leather looks when its new.

Car care for me is obsessive to a point, but I love it. Haha i remembered when I still had my Sony PSP....I wiped it alot to make sure there wasn't any fingerprints still on it after use...

bradykp

Go over to the wash and wax forum and ask the pros. they all seem to say the same thing. do NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT wash your car with dish soap. even the manufacturers of the dish soap say you should not use their products in that way. dish soap is designed to remove buildup on dishes. car soap is designed for cars. use car soap.

excited

Thanks

I see that you are from Alberta and I'm not sure if you are in the Edmonton area. Westside Acura sells Lexol and gave me a free bottle on the purchase of my TSX. Perhaps other Alberta Acura dealers have it as well.

I have heard mix things about using dish washing soap. At Cdn tire along the shelves was a banner which warned against using it.



Excited

bradykp

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ight=dawn+soap


this will tell you about dawn and what the professionals think. there also was an article somewhere. i wish i could find it, but i cant.

acn684

Do not use dishsoap...not only is it a really strong stripping agent, it breaks down the rubber seals around the door....

For cars, wash car with car wash to remove dirts and such, polishers to build shine and create adhesion - remember, polish is exactly like using a really fine sandpaper, does the same stuff, strips a thin layer of wax/top coat.

That should be good enough for waxing, dish soap (dawn usually) is too much..

swirlie

^^ Fills out shopping list with missing items...

Haha, yeah. I think this is one of the better threads here. It's like a one-stop thread with everything you need.

srenitynow

It does leave micro scratches. I tried it before I clayed and waxed. I will be using it on the windows only.

srenitynow

Actually, If I don't go through the gas station brushless carwash, I just use do the self-serve spray soap/rinse. I do it at a location near the highway, get on and drive to the next exit (.5 miles) to dry. No spots. Water rolls off because of the wax job. Hey, it's efficient and I usually have a destination at the next exit.

excited

I used it tonight, my TSX was ever so slightly dirty, so I took the opportunity to wash it and try the water blade. It was dark out and a little chilly when I tried it, so I did not notice any micro scratches. It did work well in removing the water, even on my virgin try. I have to admit I was a little fearful in running the blade across the surface, it squeaked at little but was effective.

I'm still getting lots of great comments about the TSX. They like the car and like the colour. It is one solid car.



Excited

excited

So what's the destination at the other end?



Curious

srenitynow

Why shopping of course!

bradykp

be wary of car washes, the ones in PA all use recyled water, so you're basically spraying dirt particles at your car at high pressure speeds. i only use it if my car is DISGUSTING and there's no chance of washing in the near future.

acn684

No matter how hard you try, your car will end up with micro scratches. Even just driving around u'll get these scratches from the fine particles in the air wisking on the side of your car. The best solution is learn how to use a orbitor to polish them out and then build layers and layers of polymer and wax on top a few times a year.

Only a month new and already i see some swirls =T, but hopefully some polish and elbow grease will gently take them out. Then with some patience, 5 coats...yes...5 coats of polymer...lol

excited

Hmmmm, I wasn't please with how my TSX looked in the daylight. You could see streaks from where I used the water blade. I don't know if it was because I did it in the dark, or that it was cold, or my inexperience but it did not look good. I washed it on the way home again. I didn't have my drying towels with me so the water droplets froze on the way home. Fortunately I have an attached garage and I was able to dry it off as soon as the water droplets thawed.

I will wait for the spring before trying it again.

I find that I use the SS anytime that I need to be quick. In SS the response time is much quicker.

Tonight we ate out at a restaurant and I got a seat that I could watch the TSX. So many people that walked by it would take a second look. We all have one nice car.



Excited

bradykp

especially those of us with the royal blue pearl.

excited

Excited

Tintin

excited, i am curious to know, how long do you usually keep your cars for?

excited

When I purchased my TSX, I gave my 210,000+ kms, ten year old, van to my parents. It is still working well.

I still have my 155,000 km, 5.5 year old Ford Escape, that is like new and my wife drives it now. So I now keep my vehicles a long time. ( I washed my Escape at least once a week for the full time that I have owned it )

When I was younger I used to buy new vehicles every couple of years. Bought five of them in one eight year period. In hindsight I wasted a lot of money.



Excited

excited

I guess I have gone a little TSX crazy if you haven't noticed already. My desktop image is a picture of my TSX and my screen saver is a slideshow of pictures of my TSX.

I won't be positing for the next three days, so I will have to contain my obssesion.

Have a safe weekend.



Excited

swirlie

x2

Really? You? I never noticed.
I've got the RTR TSX on my desktop at home. At work, I've got 4 virtual desktops => 4 wallpapers. One is the RTR TSX, same as home. Until yesterday, the other three were the 06 Mugen Accord pictures (red one and silver one) and the Mugen Inspire. Those three have now been replaced by 2 Murcielago pix and one F18 flying into the sunset.
Next wallpaper change, I'm putting up a pic of my own car and maybe your's.
As for screensaver, my work one is a slideshow that includes various TSX pics.

calvin_k

FYI,

I picked up my TSX 6MT Nav (RBP Colour) yesterday, and drove it around in Ottawa's ice-storm streets!

For picturea, go back 11 pages and see "Excited"'s ... "looks like a jewel".

West6MT

I have 4 on my car right now,....not that much. I know a guy that puts on over 20 for the winter months. When spring rolls around I will have 6 coats, and regularily top it off with some Nattys.

West6MT

Wondering to self why this thread does not die,............must be something about RBP owners,.............

joerockt

This is the first page where excited's car did show on. I think we get it...

srenitynow

I....can't...resist...my...RBP....sooo...sexy...:l oco:

Accurate

i actually look forward to reading this thread. So many new owners post a bunch of bullshit pictures, talk about the same general "new car" shit, than disappear.

This thread is full of details.

Tintin

i enjoy reading this thread.
i need my doses of excited's TSX everyday, under every single possible shade of colour.

acn684

Go NHB...lol Im hijacking ur RBP thread with NHB pride!! lol, both colors are gorgeous. But i still love my black especially being in my younger years !

swirlie

Hey hey, quit defiling our beautiful RBP thread with your NHB blasphemy. You don't see us doing the same to your threads... much.
Yes, both are beautiful colours. But the RBP is the new kid on the block and we're showing our youthful exuberance. NHB has been around since the beginning.

lol, we should have a meet of just NHB and RBP TSXs. Roll out in 2 lines.

helraiser

swirlie... sounds like a plan!! Everyone knows that black is faster though. Just goes without saying!

Beoshingus

Yeah, BEHIND the CGPs. LOL. Actually, I love the RBP. Wish they'd had it when I bought mine.

dj Dozhe

Of course. But that's just because as everyone knows black cars have bigger.......engines. RBP is a nice color, but I can't help lovin my fine Nubian queen.