my_acura_tsx

Hi,

what is the best way to take care of the exterior. Is touchless car wash good? Are are the touchless car washes the same or there are any different types in it. I don't want my car to get scrates due to the car wash.

Thanks.

d-rock

i suggest reading up on the site autiopia.org theres lots of information on there to clean ur tsx properly

NUTZO2309

Not to be an a$$, but the link is actually http://www.autopia.org Also try http://www.bettercarcare.com

bgillette

DONT WASH YOUR CAR WITH ANYTHING THAT DOES IT FOR YOU!

get out a bucket and a soft car washing brush and do it yourself....always in the shade.......do 1 section at a time

wax the entire car 1 time a month.....NU FINISH will do the job just as good as any other wax

clean your rims with PLAIN OLD SOAP AND WATER (use the same water you used to wash your car....only do the rims LAST)

always put armorall on your tires.....keeps the rubber healthy and looking good.......i like ULTRA SHINE myself

if you need any more detailed advice just ask me...this was a quick reply

floridaowner

i recommend using armor all car wash wipes- no drying needed. have had my tsx for seven months and people think i just got it. that along with waxing is all you need to do.

d-rock

opps i had a typo...oh well

bgillette

car wash WIPES....as in wipeing off the dirt with a WET CLOTH...??

if that is the case NEVER DO THAT because you will put fine scratches in your clearcoat!

TSXtc

Stay away from automatic washes. They do alot of damage and used dirty recycled water.

Use a bucket and a soft Chenille wash mit or a microfiber mitt. I prefer the MF mitt. Rinse car well from top to bottom and then start with you favorite shampoo. I like the Einszetts Perls shampoo. Always start at the top and work in back and forth motions. Always wash in the direction the wind would flow over that panel if the car were moving. NEVER wash or wax your car in circular motions. This is what introduces swirl marks and micro marring. Forget everything you've learned about washing cars from watching the Karate Kid. I cringe everytime I see that scene. Do wheels last as they hold the most dirt. If your car has a good coat of wax then try drying with water. Simply rinse off entire car then remove the nozzle and start at the top and let the water run down the panels and sides. This should leave you with a car that is 85% dry. Next take a leaf blower and get the water out of the cracks and door jams and gas lid. A good quality microfiber drying towel will finish up nicely. Remember to always blot dry with your microfiber towel and never rub it along the paint. The good MF towels are usually made in Korea so stay away from the Costco brand as they are made in China and are not seamed with microfiber.

To finish up the tires stay away from Armol All. It has no UV protection and will eventually cause browning of the tires. The so called "spray and forget" brands usually tend to "sling" all over the car after youve done all that hard work. I like Einszetts Teifenflager or 303 Aerospace Protectant. Both leave a nice shine and have plenty of UV protection. Plus no sling.

Now for polish. If you dont expect much than Nufinish is fine. Heck, I remember when I thought Nufinish was the best stuff out there. So if you're happy with the results than by all means stick with it. If you are looking for something that will make your TSX "pop" or stand out in a crowd than try a higher end product like Einszetts or Zanio. Klasse makes a great starter cleaner /wax called Klasse AIO(all in one). This can be topped off with their SG (sealant glaze) Both can be allpied by hand if you dont have a Porter Cable yet and they give great results. The Klasse AIO is a cleaner/wax so it does the job of both in one easy step. Just wipe on and wipe off, its that easy.

Hope that helped you out a little. Let me know if I can help anymore.

floridaowner

i like many armor all products and let me tell you their car wash wipes work great and are amazingly convenient. i essentially have no dirt on my car 24/7. from waxing and using these etc sure i have some very fine scratches that if you literally take a microscope you will spot. The car looks better than it did when i bought it seven months ago and this is the nighthawk black. Armor all wheel cleaner is also a nice product. for waxing I use the soveriegn liquid wax by pinnacle and their crystal mist detailer www.pinnaclewax.com

asulak01

I have tried the 303 on the tires, appling as the factory website recommends, spray on with a heavy coat, and not touching the tires at all, letting it soak in. Wipe down the wheels with the overspray with a cloth.

What I found after 10 days (without any rain) was the tires still looked like "new", and did not brown or degrade the shine/look in any way.

What was also interesting is the wheels, which were "protected" by what was oversprayed from appling to the tires, did not attract brake dust as before, and just a hose down was all that was need to get 99% of the grime that did collect. A simple wipe off then was all that was need to finish. Saves me a bunch of time.

Now, 303 Aerospace Protectant can get expensive, however, in the long run, it looks like a good payoff. If you purchase in the larger sizes from the factory website, it's not that expensive (I got 16oz+32oz for about $23+ship).

Billiam

You don't have to necessarily do the wheels and tires last. Tire dressing needs to be last, of course, since the tires need to be dry. But you can do general cleaning of the wheels and tires first. I do this because I figure why should I take all of the crap I just washed off of the bottom of the sills and rub it all over my wheels. If you do the wheels & tires first, however, you absolutely need to empty, rinse, and refill your buckets before proceeding on to the rest of your car. The other requirement is that you have brushes, wash mit, towells, etc... dedicated to just the wheels and tires. You should probably do that anyway regardless of whether or not you do them first or last.

BTW, since nobody else has mentioned it. Use two buckets, not one. One bucket is for your soap/shampoo and the other is just for rinsing between sections.

KingV

Armor all recently changed their formula, it no longer browns rubber. They're used to be an issue with it making rubber crack, but that too has been fixed with the reformulation. And it does in fact offer UV protection, at least according to the bottle. I have used both Vinylex and Aerospace on my tires, and do in fact use them on my interior, but I always come back to Armor All original for my wheels. It's effective and incredibly cost efficient, as one 4.99 bottle will last over a year if used on the tires weekly.

TSXtc

Great, the only thing that matters is that you are happy with the results of Armor All products.

TSXTess

Is using dishwashing soap to wash your TSX a no-no ? I'm a clueless girl and my room-mate said it was fine, but my dad says it's too harsh and may damage the paint ? who is right ? Thanks.

mg7726

TSXTess: your dad's right. just use any of the meguiers, zaino, etc. soaps formulated for cars.

TSXtc

Dawn should only be used as a stripping agent to remove old wax and build up before a major detail job. As stated above, Meguires Gold Class will be fine. DONT USE DAWN for regular washes!!

TSXTess

Thanks mg7726 and TSXtc. I'll buy the Meguires.