MyNameIsEarl

Hi all,

Any of you have a really good experience with a specific car wash? Like one that just makes it look totally awesome and shiny and what-not? I'm trying out Turtle Wax's 'Ice' car wash today.

Thanks!

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

the best car shampoo is one that bubbles or lathers/suds to provide lubricity.
this is critical, so you wont be dragging particles/dirt all over your paint.

I use optimum car shampoo.


2nd, you can use the "best" shampoo, but if your paint isnt in great condition to start with, you likely wont get great results.
I clay, polish(corrects paint) and then seal.
mud/water falls off the car just like in that turtle wax commercial

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

As he said^^, your car is not going to be eye poping if you haven't had paint correct yet.
BTW, I use a foam gun with chemicalguy citrus sud lol

MyNameIsEarl

My paint is actually in pretty good shape. And when I was it, it always comes out pretty good. I was just wondering if there was a super carwash that could just give it a little extra shine or something. Of course I know washing the car is not even the same as painting, waxing, etc. And of course I use way more soap then necessary just so I get it nice and sudsy.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

they sell stuff with polymers in the shampoo.
polymers bond to the paint to make mud and debris fall off, BUTT, I have found that the paint needs to be corrected and sealed first, for it to work.

Pro-Pilot

I use Meguiars NXT products for most of my shampooing and detailing. I used leather honey inside for my seats, and Armour All for my dash. I got very lucky with Turtle Wax and Armour All gift sets. Got em for 4 and 5 bucks each at a Sears clearance sale about 2 years ago. Took em all (24 boxes) and gave some out to the community as a good faith gesture lol.

MyNameIsEarl

Sweet, looks like you are set for life! I was going to post pictures of the wash, but then I totally got distracted refinishing the headlights, haha. So, after a couple more hours of sanding, they should be looking super good.

Pro-Pilot

My headlights need to be done as well. A few years ago my fender liners got pulled out and along with it went on of the parking lights. I had it fixed best I could, however moisture still gets in and makes it foggy. The outside is nice and smooth, its what gets inside which is the problem. I would get new headlights if I could but I don't want to pay a lot of money for something that still functions as intended I use an oil based substance to wipe down the lights and that makes them look brand new, but only for a couple days at a time.

MyNameIsEarl

Do any of you know where the horizontal headlight alignment indicator is? I'm having some trouble finding it, and I even checked the manual. The diagram is not very detailed.

Marlon

I use "mothers"products the california gold wash is pretty good. Meguiars NXT is also one of my favorites.

Pro-Pilot

One on the left is for up/down...one on right is for side to side






Here's the indicator....

MyNameIsEarl

Okay, thanks for the pictures I found some honda service manual that kind of showed the same thing, but it's nice to confirm. The manual is very very not detailed. I'll post some pictures of the car and headlights tomorrow! They feel so nice and smooth and look so nice and clear!

Pro-Pilot

Did you update to HID or do you still have the halogens....

MyNameIsEarl

I still have the halogens, I'm just waiting for them to burn out so I can go get some HIDs. Your's comes with the stock, yeah?

Pro-Pilot

Yea, and I upgraded to both yellow HID fogs and yellow HID high-beams and did the fog light fix mod so I can roll around with just my fogs on or with all 3 sets on at the same time
You should try out the fog light fix, i'm sure your car would look mean with just the yellow on in the center. and the two parking lights without your low beams on.

99blackhatch

ChemicalGuys.

/thread

MyNameIsEarl

I'm not sure about the yellow, for a couple of reasons. One, could I get pulled over for them being like that? And two, I think a white would look pretty sweet. But, I'm not to sure how to go about that. I know that there is a yellow part in the fog light housing, but how would I make it just pure white?

I never use the fog lights anyway, so to convert them to DRLs would be pretty cool. What I was thinking last night that would look cool is to convert the fog lights into just headlights and so then I would have four lights (HIDs of course) to look cool. What do you think? I've seen people retrofit, only thing is, is that I don't want to be spending that much on the car. So I may wait for that to come down in price a bit.

Pro-Pilot

That would look cool, but what would you need to retrofit? The fog lights come on with the headlights, so If you just remove the amber lens and put HID's in that spot (and your low-beams), you've done exactly what you stated....right?

kiamoikra

Still you use Meguiars products/Shampoo for your car? Still you suggest their product to use? What about Chemical Guys products/shampoo for car? Seeing both product popular on Amazon.

kiamoikra

Just want to update here. I have bought Meguiar's G7164 Gold car wash shampoo last week and really it is awesome product. Price is only $13 and here is the product name "Meguiar's G7164 Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner" I had not any problem with this.

Mycal33

What can I do about swirls?

projektvertx

iTrader: (2)

Unfortunately, you'll have to polish those out. People's product of choice will vary based on level of swirls and the particular paint you're using it on:

Swirl Removers, Compounds & Car Polishes: remove swirls with swirl mark removers, scratch removers, spiderwebs, car polish, rubbing compound,

08KBP_VA

Product used is only as good as process. If your not using 2 bucket method to wash and such product doesnt matter.

Tech

The best car wash soap? I don't know as I haven't tried them all but I am satisfied with Meguiar's Ultimate Wash and Wax.

The RDX is my daily driver, not my Porsche 911.
And as a daily driver, I find it far more important to keep it running well and rust-free in the harsh winters it has to go through since I keep my cars for 15 years. I use a proven and tested product that works.
The interior carpets look like day one after 14 harsh winters, and that is without having to shampoo them.

brichpmr

I use the Meguiars Ultimate Wash with my 2012 TSX Sportwagon, and then add a coat of Ardex Marine Sealant before winter. My daily driver looks like new!

ayyjayb

Meguiars Ultimate wash!

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Honeydew Snow Foam with a foam cannon. /thread

+

Mine looks like this one above but they also make ones that hooks to an air compressor that makes more foam. Probably pick one of them up soon.

Raddady

Meguiar's performs well with just a tablespoon per gallon of water. You scored with the Sears buy.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Really doesn't matter, most car shampoos will have polymers to help repel water. As long as it suds up with bubbles to collect debris, can't go wrong with any modern type of car shampoo

Saintor

I see some value in buying a soap with carnauba wax.

It is not a substitute for regular waxing (I do 3x a year), but each time I see a film even on the windshield. I also use wax booster, a 5 minutes job but it gives a nice glass appearance.

frankjnjr

FWIW: I've used a lot of products over the years, my favorite is:
This is a powder, which produces a rich foamy soap when mixed with water. It sells for $5.59 at Ace Hardware, considerably more expensive at Walmart $ 8.57, for some reason. Does not remove wax. One 8 oz. can, lasts me about a year, and i wash my car at least twice a month.