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Bugs on Car
- Thread starter Armadillos
- Start date
Personally I keep a bottle of this around with a microfiber towel:
Meguiar's G7624 Gold Class Premium Quik Detailer Amazon.com: Meguiars G7624 Gold Class Premium Quik Detailer - 24 oz.: Automotive or
Meguiar's G14422 Ultimate Quik Detailer Amazon.com: Meguiars G14422 Ultimate Quik Detailer - 22 oz.: Automotive
Both seem to work about the same. Quick spritz and a wipe whenever it gets covered. Works pretty well for me anyway.
Meguiar's G7624 Gold Class Premium Quik Detailer Amazon.com: Meguiars G7624 Gold Class Premium Quik Detailer - 24 oz.: Automotive or
Meguiar's G14422 Ultimate Quik Detailer Amazon.com: Meguiars G14422 Ultimate Quik Detailer - 22 oz.: Automotive
Both seem to work about the same. Quick spritz and a wipe whenever it gets covered. Works pretty well for me anyway.
DrGuest
Member
When my nosecone is covered from a summer day trip, I use a hand held high pressure wash at a local car wash and dry using micro cloths. For touch up, I also use a detail spray to take a few bugs off or for occasional bird droppings. My car actually is cleaner in the winter, because of the lack of bugs that time of year, here in Montana.
gnelson
Member
Lex
Member
I almost started a bug thread myself 
I've only had my Model S for 1 month now, it's the peak bug season but my car has so far been somewhat bug resistant, and this after 2 fairly extensive road trips. I was starting to wonder if if was a lighter than usual season, but others say it's as bad or worse than usual here. So far I haven't had to wipe the windshield at all between car washings.
I wondered if it's the aerodynamics of the car, and/or smooth nosecone vs. grille -- I've had cars with low drag before, but perhaps the MS hits a new mark on bug avoidance -- but searching here suggested to me that others are getting hit by bugs like any other car (there's even an early thread that I almost reincarnated on gas station etiquette eg. "can I drive up and just wash my windshield ?" For the record there, if I ever have to, I'm also buying a coffee or Gatorade there).
Finally I wondered about the coatings I've applied: cQuartz UK paint sealant, and Aquapel glass treatment. These are supposed to be slippery, and seem to at least be making it easier to wash the car, if not to keep it clean as well. Perhaps they are helping bugs avoid splattering.
I've actually seen bugs fly across and over my windshield when at speed instead of smacking into the car far more often than I've grown to expect when driving a vehicle in these parts. But... when long-distance driving in my MS I'm less likely to be driving fast and/or I might be following a truck to get better range where in a gas car I may be more frequently in the bug-ridden "pole position".
I've only had my Model S for 1 month now, it's the peak bug season but my car has so far been somewhat bug resistant, and this after 2 fairly extensive road trips. I was starting to wonder if if was a lighter than usual season, but others say it's as bad or worse than usual here. So far I haven't had to wipe the windshield at all between car washings.I wondered if it's the aerodynamics of the car, and/or smooth nosecone vs. grille -- I've had cars with low drag before, but perhaps the MS hits a new mark on bug avoidance -- but searching here suggested to me that others are getting hit by bugs like any other car (there's even an early thread that I almost reincarnated on gas station etiquette eg. "can I drive up and just wash my windshield ?" For the record there, if I ever have to, I'm also buying a coffee or Gatorade there).
Finally I wondered about the coatings I've applied: cQuartz UK paint sealant, and Aquapel glass treatment. These are supposed to be slippery, and seem to at least be making it easier to wash the car, if not to keep it clean as well. Perhaps they are helping bugs avoid splattering.
I've actually seen bugs fly across and over my windshield when at speed instead of smacking into the car far more often than I've grown to expect when driving a vehicle in these parts. But... when long-distance driving in my MS I'm less likely to be driving fast and/or I might be following a truck to get better range where in a gas car I may be more frequently in the bug-ridden "pole position".
SW2Fiddler
We Are Cognitive Dissidents
Asked my CQuartz installer this question, since I would be driving Pearlie May about 300 miles before her appointment to get Quartz'ed:
(it works great, even on pine sap)
(it works great, even on pine sap)
Khatsalano
Member
I use my auto detailer ... a guy named Starsky who happens to love cars and knows how to bring it. Really, I just get the thing washed before I would go bug scraping.
- K
- K
Lex
Member
Finally washed my car after the last road trip (ya, it's something that should be done right away but I was pretty wiped out).
So I now have some permanent bug splatters on the paint. They look like little bomb blasts. My first inclination was to scream "damn this paint is soft" until I noticed one on the plastic nosecone -- it also looks like a little bug blast, not a rock hit, with a permanent "splash" mark, just like in the paint.
So I guess they were just big scaly bugs... and ya, these marks are not noticeable, unless you are me
So I now have some permanent bug splatters on the paint. They look like little bomb blasts. My first inclination was to scream "damn this paint is soft" until I noticed one on the plastic nosecone -- it also looks like a little bug blast, not a rock hit, with a permanent "splash" mark, just like in the paint.
So I guess they were just big scaly bugs... and ya, these marks are not noticeable, unless you are me
ibdb
Any excuse for a road trip
Lex - Have you tried to clay the car to clean up the bug hits? It's worked very well for me for hits on the nose cone and the hood and bumper.
steilkurve
Member
Interesting. I've got bug residue on the nose cone that won't go away with dedicated bug cleaner, pressure washing, foaming and finally just mitt washing. I haven't tried clay. It worked for you? Clay is safe for plastic surfaces like the cone? Thanks in advance for your insights.
My detailer always say wipe the bugs when you arrive, within a day. On the next day, they are going to be harder to remove. Having carnauba wax on the car helps, he said.
Actually I drive pretty fast so lot of bugs
Actually I drive pretty fast so lot of bugs
steilkurve
Member
He's likely right but I've passed the day mark unfortunately. Lesson for next time. What would folks reco to try and wipe the nose clean (cleaner) now? Clay? Thanks.
ibdb
Any excuse for a road trip
So far, so good.
I'll have another good test Tuesday. Had some long highway drives right before leaving town for two weeks with no time to wash.
davidc18
Active Member
keep it waxed and get the bugs off asap. I also have micro fiber cloths and quick detailer in the trunk.
My detailer said just use a wet towel... sometimes I ask the hotel guy to give me a wet towel to clean my car, at fine hotels he gives me a white, brand-new wet towel... felt a bit guilty.
caddieo
Member
I have a spray bottle of Optimum Opticlean and microfiber cloths in the trunk for spot cleaning (and more of the same in the garage). Easy to do when the splatters are fresh although I generally wait until the end of the driving day.
steilkurve
Member
Will do that moving forward for sure.
In the meantime, should I feel safe about trying clay on the cone to knock off the stubborn post-wash remains? I don't want to damage the surface. New to cone-washing and clay! Thanks.
BoerumHill
not great not terrible
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