Optimum No Rise and Wax - Trying to avoid swirl marks

[Fernand]

@Jefsla, over the TOP? TOP? There is no TOP.
I can only stand at attention, I have no pointers
for you, Master. Promise me you'll consult, if we get
to Mount Olympus, and we end up polishing the
chariots of the gods. I think they mostly drive
Roadsters. Except Vulcan. He drives a Hummer.
Oh and Dionysus drives a Model X, you know him
and the human girls, back seat parties and all that.

Oh and Athena's waiting on her Model Y.

 

[insaneoctane]

Did anyone without the desire to use a DI machine ever get around to test if ONRWW mixed with distilled water requires drying? When I use it there is quite a bit of water mixture left on the vehicle because I am paranoid of using too little... I'm not sure that much liquid would really disappear? I would be willing to switch to distilled if I could completely skip drying....

 

[Jefsla]

Did anyone without the desire to use a DI machine ever get around to test if ONRWW mixed with distilled water requires drying? When I use it there is quite a bit of water mixture left on the vehicle because I am paranoid of using too little... I'm not sure that much liquid would really disappear? I would be willing to switch to distilled if I could completely skip drying....

I've used ONR with distilled, and it still left spots for me. It was my main motivation to switch to DI.

 

[joebruin77]

Just came across this customer review posted on an Adams product forum. Seems like he had a positive experience with the inexpensive Unger Rinse n Go system for sale on the Costco website:

"I was a bit skeptical about this at first but it was on sale at Costco so I figured I would give it a try. I know they always have good quality product and the best price - and now this product has a lot of good reviews. I couldn't find the Unger Rinse 'n' Go anywhere else. I've used a more expensive version at home in the past...but replacing the resin was a pain in the *** and expensive. This one really is much easier to use and gave me the same spot-free results. The product I had before required an engineering degree to assemble, it was ridiculous. This Rinse 'n' Go really was ready to go right out of the box. The resin was already inside. I played around with it anyway - the resin is in a bag so it's really easy to replace rather than dealing with loose resin. I didn't use it to wash the dirt from my car because I didn't want to waste the resin so I washed it like I normally do but then used this for the final rinse. That's what this system is made for - I rinsed the car with this and just let it dry. The results were great - I didn't have any spots, not even on the glass. So, I'll tell you guys, in my opinion, it you want a spotless car without having to spend all that time towel drying it, this is for you. I just wish it had a bypass for regular water if you don't want to use the resin. I just connected it when I was done washing the car as a workaround."

And here is the product on the Costco website:

https://www.costco.com/Unger-Professional-Rinse'n'Go-Spotless-Car-Wash-System.product.100471577.html

 

[Jefsla]

Just came across this customer review posted on an Adams product forum. Seems like he had a positive experience with the inexpensive Unger Rinse n Go system for sale on the Costco website:

"I was a bit skeptical about this at first but it was on sale at Costco so I figured I would give it a try. I know they always have good quality product and the best price - and now this product has a lot of good reviews. I couldn't find the Unger Rinse 'n' Go anywhere else. I've used a more expensive version at home in the past...but replacing the resin was a pain in the *** and expensive. This one really is much easier to use and gave me the same spot-free results. The product I had before required an engineering degree to assemble, it was ridiculous. This Rinse 'n' Go really was ready to go right out of the box. The resin was already inside. I played around with it anyway - the resin is in a bag so it's really easy to replace rather than dealing with loose resin. I didn't use it to wash the dirt from my car because I didn't want to waste the resin so I washed it like I normally do but then used this for the final rinse. That's what this system is made for - I rinsed the car with this and just let it dry. The results were great - I didn't have any spots, not even on the glass. So, I'll tell you guys, in my opinion, it you want a spotless car without having to spend all that time towel drying it, this is for you. I just wish it had a bypass for regular water if you don't want to use the resin. I just connected it when I was done washing the car as a workaround."

And here is the product on the Costco website:

https://www.costco.com/Unger-Professional-Rinse'n'Go-Spotless-Car-Wash-System.product.100471577.html

Seems like a good starter, for sure... but once you get a taste of it, you’re going to wish you put that $160 towards a better DI system. For a couple hundred more, you get a system that produces 2000 gallons of DI water, and features bypass for normal water. It’s a much better value imo. But again if money is tight, this is a good starter.

 

[insaneoctane]

Seems like a good starter, for sure... but once you get a taste of it, you’re going to wish you put that $160 towards a better DI system. For a couple hundred more, you get a system that produces 2000 gallons of DI water, and features bypass for normal water. It’s a much better value imo. But again if money is tight, this is a good starter.

Which unit do you use?

 

[Jefsla]

Which unit do you use?

The Pro50 New Pro 50 Compact Spotfree DI system

 

[joebruin77]

The Pro50 New Pro 50 Compact Spotfree DI system

Thanks for the suggestion. How many washes do you get out of 1 bag of resin? Just trying to estimate the cost per wash, given that the resin refills are $225

 

[Jefsla]

Thanks for the suggestion. How many washes do you get out of 1 bag of resin? Just trying to estimate the cost per wash, given that the resin refills are $225

It will vary from user to user, but the ~2000 gallon number is based off of a TDS reading of 110 ppm. So you will get more or less gallons depending on if your TDS at the tap is higher or lower than 110 ppm. You can use a prefilter to help in this area as well to get your TDS ppm lower. You can buy a cheap TDS meter to see what your TDS ppm is at the source before investing. That way you will get a ballpark estimate of what you're working with.

It also depends on your pressure washer variables, like GPM and nozzle. With the stock numbers if you use 5 gallons per wash to rinse, that's ~400 washes. But 5 gallons may be a little less than what most people use, or more, depending on variables. At any rate, you'll get WAY more washes from the Pro50 than that Costco one... The Pro50 includes .5 cu ft of resin, which = 2000 gallons. Refills are $225, but that's for 1 cu ft, so you can refill the unit twice, for 4000 gallons at stock TDS rates.

 

[Fernand]

@Jefsla yup! It's a continuum of obsessive car care from
"Just a car, whip'It with The Garden Hose" --> to Yours.

Where we land, given how much we love our M3s, is
a moving target. We're all trying to find that sweet spot,
trying different approaches, and all ideas are golden!

I have no doubt that @Jefsla prefers the deionized water,
but distilled water is by definition 100% pure H2O.

I've gone through a couple more happy washes as

1) Spray off dust etc with jet of the garden hose.
2) Pour 1 gal distilled H2O into pump sprayer
3) Spray car w/ 1 gal dist H2O to wash off tap H2O.
4) Pour 1 gal dist H2O in sprayer, now add 1 fl Oz ONRW.
5) Spray & soak car with ~ 0.5-1 gal ONRW solution
6) Wipe up dirt with clean ONRW-wetted microfibers.
7) Quick dry with microfiber drying towel(s).

@insaneoctane just try it, not much up front cost, simply
pick up a couple gallons of distilled water at the store.

If you mop up well at stage 6) you can probably skip 7).
Whether you get any visible spotting is mostly technique.
.

 

[mobilesuit818]

I pretty much do this minus the first 3 steps and then add detailer with DIW as a last step and then let it sit then buff out.

Paint looks super wet Everytime, zero swirls.

Obligatory shameless pic

View media item 120255

 

[Fernand]

I pretty much do this minus the first 3 steps and then add detailer with DIW as a last step and then let it sit then buff out.

Paint looks super wet Everytime, zero swirls.
Obligatory shameless pic

Looks good. Is DIW distilled water? What detailer do you use?
Do you have a wax/sealant base, or just ONR over the clearcoat?
.

 

[Jefsla]

I pretty much do this minus the first 3 steps and then add detailer with DIW as a last step and then let it sit then buff out.

Paint looks super wet Everytime, zero swirls.

Obligatory shameless pic

View media item 120255

Looks good

 

[mobilesuit818]

Looks good. Is DIW distilled water? What detailer do you use?
Do you have a wax/sealant base, or just ONR over the clearcoat?
.

Yes DIW is distilled water.

I personally use Optimum Detailer, Optimum (ID2008Q) Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer - 32 oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GG9FJKU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WCnADbQE8CVV8

which also smells good as well. A little goes a long way and get a small fine mister and coat but not too much as you don't want it to drip off the panels.

Let it set then wipe/buff off with some plush and soft MF. Best to do this in indirect sunlight so you can see the streaks.

Be ready for the wet paint look.

 

[Fernand]

Love that wet look, for sure. I think there are two schools here. If you use plain ONR then this Optimum stuff seems like the ticket. I guess you're working on the clearcoat itself.

The other approach is using ONRW, i.e. layering wax instead. I use this really luscious wet look old-school 3M Paste Wax, and the ONRW works on top of it, it doesn't tear it off (too much). Reapplying paste wax then adds more carnauba and bonds with the carnauba from the ONRW. I love that tree-grown buttery gloss.

 

[Fernand]

I'd been sick and just didn't have the energy to wash cars. This morning my wife said, you got to see something, so I followed her out front, and wow. She'd done the whole proper ONRW in distilled water number on both our cars. She's not tall, and she'd pulled up a stepladder to do the roofs. The Tesla was gleaming, the carnauba paste wax was still doing its magic after several ONRW treatments. What a car, yes. But what a woman!

 

[Fernand]

With the rain we've been having in California, and my car out on the driveway, I was looking for a way to have a reasonably shiny car without constantly doing something.

So the idea was: what about applying some ONR and not drying it, just letting the rain finish it? So I did the usual ONR+W dilution in a gallon of distilled water. Sprayed it onto the rain-wet car. Smooshed it around a bit with a microfiber cloth to loosen the dirt film. Very low effort. Then just let it be. The rain came back that night. In the morning the sun was out and the car looked surprisingly good. A quick dusting and it looked great. Almost like right after a laborious fresh wax, or an ONR+W application followed by microfiber wiping and drying with waffle-weave towels.

That ONR+W has all sorts of uses. It deposits a waxy layer to the paint, even THROUGH water, so then water beads and dirt comes right off.

 

[onshi]

@Jefsla yup! It's a continuum of obsessive car care from
"Just a car, whip'It with The Garden Hose" --> to Yours.

Where we land, given how much we love our M3s, is
a moving target. We're all trying to find that sweet spot,
trying different approaches, and all ideas are golden!

I have no doubt that @Jefsla prefers the deionized water,
but distilled water is by definition 100% pure H2O.

I've gone through a couple more happy washes as

1) Spray off dust etc with jet of the garden hose.
2) Pour 1 gal distilled H2O into pump sprayer
3) Spray car w/ 1 gal dist H2O to wash off tap H2O.
4) Pour 1 gal dist H2O in sprayer, now add 1 fl Oz ONRW.
5) Spray & soak car with ~ 0.5-1 gal ONRW solution
6) Wipe up dirt with clean ONRW-wetted microfibers.
7) Quick dry with microfiber drying towel(s).

@insaneoctane just try it, not much up front cost, simply
pick up a couple gallons of distilled water at the store.

If you mop up well at stage 6) you can probably skip 7).
Whether you get any visible spotting is mostly technique.
.

Thank you for detailing your car washing process! It's one I plan to use. Can you recommend a pump sprayer? I've looked at a few on Amazon but comments from customers often say that its not suitable for rinsing a car. But I guess if you're just rinsing the tap water off with distilled water it's not that important to have a strong stream of water?

 

[Fernand]

This is 1 gallon, but it's resistant to corrosives you might want to spray sometimes, it's easy to carry, cheap, and does the job just fine.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00295QD96/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If the car isn't really dirty, just dusty or dirt-filmed, it doesn't take much. Like @mobilesuit818 I've sometimes skipped both the tap water and distilled water rinse, and just dusted with a California Duster type thing, then sprayed on the gallon of distilled water with ONRW, wiped with ONRW soaked microfibers, then dried.

It's obvious that if the wet wiping isn't picking up a lot of dirt, then you're not hurting anything but not gaining much either by pouring more water on in the first place.

I just got some of the OptiSeal, I think it's something to experiment with, no rigid order. As a "drying aid" it will probably mix with the ONRW at the final drying, like adding another shiny component to the ONRW.

At some point when it's convenient, I figure I'll do a deeper 3M cleaner wax pass, that's a light abrasive with a synthetic polymer wax, or let the Chinese lady do the claybar + cleaner wax. Then some carnauba. But I keep putting it off, it's been months, because the car looks pretty much freshly waxed as it is.

And those microswirls that you can only see if the light is just so? well, on a black car they'll always be there, so don't set up the light just so, who cares?
.

 

[nsrg]

chiming in late, I've never had a black car that stays perfect. Detailing once a year helps unless you want to do it yourself for paint correction.
I like ONR with about 10 microfiber towels, folded to use 8 surfaces, for routine cleaning. When the car is very dirty I power spray it first, then still use the ONR.
I followup with a WOWA product, ultima paint guard plus. Many ways to do this right, but I love cleaning my car in the garage despite the weather, and taking a break in the middle of washing is sometimes nice. I use triple-filtered drinking water, not sure how much that matters.