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We don't all have budget for protective wraps & ceramic coating
- Thread starter Rothgarr
- Start date
Bill Foster
I'm going home!
Bill Foster
I'm going home!
joebruin77
Active Member
You can definitely wash and reuse them. But it is super important to wash and dry them properly. Never use fabric softener on MF towels and be sure to dry them on the lowest temperature setting possible. Fabric softener and high heat make the fibers become hard, which then causes scratches and swirls in your paint. Eventually when the fibers on the MF towels start to feel stiff or hard, it’s time to discard them and get new towels.
joebruin77
Active Member
No denying that ceramic coatings are growing in popularity, but i think the Powerlock sealant and Collinite 845 combo is awesome. Carnauba waxes are not as durable as sealants or coatings but they give paint a warmth and glow that can’t be matched. And the Collinite waxes are among the best on the market. The only reason I don’t currently use Collinite is because it has yet to be tested on PPF. But I would totally use this combo on a car that does not have any PPF.
I should have used bone dry towels for the windows. I noticed this morning that all my windows are streaked, along with trim, etc. I need to get more towels, too -- I only had three small towels.
Any recommendations for which towels to buy in bulk?
Lastly, the battery for my Ego leaf blower died after 2 minutes (I forgot to charge it after doing an hour's worth of weed whacking the day prior). But the roof looks great where I did get to use the leaf blower. No streaks there. next time I'll use the leaf blower on all surfaces before drying.
As someone who’s been washing cars for 20+ years using essentially a single bucket method, my mind is kind of blown right now haha. When I get my Model 3 I’m going to have to make some good changes with how I take wash and take care of it.
This thread has inspired me. Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine with a pressure washer to clean it off, then a bit of ONR with foaming soap 2 bucket method. Rinse off, then small amount of ONR with P&S BEAD MAKER to wipe dry. This is the first time I didn't use a leaf blower to dry the car. I just went around with a microfiber cloth two or three times.
I think the leaf blower is required for the door handles, rims, and trunk area, since water accumulates there and isn't as easily wiped from the crevices.
I also tried a bit of Optimum gloss on half of the hood, it seems to leave the car feeling silkier than with bead maker, but applies a bit "greasy". I'm not sure which is the better final coat at this time.
Chemical Guys V.R.P for the tires.
When I bought the car, I applied CarPro Cquartz UK 3.0 on every panel, including door jams and rims. Not that you can tell, but I have ppf across the entire front of the vehicle.
I think the leaf blower is required for the door handles, rims, and trunk area, since water accumulates there and isn't as easily wiped from the crevices.
I also tried a bit of Optimum gloss on half of the hood, it seems to leave the car feeling silkier than with bead maker, but applies a bit "greasy". I'm not sure which is the better final coat at this time.
Chemical Guys V.R.P for the tires.
When I bought the car, I applied CarPro Cquartz UK 3.0 on every panel, including door jams and rims. Not that you can tell, but I have ppf across the entire front of the vehicle.
joebruin77
Active Member
A lot of people I know recommend towels from The Rag Company. I personally bought my favorite towels from Chemical Guys:
Monster Extreme Thickness Towels 3 Pack |
I also have the Costco MF towels. They are a great buy but they are not as plush as the ones From CG. I would use the super plush ones on painted surfaces .
When used on glass, MF towels can sometimes leave behind lint especially on the inside of the car. I find these glass specific towels to work best on the inside of the window:
Glass and Window Waffle Weave Towel |
Lastly, for streak free glass after a rinseless wash, I like to use Meguiars D156 as a drying aid. If you don’t want to buy the gallon size of this product, Meguiars Ultimate Quick Wax is the same product in their consumer line.
Remember, the drying stage of washing a car can induce scratches and swirls if done improperly. So investing in quality MF towels and drying aids is very important.
Bill Foster
I'm going home!
Rag company is great, and pretty cheap if you buy what’s on sale.
I use prob 6-8 towels to dry the 3. No need for a leaf blower, just follow Optimums directions.
I disagree. Just because everyone is doing one thing for being popular, it doesn't mean what's not broken is out. And if you haven't tried the combo, don't knock it. It's like the people who never driven a tesla but talk trash about it.
Bill Foster
I'm going home!
JasontheBeaver
Jason Barker
Hyper-seal from Opti is from their "Maintenance Line" products which are professional grade. Those products are only available from authorized detailers or directly online from Opti. We all have minimum pricing so shopping around isn't going to save you money, in fact we're not even allowed to ship it. I think Accutint Bellevue is in your area so you might check with them first just to save shipping costs, otherwise buy it from here.
While you're at it, try their "Opti-Coat No Rinse" product... if you've tried and loved regular ONR you'll flip over this stuff.
tfraley
Member
I've been testing/using Chemical Guy products mostly, I know they have been getting a bad wrap but local show and I'm no expert so don't really know the difference.
I startwith Honeydew Snow Foam
Then clayed
Then sealed with Jetseal
Then waxed with Butter wet wax
And do a bi-weekly honeydew snow foam wash
Also, use a battery leafblower to blow off 90% of the water
I plan on experimenting on other products as time goes on but that's my goto at the moment.
I've thought of Ceramic and PPF.
It's kinda pricy and my thinking is I may only hold onto this car a year or two before upgrading so I find it hard to justify the price.
Maybe my next one
I startwith Honeydew Snow Foam
Then clayed
Then sealed with Jetseal
Then waxed with Butter wet wax
And do a bi-weekly honeydew snow foam wash
Also, use a battery leafblower to blow off 90% of the water
I plan on experimenting on other products as time goes on but that's my goto at the moment.
I've thought of Ceramic and PPF.
It's kinda pricy and my thinking is I may only hold onto this car a year or two before upgrading so I find it hard to justify the price.
Maybe my next one
Last edited:
davewill
Active Member
I've used it twice now, and I'm pretty happy with the results. It helps to let it sit long enough for the solution to soften stuck on gunk. One of my neighbors reported us to the city because my son was washing his car on the driveway and letting the run off get into the storm drain, so I pretty much can't use water at home to wash anymore.* If I want to do a real wash, I'll probably have to go to the DIY spray car wash early in the morning so I can get away with using my own cloth to wipe the car.
* I could probably get away with a two bucket wash if I was careful, but the threatened fine was nothing to sneeze at.
joebruin77
Active Member
Hey, Jayson,
I have used Hyper Seal and absolutely love it. I was curious if you have any experience in comparing Hyper Seal to Bead Maker? I know Hyper Seal has SiO2 and Bead Maker does not, so Bead Maker does not last nearly as long as Hyper Seal. But Hyper Seal is a lot more expensive than Bead Maker, so I was thinking of using Hyper Seal once every 3 or 4 months and Bead Maker as a drying aid for my maintenance washes.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Oh, and my M3 is fully wrapped in Xpel PPF, so wasn't sure if HS or BM is more PPF friendly.
Thank you,
joebruin77
WilliamG
Hinge Fanatic
Thanks for all the replies. I ordered the Hyper Seal direct.
I’ll use my Aero wash/wax, and then Hyper-Seal every month or two.
One YouTube video showed this guy doing Hyper-Seal and then this product after for a super shine/gloss. Any thoughts?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GG9FBJ4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
I’ll use my Aero wash/wax, and then Hyper-Seal every month or two.
One YouTube video showed this guy doing Hyper-Seal and then this product after for a super shine/gloss. Any thoughts?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GG9FBJ4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
joebruin77
Active Member
I have used the Optimum detailer. It is a great detailer but not sure if it really adds that much more gloss compared to other detailers. I think the Hyper Seal is what really adds the noticeable slickness, shine and gloss.
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