I need to wash my car already! Any reccomendations

[Jack 06]

PriusChat has a Forum called "Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting". It has several threads on cleaning (and waxing) the exterior, including the use of car washes, a few on cleaning the interior and a few more for specialized cleaning problems.

If you use "My Assistant" (top of PC home page) and type "Washing your Prius" into the "search", it'll take you to a thread (and a poll) on car washing. About 100 people registered thoughts in the poll and there were 25 postsa couple of months ago.

All waxes print on the container a range of temperatures within which waxing is recommended.

[bbianchi]

Originally posted by tracysbeans@Jan 12 2006, 05:57 PM
Ok thanks for the info. I have heard other people mention the Zaino. Are you sure Zaino can be applied in cold weather? (Remember I'm in WI)

Can I ask you what you use your cargo net for?

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Zaino can be applied in the low 30's, however if the humidity is high it can take around 2-3 hours to dry. You wouldn't necessairly need to polish it now though but after a few washes you will notice fine scratches that it will remove. Their carwash however is always good to use.

I can say from experience that if you get the Mr. Kleen gun don't put the Zaino in it unless you plan to flush it out or it will gel and clog. The Ionized water however does work pretty good, I have noticed at times that it doesnt necessairly spot but it does leave a film from where water was.

[priusenvy]

Originally posted by bbianchi@Jan 12 2006, 04:31 PM
The reason I do not reccomend wax is because it does nothing for the finish of your car. It just fills in the swirls, spiderwebbing, and scratches. The Zaino Polishing system actually removes these imperfections from the finish itself, as well as making your paint smoother than glass (really). Ive seen several black cars that had a numerous zaino application done and it was AMAZING.

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You continue to post this misinformation, even though anyone who knows the slightest bit about auto paint care knows that Zaino is a sealant. Zaino Z-2 and Z-5 do not contain any chemical or abrasive polishing agents, and cannot do what you claim they do. There is a reason Zaino Z-2 and Z-5 are discussed in the LSP (last step product) area and not the polishing forum of every online detailing site, and the reason is because they are sealants. Just go to www.detailcity.com and you will see that what I've stated is correct.

You really don't know what you're talking about if you think that proper auto paint care means using a polish only and nothing to protect the paint. Polishing (with a real polish) is part of surface preparation, and the final step is to protect the paint and enhance the gloss with wax or sealant (or both). Funny how Zaino states on their web site that Z-5 contains fillers to hide swirl marks, but you claim it polishes them away. Zaino even states that Z-5 and Z-2 contain no abrasives and no cleaners. How much clearer can it get (copied from their web site):

"Z-2 PRO™ contains no cleaners, and no abrasives, therefore the surface must be in good condition before you apply Z-2 PRO™."

If you need a polish, try Menzerna FPII (or the new PO106FF), Poorboys SSR, Zaino ZPC, or Meguiar's #82.

I'm a detailing enthusiast, not a professional, but I've got about $1000 worth of different detailing products on the shelf right now, including Zaino, Klasse, Blackfire, Menzerna, Four Star, Meguiars, P&S, Pinnacle, etc. I've been detailing my own cars for twenty years and am a longtime reader and participant on the forums at detailcity.com, roadfly.org, and autopia.org.

[aaf709]

Originally posted by tracysbeans@Jan 12 2006, 04:57 PM
Can I ask you what you use your cargo net for?

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In case you want to catch fish of course.

The cargo net goes right to the very back of the trunk area. It's not really necessary, but if you have items that roll around (not a bowling ball by any means), it helps hold the items in when the hatch is open. Plus there's a pocket in it so you could stick, say, an umbrella there so it's handy.

[richard schumacher]

I use AutoDry and a cotton wash mitt; the mitt goes through the laundry after each use. After 21 months the car looks new (no swirls).

[galaxee]

WHEW our black beauty is dirty after 3100 miles in road salt and other nasties.

i spray the car down really, REALLY well, then fill up a car wash bucket with water and a small amount of soap. i use blue coral concentrate, it's cheap over at target. then i use a microfiber mitt to wash the car, top to bottom, in sections. after each section (hood and roof, front end, driver's side, passenger side, rear) i rinse off the soap, then after it's all done i give it a good rinse again. then i dry with an "aquadry" towel, which works great and gives no spots.

we have about 10 layers of zaino on the car, absolutely love the look of it. it's worth the money. even with all the crap on the car it still looks pretty decent.

[QED]

Originally posted by tracysbeans@Jan 12 2006, 02:03 PM
3. With my garden hose at home (In my bikini......NOT!)

Post some pictures.........of the newly washed car of course!

[tracysbeans]

Originally posted by galaxee@Jan 14 2006, 11:50 PM
WHEW our black beauty is dirty after 3100 miles in road salt and other nasties.

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You got 3100 miles in before your car got dirty I drove less than 200 miles and my car is filthy dirty now already. I have ONLY had it for ONE week and it already needs a major wash!

[tracysbeans]

Originally posted by qed@Jan 15 2006, 12:38 AM
Post some pictures.........of the newly washed car of course!

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[galaxee]

Originally posted by tracysbeans@Jan 15 2006, 12:47 AM
You got 3100 miles in before your car got dirty  I drove less than 200 miles and my car is filthy dirty now already. I have ONLY had it for ONE week and it already needs a major wash!

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oh it was plenty dirty before that, 1100 miles each way and almost 1000 driving around the state. we've had a very dirty car for almost 2 weeks now

down south i get away with one wash a week.