1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Visit to the store, car wash soap, new microfiber drying towel and bonding time!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by OceanEyes, Feb 16, 2013.

  1. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2012
    527
    424
    0
    Location:
    Southeastern Connecticut
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I have been waiting for a day to get the salt and road spray off my baby. Took a trip to WalMart for some good car soap, a drying towel and the Meguiars wax (not for today but for when things warm up and I have time to spend grooming my car)... and did a full wash and dry. My roommate/brother was fascinated enough to grab a cold beverage, pull his Tacoma's tailgate down and watch me go to work... he had rebuilt his 1978 Camaro Rally Sport three times and now has a beautiful '67 Camaro that is his new baby so he understands the love.

    After a bath my Prius looks great and is tucked into the garage, looking beautiful.:D
     
    #1 OceanEyes, Feb 16, 2013
  2. armoredsaint

    armoredsaint Anti-Eco Company Car

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2013
    92
    28
    0
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    check out autopia.org, you can spend hours on there and the store too.
     
    #2 armoredsaint, Feb 16, 2013
    OceanEyes likes this.
  3. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2012
    527
    424
    0
    Location:
    Southeastern Connecticut
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Today it was good time spent!

    Good Gawd, another vice to look into... autopia.org....;)
     
    #3 OceanEyes, Feb 16, 2013
  4. armoredsaint

    armoredsaint Anti-Eco Company Car

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2013
    92
    28
    0
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    #4 armoredsaint, Feb 16, 2013
    OceanEyes likes this.
  5. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2008
    8,245
    1,202
    0
    Location:
    NorCal
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Hi Ocean, not going to harp or preach too much or assume you didn't, but I've found good quality microfiber wash mitts helpful. When I first swipe a door panel, for example, I look at the mitt. If it's dark with dirt, I turn the mitt to a cleaner area. I use two buckets (5 gallon with grit guards optional) , one to rinse, some use three buckets.

    For drying, I go really quickly over an area with waffle weave towel, just to get water up, then spritz spray wax or Meguiars 'quik wax' and finish with polishing cloth, like would use to buff off wax. Doesn't take that long and makes the car pop when done. Also adds some wax that of course wears down over time and with washing.

    ok, that's it.
     
    #5 cycledrum, Feb 16, 2013
  6. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2012
    527
    424
    0
    Location:
    Southeastern Connecticut
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I like the microfiber cloths made for automotive applications... I have a few of them but bought a new one yesterday for the Prius (the truck has her own stuff).;) And I was looking for any dirt on the cloth...

    Looking forward to warmer weather so I can crack out the Meguiars wax... my brother had never heard of it and his '67 Camaro is babied beyond what I am doing...
     
    #6 OceanEyes, Feb 17, 2013
  7. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2008
    8,245
    1,202
    0
    Location:
    NorCal
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    You mean a wash cloth? I've never seen a cloth for washing. Usually mitt, sponge or brush.

    I use Griot's Garage microfiber wash mitts. I used their sheepskin mitt for a couple years, but kinda expensive and microfiber works just as well. Griot's Garage is a nice auto supplies catalog to have laying around 800-345-5789. They've never called asking for orders, not pushy.

    Have you heard of claybar(ing)? The kits are commonly found in auto parts stores, even Walmart. Basically clay removes stuff that washing cannot. It's sort of time consuming though. I consider claying before applying wax.

    You car likely doesn't have any bonded surface contaminants, but I bought a 2011 Accord Coupe that had been on the lot for a few months. It had a lot of what I think was rail dust (came out by rail from Ohio). I would wash the car, then clay, and black particles came up. Waxed. Clayed and waxed again maybe month later and more came off. It took a few clay / wax sessions to get it all off.

    anyrate, you may want to google a meguiars claying video sometime, consider it. btw, the Meg's clay kits come with a nice polishing cloth. Also come with cleaner wax, but I prefer their synthetic wax, I think tech 2.0.
     
    #7 cycledrum, Feb 17, 2013
    mike3161999 likes this.
  8. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2012
    527
    424
    0
    Location:
    Southeastern Connecticut
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I saw the claybar items but did not know much about the product or the process. My late stepdad waxed and polished his Cadillacs and his Lexus (my sister has that car now:love: )... he would have the old fashioned Turtle Wax can and the applicator, would rub the wax in and after it dried he would buff it out and his Caddies glistened.

    I can get microfiber cloths a little bigger than a washcloth and towels here for auto purposes and they work great at getting that filmy grime off of the lower panels... they did not have any mitts for sale as that would have been my preference.

    My Prius has the Simoniz glass coat (my brother recommended it - he got it for his 2012 Tacoma) and I am pleased with how easily it is to clean versus my uncoated truck. Plus, in size, I can cover the Prius's bath a lot quicker than the truck's... and after being out in the snow and salt today, I owe her a good wash.
     
    #8 OceanEyes, Feb 17, 2013
  9. OceanEyes

    OceanEyes Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2012
    527
    424
    0
    Location:
    Southeastern Connecticut
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    And the Prius is immaculately clean and in the garage with the salt and roadspray outside... :D Priceless.
     
    #9 OceanEyes, Feb 17, 2013
    retired4999 likes this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)