car wash ..... what brand products do you recommend

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ 2007 09 23 10:02) [snapback]516532[/snapback]</div>

Any word on what the squirrels think of that idea? I'm all for keeping them out of the garden, but not by having them gnaw on the tires.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ 2007 09 23 11:31) [snapback]516569[/snapback]</div>

Oh, I wish. They eat everything from flower buds to plums to fence posts. I used to think they were cute, but I've come to regard them as rats with fluffy tails. I think it's time to get a dog and keep him just a little bit hungry.

Sorry, I mistook your comment about removing tyre oil to mean you used peanut butter on the sidewalls.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Sep 15 2007, 12:43 PM) [snapback]513031[/snapback]</div>

CAR WASH:

I live in NYC and don't have easy access to either a hose or a commercial car wash.

Based on TP's referral to "Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine", I tried it for the first time yesterday. It's fantastic. 2 capfuls of Optimum No Rinse mixed with a bucket of water was all I needed to clean and shine my car --- no rinsing required. The lubricity of the stuff is great. The polymers bond to the paint/clear coat to protect it from scratches while washing. Left the car looking like new. It's also supposedly biodegradable and environmentally friendly.

CAR WAX:

I also tried "Optimum Car Wax" spray yesterday. It's easy to use --- just spray and wipe. It doesn't have any abrasives in it so it won't scratch the finish like most waxes and polishes. The shine wasn't noticeably better than how the car looked after I washed it with Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine (which left the car looking like new), so my guess is that it doesn't produce a super shine like some other detailing products.

 

I have tried many products over the years and I still will find something new to try. Most do a good job and folks are usually finding a product they like and then stick with that product telling eveyone else it is the best.

Some years ago in my younger days my dad took me to Harrah's auto collection in Reno, NV and was the best car collection I had ever seen, even to this day. That collection has since been sold off I'm told. Being a car detail nut I tried to go and find one of the staff in the maintenance department and ask what they use to detail their cars. As I walked up to a staff member who happened to be waxing a rare car at that moment, I saw he had a regular bottle of Meguiar's car wax!! He said that this was what they always used for day to day maintenance giving good protection, gloss, and both easy application and removal. Well, if they used it, then it is probably good enough for me! This was maybe 25-30 years ago and I have since used the Meguiar's products which have been my favorite products for all these years. I still try others on occasion but I always go back to Meguiar's.

The Meguiar's website has excellent online videos on "how to" using the various products they sell (like many other car care companies too!) so for you folks new to "wash", "clay bar", "cleaners vs Polish vs wax difference" these videos will explain it all and how to do it properly! I highly recommend viewing it even if you use another brand so you do it correctly and keep your Prius looking new!

Is your Prius (or other cars) black, red, or maybe looking a little faded? After I started using Meguiar's, I bought a new 85 Honda CRX that was red. After several coats of different waxes the red had lost its brilliancy over time and looked like dull red paint with shinny wax on it. I used the Meguiar's "Deep Crystal Polish" on it before waxing it and to this day never had a red car look so beautifully! It can bring out the beautiful red, black, blue etc. in your paint like nothing I have used to date. It seems to help the darker colors best like black, red, etc. but works on all colors. See the videos yourself at:

http://www.meguiars.com/

P.S. No I don't own stock in Meguiar's company or sell the stuff. :lol: I just use it and like it like many pros do. What ever Brand of product you decide, USE IT frequently and protect your lovely Prius!

 

I also use Mequair's. I need something that goes on and off easily but still works, and it does. I don't have the time or the patience to spend days on it.

 

I have used a product called Eco Touch Waterless Car Care. It comes in a spray bottle. You just spray it on and wipe it off with a microfiber towel. No water is required. It works for me. This product is good if you don't have access to a water hose and/or water conservation is a consideration. They have a web site which has a store locator and I think you can order it from the website also. This is the website- ecotouch.net