Paint care on my new Camry Hybrid

I use a wash and wax from Turtle pruducts and a microfibre mitt to wash the car and wax with turtle wax using old cotton tee shirts. I only use a chamois to dry the car, if it is dry just rub the damp chamois over it and the water spots come off.

 

First, you don't need to wait to wax the car. The paint is ready for wax when you get it.

You can protect against most rock chips with 3M "clearbra" vinyl coating. It's not cheap, but it does a nice job. Look around for car detailing places that install it. Usually it will cost around $300 to $500 depending on how much you want covered.

I find a micro-fiber cloth works well for drying. When I use mine it is wet or damp all the time. Because it's smaller (frequent wringing) it's less likely you will swish it across the ground and pick up abrasives. GM used to sell these as "Water sprites". The ones I purchased were sold under the "Mothers" name. Once I use it to dry the car I throw it in the laundry so it's ready for the next time.

With a black car you really want to avoid "swirl marks". Whenever you touch the car you do leave tiny scratches. Often they are small enough you can't see them, but they're there. This even applies when you wash and dry or wax, no matter how much care you take.

So, if you're going to put scratches on the finish it's best to try to make them invisible. There are two things you can do.

1. Make sure they are small enough to be invisible. Solved by using pure soft cotton towels (remember any stitching can also scratch so be really paranoid when searching out towels), micro-fiber cloths that are soft, and a good soft mitt. Also, rinse out the wash mitt each time you reach back for rewetting it or soaping it. Use proper car wash soap only, unless you are starting on the Zaino system and want to remove all previous waxes.
After all this, remember the tiny "invisible" scratches do build up, and will lower the shine (haze the return light). So...

2. Make sure the scratches you do leave are as invisible as possible to viewers. On horizontal surfaces, move fore/aft. On vertical surfaces, move up/down. This way the scratches will only show up at one or two angles, and will look "normal" (like motion blurring). Swirl marks, from moving in circles when you touch the car, will be visible from any angle.

And after all this your car will be subjected to the abuse of the "real world". Morons throwing doors open, rock chips, extreme weather.
But you will know you have done YOUR best, anyway.

 

Hi VBsportbiker, welcome to PriusChat! There are lots of threads here and on other sites about car finish detailing. Here's an article from ToyotaNation.com on exterior detailing.

One of the best things you can do to minimize scratching of your paint is to use a two-bucket washing method. After you flush off as much surface dirt as you can with the hose, fill one bucket with your wash water, using a cleaner specifically designed for car washing, and the second bucket with clear rinse water. Every time you take your washing mitt off the car, stick it in the rinse water and give it a shake, then back to the wash bucket for more cleaner. You'll be really amazed at the fine grit that settles to the bottom of the rinse bucket that would otherwise be scratching your finish in the wash water.

Congratulations on your new Camry Hybrid!

 

If you want to go off the deep end on car detaling, here is the place
http://autopia.org/

Their forums contain many how to articles on multiple topics. Having said that you can do a very good job
on your car for less than 50 bucks. Microfiber cloths are great fro drying and wax removal. Discount stores like Sams or Costco sell them cheap. You can get some good off the shelf waxes and cleaners or order some higher end stuff. I second the suggestion on a front node mask. Paint on new cars these days seems to be very soft for any number of reasons. The net effect is that the front end of cars take a huge beating. I always use a second bucket for wheels sto keep brake dust off the paint.

 

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The venture shield film does not block UV so the paint under the plastic fades just like the exposed paint.

 

Zymol is fantastic - if you have that I would use it. You need to use the whole programme really though. I use it on my classic car and it is the best finish I have ever seen.
Too expensive to use on my normal cars in the UK though!! I actually have had a Supaguard finish applied to my Prius which seems excellent at present and use the products supplied with that.