flawless car washing methods??

[bigwes]

Hey guys,



I am taking my superblack 350z to the best detail shop around town this weekend. When I get it back it will be flawless. My question to all of you guys is are there any products out there that will not even put the slightest scratch on my car while I am drying it off. I love washing my car. I use a wool mitt to wash (2 bucket method) which has shown no signs of scratching. My only problem is drying the car. I currently use a synthetic absorb all (rubber feeling material). It works really well and I have seen no signs of scratching but I want to know if there is a better method. Black cars will tell on you every time.



Do most light surface scratches appear on a car during the washing process or the drying process???????????????????



Thanks in advance for your much needed comments,



superblack z

[Jesstzn]

I have black and used the Absorber for years but since have switched to MF and WW for drying .. I will still use the Absorber occasionally to pre dry by wetting it to softenthen wring it out and hold it by 2 corners and pull it over the car to remove a lot of water. I do it in a walkaround with no rubbing involved.



To your other questions .. marring can happen *anytime* something touches the paint be it wash mitt/ drying utensiles/CDD/QD and MF / little fingers in the dust/ladies with purses/chubby people trying to get by , etc etc.



Have you asked the detailer his method for attaining a *flawless* car and the products he will use? Sometimes flawless = products with a lot of fillers and later as the fillers leave you think your marring the car.

[Accumulator]

What Jesstzn said :xyxthumbs



IMO, the safest way to dry is to gently blot the surface with the extra soft, gray WWMFs. Generally, no wiping = no marring.

[bigwes]

I will ask this weekend and let you know. All I know now is that he is going to use a non-abrasive polish to rid the paint of any contaminants that would have been introduced to the car from the factory. Then he will apply a polymer sealant which will bond and protect new car paint better than traditional wax.

[Accumulator]

Originally posted by bigwes

.. he is going to use a non-abrasive polish to rid the paint of any contaminants that would have been introduced to the car from the factory.



Hmmm.. most "non-abrasive polishes" (what Meguiar`s calls "pure polishes") have virtually no cleaning ability on clearcoated paint. Yeah, there are some exceptions, but not many. What a new car needs for that kind of cleaning is either AutoInt`s "ABC" system or at least clay.



My BS-detector is going off here...the term "nonabrasive polish" is often a warning sign, it`s a term that`s often bandied about/misused by deceptive people. So take heed and listen carefully/critically to what he tells you before you let him do your car. I`d ask for the actual names of the specific products he`s gonna use and then run them past us here at Autopia. No, it`s not an unreasonable thing to ask and if he hedges, something`s fishy.



Oh, and referring back to your first post on this thread, washing and drying are BOTH processes that can introduce marring. Both are a little trickier than most people might think, but, IMO, especially the washing. The dirt is on the paint, and it`s easy to rub it in, causing marring.

[04Runner]

Bigwes – I tried this Quick & Easy Wash made by Protectall for the first time last week. I was very, very impressed with this stuff. There’s lots on it in the search as far as how to use it. As long as you don’t let your car get too dirty, I think this is the way to go. This stuff seems to really draw the dirt up into the wash mitt. I used no pressure at all (other than the weight of the wash mitt) and it worked great. It’s hard to imagine (to me anyways) a more scratch free way to wash, plus you don’t have to use hoses. Just rinse the mitt frequently. I wash right in the garage.