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Old 10th June 2015, 07:28   #46
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

A thread that I've been waiting for and one that is most useful.

I tried a DIY once. It started and ended with the boot lid. That image of a man lying face down on a wooden plank is the exact same thing that happened to me, after waxing and polishing just the boot lid. That also goes to say that I am unfit nor do I have the time to attend to my car, as much as it deserves.

I attempted a wax job by myself 3 years ago, when I got my first new car and was pumped up about keeping it spotless. I did not spare my first car too, which was a car that drained by bank account. It was a bad purchase. I still took care of it. I bought it in a not so great state and when I sold it, after two years of use, the new owner could not digest the car was 10 years old. I transformed this car in the two years I owned it. It was down to some of simple and far from hard to do solutions that the thread starter posted. They really work.

I have the luxury of a covered car park at home and my work spot. There are only two cars at my apartment. My guard does the car cleaning and he has all the time in the world. As of now, my guard uses a thin towel which is normally used to wipe your head. This thin towel is rinsed after the car is washed and as there are only two cars to wash, I guess there is less harm done. As I have come to understand from reading this thread, the first thing I need to get is a pair of micro fiber towels/cloth.

What this thread has also educated me about is, it is okay if you skip a day or more washing the car. I told my guard to wash the car everyday, whether I use it or not. Guess it is okay if he skips in between, which he does anyway and lies to me saying he did wash the car. I know the difference. One look at the trunk lid is enough. Probably better to wipe it down with a Jopasu if it is fine dust settled on the surface.

Saturdays (Or Sundays) are the days my guard does the alloys and also the door frame area. The door frame area tends to get dirty too and if ignored, can look really bad. I hate the sight of a dirty running board.

I believe I have managed to keep the insides of my car spotless. I use a 3M kitchen wipe to clean the surface. I wipe down the dash board after every drive. Due to the design and choice of texture on the dashboard, I can see fine dust particles settle. This is after keeping the windows up and replacing the air conditioning cabin filter every year. Dust is in the air and there is no getting away from it. The only thing that has soiled are the light shade leather seats. I will be taking care of this with a Meguiar's rich leather cleaner/conditioner spray (Not the cream) . Read only good things about it and it is better for perforated seats. My car smells new after 3 years. It feels really good every time I step inside my ride.

With a 3 year old, it is impossible to keep food away, especially on long drives. Sometimes, it hurts to look at the back seat after completing only one leg of a long journey. On return, I make it a point to vacuum the car and do general interior clean up. I get this done even before I can head for a shower.

The boot is nearly as clean as the interior. I make it a point to dust the boot carpet after the weekly and monthly vegetable and grocery shopping.

I try to keep the engine bay as clean as possible. I use a blower that is used for cleaning air conditioning equipment. Blows out all the dust.

I gave my car for detailing to 3M only once. Was blown away by the results. It was just this morning, on my way to work, I was going past a gleaming red Chevrolet Beat. Not a car that I like from a design perspective. I slowed down to look at it more. It was evident the owner cared for his car or probably did a nice wax job. Cars that you don't even care much about suddenly look attractive.

Two things that I need to get right away, a jopasu and two micro fiber towels. Guidance would be great on reliable online or brick and mortar stores. It is quite confusing when you read the reviews associated to 3M micro fiber towels sold online. Are there less foamy shampoo solutions that can be used for a bucket wash. I find that most of them over lather and you need a basic pressure washer to knock off all the soap.

A pat on the back for my guard doing a good job and lying to me too about washing the car everyday. Good thing he isn't.

Last edited by sandeepmohan : 10th June 2015 at 07:34.
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Old 10th June 2015, 10:35   #47
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

And don't buy a black car if you can. I absolutely had no choice, as the new gen Scorpio [to me] appears horrible in any other color other than black.

No wiping, I have to wash it every-time. I have to take care to ask any one not use any rag/cloth and try to clean it for me, especially at my in law's place. I keep the car cover & the moment engine cools down, I cover it up.

And those Rs. 200 dusters simply do not work Does the Jopasu work well on black cars?

No, I am not finicky and I don't think I will use paint sealant etc, but will wax it with Collonite once every 3 months as the place is very dusty and be done with.
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Old 10th June 2015, 11:48   #48
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

Based on the advice here, checked with 3M in Delhi (Green Park). The cost of cleaning is around:
1. Corolla (leather, fabric on roof and floor, plastic): approx 4,000
2. Etios (fabric seat, fabric on roof and floor, plastic): approx 2-2,500.

No exteriors.
Is this OK and what should I go for. I was expecting higher cost (around 6-8K for Corolla). What should I insist on or buy for the best possible outcome. Please help as I plan to be there on Sat.
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Old 10th June 2015, 12:09   #49
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheel View Post
And those Rs. 200 dusters simply do not work Does the Jopasu work well on black cars?
I have a very good experience with Jopasu on my Black Vento. Works very well. I wash the car only once a week and wipe it with the Jopasu on a daily basis.
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Old 10th June 2015, 13:11   #50
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

Quote:
Originally Posted by hellmet View Post
Or, like me, you use an old car and don't care what happens to it's exterior , as long as it is mechanically sound
Who says an old car has to look bad? Taken a look at the rides on this thread (Best Practices : Maintain your Car in Top Shape)?







Quote:
Originally Posted by Zinda View Post
It takes good 2 hours, but at the end I have made for missing the gym and my car is ready for entire week without spending a penny or minute at service station.
Very good idea. Mod Jaggu hates the fact that I never wash my own cars. Maybe, on some day when I'm missing a workout.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheel View Post
And don't buy a black car if you can.
Everyone says that. Maybe I've just been lucky, but all of my black cars have aged well. At one time, 3 of the 4 cars in my house were black.
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Old 10th June 2015, 13:30   #51
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

GTO and other experts,

What should be the strategy in the monsoons when the cars gets dirty with muck everyday? Should the car be washed everyday then? Also should the Jopasu duster be used during monsoon as the product says it should not come in contact with water. What should the smart process be which office goers can do in the mornings?
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Old 10th June 2015, 13:42   #52
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
...

• Use a car cover to protect the body from the elements. It takes less than a minute to put on or take off. I can't stress enough on the advantages of one. A cover greatly helps in protecting your paint. Get one built of tyvek material; Dupont (preferred) & Polco are both good. Related thread (The Importance of a Car Cover in India). Cost = Starting at Rs. 2,000.
Great tips, thanks GTO. I guess it's only a matter of time before this thread becomes longer than the other thread considering fellas like me

I would suggest adding a line of caution about using covers when the car is dirty, especially after a long drive on a highway during rains. Would get swirls/ scratches etc while putting it on removing (you do bound to drag the cover a bit over the car and irrespective of the material, mud is mud).


Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheel View Post
And don't buy a black car if you can't keep it spick & span
There, fixed it for ya! I love black on most cars. I think they age well if taken care of properly. Nothing like a shiny black car..

Jopastu is good for removing the loose dust, had no issues with our last car which was midnight blue (black in MSIL's lingo). Its really effective in reducing your wash cycles.

-----
Our cars are washed only once in a month or at most bi-weekly (by me or missus). If its a rainy season the periodicity increases between washes. Less wash = less scratch is our mantra.

However dirty the exteriors are, we keep the interiors spic & span along with the windows, headlamps and tail lamps. Strange as it might sound, the feel while riding in such a car is equivalent to that of a spotless car , maybe not so to others outside the car...
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Old 10th June 2015, 16:39   #53
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Broadly, you have two options to keeping your ride clean & shiny.

That's it...as simple as that! Enjoy your gleaming car.

Tips Credit: Team-BHP Mods who recently gave me this advice! Picture Credit: All BHPians who clicked them (sourced from various threads).
Thanks for such a good informational and simple post of keeping the cars clean.

My car gets washed everyday and is in a covered car park. it gets washed 6 times a week by the car wash guy. Though I am satisfied with his washing but most of the times, the wheels aren't so clean looking and there are swirl marks on the car. I am sure even if I give him 3 or more clothes to be used for my car, he will eventually do the same thing of using the same cloth all over. Will a 3M treatment or use of micro fibre cloth remove swirl marks. ?

I do have few dents caused by other motorists in busy traffic though not deep but I am pushing the tinkering work as they would remove the factory welds while repairing the dents. Is there any other better way to solve this without hampering the factory welds on the doors and the bonnet.?
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Old 10th June 2015, 16:44   #54
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

Thanks for those inputs !
Just want to add my experience and hope others learn from it.
Before I got married, my wife (then my girlfriend) got a new car when we were in Bengaluru and she used to let one of those car-wash guys clean it. Water in Bengaluru was horrible anyway, and he used to wash the windshield with it. The hard water, mixed with soap and whatever crud it contained dried up under the hot sun. Now, there are dried water marks which are (probably) permanently etched on it.. It doesn't appear till you look closely at an angle and creates problems when driving at night since the incident light is dispersed more.

I tried everything on the net: mild detergent ,colin, hard-water stain remover, kitchen cleaner, toothpaste etc. Nothing worked. Showed it to Honda Service center, they said they will have to remove the glass, do some chemical treatment and that will cost around 3000 INR. I will be taking it to 3M shop before taking a decision.

So here are my two cents:
- Don't let the wife take care of her car.
- If possible, avoid parking under direct sunlight.
- If the car is washed by someone else, make sure you have a look at it everyday for any of his bad habits.
- Do not let water dry on the car, especially if it is hard-water.
- You don't have to clean the car every day. The dust will go off by wiping it with a soft cloth or those synthetic jhaadu.
- Don't use newspapers, they are abrasive. As mentioned in the thread, use a microfiber cloth.
- Use a car polish before taking it on long drives or vacations. It smooths the car's surface and dust doesn't stick that hard.
- This one is debatable, but I have used small doses of WD40 on glass and it has removed the dried soap pretty efficiently. I don't recommend or vouch for it, but you can try it on a small portion of glass.
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Old 10th June 2015, 17:42   #55
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheel View Post
And don't buy a black car if you can. I absolutely had no choice, as the new gen Scorpio [to me] appears horrible in any other color other than black.

And those Rs. 200 dusters simply do not work Does the Jopasu work well on black cars?
I use Jopasu duster and it works well on my black Figo. Dust is more visible on black cars and nothing can be done.

Last edited by RGK : 10th June 2015 at 17:57.
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Old 10th June 2015, 20:13   #56
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Everyone says that. Maybe I've just been lucky, but all of my black cars have aged well. At one time, 3 of the 4 cars in my house were black.
Ok, On record, I don't think I am going to buy any other color other than black. It just looks awesome & when you wax it, the wet look is to die for.

What do you do if your expense increases? You try to earn more. Same way, I am going to spend time & money & energy, but will keep a black car & bike.

Quote:
Originally Posted by vinjosep View Post

There, fixed it for ya! I love black on most cars. I think they age well if taken care of properly. Nothing like a shiny black car..
Quote:
However dirty the exteriors are, we keep the interiors spic & span along with the windows, headlamps and tail lamps. Strange as it might sound, the feel while riding in such a car is equivalent to that of a spotless car , maybe not so to others outside the car...
My interiors are clean as well. Part of that is because of no window down at any point of time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ghodlur View Post
What should be the strategy in the monsoons when the cars gets dirty with muck everyday?
Either leave it like that or hose it down. A wet car [when its still wet] is much easier to clean.

Means, don't wait till the morning, clean it after you arrive at home from your office
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Old 10th June 2015, 21:30   #57
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

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Originally Posted by ghodlur View Post
GTO and other experts,

What should be the strategy in the monsoons when the cars gets dirty with muck everyday?
Weekly wash, with a proper hose down and lot of water. Either you can use hose while wiping down (obviously wastes water) or do a generous bucket wash. Then use a car shampoo, rinse and dry. Just keep the glass area clean daily.

Nothing will happen to the paint if the muck rests on it for a week.
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Old 11th June 2015, 07:45   #58
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

How much abuse can micro fibre towels take? Can it withstand wringing?

I don't have the option of hosing down the car. Shampooing the car is difficult without a hose as you won't be able to knock off all the lather.

Quote:
Originally Posted by NiInJa View Post
Nothing worked.
Have you tried acetic vinegar? Dilute it a bit and apply on the affected area.

Last edited by sandeepmohan : 11th June 2015 at 07:49.
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Old 11th June 2015, 08:23   #59
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How much abuse can micro fibre towels take? Can it withstand wringing?
Microfibers do not withstand wringing. You can squeeze them to drain water, but never wring them.
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Old 11th June 2015, 12:33   #60
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Re: Simplified: The Idiot's Guide to keeping your car clean & shiny

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Broadly, you have two options to keeping your ride clean & shiny.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaggu View Post
Is it cement water seepage from building? Can you post a pic of this?
Hi Jaggu,

Here are the pics. The first will show some spots on the bonnet and second one is a close up one. The spots are about 2 mm in diameter and they are not cement residue. There is no residue, There seems to be nothing to remove but just paint has spots like that.

What do you suggest please? I'm even considering repainting the bonnet.
My biggest worry is how it happened so that I can avoid in future.
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