How about a Mazda?

A

Andy M.

New member
When my car was just over a month old, I waxed it. I washed, dried and rewashed. I used Meguiar's gold class with a plush wash mitt, drying with the absorber. I used a baggie to test for smoothness. Very smooth. I polished and waxed with Meguiar's polish and Gold Class. used a new applicator for each step, and a fresh MF for each buff. sometime between then and my last couple of washes I have tiny swirl marks. My wife thinks I'm crazy, but I can see them. The car is black, which doesn't help. When new, it had a funky "holographic" haze to it. My shine is somewhat deep, I intend to Klasse eventually. Where did I go wrong?
 
You probably had very fine dirt particles left on your vehicle after washing it when you started polishing.

Even the dirt on the rag you are using to wash with will create swirls. Try the two bucket method when washing. One to rinse and one to put the soap in in. I have heard of adding vegetable oil as a lube in the wash water to help stop the dirt from scratching your car.

I have a black car and having no swirls is nearly impossible. Also when washing and waxing your car, always go side to side or up and down, never in a circle. You can only see a straight scratch line from certain angles, with a swirl you can see it at all angles. Three coats of Klasse will help reduce the swirls.
 
Here's a couple theories all of which might be wrong (just thinking out loud to help you analyze your problem)



- the swirls were already there, just didn't notice them

- your clear coat is softer than the "better" ones out there

- the absorber

- washing your car under dirtier than normal conditions

- quick detailing on a dusty car

- not all mitts are created equal

-maybe the swirls are in you wax and not your clear



tips

- always wash your hood first (or last) with it's own mitt (used for roof and trunk)

- maybe it's me but I think Klasse is durable enought to prevent swirls in clearcoat. I would feel safer quick detailing a dusty car with 5 coats of SG then I would 2 coats of just Blitz.



but it's cool there are ways to loose the swirls
 
It's tough trying to get a car for a teenage girl, I want my daughter to have one that is safe, doesn't break the bank buying and good at the insurance office too. I'm considering the Mazda 3, the IIHS rates it good, there's a great sale on, and insurance "should" be about as good as any. Now, the reports (all 150 on Edmunds) a few mention soft or thin paint - what do ya'll think, anybody notice this??

Thanks
 
Junebug said:
It's tough trying to get a car for a teenage girl, I want my daughter to have one that is safe, doesn't break the bank buying and good at the insurance office too. I'm considering the Mazda 3, the IIHS rates it good, there's a great sale on, and insurance "should" be about as good as any. Now, the reports (all 150 on Edmunds) a few mention soft or thin paint - what do ya'll think, anybody notice this??

Thanks
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I'm sure Angelo will endorse you purchasing a Mazda :wizard:

If it were up to me, I would put Every tennager in a 1987 Volvo 240DL :sarge

There tough as a tank, very reliable, easy to work on and ugly as sin(which is a good thing) :soldier:
 
To stick with the Volvo suggestion, you know I'm very partial to them, have you looked at the S40? I drove one as a loaner the other day and it just screamed "teenage girl". It's a nice little car with a lot of cool options like bluetooth through the radio, USB hookup for you iPod with simple control through the head unit and of course Volvo safety. You probably won't find a car with cheaper insurance on it, not a newer car anyway.

Plus, you can get a Certified Pre Owned one and have a 100K mile, 7 year warranty and they won't break the bank. Volvo was voted the top Luxury Brand Certified Pre Owned company in America again this year, it really is a top notch program.

Just my $.02, I would like both of my kids to be in Volvos when they turn 16, I know that. And now that they make a lineup where you can actually afford them, especially the CPO ones, it makes it very nice for people.

The C30, little hatchback coupe would be an option too I would imagine.

Good luck, let us know what you find.
 
Mine want's a Camaro SS............:scared:
The Mazda 3 is one heck of a car for someone starting out so it's up to you what you want your little girl driving.
 
zoomzoom mazda5 said:
Mine want's a Camaro SS............:scared:
The Mazda 3 is one heck of a car for someone starting out so it's up to you what you want your little girl driving.
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YIKES!! Thinking back on all the dumb stuff I did when I was 16, I'm scared to death for my kids to get there. Luckily my oldest is only 5, so I have a while to wait.
 
how about a volkswagen?
the beetle or the jetta... should have a decent price tag

there is always the ford focus, etc.
 
I liked my Mazda 6 (2007) but the resale value SUCKS! If you get one buy it used. ;)


EDIT: My fiancee currently drives a 2005 Acura RL but she had a Mazda 3 for a little over a week while her car was being worked on and she loved driving it. :)


I recommend a Civic.
 
Watch out for the VW's. My wife has been leasing them for years. They are great on gas, but little issues will drive you nuts. Window regulators, in particular are a common problem.
 
What's most important for young drivers?

Air Bags. Plenty of them, which means newer is better.

Seat belts that are in excellent working order and not showing any signs of wear.

Good braking system.

Good MPG. Economical to operate, and cheap to maintain; oil changes, etc.

Lots of viewing area; clean, clear glass and mirrors that are easy to reposition and offer adequate view when driving.

The Mazda3 is one choice that meets all of the above, especially if you buy new.
 
I think Every tennager should be made to drive a clunker.Let them learn to save up(Get A Job) for that Special car after they Graduate High School or even perhaps, College :2 cents:

Airbags are overated. They will give you a false sense of security :Swordfight:

I remember fondly the Summer vacations Pops use to take us on..... In particular, he had a jet black 1970 Galaxy 500 that had this hugh rear window. I use to crawl up in there and do this >> Sleep

I remember on more then 1 occasion he would tapp the brakes and send me flying into the rear of the front seats...It was always sure to get a chuckle or two out of whoever may have been onboard :w00t:

Ole Pops..... He sure was a cutup :out:
 
Thanks guys, lots of good ideas. I disagree about getting a beater, while I agree that you don't really appreciate the nice things untill you work for them, I don't want to send my "baby" out in something that isn't the best I can provide for her. The cars we drove back in my day (70's) are crap by standards today, but there wasn't as many people in our area then and we all grew up on farms driving tractors when we could reach the pedals. I know technology can only do so much, but these kids today are use to that stuff. We could rebill a carb sitting on the toilet, they can reprogram a car CPU while texting a friend. Things change! And I could count on working in tobacco every summer, hard work, decent pay (we thought) now, all the old farmers around here either died of old age or sold the farm. There aren't any jobs for teenagers, and I'd rather she devote 100% of her focus on her school work, maybe get in a better college. Plus, it's a girl, if I had a boy he'd get a used F150 and be working his butt off with me detailing every weekend.

My wife commented tonight that we need to start test driving some of these cars, never know if you like it till the rubber hits the road. Stay tuned!
 
Honda CRV

Small SUV, little higher up so good visibility, good but not too much power, hold it's value well, good reputation for quality, and not too expensive.
 
96 Z-Ragtop said:
Watch out for the VW's. My wife has been leasing them for years. They are great on gas, but little issues will drive you nuts. Window regulators, in particular are a common problem.
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That is very true. My parents have had three Audis and the same holds true. I can't tell you how many window motors/regulators, sunroof motors, door handles, climate control modules, etc went wrong on those three cars.

To give you an idea of insurance rates on Volvos, my wife and I had a 02 Lincoln LS and a 99 GMC Z71 both with right at 100K miles on them. We both got into our Volvos within a year of each other, a 2007 S60 R, 300 hp sedan and a 2007 XC90 Sport V8 and our insurance DROPPED by about $200 a year or more. I was shocked when the first bill came.
 
Guys -you don't have to warn me about VW, I have a GTI. I love the car but if I hadn't found a local mechanic that doesn't charge like the mob I'd be setting fire to it! Honestly, I haven't had any problems yet, and I have 28K miles, but the "scheduled" maintenance that the dealer wants me to do is insane. Example - 40K check - nearly $900.00! Yeah right.

The CRV is on the list, and I'll see about the S40.
 
Good luck, let us know what you guys decide on. Car shopping with a 16 year old can be a trying time, I know when I was shopping with my parents, we had some good times and some good arguments as well.

Have fun!
 
Airbags are overated. They will give you a false sense of security.


Maybe in your family, but most responsible parents will want the best protection and as many safety features as possible for their child, especially a new driver. I pray the parents in question won't rule out airbags for their daughter based on an irrational opinion.

A false sense of security usually comes with a lack of common sense, or a lack of respect for what can happen in a head on collision.
 
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