Guys, I have an 06 Cyclone Grey GTO (a metallic, bluish/grayish color). Whenever I wash the car I get some type of "smearing" marks all over the car when its in direct sunlight. I dont know the exact term for it but as i walk past the car the smearing moves with me. If I wax the car or use instant detailer it disappears for the most part until the next wash and appears back again. Even when I use 3m swirl remover with the PC, it disappears but comes back after washing the car. I use mothers soap, a turtle wax mit and a absorber to dry the car. I also once and a while use Wax as you dry while drying the car. What can be causing this? It annoys me everytime I wash the car and makes me want to trade it in and by something white like the rest of my family.
Need help
- Thread starter Juniorss
- Start date
Accumulator
Well-known member
IMO the problem is stuff being left on the car after the wash/dry. Could be dirt that didn't get washed off (not too likely), or shampoo residue that didn't get rinsed off completely (much more likely), or a film from the water (also likely, I never got 100% of the water off with an absorber and I've tried numerous such things), or a combination of the preceding. Some shampoos don't work well with some water. Or it could be marring that is only temporarily hidden by your SMR and wax..it appears to come back after a wash because you wash off the stuff that hides it.
I'd suggest you:
-Get a good, long-lasting, great-beading wax on it. Something like Collinite, that'll help. Apply it after you use the SMR
-Get a waffle-weave MF drying towel
-Try a different shampoo (e.g. Meg's Gold Class)
-I'd also tend to think you can do better than the TW mitt. I'd bet it would *not* pass the CD-test
I'd suggest you:
-Get a good, long-lasting, great-beading wax on it. Something like Collinite, that'll help. Apply it after you use the SMR
-Get a waffle-weave MF drying towel
-Try a different shampoo (e.g. Meg's Gold Class)
-I'd also tend to think you can do better than the TW mitt. I'd bet it would *not* pass the CD-test
White is nice for camoflaging paint imperfections, but that's about it.Juniorss said:
I don't know what the smearing is, but this is what I would do.
Get a good microfiber or chenile wash mitt and either wash the absorber you have or get a nice waffle weave microfiber towel to dry off the car with. Wash the car. If the smearing is no longer visible, mission accomplished. In that case, I'd think it was a contaminated absorber that cause the smearing.
If the smearing is actually marring, very likely caused by your wash/dry procedure.
In any case, I'd do as stated above, hit the car with the PC and the SMR then follow up with a final polish, XMT 360 is a good choice, then wax it. I'd imagine your problem would be solved if you did this along with my recommendation of getting a new wash mitt and washing the absorber or getting a WW MCF.
Accumulator said:IMO the problem is stuff being left on the car after the wash/dry. Could be dirt that didn't get washed off (not too likely), or shampoo residue that didn't get rinsed off completely (much more likely), or a film from the water (also likely, I never got 100% of the water off with an absorber and I've tried numerous such things), or a combination of the preceding. Some shampoos don't work well with some water. Or it could be marring that is only temporarily hidden by your SMR and wax..it appears to come back after a wash because you wash off the stuff that hides it.
I'd suggest you:
-Get a good, long-lasting, great-beading wax on it. Something like Collinite, that'll help. Apply it after you use the SMR
-Get a waffle-weave MF drying towel
-Try a different shampoo (e.g. Meg's Gold Class)
-I'd also tend to think you can do better than the TW mitt. I'd bet it would *not* pass the CD-test
It could be some shampoo residue that is left over, I didnt even think of that. The smearing does go away when I instant detail it so maybe it is some residue left over. Im also going to get a waffle weave towel to dry the car down with (I have one but I use it for my polished wheels).