Never hand washed...

I

imported_blackjetta

New member
Greetings Autopia. I hope I don't bore you to tears with my long winded post.



I bought my black Jetta about a year ago, and have never washed it by hand. It's only care was the pre-sale wash & wax from the stealership, and I've washed it regularly at the local touch free car wash, never with the spray on wax. I've finally bought a home and now have a driveway where I can give my car the attention it deserves. I've lurked on this forum a tiny bit since I bought the car. I never wanted to touch it until I had all the right products and a place to use them.



Since it's never been wiped, scrubbed, rubbed, polished etc, it has a haze of dirt that I hope will wipe right off when I get down to business. It has been kept outside all year, and won't be garaged until all my stuff gets moved into the rest of the house. It's also got water spots from rain etc, I am not sure how bad they are. Worth noting: I work at a steel mill in an industrial area, and have to park my car every day here, which means just about every day my car will get at least a little bit of dust from the mill and other industries.



I am a total noob to this stuff. I've done some searching about some things I might need to do, but I was hoping somebody could help me start from ground zero. I've got a dirty, spotty, black car that needs some major TLC. I have just a few products, but you can pretend I have none and tell me what to get :)
 
you could get it looking good with some products from autozone



nxt wash

waffle weave drying cloth

clay magic clay bar

long haul polish wax

bunch of microfiber polishing cloths



this will get you started and give you some good results without spending alot of money

long haul does a good job of cleaning your paint and leaves a very glossy slick look
 
blackjetta- Welcome to Autopia!



I'd look into the decontamination system from FinishKare, it should be *just* the thing to give your car a "clean slate" starting point. I hear that FinishKare is pretty generous about giving away product samples when you buy this kit, so I'd get it and ask them if they have something you could try for a polish/wax. Sorry, I don't have a link handy, but this is, IMO the best way to go in your case.
 
I back up Accumulator, look into ordering the small decon kit, #215 ultra all in one, #2180 sealant and Pink wax. Just going by hand, you can achieve some amazing results with these products, but if you are willing to put in another 150.00 or so, you can really kick it up a notch with a Porter Cable 7336 or 7424 polisher.



There are a hundred different product lines out there, and over time you will find which ones you love and which ones you hate, but I'd start with Finsh Kare. I've been nothing but impressed with any of their products. The decon kit will eliminate the need for clay, and I'd also get some quality wheel cleaner, tire shine, and interior protectant if I were you.



Poorboy's World (www.poorboysworld.com) sells the best wheel cleaner out there in Spray and Rinse, and their Natural Look interior protectant is world-class. For tire shine, my current favorite is Mother's Reflections Tire Care. You can get it at your local autoparts store, and it looks better than anything else I've used, even the expensive stuff.



Finish Kare stuff is available at www.fk1usa.com



Welcome to the addiction :).
 
I don't know exactly what to suggest and exactly how deep you want to fall into the addiction. :p



I think the BEST first step you can take right now is the mothers clay bar kit. Easy to get at several places.



- Wash car

- Clay

- Apply the carnauba cleaner wax that comes with the clay bar kit. The cleaners in this one are strong enought to take out oxidation, so it is a true all in one and based on what you wrote, you will notice the improvement immediately.

- Maintain with the rest of the quick detailer after a weekly wash.



I suggested this step while you keep reading autopia. There is so much info here that if you want to assimilate it it will take a few days before you start deciding on any approach. The mothers clay bar kit will give immediate higly visible results while you keep searching for the next steps. The wax included is only 4 oz so you will finish it easily.



Don't forget a lambswool or chenille wash mitt!
 
Thanks for the advice. I'm glad this is a friendly place where I can be a noob and not get hammered. :)



I hope to have some hours to spend on it this weekend. I'll definately take before and after photos. Also I know there's going to be some trouble spots to ask about later ;)
 
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