I've only ever used a sponge. Can you recommend a wash mitt in particular Peter? i'm not even sure what one is :ash
Many thanks
Printable View
I agree with Pete as regards the mitt over a sponge. No matter your choice replace after a few months. I use the TBM (two bucket method) with the older of my two mitts for the lower parts of the car.
This reduces the speed of swirls/marks pick-up. Depending on the amount of paint damage it may require a detail. I have found that with the wash, clay, polish, seal and finally wax all but the worst can be hidden or at least reduced to an reasonable level. All hard work though.
Yes I was anoyed to note that after a polish and wax 2 weeks after a full front respray, that I had those as well. Then some retard threw a stone that bounced off the bonnet. nice big chip. I'll try a clay barring but I'm now paranoid that I'll make it worse. Decisions decisions.
I wash my wheels with the normal sponge shampoo method like the rest of the car and then polish them gently with AG super resin as this removes tar spots etc and if I have time use AG wheel seal to finish off.
If you clean the wheels once a week and do the above every now and again you wont need to use the acid products.
i use autoglym in both v8 and tt. No swirl marks. however i invested in an autoglym aolicator. £4.99 see autoglym website. it has finger moulds and because ur fingers slide in the moulds the sponge applicator surface glides over the car. it takes quarter of the time compared to polishing clothes. Great idea, great pressie for car nut.
steve
Sounds like I am not the only one battling with swirl marks. I don't get it really. Had a hole host of classics in the past and never had this problem before. Then I get the spanking nearly new ZT and manage to knacker the wheels and possibly swirl up the paint in a matter of a few washes! Gutted :(
I think I'll look into this clay bar business. Not ready to admit defeat yet! I always used to replace sponges regularly but will give the mit ago instead. Can you get these from Halfords?
She comes back from Austins soon, complete with new powerfold mirrors, new electric sun blind, new bonnet badge, new wheel centres, refurbed wheels, stainless bolts set fitted, front bumper aligned, MG7 mud flaps fitted, passenger seat forwards backwards adjuster repaired, Inspection C carried out, plus diff oil change, coolant change (which had been missed) and new plugs. :D To think it only went in for the wheel refurb and a couple of small jobs! Can't wait!
I've got a hankering for the Zero quads next! Maybe next year :(
Cheers
Rob
modern waterbased paints are so much softer than the paints used on older classics, or even cars from 10 years ago (my '98 Rover Cabriolet that is on long term loan to Dad just does not suffer from chips, its dark blue (Tahiti) so you would see them easily if the paint got chipped)
Ref the mods Rob, its a slippery slope - Powerfolds are good though :)
Ref the mods Rob, its a slippery slope - Powerfolds are good though :)[/quote]
Yeah, I know what you mean. I am trying to keep her original. The powerfolds and sunblind are gonna be fitted to near enough original spec. as if they were options selected at purchase. The bolts were rusty so a replacement seemed sensible. Wheels are being refurbed to original colour. I couldn't get original mudflaps so the MG7 ones seemed the next best thing. Badge is original. So, it's just the exhaust! Haven't made my mind up about this yet. Nor a sat nav upgrade. Other than these, that's as far as I'll be going with her.
Cheers
Rob
like you Rob, i've kept to MG options (XPowers, horn and Monogram dash)or what could of been a development of (like the widescreen and BM54 radio module) or what a friendly dealer could of done (colour coded the gear surround, and ashtray assy facia's)
most of all though, enjoy your V8!
:cool: