Any Tricks to Washing these Cars?

[STEVE-O]

Originally Posted by efnfast

now just wait until you want to start leaning how to compound and polish your paint to remove scratches, swirling, and micro-marring. Then the real fun begins

If you want to play around with a good washign technique, I'd recommend


1-2 big buckets with grit guards
http://www.autogeek.net/5gagrguwabu.html

good quality microfiberwash mitt
http://www.autogeek.net/cobra-blue-microfiber-mitt.html

poorboy's soap
http://www.autogeek.net/pbss128.html

4-5 waffle wave microfibres
http://www.autogeek.net/cobra-guzzler-hd-towel.html

You should be good to go. You really should do the rinsing with a pressure washer, but you can go an adequate job with a garden hose. Not the absolute most bestest job, but a decent job

Basically rinse, rinse again, then wash one panel/section per time, starting at the top and working your way down. When you get to the lower sections, make certain to really lubricate the areas to help move the dirty around.

Ohhh OK.. I knew this would eventually come to the point of selling something.
I'm sure autogeek also sells the foam sprayer attachment, clay bars, water de-ionizer blah blah blah....
This 'cobra owner' probably also appears in Porsche, Ferrari, Corvette and other performace car forums.
Good washing advice, but I have also seen it in Zaino documentation and other car magazines.

[Bluedog]

EFNFAST, I surprised you are drying your cars with micro fiber towells. Any towell introduces the possibility of blemishing your paint. I used a yard blower to dry the cobra and it worked great!

[efnfast]

Originally Posted by Bluedog

EFNFAST, I surprised you are drying your cars with micro fiber towells. Any towell introduces the possibility of blemishing your paint. I used a yard blower to dry the cobra and it worked great!

Remember, I said I BLOT with the towel, not rub. Impossible to induce marring with BLOTTING. (also, don't forget, waffle weave m-f ; it just sucks upt he water like crazy)

I've tried my leaf blower several times but I usually end up swearing at it since all I end up doing is chasing the water around and making very little progress. I really don't know how some people manage to use it so successfully

Originally Posted by STEVE-O

Ohhh OK.. I knew this would eventually come to the point of selling something.
I'm sure autogeek also sells the foam sprayer attachment, clay bars, water de-ionizer blah blah blah....
This 'cobra owner' probably also appears in Porsche, Ferrari, Corvette and other performace car forums.
Good washing advice, but I have also seen it in Zaino documentation and other car magazines.

Oh, you got me, I don't own a cobra and didn't use those links because I shop at autogeek all the time. Nope, not at all

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3nnf...e=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEpQb...e=channel_page

[AC Cobra]

Originally Posted by efnfast

Oh, you got me, I don't own a cobra and didn't use those links because I shop at autogeek all the time. Nope, not at all

What? You don't own a Cobra!

Then you don't have any experience of "sudsing" up a Cobra. That could be a messy situation.

[efnfast]

Originally Posted by AC Cobra

What? You don't own a Cobra!

Then you don't have any experience of "sudsing" up a Cobra. That could be a messy situation.

I hope you were being sarcastic, otherwise the amount of fail in this thread is growing exponentially

[Atlantacobra]

You know, this is probably going to seem a little crazy, but I run my Cobra through a car wash. I often get pretty strange looks from the people working there, but it works great. Don't get me wrong, I'm not stupid enough to just let it go through by itself. I sit there and keep my hands over the rear view mirrow to keep it from getting wet. I spent a lot of money on that Mirror! What helps too is that I talked the general manager into letting the car (and me) sit under the big air blowers at the end for longer than normal. It gets a lot of the water out and helps me dry my hair at the same time. Chicks dig nice hair and clean cars! I usually try to drive the car a few miles to get the rest of the interior dry. I then immediately cover it with my car cover in the garage to seal it up nice and tight.
Oh, and the side benefit - huge mushrooms that taste great on a salad!

[efnfast]

Originally Posted by Atlantacobra

You know, this is probably going to seem a little crazy, but I run my Cobra through a car wash. I often get pretty strange looks from the people working there, but it works great. Don't get me wrong, I'm not stupid enough to just let it go through by itself. I sit there and keep my hands over the rear view mirrow to keep it from getting wet. I spent a lot of money on that Mirror! What helps too is that I talked the general manager into letting the car (and me) sit under the big air blowers at the end for longer than normal. It gets a lot of the water out and helps me dry my hair at the same time. Chicks dig nice hair and clean cars! I usually try to drive the car a few miles to get the rest of the interior dry. I then immediately cover it with my car cover in the garage to seal it up nice and tight.
Oh, and the side benefit - huge mushrooms that taste great on a salad!

I hoenstly don't know if you're serious or not

I wouldn't put it past you though - I drove my cobra in a snowstorm during whiteout conditions. That was fun

[cdog]

Guys, I think there's a middle ground here.

efnfast is correct in his methods, although I think he's gone a bit overboard. The point he's making is that things like waterless sprays and California dusters can be harmful to the car's paint.

The best method for any car is a bucket wash.

- Spray with hose
- Use lambswool wash mit to bucket wash car
- Spray with hose
- Dry with synthetic chamois
- NOW apply the waterless shine spray, detailing mist, or whatever, but on a CLEAN car. I use the BOM which is now called Captain Richards or something.

This takes less than an hour with a dinky car like a Cobra.

I can't believe some of you guys don't wash your cars. That means your aren't really driving them I guess, maybe to Dairy Queen on Sat. nights, but certainly not long rides. If I go for a 100 mile trot in the country (a typical Sat. drive), the car is dirty when it gets back. Dusty, bugs, everything.... Sometimes I get caught in the rain, so that makes it really dirty.

If you spray something on dusty paint, then rub that dust, you are by definition sanding the paint.... This is a car, not a Fat Boy.

[davids]

Just don't treat it like a baby. Wash it. wipe it down and get it over with...Use that New ""ICE"" liquid wax after the wash..Made by Turtle Wax...That stuff is fantastic....It'll shine like brand, brand new....Dave

[fastd]

Efnfast,

What do you think about using "Wet Paint"? A lot of people seem to like it but do you think it is safe?

[mdross1]

Actually quite easy,change the spray pattern to something not quite so aggresive,direct the spray over and away from known leaks.Windshield from the top down,same with the doors.The rear window with top on, again from the top down.You are not going to stop all of the water from finding it's way inside.In my case with no carpet on the floors it is much less of a hassle and worry.Do it enough and you will figure it out.

[ratsnst1]

I go to costco to by my micro fiber towels, a big bag of them for like 14 bucks, I also use a spray detailer, I like the one wear he pusts somthing like the sand bag effect around his cab, to keep the water out, im still laffing.

[Rick Parker]

Atlantacobra: We need a picture!

I've had mine 20+ years and never used a washbucket or hose on it yet. Spray detailer liberally preceded by a California Duster.

[Atlantacobra]

[quote=Rick Parker;993940]Atlantacobra: We need a picture!


You'll have to give me a few days....I'm still harvesting my Mushrooms from last weeks wash

-Greg

[Mohuska]

I can appreciate wanting to keep a $10K paintjob looking as best it can. I personally believe no amount of time or expense are enough. I collect only the purest mountain spring water and truck it 400 miles home. I wash my Cobra only when the air temp is between 74-76 deg F and there are no clouds in the sky. I first set up my bird distractors to scare away all of the birds in the neighborhood and settle in to wash.

I use only the finest homemade organic non-polluting soap with a mit made from imported Egyptian cotton that has only been handled in its life by virgins. I then sprinkle the mountain spring water on and say a quick prayer given to me by a Tibetian monk. I measure out exactly 300ml of soap and apply in straight lines that are marked by a laser guide. AFter allowing to sit for exactly 12 minutes, I rinse with spring water, followed by a quick dry using only a leaf blower. Then a second rinse and dry with leaf blower.

Then I dab moisture spots with virgin Egyptian cotton towels.

THERE....NOTHING TO IT

Just a little levity boys....actually I do use the leaf blower. Couldn't find a single virgin however for the cotton towels....

[JBo]

my god!!!!!!!!..... when do you all find time to drive and get these dirty????