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Boosted_TL
09-21-2004, 03:37 PM
Hey

Does anyone use this product ? Works great but FUCK, If I had a $1 for the amount of swirl marks it causes.... DAMN

My car was painted 2 month's ago, PERFECT and now this... Nothing a good polishing cant handle, but damn anyone else have a story ?

I wanna contact these fuck's and tell them its shit...:rofl:

bigboom
09-21-2004, 03:39 PM
i havent had a problem with the water blade causing swirl marks...are you sure you are cleaning your car properly?

Boosted_TL
09-21-2004, 03:42 PM
Originally posted by bigboom
i havent had a problem with the water blade causing swirl marks...are you sure you are cleaning your car properly?

I hope that was a joke ? Of Course I clean the car properly, I am anal about a clean car.....LOL

C4S
09-21-2004, 03:42 PM
I like that . and never had a problem .. :confused:

1badPT
09-21-2004, 03:44 PM
How can you get swirl marks from linear motion? If you're using it properly then its something else causing the swirl marks. :dunno:

Boosted_TL
09-21-2004, 03:47 PM
Originally posted by 1badPT
How can you get swirl marks from linear motion? If you're using it properly then its something else causing the swirl marks. :dunno:


Let me clarify...sorry !!

I have scratch marks in the car in the motion I use the blade, not swirl marks.... Along my hood I have lots of individual marks all the way down.

I dont use those shitty brushes at the car wash, just a rinse, soap and wax.... I wipe the car with the blade and chamois the rest dry.

Go4Long
09-21-2004, 03:50 PM
if you rub the paint with anything to much of course it is going to take the clearcoat down. you can only make silicone so soft, so don't push down on the blade...just lightly across the surface. I am not sure what kind of car you drive or what kind of paint is on it...but that would have an effect as well.
Either way, as for polishing it out, I really recommend the meguiars line...all of their compounds are top notch, finish it off with meguiars gold class polish and an orbital and I can pretty much guarentee that you will not be dissapointed. one of the few polishes out there that actually leaves the car feeling nice to the touch.
the water blade is not designed to actually make the car completely dry, make one pass on any area of the car, don't go over it again or you will scratch. same thing with chamois(shammy, err...whatever)...people seem to think that these things are supposed to leave the car completely dry. They're not, they leave a little bit of moisture still on the paint that will dry off fine. It's the moisture that keeps you from scratching the hell outta your car
Stuff I learned from being a detailer for a couple years:
don't wash your car to much, it will wear down the clearcoat
never use a brush
use only real wool wash mits if you want to rub the paint(the fake ones aren't as soft)

Go4Long
09-21-2004, 03:52 PM
Originally posted by Boosted_TL

I dont use those shitty brushes at the car wash, just a rinse, soap and wax.... I wipe the car with the blade and chamois the rest dry.
hmm...you might not be getting all the dirt off first. like I said, use a wool wash mit in a bucket of soap once in a while...all the dirt won't come off with just a spray on soap.

Boosted_TL
09-21-2004, 03:55 PM
Originally posted by Go4Long
if you rub the paint with anything to much of course it is going to take the clearcoat down. you can only make silicone so soft, so don't push down on the blade...just lightly across the surface. I am not sure what kind of car you drive or what kind of paint is on it...but that would have an effect as well.
Either way, as for polishing it out, I really recommend the meguiars line...all of their compounds are top notch, finish it off with meguiars gold class polish and an orbital and I can pretty much guarentee that you will not be dissapointed. one of the few polishes out there that actually leaves the car feeling nice to the touch.
the water blade is not designed to actually make the car completely dry, make one pass on any area of the car, don't go over it again or you will scratch. same thing with chamois(shammy, err...whatever)...people seem to think that these things are supposed to leave the car completely dry. They're not, they leave a little bit of moisture still on the paint that will dry off fine. It's the moisture that keeps you from scratching the hell outta your car
Stuff I learned from being a detailer for a couple years:
don't wash your car to much, it will wear down the clearcoat
never use a brush
use only real wool wash mits if you want to rub the paint(the fake ones aren't as soft)

Thanks for the info


:thumbsup:

My routine is only one swipe with the blade ( not hard ) and then chamois the rest, I would be there for hours trying to get the car completely dry....LOL

Oh well, Out comes the polisher

Go4Long
09-21-2004, 04:00 PM
also just a couple more tidbits...not sure how thoroughly(sp) you are drying your car...but if you are doing door jams and the like make sure you do those last, as grease and shit outta those'll mess you up every time...
every time you use the chamois use the floor mat clips to pin it up and pressure wash the fuck outta it...it'll shorten the life of the chamois I know, but it gets all the oil and dirt and crap off it before you drag it across your paint. same thing though, one pass across any one area and it's done...

FiveFreshFish
09-21-2004, 04:08 PM
Originally posted by Go4Long
every time you use the chamois use the floor mat clips to pin it up and pressure wash the fuck outta it...it'll shorten the life of the chamois I know, but it gets all the oil and dirt and crap off it before you drag it across your paint. same thing though, one pass across any one area and it's done...

I just wash the chamois by hand in the laundry sink at home. Keeps it in one piece and only takes a couple of minutes.

Another tip is to soak the chamois (and wring it dry) before you go to the car wash. It'll dry your car much better than without a presoak.

ZorroAMG
09-21-2004, 04:10 PM
Boosted: Yeah you pretty much have to wax more often if you use the blade....put on a fresh coat of wax and see how freakin smooth the blade glides and how it removes water way better...

I use the blade everytime I wash my car and even though my paint is high quality, it'll still leave clear coat scratches that have to be dealt with by waxing....

Good luck :)

Go4Long
09-21-2004, 04:10 PM
using soap? if so bad idea...
the pressure washer will get it cleaner...I guarentee it...if ya do it you can actually see the dirt running down the wall outta the chamois...trust me...I've done it a couple thousand times

*edit* that was directed at fivefreshfish zorro got in under the wire with my post

FiveFreshFish
09-21-2004, 04:22 PM
Originally posted by Go4Long
using soap? if so bad idea...
the pressure washer will get it cleaner...I guarentee it...if ya do it you can actually see the dirt running down the wall outta the chamois...trust me...I've done it a couple thousand times

*edit* that was directed at fivefreshfish zorro got in under the wire with my post

No soap. Makes it too slippery to wring out!

I'll have to try the pressure wash on the chamois the next time.

ZorroAMG
09-21-2004, 04:25 PM
Yes the pressure-wash-the-chamois-before-use method is the #1 stunna as far as pimp washing methods are concerned.....

Gspotracer
09-21-2004, 04:28 PM
Make sure the Blade is clean, I've seen people drop them on the ground, then keep drying with them. I used to Detail @ Stampede Lexus & we kept them in buckets of water just to keep the dirt off them. Think about it, it won't scratch unless its dirty, just make sure your car & blade are clean :thumbsup:

Boosted_TL
09-21-2004, 08:47 PM
Thanks for the info guys

legendboy
09-22-2004, 08:12 AM
I take one of my wiper blades off at the car wash and use that.

tulit
09-22-2004, 08:23 AM
Yeah definately sounds like the car itself isn't clean fully.
Grains of sand or even dust will scratch the paint, regardless of what you are using to dry it.

I have one and use it when I am doing quick cleaning of the car. I haven't had a problem with scratching (but then again I usually need to wash my car twice because theres always a small spot or two I miss everytime)

Boosted_TL
09-22-2004, 08:33 AM
Yeah that does make sense that it would be dirty still and I am just rubbing in the small grains of dirt..... But Damn if $8 - $10 at a coin operated wash doesnt clean it well enough... What will ?? LOL

Go4Long
09-22-2004, 08:37 AM
dude...you are doing something wrong...granted my rx7 is a little smaller than a TL...but I spend like $2-$3 at a coin op...

Boosted_TL
09-22-2004, 09:20 AM
^^^

LOL, I wish I had a TL

I drive a Thunderbird Supercoupe, about double the size of your rex...lol, but I usually vacuum the car to...That adds a few bucks.

By the way, NICE CAR !!!

bigboom
09-22-2004, 09:22 AM
Originally posted by Boosted_TL
Yeah that does make sense that it would be dirty still and I am just rubbing in the small grains of dirt..... But Damn if $8 - $10 at a coin operated wash doesnt clean it well enough... What will ?? LOL

if you dont take the brush that they provide or a wash mitt your car will always be dirty, that is why you are getting those scratch marks.

Boosted_TL
09-22-2004, 09:28 AM
I never use the brushes they provide !!, I will start bringing a mitt or something...Thanks Man

ZorroAMG
09-22-2004, 09:59 AM
Here's what I do for a clean car without touching the car:

1) High pressure rinse (or soap), soak the car and get all the major dirt off

2) Low pressure pre-soak. This soap stays on the car and soaks up all the remaining dirt (go over entire car 2 times, paying attention to lower cladding and rocker panels) This step AFTER the pre-rinse above is the KEY

3) High pressure rinse. Put chamois on map clips and blast the shite out of it from close range to get all the dirt out

4) High pressure rinse the whole car, starting from the top down and double timing the rocker panels again.

5) Water blade as SOON as possible (in wah bay if possible and not too busy) The water blade isn't for removing ALL the water and drying the car completely, it is to remove the EXCESS water so that Chammying doesn't take so long. If you blade a dry spot over, it will scratch a bit....

6) Chamois the whole car doing the detail work.

Hope that helps, I have a black car and it does wonders, mind you all cars need a good wax maintenance to keep them looking the best....wax evvery couple of months.

QuasarCav
09-22-2004, 10:02 AM
You have to do research!

The shell by my house has a vacuum for 50c, I could use it for like 15min without shutting off.

Go to the bigger bays at the coin-op, they have higher pressure guns with longer wands.


Or you could just have a friend that works at the car-wash!

Go4Long
09-22-2004, 10:10 AM
Originally posted by Boosted_TL

By the way, NICE CAR !!!

lol...thanks...it's a fun toy...although right now it is a giant pain in my ass...I snapped the speedometer cable before I could get it out of provinced, of course a speedometer that moves is kind of a requirement...but as an added bonus the speedo cable for a RHD car is longer than the normal canadian models...so I had to find one...took 3 weeks to get here...and it promptly broke...so now I am waiting for a cluster to come in(I already found another cable)

and also because apparently people in this city don't know how to park I have a giant sqaure dent in my passenger side quarter panel courtesy of some asshole in the chinook parking lot who wasn't even nice enough to leave a note saying sorry.

back to the topic at hand...I agree with zorros directions completely...

Boosted_TL
09-22-2004, 10:17 AM
Originally posted by ZorroAMG
Here's what I do for a clean car without touching the car:

1) High pressure rinse (or soap), soak the car and get all the major dirt off

2) Low pressure pre-soak. This soap stays on the car and soaks up all the remaining dirt (go over entire car 2 times, paying attention to lower cladding and rocker panels) This step AFTER the pre-rinse above is the KEY

3) High pressure rinse. Put chamois on map clips and blast the shite out of it from close range to get all the dirt out

4) High pressure rinse the whole car, starting from the top down and double timing the rocker panels again.

5) Water blade as SOON as possible (in wah bay if possible and not too busy) The water blade isn't for removing ALL the water and drying the car completely, it is to remove the EXCESS water so that Chammying doesn't take so long. If you blade a dry spot over, it will scratch a bit....

6) Chamois the whole car doing the detail work.

Hope that helps, I have a black car and it does wonders, mind you all cars need a good wax maintenance to keep them looking the best....wax evvery couple of months. \


Sounds like my routine except the low pressure pre soak, I will try that.. Thanks

And Quas : The wash bay by my house is all the same size, but good idea, I think you are thinking of the wash bay on Horton road off Heritage.

For future reference, which shell is this ?? LOL


:thumbsup: