Hi, I just got a Fit (Blue Sensation!) about two weeks ago and it's my first new car. Obviously, I'm very excited .

I want to start hand-washing my car and keep this one really nice. I know there's stickies with questions and such, but it's hard to find information as it's unorganized.

Anyways, I have a lot of questions and want to make sure I do it right.

1. What are the best car shampoos? Waxes? Polishes? Claybars? Best lubricant for the clay bar? I've heard a lot about Meguiar's products and people say they're pretty good. I'm looking at those and probably will buy some soon. Are they readily available at Target/Walmart?

2. Best cloths? I know people love microfiber, so that's probably what I'll go with. What brand though?

3. What are all the materials I need? From browsing this forum, I know the basic procedure to washing the car. I'll do the two bucket method, but what do I need? One cloth/wash mitt to wash and one to dry? Do I need special cloths to apply wax or polish?

4. Order of operations. When washing, do I wash wheels first or the car? Then do I clay, polish, wax? Or some other order?

5. Scratches. I noticed many swirls straight from the dealer. Will the basic wax and polish help take these out?

6. Time of day. I know you shouldn't wash the car in direct sunlight or when the paint is hot. However, the full wash, wax, polish, etc. will take a long time, right? Is it okay to wax and polish and whatnot if the sun is out?

7. How often should you wash your car? About once a week? How often should you wax or polish it? About how long does just a basic wash take, around an hour?

8. Any tips? I would appreciate any other tips you may have about washing/claying/polishing/waxing safely so I don't scratch the car. Any common newbie mistakes I should be aware of?

If I think of any more questions I'll edit them in. Thanks so much!

 

Are you willing to buy online? If not there's not much I can recommend. Also I don't recommend polishing if you don't know what your doing as you can severly mess up your paint. Also the machine itself will cost about $120.

The wax MIGHT cover up the swirls but it will not remove them. You should wash, clay, then re-wash and then wax. The wax should last about 6 months if you get a good quality one like P21 100%. It takes me about 4 hours to do a detail if I don't do a polish. Also you do not want to wax in the sun as your supposed to let it cure and the sun will dry it out and it will be really hard to remove. Let me know if your willing to buy online and I can recommend lots of products for you. And don't hesitate to pm me with questions.

 

Also wash wheels first. That way you don't get the car dirty again from the dirty splatter of the wheels. Also to apply the wax you want foam pads and microfiber towels to remove them. Also you should get some sealant to put underneath the wax to lengthen its life. Like I said I can compile a list of good products that can be found online if your ok with that.

Also check out this thread, already made up a list there.

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...ext-level.html

 

Thanks for the replies! Ordering online is not a problem. I actually already favorited that thread you linked lol. I guess I'll go the safe route and just wax, hopefully covering up the scratches. Out of sight out of mind, huh?

I don't need the absolute best products, either. I'm trying to find some sort of balance so I can keep my Fit as nice as possible without going broke, haha.

I wish I could find a detailer like you around. I've seen your detailing threads, you do amazing work.

 

Actually I recommend a better product for you. Its called a glaze. Its main purpose is to fill in and hide scratches temporarily. A good quality glaze can last a couple of months and will do wonders without polishing. I use it for my wash and wax customers who don't want a polish. Loook up Clear Kote Red Moose glaze. Its the best glaze out there. Use that and then top it off with a wax like P21 100% or optimum spray wax and you'll be set. Just don't ever let the dealer wash your car. Most of the products I recommend are cheap, it just starts adding up...

 

Hah, yeah. Unfortunately I assumed the dealer would know how to detail a car. It is swirled to HELL, seriously.

The glaze sounds awesome. So if I were to do the full detail (- polishing), would it be wash, clay, re-wash, glaze, wax? How often should I glaze, wax, and clay?

 

I hear ya buddy, those people at the dealerships are absolutely clueless. They use those big stiff bristle brushes that they leave lying on the floor and use to clean the wheels on trucks. They just want to get it done as soon as possible with no consideration to your paint. I had to fight with my dealer because they wanted to "detail" my car. I took my car home with the plastic still on it!

As for frequency, the clay bar should only be done about once or twice a year depending on your driving and parking conditions. If it sits outside a lot then twice a year. Always re-glaze/wax after clay since clay removes all of that.

Also you should re-glaze/wax about 3-5 months. Again depending on the conditions. You'll notice when the wax is almost out when the water on the car doesn't bead up anymore.

 

Haha, I wish mine was in plastic. It was a showroom car, and been there for a while.

Did I get the order correct? Wash, clay, re-wash, glaze, wax?

If I did ever polish it, would it be safer to hand polish instead of using the machine? I know it'll probably take forever, but if it gets the swirls out... Are there any other ways to remove the swirls?

 

For a quick wash and shine, i wash with a quality car wash. I then dry with a genuine chamois cloth(pricey but worth it to me) and then after its all dry i follow it up with Wolfgang Spray detailer(expensive, but again worth it to me) wiping it with a microfiber cloth. Reason i use the detailer right after is because the Fit seems to like to hold soap and water in tiny crevices so i use the detailer to get off all the water/soap spots that came about after washing and drying. Doesnt take too long and looks sexah on NHBP

Price:
Wash: $10 or so
Wolfgang Detailer: $19.99
Chamois: $29.99
Microfiber Washing Sponge: $5
Microfiber Cloth for Deatiler: $9.99

A bit pricey, but the cloths last for a long time. Only thing that gets expensive is the detailing spray. My .02

 

An excellent way to dry and remove water from those pesky areas that seem to drip after drying conventionally, is to use an electric leaf blower ( about $40 from Sears) or an air nozzle hooked to air compressor. And no scratches or swirls from drying using towels.

 

Eh. living on a military base im very limited to places to wash my car. Let alone somewhere i can plug in a leaf blower. So my way is satisfactory to me And its always super shiney But that is a very good idea if you have access to an outlet

 

Yup. I always use a leaf blower to dry. Cleans the windows quick and gets water out of all the crevices so you don't have those annoying drips. Dries wheels and tires in seconds. And as mentioned you don't have to even touch your paint which can cause swirls. The water missed by the leaf blower I use quick detailer and a microfiber towel to dry/remove.

And yes that is the correct order. Wash, clay, re-wash, glaze, wax.

Also glazes are best applied using a foam pad by hand and letting sit for a couple of minutes. Remove with a microfiber towel. Do not go in circles and remember little to no pressure when applying.

 

You COULD remove swirls by hand but it is very very dangerous and takes about 10 hours. Just get some meguiars swirlx and a foam pad and read the instructions. The polish would come before the glaze but after the clay. I always recommend against polishing by hand and to just try and find a professional detailer that can do it. See if you can find one in your area at Autopia.org Car Detailing Forum :: #1 in Auto Detailing Discussion!

 

Is a chamois better than a microfiber cloth, Nighthawk? I was looking at the Cobra Guzzler.

Good idea, Vanisher. We actually do have a leaf blower and an outlet in the garage... Is just any leaf blower okay? Should I be careful not to blow dirt off the ground?

Thanks for the link qbmurderer. I read through a few threads and there's lots of good information there. I'll look through that website more later.

Also, what's the best way to wash the microfiber cloths and foam pads? Can I just throw them all in the washer and dryer? Or should I hand wash and air dry?

 

I always recommend waffle weaves or microfibers as they have pockets and attract dirt and dust away from the paint so you don't just drag it across the paint.

Also when you wash towels and pads anything is fine as long as it doesn't have fabric softener as it will clog up the fibers of the towel rendering them useless.

Also when it comes to leaf blowers any is okay as long as its not a gas powered blower. And also yes be careful not to aim it at the ground. Keep it close to the paint at all times.

 

What are the benefits of a sheepskin wash mitt over a microfiber one? Does it work a lot better? I read somewhere else that a microfiber one lasts longer. It's also quite a bit cheaper. In the long run, are there a lot of benefits to a sheepskin mitt? I was looking on autogeek.net and Cobra's blue microfiber wash mitt looks good. Do you know anything about that one? I found a really nice guide on Autotopia (with like 70 chapters ) that said not all microfiber mitts are safe.

Also, how well does the grit guard work. qbmurderer, I saw that you recommended that in the other thread. Does it really work? It doesn't seem like it would keep dirt from swooshing up or anything. I can see how it'll help remove dirt from the mitt when you rub on it.

 

Eh either one is fine as long as its made by a reputable brand and not walmart brand.

Also grit guards are an absolute must! They have fins at the bottom so the water at the bottom containing the dirt does not swoosh up. Do some research on it and you'll see.

 

Just curious, why not a gas blower?

 

Its been said that it could leave a hazy film on the paint due to the exhaust and what not.

 

Good info following this and you car will look new for years to come. I wash and wax mine alot but it always looks new and that makes the ride more enjoyable to me.
Welcome to the Forum, enjoy your new Fit, post some pics and all of us here would be happy to answer any question. If it's been broken or modded you'll find a thread right here at FitFreak.net