There are few things worse than the paranoia of a car owner with abrand-new, shiny paint job, be it a new car or a newly restored car witha big dollar fresh coat on it. From the smallest pebble flying throughthe air to nasty little bugs getting mashed into your grille at 65 mph,everything seems to be targeted at your car. The question is, what areyou to do to save your paint from eminent destruction? There arehundreds of car care products in the marketplace, ranging frommiracles-in-a-spray-bottle that promise to turn your dingy, dirty dailydriver into a SEMA-class show car to the most specific of tools to brushthe lint from the pattern in your shifter knob. The problem is knowingwhat you need from what you can live without, and knowing what productsare bogus and which are really worth their salt. That might seem simpleto some, but we've heard of people rubbing peanut butter on their car.So here are some bad myths about car care we wanted to squelch.
1) Liquid dish soap is as good as anything for your car care.
Actually,dish soap strips away your wax's protective layers, the finish of yourcar, and exposes it to rust and oxidation. By simply using a specifiedcar wash, you can actually prolong the life of your wax's finish andprotective qualities.
Using 100-percent diapers...
Using 100-percent diapers or T-shirts won't keep your paint job safe from scrtaching. Obviously, don't use this kind of diaper either.
2) Diapers, T-shirts, or cheesecloth are ideal for removing wax andpolish.
Diapers and T-shirts made from 100- percent cotton arespecifically woven to be smooth and easy on the skin, and they do offerexcellent water absorption, but they offer little protection from tinydust particles scratching the surface of the paint. It is better to usea high-quality microfiber cloth or 100-percent cotton towel. They aredesigned to lift up those particles, keeping them from the surface andpossible damage that they can inflict on paint.
3) Paint sealants last for years.
Some sealants make outrageous claimsthat they last from five years to a whole lifetime. This is nearly asimpossible as foretelling the future. What if the car is parked outside?What about weather conditions? A car parked outside in Mesa, Arizona,will react differently than a car parked outside in Des Moines, Iowa.The best way to guarantee a quality finish all the time is to begin adetailing cycle on a regular basis.
4) Machines damage paint and should never be used . . . ever.
Lies, alllies! Of course, even the simplest of tools in the wrong hands willyield lousy results, but used properly with the correct materials, amachine will always offer more superior results than a hand application.The rotary machine, or orbital, spins in a circular fashion, and shouldonly be used by trained professionals. It is designed for advanceddefect removal and will yield amazing results when used properly. Theother common machine used is a dual action polisher. This machineoscillates back and forth in a more gentle fashion, making it so anyonecan use this machine with confidence.
As you can see, there are...
As you can see, there are miles of car care waxes, pastes, and polishes. It takes a combination of specific products to get the best results. Not all car care items are created equal.
5) Automated carwashes offer the same results as hand washing.
Not allcar paint jobs are created equal. What might be just fine for yourwife's four-door Stratus might be disastrous for the hand-applied paintjob on your prized Mopar. Automated carwashes usually offer only thebasic of chemicals and little in the way of polishes and protection. Werecommend always washing your vehicle yourself. This allows you to usethe best products and procedures that will yield superior results.
6) The 60-to-90 day waiting period.
Many fear that waxing their new carwill ruin the paint. Truth is, no. You can wax your new Ram or Magnum assoon as you get it home. the factory curing process is done beforeanything is bolted to the car, which allows them to bake the car attemperatures up to 300-degree Fahrenheight. The high-temp baking processensures the paint is fully cured upon delivery. Unfortunately, thisprocess is not the same for aftermarket paint jobs. When your musclecaris painted, the paint can't be baked on like at the factory because ofall the rubber weather-stripping and other soft materials on the carthat could be damaged, if not totally destroyed, in such harshenvironments. We recommend waiting at least 2 months, depending on thecuring process, before waxing.
7) Tire protectants turn tires brown.
We went to the boys at Meguiar'sfor this question and they told us, "the science behind the modernrubber formulas used by major tire manufactures today is both complexand interesting. The rubber itself contains an ingredient calledantiozonant. Antiozonant is an ingredient that helps to prevent theexterior rubber surface from cracking, checking, oxidizing, anddeteriorating. The rubber is designed in such a way as to constantlywork its way to the outside of the tire and, as such, continuallyreplenish the exterior surface with fresh antiozonant. After theantiozonant works its way to the outside of the tire and is exposed tothe ozone in the air, it turns brown. The technical term for this effectis blooming. This is why you see a brown film on the surface of yourtires. You can wash your tires with soap or an all-purpose cleaner andremove this film, but in a few weeks, it's back. That's because theantiozonant continually works its way to the outside of the tires everytime you drive your car." Using protectants that have additives forblocking this is mandatory to keep your tires looking black and shiny.
8) Clearcoats are low maintenance and don't need to be waxed.
Not true.Though most modern clearcoat finishes are much harder and resistant tooxidation, they still scratch easily. For this reason, clearcoat paintsshould never be worked on with abrasive products, such as rubbing orpolishing compounds. Always use a clearcoat safe product and getyourself in a regular car maintenance ritual. This will allow you toalways keep your car looking its best and protect your valuedinvestment. Sorry to say, but there just isn't a quick fix for good carcare.
9) Swirl marks are here to stay.
Don't give up so easily. Swirl marksare only scratches in the finish. Sometimes these scratches aremicroscopic and are only visible in direct light. Other swirl marks aredeep and are easily visible. But do not be dismayed, swirls can beremoved using the right products and procedures. shallow swirls can beremoved using a paint cleaner or light swirl remover. Light to moderateswirls can be removed using a polisher and the appropriate buffing padwith the correct paint cleaner or cleaner/polish. Moderate to deepswirls will require a thorough machine cleaning using a rotary bufferand the right polishes. A word of caution--machine cleaning andpolishing paint with a rotary buffer needs to be performed by a skilledhand or an experienced professional. If you are unsure as to whether ornot the swirl in your finish can be safely removed, take your car to aprofessional painter or detailer and ask them for their opinion. It'sbetter than ruining your paint on a guess.
10) Polishing is the same as waxing.
Polishing is actually a process ofscratching a metal or surface of its preliminary layers, and exposingfresh layers. This process is much like a microscopic scraping. Metalpolishes and rubbing compounds are used to aggressively scratch thesurface in order to expose underlying coats. Waxing is the exactopposite. It is coating the surface with a new protective layer. A goodcoat of wax can shield out UV damage, dust scratches, and other debris.
11) Cleaning and washing are one and the same.
GONG! Sorry, wrong again.Cleaning and washing are really only steps in a process of detailing acar. When you wash a car (make sure not to use dishwashing soap), youare washing away dirt, grime, and other contaminants from the surface ofyour car's body. Cleaning, on the other hand, removes both the abovebonded surface and subsurface paint defects that washing cannot remove,such as oxidation, stains, blemishes, and those bonded contaminants thatmust be removed before polishing and waxing can have any real benefit.It's a far deeper process. Make sure never to use harsh brushes orscrubbers on your paint's surface or it will mar your finish like yourubbed a Brillo pad all over it. it is absolutely critical to use onlygentle, clearcoat safe cleaners, unless you are a professional.
12) Paste wax is superior to liquid wax.
Not necessarily. Nowadays,liquid waxes are becoming just as effective as any of the traditionalpaste waxes. In fact, the same waxes are now being offered in both pasteand liquid form, such as many of Meguiar's high-end waxes. Manyenthusiasts take great pleasure in spending a Saturday afternoon rubbingtheir car with just the right amount of care. Others are weary ofcramped hands and stiff elbows, and prefer the soft gel and liquidapplications. It's really just a matter of personal choice.