Over the last two weeks I spent about, oh eleven hours washing, clay bar, and Zaino detail on my car. You spend the time, and the effort, you don't even want to take out of the barn because you know it can only get dirty (Black car= dusty in two minutes). So I take it out to my neighbors house (four houses away), I'm bragging about how tight my car looks, and he looks down and says what's this. And there is gum flung down the side of my just detailed car. That justs sucks. Have you been there, can you feel my pain.

 

Yup, just like driving thru a water puddle upon leaving the car wash on a Saturday afternoon.

 

Oh yea, I have tons of trees in my yard and the stupid birds use my car for target practice.

 

Love bugs love moving objects. Clean or dirty they take what they can get...

 

I feel your pain. I live in a somewhat rural area myself. There is always a layer of dust on everything (inside and out) because of all the open fields. If I drove my car 4 houses down it would be dusty by the time I got to the end of my driveway! My issue is with washing the car. I do my best to get every last drop our of the car when I dry it, but it never fails something puddles somewhere. So when I drive down the road the water runs out and the dust instantly forms a nice streak on the car. I keep a bottle of Meguiars instant detail in the trunk if I actually want to show up somewhere with a "clean" car.

 

I blow out the mirrors, grille, window trim, and trunk well with compressed air. The grille can hold literally 2 quarts of water and the trunk lid about the same or it will just drip drip drip. Mirrors are bad too. I hit it once with chamois, blow out all the trim, doors, ect, then re-dry the car. I get the tires and glass and go back and hit everything with the quick detailer for the last few spots. The good thing about the compressed air is also the wheels and tires are dried in seconds.

 

I'm declaring war on love bugs

 

+1 That's precisely what I do. It never fails water finds it way out from some crevice or another. It's not much, and it wouldn't be an issue if there wasn't dust floating around.

 

I have it down to a science after washing these(and the SN95's who's trunk areas are worse). I also use straight shop air with an open fitting so it even dries the **** ground around the car while using it. Have to use ear protection as its louder then gunfire or jet engines at times, hitting something like the lug nuts without plugs is downright painful.

 

I'm not alone!

 

What a great support group

 

Mcquires detailer is great stuff! I hate the way the water keeps dripping after the car is dry. Especially from the gas cap lid (why does sand collect there?), the side rear windows (you have to slide the edge of your drying towel into the cracks and suck it dry), and the front grille. There must be sponge-filled reservoirs behind the grille that slowly time-release water back onto the front bumper for a week or so. I regret not getting black, 'cause Sonic is no easier to keep clean.

 

You would probably pick up a tenth in the 1/4 mile if you could get all the water out of the front bumper.

 

bugs are the worst, pollen is bad but try living in a pine tree infested yard. Sap is the worst thats why she stays indoors.

 

I dry mine till it looks decent, then take it around the block, and then dry it again for any newly dislodged water. It takes care of a lot of the water waiting to spring out when you drive.

 

Thats hilarious!

 

My street and surroundings are infested with oak trees and mother nature. Its getting better, couple weeks ago after a drive around town my rear blackout panel would be "screaming yellow".

I'm with Boltzman and declaring war on the new problems of LoveBugs... And let me tell you, theres not much to "love" about them...

 

I take mine for a quick spin around the block to blow off water and dry the tires too, but instead of hand drying the car with a chamois or towel, I just pull into the garage and spray/wipe the car section-by-section with Meguiar's Quik Detailer. It's the best one I've found. Takes about ten minutes (if that) to do the whole car and it looks great.

Another tip, after the drive and before the Quik Detailer, I shut the garage door, spray all four tires with Stoner's "More Shine Less Time for Tires" (glossy finish) or their "Trim Shine" (matt finish), then I either wipe it down or spin it around the block again to keep the tire shine spit off the paint.

All in all, this is the best mini-detail method I've found.

I also just started using a California Car duster this year. Something tells me it *has* to be scratching the paint but, if it is, I haven't been able to see them yet. Anyone else have any comments on them??

 

use the duster only on lightly dusty car and don't press w/ it/Just let the ends of the fibers gently brush across paint and you'll be fine. If the car gets wet and then dries after driving,do not use duster

 

+1 I use a duster frequently with no problems. I have lots of trees and the duster takes care of the pollen and dust. If it has rained, I wash mine. Another thing I have found that helps is a cordless leaf blower. I use mine to blow the dust before I use the duster, and after a wash it's great to blow out the area's where excess water hides.