c/auto-detailing-and-care

Got tired of water spots on my truck after every rain, tried a ceramic spray coating I saw at AutoZone near Phoenix last month

I always figured those $30 spray ceramic coatings were just snake oil, but after 3 washes in a row where I had to re-dry the whole hood to avoid spots, I caved. Sprayed Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions onto my 2012 Silverado after a wash, buffed it off with a microfiber towel, and it took maybe 20 minutes total. Three weeks later and the rain just beads off, no spotting, even after sitting in the sun. Anybody else try this stuff or have a cheaper DIY option that actually holds up?

3 comments

jamief67•1d ago

My microfiber towel routine changed after a single scratch incident

I used to just toss all my microfiber towels in the wash together with hot water and dryer sheets like regular laundry. Then after detailing a friend's black Subaru in Phoenix last month, I noticed fine swirl marks from lint transfer. Has anyone else stopped using fabric softener altogether and seen better results?

3 comments

shane_hayes•1d ago

Can we talk about those expensive foam cannon setups?

I dropped $120 on a high-end foam cannon and pressure washer attachment last spring thinking it would be a game changer for washing my truck. After 6 months of use, I realized my $15 garden sprayer from the hardware store does the exact same job for pre-soaking dirt and grime. Has anyone else made this mistake or am I the only one who fell for the hype?

3 comments

jamie804•2d ago

That drying towel I thought was clean actually scratched my paint

I washed my microfiber drying towel with a regular fabric softener sheet by accident last week and used it on my wife's Honda Civic. Now there are fine swirl marks all over the hood that I have to buff out this weekend. How many of you have ruined a detail job by accidentally using the wrong laundry product on your towels?

3 comments

shane_hayes•4d ago

Rant: That guy who said I should clay bar before polishing was totally right

I skipped the clay step on my 2017 Honda Accord because I figured two bucket wash was enough and ended up spending 6 hours trying to get embedded rail dust and tree sap out of the paint, so has anyone else learned a hard lesson by ignoring that one annoying prep step someone told them about?

4 comments

william_davis11•4d ago

CarCapsule vs California Car Cover for long-term winter storage?

I'm looking at options for storing my Porsche over the winter. My garage is unheated, gets pretty dusty, and we occasionally get mice in there. I'm torn between getting a high-end custom fit California Car Cover or going the inflatable route with a CarCapsule. Has anyone used both? Which one is actually better for keeping rodents and moisture out?

3 comments