California Duster
 

Yay or nay?

I started using one on my last car but noticed that it did leave a little bit of streaking early on due to it being somewhat coated with a polishy/waxy substance. After a while it went away. I was wondering what others thought.

No. If Subaru paint was harder, I'd say yes with proper use. It's simply too soft.

Huh?

Big no-no from everything I've heard. They just push dirt and dust across the paint and inevitably create marring in the paint.

This. Don't use Cali duster. You'll be left with a car with millions of swirls.

Also, if you had to ask this question, chances are that you probably aren't really sure on how to use one properly either.

They're fine and handy for dashes and in your house but terrible on exterior paint of a vehicle.

Can't say I've ever had a problem with it. Once you get it broken in by letting it sit on newspapers for a week or so, it will take several uses before it will stop leaving little oily marks here and there. Don't use it like you use a mop on the floor, you're supposed to just let the ends contact the paint lightly. I've used mine on dark cars for years and don't have any negatives.

Cali Duster
 

Used it since June of last year on my Argento (always waxed) -

No swirls - :cheers:

Try this on a black car and you will reconsider using a car duster. Subaru paint is very soft. Silver and lighter color will hide tons of imperfections. If you ever own a darker color car there a lot of things you should not do where white and silver will hardly gets noticed. Coworker's car (non 86) paint is jacked... but looks like new 6 ft away up close you can see. Since your car is newer it's hard to tell unless it's deep scratches.

That may very well be true.

My argento is always thickly coated with wax and highly polished.

I also use the duster very lightly, barely touching and not in circular motion. The dust seems to jump off the car into the duster. :cheers:

Been using them for 25+ years on dozens of cars, NEVER a scratch or a swirl, even on black and red. Use some common sense and don't try to 'wash' or scrub your car with them. Just a very light sweep with just the tips of the strands lightly contacting the paint is all that's needed. Be sure you have good surface protection - wax or sealant - and that the car is clean except for the 'dust'. Use a separate one for wheels (I use the mini-duster for them) and don't use it for the paintwork. Don't use them to try to remove winter salt or caked on dirt. Shake them occasionally (away from the car) while using them.

As was stated, the streaks are the paraffin coming off the duster when new. Read the directions - put it on a newspaper for a few days when new to draw out the excess paraffin. You still might get a few light wax-streaks at first but the more you use it the better it will work.

Be sure you are getting a real "California Car Duster" and not an imitation - there are many copies out there. And do not fall for the 'microfiber' ones I've seen lately - they WILL scratch unless they are washed each time between uses.

Bottom line - when these are used properly, they are fantastic. If you screwed up your paint with them then you are not using them properly.

Taxis use them because in certain areas by law they have to be clean. But clean does not mean free of paint blemishes, no matter how painful they are to look at.

We should make swirls a fashionable thing. My black STI would win swirl contests.

California Duster can cause light scratches in the paint that look like spider webs or swirl marks. It does work if the car has been properly waxed and has very light dust, but then again I would not use it. I use waterless car wash after a drive with a microfiber cloth. Spray down the cloth and car and do light straight strokes (not circular). Works great and is used by many exotic car owners. The stuff I use is Eco Touch Waterless Car wash. If you car has gritty dirt, then rinse it down to remove the dirt and then use Eco Touch.


[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Eco-Touch-Waterless-Wash-Concentrate/dp/B003EVW92E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1384111838&sr=8-2&keywords=eco+touch"]Eco Touch Waterless Car Wash Concentrate - 16 ounces : Amazon.com : Automotive[/ame]