Washing and Waxing Tips

[RToyo86]

Originally Posted by dragoontwo

While we can all agree that cleaning the bugs off right away is best, that isn't feasible living in TN and commuting to KY for work M-F. I can't detail the cars whole front end every morning when I get to work.

I used to care about getting everything off after a drive. I carry a bottle of ONR diluted to detail spray and some MF towels for spot cleans.

Now I usually just leave whatever is there for my weekly wash, outside of bird crap which will watch the paint sometimes within 24hrs.

[Decep]

I haven't seen that bugs cause a lot of damage like bird poop does, at least in sunny California.

[LimitedSlip]

Originally Posted by Decep

I haven't seen that bugs cause a lot of damage like bird poop does, at least in sunny California.

I would imagine that something like a Condor could leave quite a dent if it was on target . . .

[Sapphireho]

.

[Flarpswitch]

In the mid 80's we stopped for the night in Joplin, Missouri. The almost new car was encrusted with 600 miles of bugs and road schmutz. An evening hailstorm had me convinced that the car would soon be totaled, but the hail failed to get to the required dimensions. Amazingly, the car was completely clean and the paint factory fresh the following morning and all I needed was breakfast and a full tank of gas. Just a quarter mile from the hotel, I saw that a tornado had ripped through leaving what was left of several farm buildings on the highway. Close call for sure. I washed my BRZ for the first time yesterday with some Meguires car wash stuff that smells like bubble gum. I followed that with that spray on stuff they make and maybe next time up the game to that ceramic stuff they make. Things just don't seem to stick and cleans off real easy without having to wash the whole car. Now, bird poop is something that needs immediate attention regardless of what you use. We had a forest fire that came within a few miles of our house. Big mistake was not washing off the wet ashes from our Subaru Ascent right away. Nasty stuff. Even with keeping the protection fresh on the finish, the ashes made it necessary to get busy with clay bar. Minor issue compared to the folks that lost their cars and homes to the fire.

[Desertnate]

Originally Posted by Decep

I haven't seen that bugs cause a lot of damage like bird poop does, at least in sunny California.

I've had bug spatters etch paint in less than a couple days unfortunately.

The worst case of it was a used car I bought many years ago. I flew down a picked up the vehicle in Houston and drove it back home in St. Louis via a stop over in Tulsa to visit family and not have to pay for a hotel. By the time I got it home 48 hours after purchase, the entire front end was painted with bugs. There was one small spot near the grill where the nasty bug guts actually etched the paint. A small reminder I saw for the 7~8 years we owned it. Not sure where it came from, but somewhere in Texas, Oklahoma, or Missouri there is an evil beast with really corrosive guts.

[Decep]

I don't doubt it. Just haven't had the pleasure of encountering them yet.

Seems to be a lot less bugs around here in general. I remember reading about insect population collapses in the future due to pesticide use. Used to be your car would be absolutely covered in them but i haven't seen that in years, again at least in this area.

[Yoshoobaroo]

Originally Posted by Decep

I don't doubt it. Just haven't had the pleasure of encountering them yet.

Seems to be a lot less bugs around here in general. I remember reading about insect population collapses in the future due to pesticide use. Used to be your car would be absolutely covered in them but i haven't seen that in years, again at least in this area.

Same here, ~12 years ago we’d get 2-3 swarms of lovebugs per year that would absolutely take over the entire county for almost a week. The last 5 years I’ve seen them here and there, but I haven’t seen anyone get off the highway with their front end completely black from the bugs spattered on.

Overall I’m seeing way less insects that 10 years ago. Seeing a butterfly is a rarity now, I used to see them every time I walked outside.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

This stench on this was horrible!