I hope there isn't already a thread on this topic. I recently noticed some water spots on my vehicle and when I washed my vehicle the spots didn't come off. So, I googled the topic and found a few suggestions. The one I am contemplating is the use of vinegar. Have any of you ever tried this to remove the water spots? Any other suggestions on how to remove them without having to take it to a professional? Also, what type of wax do you use on your vehicles?
Buy a light rubbing compound. You can get it at any auto parts store, Target or WalMart. Youll end finding stuff specifically designed to take out the spots without having to use home remedies like vinegar.
I had one on my Maxima before I sold it. It happened a week before I sold it, so I didn't bother removing it. I've heard that vinegar works, too.
Beware of sprinklers! I got waterspots on my car a few years ago. The neighbor was watering his yard and the sprinkler was overshooting onto my car. I tryed vinegar and other remedies... but ended taking it to Mister Carwash. They charged about $125 to get them all out. Car looked like new afterwards. Good luck
Most of them are the same IMO. One is not better than the other from my experience. Just make sure its safe for clear coats (if you have one on your car).
www.clay-magic.com I work at a chemical plant, and our parking lot happens to be downwind of a paint yard. Ona really windy day, several of our cars got overspray on them, so the painters sent people out to clean clean them up. They used Clay Magic, and it worked like a charm. Took the paint spots right off and the carls looked like new.
I usually use meguiar's stuff and have had great results with it. You should be able to find one of these products at an automotive store like autozone. Wal-Mart may have it too. Meguiar's Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, Meguiar's Body Scrub, or Medallion Premium Paint Cleaner. The Premium Paint Cleaner works the best but costs twice as much. After you use the cleaner be sure to put a fresh coat of wax on as the cleaner removes whatever you had on their before. If that doesnt work try a claybar with a bottle of Meguiar's quick detailer. Meguairs and Mothers both make em and you usually have to go to an auto store to find them.
Vinegar will remove water spots that are not etched into the paint. If they are etched, you will have to use a polish to remove them. The definitive source for this is http://www.autopia.org It's basically the clutchcity of car detailing.
Bumping an old thread here. Wondering about waxes vs ceramics. I'm old school, have been using a carnauba from Meguiar's for a while now, but I hear ceramics are superior. Do they give you the same shine and depth? Do they feel slick to the touch after being applied? Can you apply the ceramic and then go over it with a wax? Which is the best ceramic? Are they safe for the environment and the person applying them? Are they all hype??? I hate to @ you, but I figure if anyone knows it's probably you, @CCity Zero . Any thoughts?
Look into ceramic sprays. They're the next best thing to actual ceramic coats. For $15, you just have to apply it every few months. Ceramic coats costs thousands but last years.
I just got both of our cars ceramic coated with Pinnacle black diamond (2 year). Happy with the end result.
I just bought a black car and my garage is spoken for. I'm afraid what it's going to look like in a couple years if I don't up my game. But I'm much too cheap to pay a professional. If you wouldn't mind updating us in a few months or even two years from now, I'll be curious to hear how it holds up.
To get the main question out of the way, they're mainly hype (the hype aspect isn't that they don't work/last longer - it's more the marketing words used below and sometimes the extremely high cost).. Don't get me wrong they're not bad or something but they're also not some miracle application, sure ceramics are better than wax and need to be applied less but they still will eventually need to be reapplied. Also, No worries on asking me! Happy to help out (definitely ask me any time on car stuff, I am a lot better at mechanical questions but can help here). On your car right now do you wax it regularly? Or do you have someone else detail it? The reason I am asking is because if DIYing a ceramic job and not being used to wax detailing it can sometimes be better to practice on a cheaper car first to avoid mistakes that you won't want on an expensive classic/supercar due to the process, but even if you mess up it's not that big of a deal and can be fixed. To clear this up a bit, some companies will state is it is permanent, and if applied wrong you're in big trouble to scare the DIY type or newer learning auto detailer away... no, not quite. What will happen is it will not look good due to swirl marks or having uneven finishes, and then you will either need to wait for it to wear off (it wears off, any product that says it's forever/bonds to the paint and is just a ceramic/wax is lying, the only way it wouldn't wear off is having the car in a closed garage that is environmentally controlled, but if doing that.... wax would last just the same). Anyway, so you could wait probably ~6 months to redo it if it was done poorly or carefully remove the ceramic layer with a super super light sandpaper or other methods. The other issue I see when attempting to apply a ceramic coat correctly is you want to be in a closed environment like a garage etc. whereas with waxing you can do it outside and not worry as much on making a mistakes. I do think anyone can do it though and there are some great resources for learning how online. Also, don't get me wrong, ceramic coating is very nice, but I don't know if it is worth it over regular waxing if paying someone else to do it, for example: - Usually higher quotes from a pro detailer or an expensive product that's making impossible claims using buzzwords like scratch proof/nanotechnology. I mean sure it'll last longer and is more scratch resistant than wax but it's ultimately serving the same purpose, and depending on the environment the car is in it might not even make it to the year mark even when a pro does do it. - Then the idea that the car has a ceramic coating, I don't need to wash my car! Wrong... unfortunately the car will still need to be washed, however you will not need to wax it. The reason for this is because the ceramic coating has taken the place of the wax layer. So the main bonus to ceramic coating is the time it lasts but this can be a huge mess to get people to pay a lot of money that really isn't needed for their application/car if the pro/product costs too much. To add to this, for example, if you get your car ceramic coated it can last anywhere from 6 months to a few years, so from the environmental standpoint it can be better, but I think a good cleaning and wax will work just fine for most applications. I will say something that did impress me on ceramics though is that you can apply it to plastics, and it will protect your car and give it a deeper shine to those fading plastics. Like if you detail your car extremely well but then have plastics that have faded or got heavily exposed to the sun after cleaning them up/ trying to darken them and then adding a ceramic coat on top will really help preserve them and protect them from the sun. I also wouldn't spend a ton on products as mentioned. I hope this helps and sorry for this running long. Let me know if any further questions, I also definitely wouldn't pay the high quoted prices I have seen from a pro service unless you're driving some really expensive car, but even then... I might still stick with the regular wax and park it in the garage. Just to add to this, if anyone is attempting doing a ceramic job DIY, this is where you want to make sure you have really cleaned the surface well, you don't want to seal up something poorly - so you want the surface to be pristine and follow the times/process exactly. Also, definitely don't take my post as someone who thinks it doesn't work, it works, it's just that the claims I have seen made of it lasting forever are wrong,
Hahah sorry I walked away and didn't post, so on yours being garage is spoken for, regular waxing and maybe ceramic on the plastics will keep it having the deep black color and prevent fading. You can also try the ceramic sprays, I just wouldn't go overboard and spend on expensive ceramic products as was mentioned. I think if you go the ceramic route and DIY it there are some great resources out there, and if concerned on results, do a test on a small portion of the car first. Like maybe one panel to make sure you like the results. Then do the rest. I know sometimes it can be a longer process but it will last longer too which is nice.
He did it for $400 each for 2 vehicles. He does a clay bar treatment, deep polishing prior to the ceramic coating. David Sotelo - 832-378-2019 Mobile service. Highly recommended. He also does interior details for affordable prices and you can't beat mobile service.
