Drying unwaxed cars

[Wolf-Strong]

At work, virtually all the cars I come across are not waxed, which makes the drying part of the job a PITA! The soap we use also tends to stop beading/sheeting and only makes the job harder.

I happened to notice that the RV/Boat line has 2 soaps that say they will bead up and sheet water, so my question is how well do these do that? Can they really bead up on a car that has never been waxed? I also see there are 2 of them that will do this: Gel Wash and Flagship Premium Marine wash; what is the difference between the two considering Marine Wash is $6 more!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

Off hand, not sure how or if the special features of these two washes you've listed will help with your type of washing issues, but we'll check and get back to you.

[Wolf-Strong]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

Off hand, not sure how or if the special features of these two washes you've listed will help with your type of washing issues, but we'll check and get back to you.

Thanks

I was playing around a bit with my bottle of UQD on a few unwaxed cars. During the 'soapy' part, I saturated half the hood (it was a Scion xB, so it had a small hood) and washed that part like normal, than proceeded to the rest of the car. As soon as I went to go rinse down that area, it beaded RIGHT up while the other half pooled and stuck to the paint. I had to use a good amount of UQD to get this to happen, but that made me think that if it didn't already exist, it would be a hot topic on a car wash soap as a product suggestion.

Browsing around your site showed you already had car washes that claimed to do something like that, so I thought I might as well ask. Thanks as always Mike! Looking forward to hearing what they say!

[Jeepster04]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

I was having that problem today. I waxed my Jeep using NXTv2 in early January and today was the first time I had washed it by hand since then(I know, Ive been slacking). Ive not had it home from school so Ive just been using the rinse at the coin-op to keep the salt off of it.

After washing it today it seemed like it didnt have a drop of wax left. Water magnets just pushed the water around.

[Murr1525]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

If its real bad, and you plan to clay, you could just go to claying.

As a side note, when I got my new car, and washed it, I swear I have never seen water pool on vertical surfaces before.

[Wolf-Strong]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

If its real bad, and you plan to clay, you could just go to claying.

As a side note, when I got my new car, and washed it, I swear I have never seen water pool on vertical surfaces before.

Unfortunately, that is what I am faced with every day. I swear to you, at a BMW dealership, less than 1% of the cars that come in are what I would call even remotely waxed. Probably only a tenth of the cars that water even 'sorta' beads, can I say that it is indeed waxed. Fraction of a percent is no bueno, and that is with BMWs! I am doing 'courtesy' washes for the dealership that I work for, so we don't wax the cars, much less clay them.

[roushstage2]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

Use Wax-As-U-Dry or a Wash/Wax?

The best method for drying un-waxed cars IMO is the Water Blade. It gets the water right off.

[Wolf-Strong]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

Use Wax-As-U-Dry or a Wash/Wax?

The best method for drying un-waxed cars IMO is the Water Blade. It gets the water right off.

I have tried it, and it doesn't work as well as you might hope on cars that have never been waxed. Plus, you have to make sure the car is ABSOLUTELY clean to use one, and we just don't always have the time to ensure that. Even if it is absolutely clean, I find that it will mar some black BMWs with softer clears.

Good idea on the wash/wax soap though, but I would rather use Meguiar's if at all possible

[Wolf-Strong]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

Hey Mike, I know it is Thursday night and you guys probably have a class or something, but just wanted to make sure this doesn't head down to page 2 and gets forgotten

[roushstage2]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

You worry too much! lol!

J.K.

[benhui86]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

so ur one of those people that install swirls on detailed cars when they go into the dealer for service......... jk....

do you use new mits and towels to wash every car?

[johnathan1]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

Does your BMW dealer do any detailing at all? When my mom bought her CPO 325ci, she specifically requested that the car be detailed, since the paint looked a bit rough. Of course they said "oh yea yea yea, sure". So we go to pick up the car, and it looked like they just hosed the car off and called it done...car didn't look ant different at all. Dealer said they don't do buffing... just wondering.

[Wolf-Strong]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

Does your BMW dealer do any detailing at all? When my mom bought her CPO 325ci, she specifically requested that the car be detailed, since the paint looked a bit rough. Of course they said "oh yea yea yea, sure". So we go to pick up the car, and it looked like they just hosed the car off and called it done...car didn't look ant different at all. Dealer said they don't do buffing... just wondering.

It pains me to say, but yes, we are one of those shops. I have tried time and time again to get them to use some better equipment but the truth is that they are on a stricter budget than me when I was unemployed! We hire someone to do all of our details for new cars and what not, while we just wash the cars that come in for service. On the other side, I have spent some of my own money with a Grout Sponge, and Grit Guard to help at least a little bit!

On a side note, only about 1% of cars that come in are actually waxed with probably only about 1/4% having a good wax job. I have never seen a swirl-free car come through service though. I always thought those were pretty crazy numbers when you are talking about BMWs which you would THINK most be at least waxed! Then you don't even want to know about the brake dust problems...

[Wolf-Strong]

Re: Drying unwaxed cars

Any word yet Mike?