Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

[MSUBlake827]

Earlier today I washed my girlfriend's brand new GT500 getting it ready for a local car show. This is only the third wash it has had in its life and has never seen rain. We woke up, pulled it from the garage to our covered car wash area, washed the car, and pulled back into the garage to dry and detail it. The car was waxed with NXT 2.0 just a few days ago.

After the sun started going down, it was time to go to the show. We turned the lights on in the garage, and all glass and paint surfaces are water spotted. The car was in the sun for less than 10 seconds before and after the wash. We dried the car off with waffle-weave drying towels as soon as we moved it into the garage. Everything was dried within 5 minutes or less. I have never seen a product cause a problem this severe.

And we later found out that her Dad had used it on one of their MINI Coopers and had the same issue. We went and took a look, and the water spots are very severe and must be polished out. I won't be using this type of wash again.

[Megafast13]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

Your issue has nothing to do with the Car Wash Soap at all. GC does not cause any water spotting. You water spots are from your actual tap water. It may have a high concentration of minerals resulting in water spots. You may want to look into a water filtration system if your area is known for such a concentration. Or do you guys have a water softener. They are known to cause such issues sometimes. And have you tried a Quik Detailer type product? You will not need to polish out those water spots, especially if you just waxed the paint surface with NXT a few days ago.

[Malo83]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

Don't think it was the Gold Class, been using it for years without any problems and on ocassion drying in the sun, no water spots

[mb911]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

Yeah, I don't think it's the gold class.

I have to be *very* careful on my black car too though and my water. 1 minute is too long, and it will water spot in the right circumstances.

[Murr1525]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

I would be suspecting soemthing that was already there myself.

Only drying water causes water spots, not a soap. So either you let water dry, or someone else did. And dealerships are very suspect....

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

Your issue has nothing to do with the Car Wash Soap at all. GC does not cause any water spotting. You water spots are from your actual tap water. It may have a high concentration of minerals resulting in water spots. You may want to look into a water filtration system if your area is known for such a concentration. Or do you guys have a water softener. They are known to cause such issues sometimes. And have you tried a Quik Detailer type product? You will not need to polish out those water spots, especially if you just waxed the paint surface with NXT a few days ago.

Agreed.

Sadly, it is the source of water that is the problem - not the soap.

There are a few ways to minimize the issues, including getting up early or doing the wash around dusk when the sun is at its weakest. It also helps to start with a cool surface.

Next thing you can do is to wash only one panel at a time, and then rinse that panel AND quickly wet the rest of the car after each panel. I find even without direct sun some water sources will spot (especially on dark glass or paint) in literally under 30 seconds.

The only way to combat that is to very thoroughly keep rinsing it and keep the surface cool as you work.

I also find that Meguiar's Last Touch detailer spray (Can be bought by the gallon and diluted, very inexpensive product) helps during drying to reduce swirling AND water spots. It will even remove fresh water spots with a gentle mist and wipe.

The other option all together is to use a rinse-less wash method and do the entire wash inside the garage, one panel at a time and dry as you go. But Meguiar's does not currently offer a product that is approved for that method.

I personally find Last Touch to work well for that method as well, but that is a road you may not want to venture down quite yet.

[Andrew C.]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

As everyone else has said, its your water not the soap. Is your water in your area fairly hard?

[Marc08EX]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

Like everyone else said, the problem you're seeing is not caused by the gold class soap.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

It is your water. Not the gold class.

[DualActionDetail]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

Could it possibly be too high a concentration of soap?

[Tuck91]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

I think this is the first Gold Class Shampoo "complaint thread".

One of the things I have found is that very few people use common sense when washing a vehicle.

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

I haven't read through all of the replies, but I would recommend changing your rinsing method. Try flood rinsing or rinsing with deionized water. Flood rinsing merely involves holding en open ended hose over the car and letting the water sheet over the entire surface. The sheeting action actually removes most of the water from your car's surface, but you will need to follow that up with some towel drying or using compressed air or a leaf blower to remove the trace water.

[Bill Davidson]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

To be fair to MSUBlake827, let's not jump to conclusions, maybe he got a bad bottle of soap. Perhaps some controlled experiments are needed.

If you do remove the spots, try a test spot with the water you were using alone. Then try adding the Gold Class soap. You could also do another test with the soap that you traditionally use.

I'd be interested in your findings MSUBlake827. Keep in mind that this is a Fathers Day weekend and some of the regular Meguiar's mods are unavalable. Likely you will see recommendations by Meguiar's by Monday. If not I would contact the customer service hotline.

BTW do you have any photos of the water spots. I'd love to see the GT500 even if was after the fact at the car show.

p.s. welcome to the forum.

Bill

[Fly Bye]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

GC does not cause any water spotting. You water spots are from your actual tap water. It may have a high concentration of minerals resulting in water spots.

Don't think it was the Gold Class, been using it for years without any problems and on ocassion drying in the sun, no water spots

Yeah, I don't think it's the gold class.

Only drying water causes water spots, not a soap.

Agreed.

Sadly, it is the source of water that is the problem - not the soap.

As everyone else has said, its your water not the soap.

Like everyone else said, the problem you're seeing is not caused by the gold class soap.

It is your water. Not the gold class.

[Andrew C.]

Re: Very disappointed with Gold Class Wash

To be fair to MSUBlake827, let's not jump to conclusions, maybe he got a bad bottle of soap.

Yeah MSUBlake827, sorry if it seems like some of us suddenly jumped on your case pointing the finger at you. Gold Class Wash is one of the favorite washes to most of the members here on the forum, and we never tend to have any problems result from it. Rather than water spots, we traditionally see stellar results which is why most of us believe it isn't the wash, but rather your water.

Sit tight and wait until Monday when an actual Meguiar's Representative can get back to you on this.

It's a great wash that many of us swear by, and we hate hearing that you haven't quite had the results that we have had with it. Thanks for your patience.