I'm so bummed

Mittenz

Mittenz

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A few weeks ago I spent approximately 40 hrs detailing my car. I was 99% happy with the results as this was my first time doing it with a 7424. I had a few little things I wanted to go back over, but overall my car was looking the best it's ever looked.

Yesterday I decided to do a waterless rinse with some nice new edgeless mf towels. The car wasn't very dirty at all. Most people probably wouldn't have touched it. There was some dust and a few finger prints, but I wanted to try this new method and get her cleaned up for a meet. I pulled my car out of the garage and into the shade to get her all cleaned up. I turned up my Pandora shuffle and I was in my zone.

I was, or so I thought, particularly careful on the back of the car. I have Hawk carbon ceramic brake pads. The dust really collects on the rear of the car, so I sprayed the car down a little heavy there and went across the area with an extra light touch. From previous washes, I knew the dust will scratch the heck out of the paint. But I thought my technique was working at preventing any scratches. At the time I didn't see any. Great!! Cool! I did a good job!

Well last night I was in a parking lot and a street light hit the back of the car just right wow did the fine scratches pop. The rest of the car looks just fine, but the trunk area and all the scratches has me pretty bummed. I'm not sure I'll ever do that sort of cleaning again.
 
I suspect the car doesn't look like you just washed it with a green scotchbrite pad, in other words can't be really that bad, and probably nothing an ultra fine finishing polish won't take care of again lickety split on those panels.

Sounds to me that you may in the future have to resort to high pressure washing first, or at least some strong pressure from a garden hose first prior to any washing?

Or also consider a more durable ceramic coating such as CQuartz which will lessen such from happening.
 
THAT much brake dust off the rears? That's an issue in itself that should be TCO before anything else! In my experience, rears shouldn't dust much at all, and carbon ceramic pads much less than OE or semi-metallic performance or track pads. If the Hawks are dusting that badly, look at StopTech or EBC RedStuff, Ferodo or RT. And check your bias.
 
Yeah, I'll have to hose it off before I do any kind of washing. No use taking a chance again. As for the scratches, yeah it'll be an easy fix.

I didn't say the rear pads create all the dust, I meant the dust accumulates on the rear of the car due to the aerodynamics and the low pressure area. Did it look like a lot at the time? No, but you could see it. It gives it a pearl effect on the rear area, especially on the lip of the rear bumper. For whatever reason, it pops on my car. I'll admit, when I'm 'playing' a bit, I do some hard braking which obviously creates a little extra dust. ;)

Would most people see the scratches? Probably not. I pick out things like that easier than most because I've spent 20+ years in the plastics industry match colors. At times it's been a curse. LOL
 
Hehehe yeah that would be a curse. :)

On my car I'm starting to see a mismatch from the through-colored SMC panels on my doors, rear quarters and tail gate that have been in the sun for nine years compared to the black SMC front end that was base coat/clear coated after a collision a couple of years ago.
 
IMHO:
No reason to be bummed about a few blemishes.

Also:
I noticed you said you "played" a little bit,
with some accompanying hard braking.

Well I, too, like to "play" a little bit.
When I do:
The rear of my car is about all that people get a
chance to see, as I spiritedly go by them; and:

Even when there are scratches/swirls/etc. located
in the rear clip area...no one gets a close-enough-look
to ever see them.

Point being:
You need to do less hard-braking.



Bob
 
SameGuy said:
THAT much brake dust off the rears? That's an issue in itself that should be TCO before anything else! In my experience, rears shouldn't dust much at all, and carbon ceramic pads much less than OE or semi-metallic performance or track pads. If the Hawks are dusting that badly, look at StopTech or EBC RedStuff, Ferodo or RT. And check your bias.
Click to expand...

Rears can dust more. They do on my car which is evident as the rear brakes are visibly more worn then the fronts. Apparently it's setup that the rear brakes are applied first to help prevent nose dive under heavier braking. If you just do a lot of light braking, the rears can dust more depending on the car.
 
FUNX650 said:
IMHO:
No reason to be bummed about a few blemishes.

Also:
I noticed you said you "played" a little bit,
with some accompanying hard braking.

Well I, too, like to "play" a little bit.
When I do:
The rear of my car is about all that people get a
chance to see, as I spiritedly go by them; and:

Even when there are scratches/swirls/etc. located
in the rear clip area...no one gets a close-enough-look
to ever see them.

Point being:
You need to do less hard-braking.



Bob
Click to expand...
The roads around here are too much fun not too, especially up in the mountains. My car isn't a race car by any means, but it sure is fun to drive. And with the mods I've done to the suspension, it makes it more enjoyable.

Eibach Pro Kit springs, strut tower brace, lower front brace, mid body X-brace, and trunk brace, Hawk Blue pads, SS brake lines. When compared to stock, my car feels much closer to a sport sedan now. I could do coilovers, but I don't have the money to spend on those at the moment. I'd like to get Michelin Super Sports for grip handling.
 
Mittenz said:
And with the mods I've done to the suspension, it makes it more enjoyable.

Eibach Pro Kit springs, strut tower brace, lower front brace, mid body X-brace, and trunk brace, Hawk Blue pads, SS brake lines.
Click to expand...
^^^:props:^^^


Bob
 
How often were you going to a clean side of the towel? I usually don't do anymore than one or two passes before going to a clean side of the towel. Also In your case make sure its soaking wet
 
frankprozzoly said:
How often were you going to a clean side of the towel? I usually don't do anymore than one or two passes before going to a clean side of the towel. Also In your case make sure its soaking wet
Click to expand...
Same, every couple passes. I looked at the towel after every pass on the backside. I was doing a waterless rinse like Mike did in a video. The towels aren't wet.

Anyway, I don't see myself using this method again.

Since I'm going to polish the back of the car again, maybe I'll do the whole car and use the Fuzion wax I got on sale. Or I've thought about just doing the back and seeing how it lasts compared to Mother's Pure Brazilian Carnauba I have on the rest of the car. Maybe even split the roof and do half and half.

Up next, a two bucket wash with D114 and a mf mitt.
 
Sorry about the OT. I didn't know there were regular cars with rear-biased brakes. I've never heard of EBD sending more than about 40% of braking to the rear, and have certainly never heard of rear pads on modern street cars wearing quicker than the front.
 
SYMAWD said:
Rears can dust more. They do on my car which is evident as the rear brakes are visibly more worn then the fronts. Apparently it's setup that the rear brakes are applied first to help prevent nose dive under heavier braking. If you just do a lot of light braking, the rears can dust more depending on the car.
Click to expand...
My rears have never had more dust than the front. I've never known a car to favor the rear brakes. Which is why the fronts are always larger yes?
 
I missed the waterless wash part. I thought you were doing a rinseless. I've never done a waterless wash. Even if it was just the next day. I just don't trust wiping with a dry towel. If car is just dusty then i adjust how wet my towel is but never dry.
 
frankprozzoly said:
I missed the waterless wash part. I thought you were doing a rinseless. I've never done a waterless wash. Even if it was just the next day. I just don't trust wiping with a dry towel. If car is just dusty then i adjust how wet my towel is but never dry.
Click to expand...
Thought I'd give it a go. In the end no biggie I guess. I was bummed because I just got done putting all that work into it. I was hoping to go a little longer before having to break out the polisher again. I'll probably do it sometime this week since it's finally starting to cool off here.
 
Heh. Somebody else is up all night (I worked the overnight shift Sunday night).

The joy of personal car care is the lack of schedule pressure, and I find it a release from all the rest of life's stresses. Having another go at it just means more "me" time in the garage. :)
 
I'm up cause my days and nights are getting totally screwed around. I've been out of work for a while and my day/nights are getting worse. It's getting frustrating. It doesn't help I've been on here watching videos! LOL I'm 1.5hrs into this one.
2006 Mustang by Ford - Show Car Finish by Autogeek
 
Mittenz said:
My rears have never had more dust than the front. I've never known a car to favor the rear brakes. Which is why the fronts are always larger yes?
Click to expand...

Stange since we have the same car, but there are a fair amount of people that are experiencing their rears wearing faster on our cars.
 
SYMAWD said:
Stange since we have the same car, but there are a fair amount of people that are experiencing their rears wearing faster on our cars.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Where are you reading this? Do you have a link?
 
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