AdventurePoser

My new-to-me Vette was delivered yesterday evening. She is a 2015 Z51 convertible, AW, with the A8 tranny. She has a Z06 grille (I think), and has competition style seats(I think) as well. I'll post up pix as soon as it stops raining.

The car made it's way to me through blinding rain, mud, and enough road gunk to coat three cars and this was just from Portland to Newport...

To say the car is dirty is a serious understatement.

Underneath the dirt, the car seems pristine; the paint looks great, the interior looks brand new (car had 6400 miles on it when delivered) and it runs beautifully!

Anyway, where do I start with cleaning her up? i"m thinking lots of water to loosen all the sh$t on it, then the two bucket wash using a mitt and a waffle weave towel to dry. I'll clean the wheels using a dedicated micro fiber cloth and car soap... Then maybe a pump bottle wax, and buff with clean mf towels.

Am I on the right track here? Anything I'm missing?

Cheers,
Steve, in the Great Northwet

JoesC5

I would run it to a self service car wash first and knock off the bulk of the dirt with the pressure washer. Don't worry about getting it spit polish clean.

Then drive it home and do a proper wash job using LOTs of clean soapy water(using Dawn) with a CLEAN mitt. Use a new mitt on the painted surfaces and an old mitt strictly for the wheels and wheel housings etc, after washing the painted surfaces.

Glen e

After you get it like joe says above, itll be ready for whatever you want to do. Optimum would be to polish and then pick a wax/ sealant, but if you just want a fast gloss, get some meguires "quik wax" spray. Great stuff, not a wax ' but a pretty good polymer. Thin coat.....use sparingly.

patriotpa

Be aware, dishwashing detergent will STRIP any wax from the car, and it's not too good for the paint and plastics. I'd use a good quality car wash soap.

Glen e

The idea is to strip the car, shampoo is too weak for that.

AdventurePoser

I noticed after driving it home that water is beading very nicely all over the car. This indicates a good wax build up on the car, correct?

So, I want to use Dawn and strip this wax off. Then re-wax? I have a tin of fresh Turtle wax that hasn't been used yet...

Thanks for the great advice, I really appreciate it.

ratman6161

I'd start with driving it, bad weather or not

Sounds like there is nothing to lose.

Glen e

Yes , i think (and agree) what joe is saying strip it to get it sqeeky clean. Right now, you dont know whats on it...and new wax on dirty wax is just ineffective for gloss and durability. If you want a ful blown method, i have docs on that- still easy, but involves clay/polish. But if you want to spray and go, then do that after the dawn.

Personally, id dump the turtle wax, lots better and EASIER stuff out now. This quik wax above being one.

AdventurePoser

Glen, I'll check out your docs in more detail now that I have the car. Are there any alternatives to clay bars? Also, I have no experience with orbital sanders, nor do I own one. I plan on washing and detailing by hand.

Thanks very much!

Absolutely nothing to lose! LOL

2vette2

You should post some before and after pic's.

joemessman

Also buy plenty of microfiber wash mitts. Especially if you are using the two bucket method. One mitt for the top. One for the hood. One for grill and bumper area. One for the back. One for each side from the bottom of the doors up. One for each side on the bottom areas below the doors. You get the idea. Don't rinse and reuse on another section. When you dry it off don't press to hard on your microfiber drying towels. And for the first time when drying it off use a quick-touch spray when drying. Then see how it looks and feels. It may have had a good wax job on it already.

Zymurgy

I really encourage you to go the clay bar route. You will be amazed how much stuff the clay bar will pickup off the just cleaned surfaces. This is stuff that has stuck to (or embedded itself into) the paint. It's not difficult.

Glen e

just read the docs, you don't have to have an orbital. The docs are written for non-detailers.... start with #1

after you get the procedure down, you can move to all the other products that are available from everybody. But you'll now know what they do.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/acxkaf44c...VlC5djtQa?dl=0

JoesC5

Dawn is a liquid hand dishwashing soap that is not designed to strip the skin off the ladies hands. It is not a powdered detergent that is intended for automatic dishwashers. Also, Dawn liquid does not have any lotion in it, as the other brands do, so it leaves the surface of the car clean, ready for the application of a new coat of wax(I personally use Rejex which is not a wax).

Trihawk

When it comes to detailing, the Glen E method seems to be the most universally appreciated on this forum.

cowboys223

OH NO! PUT DOWN YOUR ORBITAL SANDER!! You may want to use an orbital buffer or polisher instead

1%r

Clay bar is the way to go.

Red Rochester

Then a couple coats of good sealer like Wolfgange. Then a coat of pure wax and your off to the next car show

1776DAVE

OMG so worried over road dirt and mud.
I'll bet I got you beat! I live in cattle country in east central florida. Had my '16 z51 3 days and came home driving like I stole it parked in drive way and looked back and realized that they had had a cattle drive down my road that I just missed and had cow, steer And For Real BULL SH.T ALL the way down the sides of the car and under it. Have not cryed above road dirt sence.

Larry/car

WOW!!! Do you want to play with the paint or enjoy your car? Just wash the car using a wash and wax product. Use a wheel cleaner to dislodge the brake dirt from the wheels, I find you still have to use a mit to remove the dirt film. About once a year or if the paint dulls/oxidizes prior, polish with a cleaner wax product. Your car will look good and a little road dirt accumulated while driving will not stress you.