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Teach me how to care for this thing!

3K views 19 replies 11 participants last post by  Paul 92688 
#1 ·
New 2015 overland. Would love some detailed advice/recommendations as to caring for this thing cosmetically. Specifically washing/waxing/clay bar etc. leather treatments wheels. All that stuff. I am essentially clueless. My late father used to tell me never to wash the car in the sunshine. Other examples of advice include no auto or high velocity spray car washes. Never let it air dry. Etc. thanks.


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#2 ·
Hi Mt it would take a tremendous amount of time to give you the proper detailing information. All the information you seek and what products you would ever need can be found over on a Forum site called Autogeek.com. Browse the forum Auto Detailing 101 there you will find the answer to any question that has ever been asked regarding detailing. It will seem a little overwhelming at first but rest assured you will be well informed on products, techniques, reviews, etc. Let me know how you make out or if you have any further questions. Have a nice Memorial Day.....


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#3 ·
I watch these guys on youtube:

AMMO NYC
Auto Fetish Detail
Adams Polishes
Chemical Guys
Detail King

I watched a lot of videos. And learned a lot. I mostly use Adams products, they work for me. There is a lot of products out there. Research, and watch. A lot of trial and error.
 
#4 ·
Yes VZ very good advice about watching videos. But you left out the Junkman from your list. I'am a big fan of his. As he is a little more down to earth in his detailing advice. I like the fact that he does not promote or try to sell you anything. He merely suggests what works and his results speak for themselves.
 
#5 ·
Great advice here! Keep in mind when reading over on detailing websites or watching videos though that there are TONS of products that pretty much all do the same thing. First tip: learn how to wash your Jeep without scratching it. Always wash it yourself, not in automatic washes.
 
#6 ·
The best tip of all: don't let your Jeep stay dirty. In other words, wash it as soon as it gets dirty, rather than putting it off. Then, keep it waxed.

Washing off a lot of collected dirt is the surest way to scratch up your finish and damage your clear coat. Further, before you start dipping into the soap bucket to wash it, you need to rinse first. Otherwise, you're going to wipe dirt across the surfaces and scratch them.

But....

If you have a lot of dried, collected dirt, don't go blasting it off with the hose. Instead, use a very low pressure mist to dampen it and soften it up. Then use a moderate spray to rinse the car before you wash it. Never run full pressure on a dirty car or you'll be sand blasting it when you meant to wash it.

I usually pre-treat the front grill and bumper with a light soak and some spray on bug and tar remover and let it sit while I work on the rest of the car.

One important rule: don't wash the car when it's been sitting out in the hot sun. That cold water from the hose can damage hot paint and crack plastics or even windows.

Find a shady spot to park it for a while if you don't have a garage.

Don't use hot water in your wash buckets, either. Hot water tends to hold more grit in suspension, so it doesn't settle at the bottom of the bucket. I actually like to use two buckets - one for each side so I'm not using dirty water at the end of the wash. I could always refill one, but it's easier to just grab the second one.

One each side, I start on the roof and work my way down the windows and the hood, then the front grill, doors and quarter panels and finally the back gate and rear bumper. That way, I'm hitting the dirtiest spots last on each side. I frequently rinse my wash mitt with the hose to keep dirt from collecting in it.

When drying or polishing, watch out for tags on towels. Drying towels should be dampened before using them.

When you wax, be sure to keep it off the unpainted plastics, like the black trim on the roof rack, the trim on the wheel wells and the rubber gaskets around windows.
 
#7 ·
Wash it with car wash stuff from wallmart, what ever is cheapest.
When ever you feel like it.

That's it. Never put anything on interior.
My 4th GC and they looked perefectly fine even after 12 years inside and out.
Never waxed even once.
 
#8 ·
I've always taken cleaning tips from Zaino...even the shiny black plastic surfaces of my vehicles have stayed scratch/swirl mark free:

1) Don't over wash your car - Every time you wash/dry your car...no matter how much special care you take...you WILL end up micro scratching the finish a bit. My rule is if it's going to rain within 3 days, I don't wash the car. I also own a California duster to remove dust/pollen between washes. In the Winter I'll take my vehicle only to touch-less car washes when it's too cold to wash by hand...ensuring the outside temp is above 32 degrees.

2) Use dedicated car wash/soap - If you use high pH dish washing detergent, it strips off the wax. Also, don't use too much...it will just leave a residue on the finish when it drys.

3) Only use 100% cotton towel to wash your car - Cotton is hydrophilic (affinity for water), so a layer of water stays between the fibers and your finish. Man-made materials like Microfiber is hydrophobic (water repelling), and cheap Microfiber WILL leave swirl marks.

4) NEVER wash when the finish is hot or in direct sunlight, and rinse the vehicle thoroughly before washing. Also, start by washing the top portions first...working your way down to the dirty surfaces last. I even go as far as to use a dedicated wash mitt just for the wheels/tires.

5) Dry your car after washing to avoid water spots - I've heard some people use leaf blowers, or deionized water as a final rinse...I personally use an "Absorber".
 
#9 ·
2015? First don't wax or clay it any time soon, not only doesn't it need it, you could ruin the clear coat - often why you see "swirls" in a lot of unpolished paints, someone was too rough with it in the past and now it needs polishes to fill it in. In my experience, a well-maintained car doesn't need waxed for 3 years, and doesn't need polished for 5, because once you start that process, the paint/finish always needs it again. Wash it as it gets dirty, there's nothing else to do with a new car.

You could use some kind of spray on wax or something, but whatever it is don't do a lot of wiping no matter what. A soap with built-in "sealant/wax/protectant" will get you the nice beaded water or runoff you expect.

Take off thick road dirt, grime, goo, etc. first, and when it is that dirty, use two buckets, one with soapy water, one to rinse the mitt, to prevent transferring around little pieces of dirt. Bird droppings and such, soak them, and wipe them off gently and in short wipes, don't push it in circles.

Wash from top to bottom. I always spray off the entire body, then soap and rinse the roof, then soap and rinse windows, then soap and rinse front to back, always rinsing off the soap in patches so it doesn't dry on the car anywhere. And it helps to keep everything sprayed so it's still wet when you go to dry it, preventing spots.

Again, no need to rub really hard or go over and over an area, be gentle with it. With the rights soaps and cleaners it's should be pretty easy. I use a lot of Griot's products now, they're pricier but I like them. Remember to wipe out the door wells, and door frames, and trunk and under the hood for an actually detailed final product.

As for interior, basically the same idea. Try not to polish the dash unless you like a lot of reflection in your face when driving. I try to go for clean inside, not shiny. Again, not much needs "cleaned" if you are generally pretty neat and tidy in the car. Twice a year, or pre- and post-winter if you're in that kind of climate, you can use a leather conditioner, light, not heavy, to wipe the seats down and clean them, not shine them up. Also use a "dressing" or similar cleaner on all of the door and trunk seals to keep them moist, usually the same as tire dressing will do.

You could check tire pressure, fluids, and so on weekly if you want to be a fanatic, but once a month would be safe. If you're high mileage, or simply a fanatic, you could keep a log of things as well, to see if anything odd or unusual is occurring over the miles. Also as it's new, use the same schedule just to check all the power equipment you may not normally be using, all the windows work, the sunroof works, etc. so maybe you catch something before it is a problem, and still under warranty.
 
#13 ·
Clayed mine the day I picked it up from dealer with no ill effects. As VZ stated Factory paint is fully cured by the time it is driven out of the plant. But fallout and rail dust are abundant around your vehicle while on its way to dealership. The best way to check if you need to clay is the Baggie test. After washing your vehicle put a very thin plastic bag over hand and run your fingertips over your hood. If you feel little pieces of debris on your fingers you need to clay. If it is smooth as glass you are good to go and proceed with your detailing. I have actually switched from using clay to a Nanoskin wash mitt. Does the same thing as clay in half the time. Very pleased with the results leaves my GC smooth as glass with no marring or streaks that clay sometimes leaves.
 
#14 ·
All very good info here. The baggie trick is a great way to tell if you need claying.

I have heard good stuff on the NanoSkin mitt. I have to try it out.

Even clay the glass, you will be amazed on how much stuff is embedded in it, its also a great way to get stubborn water spots out.

I could go on and on, and don't even get me started on MicroFiber... :eek:
 
#16 ·
Clay it when you get it. Put on a good synthetic "wax" and then keep it clean. Clean bugs and bird droppings ASAP. If the car is fairly clean you can wash it with quick detailer and a bunch of clean microfiber towels. I favor the one's at Sams Club over those from Costco. They are cheap. Go through a bunch during a wash, then launder. Those that don't look nice and clean after a trip through the washer/dryer get tossed. They are too inexpensive to try to hang on to. I used to use Meguires Quick Detailer, but have recently found a concentrate that is fine. I dilute it into 1 gallon containers of distilled water and pour into spray bottles. Crazy cheap and no minerals to water spot the car if evaporation occurs. Keeping the car clean and using the synthetic wax when new, the car hasn't been waxed or clayed in 68K miles and a few years. Still beads water and shines beautifully. Can't see any reason to re-wax. Will fail the baggie test, but not too badly.

Hope you didn't get a dark color if you favor low maintenance.

Paul
 
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