bfa
X-TRAIL NEWBIE
Date Registered: 11-2006
TOTAL POSTS: 93
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 Re: X-Trail Washing Tips
Hi all,
As Melbourne has now come under stage 3 water restrictions and is rumoured to be shifting to stage 4 in a month or so, I thought I would share with you my method of keeping my exy clean.
I have never liked using the commercial self wash car washes as I belive the brushes do horrible things to you paint, but at the moment there aren't many options!
I usaully head down to my local carlovers with a bucket, all my sponges and a chamois. (I usaully do this first thing in the morning or later in the evening when there aren't so many people around so I can take my time and not upset anyone)
1) Insert $2-$3 and give the exy a blast with the high presure soap to loosen up any built up road grime and dust.
2) I then switch back to the pre rinse option and give the car a good soak, at the same time I fill half of my bucket with this pre soak solution (I found that the pre soak lathers up better and have been told by the attendant that its the same as the high pressure soap.)
3) Switch to the tyre and engine cleaner and carefully give the wheels a blast to get rid of brake dust. Take care not to get any on the paintwork.
4) Starting from the top and working down. I make my way around the car with a soft lambs wool mit, concentrating on one panel at a time and ensuring that the mit is rinsed clean of grit and grime after each panel (this will help avoid any of the small swirling scratches that mysteriously appear 8( )
5) After the car is nicely lathered up and your sure you haven't missed any spots, Insert another $2 and give the car a quick rinse off.
6) Switch over to the brush (gasp!) and give the wheels a quick lather up. If needed switch back to pre soak and top your bucket.
7) Using another sponge give the wheels a good scrub, making sure you get into all the little gaps. (Always have a sponge that you will only ever use on the wheels otherwise you will damage your paintwork)
8) Insert another $2 and give the entire car a good high presure rinse. Switch over to the low presure rinse and give the car a good soak.
At this point you have the option of throwing in another $2 and giving the car a coat of wax and another rinse, however I have found the wax to be pretty usless.
9) Move the exy out of the wash bay and ensure you give it a good dry with a high quality chamois. This is a fairly important step as I find the recyled water used in these car washes leaves some pretty horrible water marks
10) Finished!!! You have a nice clean xtrail. You can now spend 5-10 mins cleaning and vacuuming the interior.
Cost: approx $6-8 dollars
Time: spent 20-30 mins
I have found this to be the quickest and easiest way to keep the exy clean and found that I only have to wash it every second week.
Some key points to remeber:
-Only put small amounts of money in at a time
-Keep tyre and engine cleaner away from paint work
-Always have seperate sponges for paint work and wheels
-Never use your wheel sponge on you paintwork. EVER!!!!
-Always chamois dry
---
Dan
2006 Black Ti-L
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26/Jan/2007, 9:31 am
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jalalski
Date Registered: 02-2004
Location: SUTHERLAND, SYDNEY
TOTAL POSTS: 29100
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Re: X-Trail Washing Tips
quote:
bfa wrote:
9) Move the exy out of the wash bay and ensure you give it a good dry with a high quality chamois. This is a fairly important step as I find the recyled water used in these car washes leaves some pretty horrible water marks
Excellent washing tips Dan, but if you include the Eagle One Wax As You Dry product with step 9 (while drying your exy) this would ensure that no water marks are left on the paint-work at all. Even if some spots on the car get dry while you do that.
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26/Jan/2007, 9:46 am
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jalalski
Date Registered: 02-2004
Location: SUTHERLAND, SYDNEY
TOTAL POSTS: 29100
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Re: X-Trail Washing Tips
quote:
bfa wrote:
You could also reach by standing on you tire (not the ideal solution) or getting some side steps installed.
Cheers
There is a good solution out there and cheaper than installing side steps.
Very handy when loading stuff into the roof pod as well.
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26/Jan/2007, 9:55 am
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Dave4x4
X-TRAIL LEGEND
Date Registered: 08-2005
Location: NEWCASTLE
TOTAL POSTS: 691
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Re: X-Trail Washing Tips
Kev,
There is one other option you could lower your Exy this makes washing it a whole lot easier
--- (Dave Newcastle 2004 ST
ID: X211
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26/Jan/2007, 8:52 pm
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