Ok dont laugh please, how to clean the car?

[motoadve]

Im new at this, never in my life I have clean a car before,( never owned a Porsche before).

Im starting to clean my Porsche and now Im actually enjoying a lot,
I dont want to damage or scratch anything so please what steps into cleaning the car?

Outside? pressure washer? what soap, dry with cloth or sun dry?

Inside?(I bought leatherique, what about for the middle console I dont want to use anything that can ruin the mat finish

Windows?


Top? (I was told to leave it alone)

I bought a foam spray that leaves the tires like new (that's easy)

All tips are welcomed.

Moto, there is some great advice on this Forum regarding your question. A few skilled "searches" and you will find a ton of stuff, especially from Perfectlap.

Here are a few tips:

Washing- lots of water! Wet the car first. Don't use a sprayer nozzle; just let the water "sheet" on the car. Use a high quality soap (I use Zaino Z7) and water. Make the wash water frothy & sudsy. Wash with a high quality wash mitt or cloth. Try www.autopia.org for some high quality washing cloths and drying cloths. Wash when the car is cool, and out of direct sunlight. Wash in the direction that the wind passes over the car. No circular motions. Wash a section and rinse. Don't use the same water on your wheels as you do on the car. Use fresh. You can get real "anal" and do the 2 bucket wash too. If the car is real dirty, change your soapy water in-between. You can wash the hood and trunk first. Then do the sides. Wash the dirtiest part last, or change the wash water. I do wash my wheel first, because it takes so long, and I don't want water sitting (spotting) on the car.


The Rag Top- use Ragg Topp, and then just rinse on occasion with a stream of water.

Windows- I use 100% White Terry Cloth Towels. These rags are only for windows. I use a solution of denatured alcohol and distilled water. 1 part alcohol to 2 parts water. Shaken, not stirred!! I use 2 towels. One is sprayed with the cleaning solution, the other is used for drying and buffing the glass. Work in the shade when the glass is cool.

Center Console- just wipe with a damp cloth.

[Perfectlap]

where do you buy your car care stuff in Costa Rica?

The most important thing in my opinion is to buy the best towels you can have shipped to you. Don't use any towels from autostores or big discount department stores. Cheap towels will ruin your paint. I buy my towels by the 12 pack from Poorboysworld.com (mega towel) or from Detailcity.com. They sell basically the same towel it just comes in different colors. The towel has silk binding which is VERY IMPORTANT. Loose or unlooped threads are bad for paint.

The 2nd most important thing is don't touch the paint when its dry. Wet the paint and the towel, ALWAYS. That means pre-rinsing when washing and spraying the paint with a quick detail spray before using any type of wax paste or spray. Lubrication when cleaning/waxing will keep the paint looking brand new.
Also dry the car using the flood method and don't wipe the car dry. you want to press down not wipe left to right when drying.

[motoadve]

How is the flood method ?

[Perfectlap]

when using a hose spray nozzle this thing

you should only be using it on your soft top or in the wheel wells.
Don't use the spray nozzle on your paint.

Unscrew it from the hose and use the low pressure stream to rinse the car before washing. Wash the car (a good time to clay the paint) and when you are ready to rinse the soap off lower the water pressure so that the water's movement pushes most of the soapy and water off the paint. Like pouring a bottle of soda over a flat table, except your car isn't flat so the water will just run off the sides.
You might have to experiment with water pressures. After some practice you can clear off 95% of the water still on the car so your are only left with a few beads here and there.

Take the waffle weave and press on the water that is left. Don't wipe left to right.
That causes scratching. This using the flood rinsing method you only touch the paint very little to dry it.

After 'drying' this way you can spray each panel with a spray wax or spray gloss. Make sure the panel is very wet and so is the towel. Always use speed when buffing the paint with a towel and never use pressure.

Make sure to have at least one of these in your two buckets. They will save your paint allot of scratching.

I just finished washing my car 15 minutes ago. I use a power washer. I start from the top and work my way down with it on a soft setting to get off all the dirt. Then I soap it up, and power wash off all the soap. From your explanation I guess I am doing a badddddd job? And I thought I was doing a great job!!!

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

Don't use the spray nozzle on your paint.

[Perfectlap]

you need this (see pic)
Don't use pressure on your car, only for the softop and in the wheel arches aka wheel wells. light pressure on your wheels and only when the wheels are cold.
http://www.autogeek.net/pifofowagun.html

I have one of those addons. And one of these: