Keeping the Prius shiny...

How to keep your Prius shiny...
I am pretty serious about keeping my car clean and shiny; washing it couple times a month, more if it gets dirty. Here are some tips for those who could use it...

Park it somewhere shady...
You don't want to wash or wax your car in direct sunlight. Wash it in direct sunlight and you'll end up with water spots. If you have "hard" water (like me in Hawaii), the spots are really tough to remove.

Waxing the car in the sunlight causes the wax to streak and dry to quickly, making it hard to remove.

Washing the car...
Number one rule is don't use dishwashing liquids or anything not designed for washing cars unless you want to remove your wax. Dishwashing liquids have grease removers and waxes are basically similar as grease. Use soaps designed for cars.

The first step is to clean the wheels and tires. Use a good brush to clean the wheels. Again, use a wheel cleaner if possible. Be careful, some wheel cleaners are caustic and can damage your wheels after prolonged use. Rinse the wheel thoroughly when done.

When washing the car, always wash top down. Wash the roof and windows and then rinse the suds off. You don't want to have the suds leaving any spots. Then wash the hood, trunk and finally the sides. Rinse thoroughly.

Use a chamois or drying cloths to dry your car. I don't particularly like to use them because you can't get the water out of every nook and cranny. As soon as you drive off, the water flies out all over the place and wets the car.

I use an electric leaf blower and blast the water off from the car. This way, you can be sure to get out all the water from the car. Be careful you don't drop any water on it or have the cord go into any water or you can get a nasty shock. Gas leaf blower don't work too well as it often blows out gas fumes out which leaves a oily film on the car's finish...

Prepping the paint...
Now feel the paint. If the paint is not smooth as glass, you might want to "clay" the car. Neglected paint ends up picking up contaminants from acid rain or soot which imbeds into the paint's surface. A clay bar removes the contaminants and leaves your finish smooth. It usually comes with a liquid detailer that you spray on the car and you just wipe the clay over the wet area. knead the bar often to prevent using the contaminated clay area repeatedly. If you run out of the detailer, you can substitute a soapy solution… it works just as well.

Clay Bar kit

IMPORTANT: if you drop the clay bar, TOSS IT!!! It will pick up all kind of dirt and debris and reusing the bar will damage your paint surface by scratching it.

If your paint has some dullness, you might want to use a polish to bring out the shine. Apply the polish to a damp cloth (or follow the directions, they can be different) and rub into a section of the paint using a circular motion with even pressure. Using a clean cotton cloth, remove the residue. Reapply as needed. If the paint is still dull, you may need to use a stronger polish or even a rubbing compound. Be careful with rubbing compounds as they are very abrasive and can remove too much of the paint's finish.

Protecting the finish...
There are all kinds of products to protect the paint, carnauba waxes or synthetic sealants are the most common.

Auto enthusiasts usually prefer carnauba waxes as it gives the paint a deep luster that synthetics cannot provide. The problem is that carnauba waxes do not last long, the protection is also dependent on the paint color. Waxes are heat sensitive, so darker colors reduces their longevity. At most, waxes are effective only for about four to six weeks max.

Synthetic polishes are getting more common since the EPA is clamping down on carnauba waxes (they use petroleum distillates to keep the wax soft and easy to use, but these emit fumes that pollute the air). Good synthetics can last a long time, some even as long as a few months. But the problem is that synthetics leaves the car with an artificial shine. It makes the car looks like it has a coating of saran wrap over it.

Personal Tastes...
For car waxes, I like P21S from Germany. Unfortunately, it is quite expensive and hard to find. Luckily the exact same wax can be found in most motorcycle shops labeled as S100. This wax is easy to apply and wipe off. It does not leave any residue on black trim. And for a wax it lasts awhile and leaves an extremely slick finish on the car. You apply a thin film and wipe it right off. Good stuff.


P21 Wax Kit


S100 Carnauba Paste Wax

For synthetics, the best is Zaino. Zaino is only available online (unless you live in a rare area with a local distributor). Zaino can be tedious to apply initially and seems expensive for the amount you get. But you really use a tiny amount and it is actually quite economical. Zaino is an additive polish... the more you apply, the better the finish.


Zaino products...



A car finished in Zaino.. note the glossy, plasticky look...

I don't care for Meguiar’s Gold Class or NXT waxes. They initially look nice but their durability is poor. Also, after a couple of days, the car's finish has streaks when in the sun.

Turtle waxes also do not last long but at least does not leave the streaky finish like Meguiars.

Mother's Reflections Car waxes leaves a beautiful finish but their durability is weak as well (noticing a trend?)

Eagle One Nano polish leaves a real smooth finish as claimed but again, it does not last long.

let me know if you have any questions you'd want me to answer...

 

Zaino can be bought locally in Hawaii from:

Joie Yuen
Aiea, HI 96701
(808)487-7467
Email: [email protected]

All you need is either the Z2 Pro or Z5 Pro...
you will definitely need the ZFX Accelerator to use with the Z2 or Z5
Z6 or Z8 can be used for a quick gloss, best if used berween coats...
You need to remember one important thing... you apply the Zaino sparingly... when applied it should leave a thin film... you do not apply it like waxes with thick coats... 1/8 oz should be able to do two-three coats (which I strongly suggest for the initial application)... It is very easy to apply, wipe on and wipe off... you don't have to rub it in... One 8 oz bottle lasts me a year, and I apply it every week....


A Zaino finished Porsche...

and a Zaino finished Firebird....

The S100 Carnauba Wax can be bought from Cycle City by the airport, where Kelly's used to be.... You apply the wax and wipe it off before it dries... very slick finish. has beeswax and carnauba wax...

One thing I do not like about carnauba waxes... if you park under a tree and it rains hard, carnauba wax gets stripped off for some reason... the water does not bead after that...