The Clean Up....

[Sambartom]

Hi all after spending some time today cleaning the jeep inside and out after some good 4x4 runs lately "The cook thinks i am mad as i will get it muddy again very soon". I was wondering how often do you guys clean your 4by and to what existent do you go to.I put the jeep on ramps and go to town on the under body and clean all the door jams,under the bonnet and cut and polish it.I love to play in the mud but i also love a nice clean 4x4...

B4

AFTER

 

[frosty]

wot??

 

[Sambartom]

wot??

Wot, Wot...

 

[frosty]

uuummm.... Have'nt seen my rig sparkle for a long time. mmmm.. tomorrow seems like a .......

 

[Sambartom]

You know the old saying..You look after it and it will look after you....lol

 

[frosty]

230 000km still goin strong! Only 5 washes!!

 

[ChallengeLee]

I clean mine when the mood takes me....usually find Bitsa can go weeks or months without a wash...gotta consider water restrictions, beach runs the exceptions...gets a good wash asap after getting home.

 

[millsy]

Hey, thats one nice looking car! If I had one like that I would be wanting to show off a sparkle too!

But don't do the cut and polish thing IMO! That's just another way of saying lets rip off some paint. Before you know it the primer will be starting to show through!

I made this mistake with a car that I drove for many years. Looked great for the first two or three but then had these ugly large patches where I had polished the paint right off it! ( Maybe the previous owner had 'gone to town' with the cut and polish to make it look pretty to suck a buyer in! )

Now I just use Meguiar's Step 3 'Deep Crystal Carnauba WAX'. It seems to have no cut at all. It leaves a good layer of slippery wax to repel water, and I hope UV rays, but not sure. It is really soft on the paint since it does nothing for small marks that need to be removed with a bit of 'tougher' cream.

Lots of different ideas when it comes to cleaning and polishing!

By the way, my Commodore manual suggested sponging off squashed insects off the front of the car with a dilute solution of baking soda ( bi-carbonate of soda). It certainly works, because I have used it a few times. But again I wonder how much paint might be coming off as well? Does any-one know if this is a problem? Or any better way of getting those b....dy bugs off!

Cheers, Millsy

 

[Sambartom]

Thanks......"Cheep" cut and polish can harm your car after years of doing it.The trick is to do it 1 or2 times a year by hand then use a good polish in between.Being a panel beater/spray painter im not that worried about dents or paint fade as i will fix it when it happens. bi-carbonate of soda will work but i would not leave it on the paint for very long it will eat it.There are a lot of new things on the market that work great it comes down to you get what you pay for...

 

[millsy]

Thanks. Sorry for telling to the proffesional! Must admit I have not asked about bug cleaners at the local car shop. Always too busy buying bits to keep the wheels turning!

What about those lights on your roof? I hit out on a post the other day about cars with 8 lights, suggesting its over-kill. But I have never had the 'pleasure' of trying one out. I was going to put a pair of spotties on the MQ because the old sealed beam headlights seemed too weak. The guy talked me into just fitting '50plus' bulbs into some new headlight 'shells'. Seems pretty good to me. Now I have the same bulbs in all four cars parked in the driveway.

So whats the story with putting up all that stuff on your roof?

 

[Sambartom]

I don't like carrots...lol.. I do a lot of night driving and i like to see what is on the side of the road.I turn the two smaller ones out a bit so it lights up the bush so i can see if a 500kg Sambar deer is going to run out in front of me as it will hurt if i hit one or a 200kg Fallow deer "come to close some times".Deers are a very smart animal but at night they are very dum.I also like to spot wild life and ferals so i know wear to come back to hunt the ferals..lol...

 

[millsy]

Sorry again! All makes good sense. And now I see where your avatar comes from. never heard of a sambar before! And I better watch out next time your'e around - youv'e probably heard enough from me!

Cheers, Millsy.

 

[Croozer]

With headlights I just bit the bullet and did a HID upgrade and they are awsome. I have the big XGT Lightforce on as well but the HID kit done wonders such a white light its like driving in the middle of the day. The kits are comming down in price now too.
Oh I let Elise clean the car she gets it dirty most of the time anyway.

 

[Brisey]

I'm usually got a 4x4 run every 3 - 4 weeks so I tend to be a bit slack with cleaning the wrangler & only wash it every few months but I give it a full detail once a year with polish & vacuum etc & I usually repaint the bumpers, wheels & flairs at the same time.

Cheers

Bri

 

[Grumpy]

Got Drivers side done two days ago, then someone suggested we go 4bying so all matched up again, scratchwork on drivers side matches again. I buy cars for reasons and use them for the same, No Toorak Tractor here.

 

[Sambartom]

Got Drivers side done two days ago, then someone suggested we go 4bying so all matched up again, scratchwork on drivers side matches again. I buy cars for reasons and use them for the same, No Toorak Tractor here.

LMAO....No Toorak Tractor here to grumpy if thats what your saying im a long way from Toorak..I go places some people can only dream of...lol..As i said i love to play in the mud and dirt and i also like a clean 4by every now and then..you get out what you put in, i look after the old girl and she looks after me.....The last person that said i drive a Toorak Tractor got left at the bottom of clay rock hill at Coppers he soon changed his mind..lol

 

[Sambartom]

Sorry again! All makes good sense. And now I see where your avatar comes from. never heard of a sambar before! And I better watch out next time your'e around - youv'e probably heard enough from me!

Cheers, Millsy.

Thats cool..Yep not to many people even know we have deers in our bush.No need to watch out for me...lol..

 

[Grumpy]

LMAO....No Toorak Tractor here to grumpy if thats what your saying im a long way from Toorak..I go places some people can only dream of...lol..As i said i love to play in the mud and dirt and i also like a clean 4by every now and then..you get out what you put in, i look after the old girl and she looks after me.....The last person that said i drive a Toorak Tractor got left at the bottom of clay rock hill at Coppers he soon changed his mind..lol

Just saying mines not a tractor I'm of the opinion u buy a car for a reason and like u I use mine for that too. CHEERS

 

[Sambartom]

Just saying mines not a tractor I'm of the opinion u buy a car for a reason and like u I use mine for that too. CHEERS

All good mate..

 

[Patriot]

I go out about once a month and usually the next weekend I give it a wash if it has had a serious play. I used to enjoy washing the car here, but with the water restrictions down here I have to take it to a car wash. William likes it, he just has enough strength to control the recoil from the high pressure hose!

Should wax it one of these days.

James