Team Adam's Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 No one was born knowing how to properly care for a car... for a lot of us its something we learn right around the same time we get that itch to learn to drive. Or if you have a parent of sibling who was into it, but before you knew any better what were your biggest mistakes? Confess them here and all shall be forgiven. I'll start - I got my first car (an '87 Camaro) just before I turned 16 so I could learn to drive. Wanting to spend every waking moment working on it I can remember having the desire to wash, but not knowing what to use - remember kids this was in a time before the interwebz! I believe my first wash kit consisted of some palmolive soap I stole from my mom, a couple of old socks as wash mitts, and a bath towel to dry. Ah, the blissful ignorance of youth I also remember thinking "man... this thing looks horrible even after I wash it" and thus the thirst for how to do it right was born. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueGenCoupe Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I always would watch the way my old man washed his trucks. He always took a full afternoon to wash/dry. At the time he would use a bucket with car washsoap that had zero foam and a brush. After he would dry with a shammie and put some meguiars stuff on the tires to make them shine. I had the same wash technique up until I saw Junkmans Videos on youtube! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Adam's Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 My first car was a black '85 trans am. I washed it weekly with Dawn that I stole from the kitchen sink. I followed EVERY wash with a nice, thick coat of turtle wax. I used a TON of wax, and could never figure out why the water would never bead up on it. :facepalm: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Tegeler Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 first car was a 1992 ford ranger with only 30k miles on the clock. I would wash it atleast once a week either at teh carwash with the brush or with some dawn dish soap. always followed by turtlewax spray wax. I was always mad my fenderwells looked chalky and grey and my interior was a little faded. no longer thanks to Adams! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marylander Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 For as long as I can remember I always helped my dad wash his corvettes with some cheap auto parts store soap and then dry it with a chamois. A few times a year the cars would get a coat of turtle wax, too, but my dad was never good about getting all the wax out from around the badges and all. Drove me kinda crazy, and I was the first in my family to take an old toothbrush to the car to get those details cleaned up. I stepped up the game when, at about 17, I got my 130k mile 79 Celica GT liftback and stared using armor-all on the tires and trim. As the years went by and my cars got nicer, I started trying "higher end" parts store cleaners and polishes, as well as stuff like scratch-x and other things that I thought would give my car a better shine. I never did get anything close to satisfying results with the "three step" cleaner/polish/wax type stuff. It really took the PC to get me where I wanted to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golf for Life Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 When I started to DETAIL I used joy dish soap and any old rag. Than used a chamois. At the time late 50's early 60's always used vista wax, seemed to remove a ton of paint with each use. Even on my buddies 1961 Impala SS 409, in Roman Red. Another friend would use nearly an entire container of Master wax on his Road Runner. And man did he have a time removing that stuff. We all learn by our mistakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laguna Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 The GTO is my second car. While my first car was a 2001 Cavalier, I did take care of it, but I did not get into detailing until this GTO. Once I saw it how it looks black, I thought "I always want it to look this amazing." From there, I started seeing how much it costs to get it detailed and learning about how no one does it right. I started reading forums and purchasing more and more and started doing everything on my own and I got amazingly hooked. I'm a very "do-it-yourself and you'll feel so good about it" as well as a patient guy, so detailing is amazing for me. I fix computers for a living and I love seeing the before on a broken PC and the after. It gives me a sense of worth and accomplishments. Detailing as a hobby just enlightens that. My family's biggest OMG? My dad has always used dish soap. He is 65 years old and now he will not put it on any car after I learned the truth behind it. It's amazing too because he has had a plethora of cars. He's not very into detailing, but he did take care of his own and kept on the upkeep of his cars as well as at least washing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChargerMatt Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 My charger is my first car, and I hit the ground running with Adam's products Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07RS4 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 First car...White Pontiac Grand AM Quad 4 (fancy way of saying fast slow 4 cylinder), I believe it was a 1990. Biggest mistake... 1. One bucket (always used "car shampoo") washing, until there was no suds. Then spray, get all the dirt swirling in the bucket and have at it. To be honest, even at 17 washing my car, I always felt like I was doing something wrong....BUT it was White, bwahahah and I couldn't tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVE SXT Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I started out helping my father wash and then wax the US Army staff cars, and then clean up the interiors (back in the 70s, high ranking military personnel were allowed to smoke in staff cars). He drove Colonels and Generals all around the Netherlands and Germany back in the early 70s when we were stationed in the Netherlands. Anyways, Air Force issued car wash substance and Army terry cloth towels to dry. Then Air Force issued paste wax, and we actually used new cotton diapers to wipe off the wax. We then went to work on the interiors and just used a general purpose cleaner inside and the made the tires shine with a silicone spray. Also since the Chevy Malibus had chrome rear and front bumpers, we had to polish them with you guessed it, Army issued chrome polish. And last but not least, we had to clean and polish the rank insignia that was mounted on a metal plate and placed in a holder on the bumper to display the rank of the VIP being chauffered around. It was good quality and bonding time and I really enjoyed it. In the Netherlands and pretty much all of Europe, you cannot even drive until you are 18 years old...no exceptions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsford Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I started when I had my 2001 S10 around May 2005. All I had was a bunch of crappy Armorall Soap and Towel. I wrecked my S10 and got a F150 in 2008. After that I started looking for way to get tar off and then Frank (Laguna) told me about Adam's and to try a Clay Bar. If I remember right I bought a Clay Bar, DS and WW for my first Adam's order. Then after about 5 more orders I pulled the trigger on a PC kit in June 2009. Spent all weekend buffing my F150 and teaching myself. I also remember always trying different kinds of cleaner waxes and paste waxes to get a nice shiny scratch free paint but always being disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikegeaney Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 My first car was a 1972 Buick GS convetrible. It had a N25 bumper...the one with exhaust outlets which was pretty cool. The bumper used to turn black from the exhaust. What else would you use on chrome than an SOS steel wool pad?!? I used to use those SOS pads on the chrome wheels as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gizmo Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I remember washing my first car (1998 Mustang GT) with a dirty rag I found in the garage (that had dried paint caked up on it) and some OTC car wash. I then dried it off with another towel I found in the garage that had more dried up paint caked in it. I hit some scratches with the ole Turtle Wax rubbing compound and then shined it up with some OTC liquid wax. It wasn't until my second car a couple of years later that I really got into learning how to detail properly. My 2000 Camaro SS that I loved dearly had some clear coat issues out of the factory and I remember researching on LS1.com. I learned how to clay, prep and seal the paint, but I never really learned how to machine polish until my first black car in 2004 (Infiniti G35). Since then, it has been a therapeutic past time and hobby for me, but nowadays, I don't lose any sleep if my car is dirty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLOWpoke Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 My first car was a 92 Nissan Maxima I was 17 when I could finally afford to buy one got it, I LOVED that car solely because it was my first I definitely had my fair share my mistakes!! I'd wash the car once a week 100* or 40* didn't care washed it once a week normally with a bath towel and just regular water nothing added and once a month with DAWN and then some cheap wax!!! Once a month it got some spray on OTC tire dressing and interior was vacuumed every 2 weeks...NEVER clayed NEVER polished didn't even know what that stuff was back then Got my IS300 when I was 19 and started to use meguiars products and of course armor all on the inside...wasn't until last year I discovered detailing so I ran to my laptop and bought a PC some Lake Country pads and again went to the store for more meguiars compounds polish and wax...still with bad technique from a lack of experience combined with the OTC product I just NEVER got the results I was looking for...though my technique did improve over time.. Then my good friend and boss Chase aka SRTLUVR told me about Adams and volunteered to help me with my paint correction as well as instill a little more knowledge about detailing with that the order I have coming in this week will be my 5th or 6th..I've now used all the polishes, waxes, detail spray, waterless wash, microfibers, svrt, InO and interior products Adams has to offer and I've been nothing short of BLOWN AWAY and FINALLY satisfied...I'll never buy another towel polish wax or anything else for that matter OTC again!! Since all that I've done a paint correction on my buddys Charger, did a co-workers interior, doing 2 Full paint corrections and details as Christmas presents, as well as my Uncles black 2002 Chevy truck this Saturday...safe to say that I'm pretty freakin HOOKED at this point!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHL88 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 my first car was a 97 camaro RS, i washed it with the one bucket method using meg's gold class soap and dried it with plain white old tshirts. i didn't even wax it. the car after that i had was a 98 Ls1 z28 i did the same wash method as above PLUS used Meg's NXT wax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egott_91 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Well, my first car was a '91 Z28 and I would usually wash it once a week in the summer, didn't get driven in the winter. I would always rinse the car off, put some car soap I bought from advanced auto in the bottom of a bucket, filled the bucket with water, then take one wash mitt and wash all panels of the car. Usually started on the hood and worked my way down and around. I would dunk the mitt in the bucket when it needed more soap. I would wash one panel at a time then rinse. After the panels were finished I switched to a second mitt for the tires/wheels. I would just use the soapy water on the mitt to get the dirt and crap off. After that I would dry with some microfibers with tags on them, scratches? Lol. I had used that technique up until I got my Adams products this summer. I only have one bucket right now so I first clean the tires with APC and a brush along with fender wells and use a wash mitt for the wheels with soap and water. I then prep my wash bucket and pad. I do the top of the car with my Adams pad then go over the bottom with another mitt I have, dunking and rubbing against the grit guard in the bucket as needed. I then rinse all of the soap off. Use a squeagy that I clean on the glass then go around with the great white drying towel. Does this induce swirls? Yeah, probably, but I haven't corrected my paint yet so right now it doesn't really matter. Plus the car is silver so you can't really see them anyways. Lol. I will be getting a PC this spring though along with another bucket to wash the car properly after it has been corrected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Christmas 1969, got a brand new custom Charger (Hotwheels version) and washed it in the toilet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Machine Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Started with my dad doing high end cars on the weekends you name it we did it. Used the best **** on the market at the time all hand done no machine unless absolutely needed it. These cars were pampered. Didn't really do my own or take care of it like I should have. Was sick of these people and their we are better than you attitude. Well that all changed when I got a car that I would want to keep for longer than the loan or lease that car being my Magnum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE Mook Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 A LOT of bad habits I came from.... "Tire Shine" Dawn as an every week soap with almost no protecting being done after. Said Tire Slop on engine bays One bucket, no grit guard, not rinsing the washpad out properly.... My habits died quick. Not it's an obsession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egott_91 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Yeah, other forms of "tire shine" suck! Lol. My brother used to have his tires pretty much dripping with the stuff, and then it would sling up and everything even after letting it sit. Then, I ordered my adam's kit at got the SVRT w/ it and let him use it...well, let's just say that he picked up a bottle for himself. Lol. I had my GF get her dad the tire and trim kit (APC, SVRT, and applicators) for Christmas. When it arrived, she had to make up something and say it was for me so he wouldn't know. Then he asked how much it was, and she told him, and he asked "Can it really be that much better? I could get the same stuff at an auto parts store." I told her that if he didn't like the stuff (i had gotten him an armour-all kit last year, before I used adam's products, and he liked that, so he should REALLY like the adam's stuff) I would take it off of his hands for him as reserves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigcarrot Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 No one was born knowing how to properly care for a car... for a lot of us its something we learn right around the same time we get that itch to learn to drive. Or if you have a parent of sibling who was into it, but before you knew any better what were your biggest mistakes? Confess them here and all shall be forgiven. I'll start - I got my first car (an '87 Camaro) just before I turned 16 so I could learn to drive. Wanting to spend every waking moment working on it I can remember having the desire to wash, but not knowing what to use - remember kids this was in a time before the interwebz! I believe my first wash kit consisted of some palmolive soap I stole from my mom, a couple of old socks as wash mitts, and a bath towel to dry. Ah, the blissful ignorance of youth I also remember thinking "man... this thing looks horrible even after I wash it" and thus the thirst for how to do it right was born. That part cracked me up My camaro is the first car I've really wanted to take care of washing and detailing. My girlfriend got me a Armor All Car Detailing kit last christmas and well as you expected it wasn't good enough for me (Her heart was in the right place ). So I stumbled upon these products and I now have a lot of PC work to do since I was washing my car with one wash mitt and one bucket and drying it off with cheap microfiber towels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianT Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 My first car was an 86 5.0 LX Mustang I got in college. My friend who didn't go to college was in the detailing business and taught me a lot. Before that I would have no problem washing the parents cars with dish soap (dawn:lolsmack:) and using the finest Chinese bath towels kmart money could buy!!! Oh, and using turtle wax once a month!!!! That stuff rocked!!! Not until Adams's though did I have my washing technique down though! I thought a wash was a wash!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudiOx Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 '88-'94 My first car was a '81 Civic Wagon. Through high school and college I used dishwashing liquid, a single bucket, towels or old t-shirts, and my thumb over the hose opening for high-velocity rinsing. '94-'98 My next car was my first Audi, a '86 GT Coupe. I upgraded to Car Wash Shampoo, Armorall for the tires and spoiler, and t-shirts. This car got my first set of aftermarket wheels. '98-'01 For my '96 A4 and '97 A4, I began using clay bar, some cleaner waxes, and some crude paint chip touchup. Since I had leather seats now, I also tried some leather cleaner and conditioner product. I got the mod-bug on these cars: wheels, suspension, etc etc. '01-'11 '00 S4, '01 Allroad, and '00 A8 were all treated roughly the same way. I did buy some of the older VRT, a firehose nozzle, and a gritguard through DetailersDomain a few years ago. 2011 I got my wife's '07 A4 and my '05 A8 this year and even as recent as summer, was doing a combination of hand and car washes followed up with hand detailing mostly with Windex, blue shop towels, a toothbrush, and some cheap microfiber. 9/11-present Adam's and Junkman videos hooked me. I turned my 3rd garage into an automotive specific 'cleanroom', purged almost all non-Adams detailing products, and stocked up on almost all Adam's. I also purchased a Flex and shoplighting, and started the A8 correction. My wife's A4 is next. I only thought I was anal about my cars before. I didn't even know what I didn't know. With that knowledge of how it's supposed to be, avoiding car washes and washing our cars in 40 degree weather is the only logical and completely normal option. I don't know whether to thank or curse you Adam. But I do know I couldn't be happier when I'm washing the cars! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osok Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Dish soap and dish towel for washes followed by lots of Armorall... Nothing more needs to be said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganSRT8 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 wow, where to start hahah. I never used dish soap on my car, my dad told me not to so i never did. Did use way too much turtle wax washing soap, horrible dilution haha. Also at the beginning I had no idea what the difference was between polish and wax haha. I used alotta armor all stuff, but that level of perfection was never even close. Used crappy towels to dry my car and didnt have many so id use like one or two and now i see how i literally swirled those cars so much . Once i found adams i literally took all that and replaced it with Adams, I havent looked back and now just look forward to all the new stuff adams has coming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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