i use collinite wax. it is actually made for marine use. it was originally invented to stop arcing from high voltage telephone line cables. This stuff is amazing and easy to apply. I like marine use stuff because boats sit in the sun and see salt more then any vehicle. I got mine at Napa.

 

For your windows try spot-x, it takes a little elbow grease, but it will get the water spots off. Unlike the chemical type removers, if this stuff gets on your paint it won't damage it (unless you rub it in).

 

ric please update this a little bit with what you did, seeing that close up of the black makes me want to puke hahaha, that's it, it's getting done by the end of next week!

 

alright i finally got a claybar the other day, i was going to make a new thread but figured i'd just update this one. anyways, the claybar works good, don't get me wrong, i just wanted to show you this. i went around the whole car in about 30 minutes, spraying, claying, wiping, repeat. anyways, it looks pretty good now but the spots are still there, anyways, i spent a good 15 minutes on each of 2 spots on my hood (my hood stains are HORRIBLE!) and finally got rid of that crap! but seriously if i did this to the whole thing i would need to buy like 4-5 extra clay bars and it would literally take me about 8 hours. here's the difference after half an hour





i don't know how well it highlights it but my paint is friggin disgusting. i don't want to kill my arms and waste a whole day doing this to the whole car, is there another way, maybe an orbital buffer attachment or anything to make it quicker?!

 

I'm sure you could but I can see it being way to easy for the clay to hit a dry patch and damage the paint... instead of the Quick detailer us really soapy water... is cheaper and works faster on big areas

I was going to suggest using a buffer with some meguiars paint cleaner and then using the clay so the surface is easier to work on...

 

turtle liquid ice clay bar is amazing.. then polish it with turtle synthetic polish then i put a coat of meguaris cleaner wax on and its simply beautiful now...

 

meguires is the kick butt stuff!!! i wax my truck at least once a month lol. i have this quick auto detal its just spray wax really nice. got it at walmart for i think 5 bucks.

also, i have this stuff made by armorall called spray car wash... its REALLY powerful stuff, stinks like POO (really!!!), but it takes off freaking little rust spots on my chrome rims!!!

 

dude, seriously just pay someone... its not worth it

my truck has never gotten that bad, and i dont ever have the spots on my windows... i just clay bar it and wax it once every 3 months or whenever i have a spare day

oh, and on a side note, if you wanted to drive a few hours to gainesville sometime in october, a group of 4runners is going out wheeling at a pretty cool place....

 

Acid wash it. That takes the water spots off 100% of the time, and it gets 100% of them off. No scrubbing, you just wash the car with regular soap, rinse, and put the acid on with a long reach brush. Then let it sit for about 1-2 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly. Then dry, and you'll have a spot free paint, and windows. Clay bar isn't gonna help much with the spots, unless you REALLY work it. Vinegar might work, but I'd stick with the hard core acid, it won't hurt your paint, and it will work VERY well for spots that have been on there for a while. Give this a try first, and it WILL get the spot off.

 

you have any links...or more info? that sounds like the hardcore i was looking for i'm surprised no one has brought this up

 

I too have the water spots on my windows. I have tired everything all of the vinegar recipes and every other home made recipe, none worked. When i had the rear windows out I got some glass cleaner/scratch repair stuff from a detail shop, kind of powder stuff and used a pneumatic buffer wheel I have spent 1 hour buffing on each little window but I was finally able to get all the water spots off but thought I would buff right through the glass .

1 week later they were back and as permanent as ever. I don't get it none of our other cars have ever had this problem, we don't have hard water. Is it just because the glass is 20 years old? Is there some kind of special coating that has worn off?

 

I own a detail shop, and we deal with this sort of thing ALL THE TIME. We do mostly rental cars, and those are unique because most people do not care about them, but we also do private details, and we get cars with bad waterspots very often. I couldn't find many links with info, but I could find some ordering links by Google-ing car washing supplies. It is sometimes refered to as "low pH" cleaner, or solution. Once you find the stuff, wear some gloves when you pour it (if required) and don't let it set for more than a couple minutes, then rinse it off real good, then look closely at the spots, because many times it will take more than just one treatment to get rid of the spots. I am Located in Sacramento, and could probably make that paint like new again, but you're probably looking for something to do in your driveway. Look for more enviro-friendly acids, and if you can get it in solution already. Just saves you one step of prepping it. If you need to know anything else, just ask...

 

well this whole week (well with the exception of tuesday.....halo 3 baby!) i'm putting my truck through another stage....entire new front suspension, cbi carrier, limited 5 spokes and some other little goodies. if i got her shining like new after all that it would feel like a new truck so i'm sure (depending on cost) i'll do it this weekend so i'll be keeping in touch with you

 

If this is what you are dealing with...you have a project ahead of you. The link to Autopia was a good one, you also may want to start here http://autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/

If you want to tackle this by hand, I would start with a good cleaner polish http://www.meguiars.com/?pro-cleaner...Cleaner-Polish this does a real nice job of cleaning the paint. You may end up going around the truck twice with this product, you will have to experiment a bit.

Then move to nice polish http://www.meguiars.com/?pro-cleaner...hs/Speed-Glaze #80 will take out some of the haze left behind by #83 and again, experiment a bit, it make take two treatments.

Once you are happy with the finish, then seal it with http://www.meguiars.com/?liquid-car-...ation-Tech-Wax

The Meguiars Mirror Glaze line is typically available in body shop supply places or you can use the dealer link at the Meguiars site.

Discussing finish cleaner, polishes and waxes is like debating motor oil, there are lot's of opinions out there and someone always has a strong opinion on one brand over the other. So choose your weapons carefully but you need to clean the paint (get all the crap out of it), polish the paint (get the defects out) then seal it up (wax or sealer). There are no shortcuts from where you are from that picture. If you can find an experienced person with a buffer and/or a dual action polisher, it will save you a bunch of time and effort!

 

For black I recommend Liquid Ebony and a buffing wheel. Not an orbital polisher, a buffing wheel. (practice on a junker if you've never used a wheel) Finish with any carnauba paste wax and an orbital polisher. For rust/spots on chrome, use wadding polisher. Its a can of cotton with chemicals in it. You pinch it off like cotton candy and rub. Follow with the wax. For aluminum surfaces, polish to a chrome shine with any brand metal polish and a Meguiar's Power ball.

For windows use superfine steel wool and spray foam windex in the aerosol can, then wipe with newspaper. Make sure its the softest grade steel wool or you'll ruin the windshield, no joke.

These are recommendations only but i have had years of good results with these techniques i learned detailing the trade ins at a car dealer when i was a teen.

 

THE BEST that i have came across without paying an arm and a leg is DURAGLOSS SYNTHETIC WAX, you will need the pre wax thing too.. go to their website. i waxed my truck back in the early summer and still today it beads up water and mud. no sheet! i was absolutely amazed. you only need to do it twice a year (summer-winter) though it says once a year. i do it twice. the ice just slides off in the winter. no scratches no nothing.. helps take the bugs off ALOT easier.. you can get the wax and the adhesive stuff for about 25$.. well well worth it