Going back to the first post in this thread, Money just put up a video on using his pressure washer and foam cannon. You might be interested in it.

If you get clearbra, do NOT use a pressure washer as the water can get under it and lift the plastic. Then all that money gone ... I do not think he has clearbra.

Note, the exhaust on this car is not stock. It was PSE but he thought it too quiet and installed an AWE. If you are looking for an aftermarket exhaust for your Macan, AWE makes quality products and sooner or later they should come out with something.

 

Unfortunately, the weather here is not cooperating, humidity at over 90% and temperatures in the low 90s. Thus my big plans for detailing have to wait for late September or early October. I did manage to wax the wheels (RS Spyders mind you) with Collinite 845. Quite laborious but the end results are fantastic.



So my detailing plan got reduced to waxing the wheels and the car. Had to skip the IronX and the Nanoskin AutoScrub. Kudos for Collinite 845, very easy to apply by hand!

On the down side, I really don't see the big deal about the Adam's big towel, I had better results with a towel I got from Costco for a lot less money.

 

I've usually not been one to obsess with keeping cars looking perfect, but with such a nice looking black Macan.... that said I want a manageable routine that does the job just enough.

Questions:

1. Given how dust tends to be an issue in summer on black, is the California dust buster approved of or not?

2. What about a commercial touchless cash wash - this is mostly what I did with past Audis. Is this just a good first step? I will hand wash as well of course when I feel in the mood....

3. Key one here - the car is two weeks old, surely no waxing for a while? What's the regime when doing this? How often, which products, how long should it take. Is it absolutely necessary?

4. Wheels - I have Spyders. Is that wheel cleaner spray (that helps clear brake dust) OK?

5. What's key advice with respect to avoiding swirls on a black (albeit metallic) car? Is this where waxing comes in?

6. Bugs - best way to remove them - is that Griots Bug spray and then a microfiber sponge OK?

6. Leather. I have full leather in red. What's the deal in terms of maintenance there?

 

In the detailing forum, there are quite a few threads on washing. Here's one:
http://www.macanforum.com/forum/detailing/6106-how-you-wash-porsche.html

To Answer your questions with my personal preferences:
1. No, any device that touches a dry car is a bad thing, especially dusters. They work great when clean, and scratch when dirty.

2. I use touch less car washes in a pinch (or winter), just be aware that they will not fully clean the car and the chemicals used are typically harsh (not pH balanced) and can remove any wax or coating you've put on your car to protect it.

3. Your car was shipped over here, paint should be mostly cured by now. I will be starting with a paint sealant (polymer based, fills small buffing marks, and lasts about a year), then top coating in a carnuba wax every 90 days or so for added shine and protection.

4. For wheels I'm currently using Griot's wheel cleaner. They have a heavy duty one that works great, or a much milder standard wheel cleaner that works good. Get yourself a microfiber cleaning tool......that's what you really want.

5. To avoid screwing up black paint.......be careful with touching the car without soap or some other lubricant (speed shine). Don't use a duster, make sure all your washing mitts are clean (use two buckets), etc.

6. Griot's makes a spray (which you mentioned) but their wash soap does a pretty good job as well. They also make a special waffle sided sponge.

7. Leather should be treated with a light (weekly or monthly) leather treatment. There are tons on the market (I'm currently using Griot's). You should not use the heavier ones more than once or twice a year due to build up issues.

 

re: California Dusters

a) Are they really that bad if used correctly (very light touch; only to remove dust)?

I've used them on two previous black cars without any major issues (granted, I am not anal about detailing and can live with the car not looking perfect all the time).

b) If they're okay to use, anyone have recommendations on the best ones to buy (maybe share an Amazon.com or other website link for purchasing).

Thanks!

 

I have used these dusters for 10-15 years with good results. I replace every few months, and find them excellent at removing dust / pollen on a "clean" car.

 

If you're getting black and want it to look nice, be prepared for some extra work. Like others have said, never dry wipe the car and I highly recommend a foam gun, two bucket wash and only dry with air (such as The Master Blaster Dryer). Personally I have over 200 micro fiber towels and keep a clean and dirty tote in the garage. Wash in liquid soap and air dry, no dryer and never use fabric softener.

You will also need to learn how to use a dual action polisher to keep the black swirl free. I was actually thinking, could one wrap the entire car in XPEL, which has swirl correction properties and actually better enjoy a black car. Hmm...

 

Not a direct answer to your questions, but I like the Griot's Boars' Hair washing brush. Unlike a lot of washing gloves or cloths, dirt will not collect in the hairs and it does an excellent job of washing for me. It's biggest advantage is not filling up with grit that will scratch your paint.

 

Plenty of great feedback for OP already. I have a black Macan S. With a busy life I try and wash it once a week. Failing that I use the griots garage wash, love this stuff, it even smells good. Unless you have loads of time on your hands then be prepared for imperfection with a black car. I washed mine today, but had time and perfect conditions. It had rained heavily, stopped and was then overcast but didn't rain. The car washed and then dried superbly and it now sparkles. But it will not stay that way and dust etc will appear within a day or so. But even with some dust and dirt the black will sparkle from a certain angle and that is enough for me. But as I said, if you want low maintenance or you will get your knickers in a knot with every speck, piece of brush, bird s$&t or mosquitoes then get a different colour. My wife has a 2012 Toyota Highlander in white metallic pearl. I spent 3 hours using clay bar getting rid of the acid rain rust spots! My point, they all take work, but some more than others.

 

Just put an order in at Griot's website.

I'm not a detail freak and admittedly a bit lazy when it comes to keeping my cars perfectly clean. Hopefully these 'short cuts' won't ruin my car (picking it up tomorrow!), and will motivate me to keep it clean more often (God help me, it's Jet Black Metallic).

1. Spray-On Car Wash Kit + extra towels
2. Speed Shine Maintain Kit + extra towels
3. Ultimate Micro Fiber Car Duster
4. Travel Kit (just in case a bird poops on my car and I want to get it off fast)

 

You need the add their Micro Fiber Wheel Wands, especially the Extra-Large one (they have three straight ones and three 45-degree ones)!
You will not believe how easy they make wheel or grill cleaning. The extra-large ones will soak up nearly an entire bucket of soapy water by the time you finish four large wheels - they make it easy to clean the rim all the way to inside edge.

 

Great threads here, I have a review of the Macan S/Turbo and how to wash your new car coming up shortly. Tools and methods and all.

 

All good stuff, I've ordered a bunch of things from sealant to black wax....


Sealant: Chemical Guys WAC_118_16 - JetSeal Anti-Corrosion Sealant and Paint Protectant (16 oz)
Amazon.com: Chemical Guys WAC_118_16 - JetSeal Anti-Corrosion Sealant and Paint Protectant (16 oz): Automotive


Wax: Chemical Guys WAC_300 - Pete's '53 Black Pearl Crystal Polymer White Carnuba Paste Wax (8 oz)
Amazon.com: Chemical Guys WAC_300 - Pete's '53 Black Pearl Crystal Polymer White Carnuba Paste Wax (8 oz): Automotive


Speedshine for in between jobs: [ame]http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003V3V61K/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1[/ame]


Griots Bug and smudge
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IUE5OPO/ref=oh_details_o04_s01_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1[/ame]


California dust buster
Amazon.com: California Car Duster 62442 Standard Car Duster with Wooden Handle: Automotive


And a whole bunch of microfiber stuff, drying towels, wheel brushes, wheel brake dust spray etc etc.. the choices above came down to Amazon reviews as much as anything.


The dust buster I used before on a prior black Audi - found it useful for the windows and the back end which gets more dust build up, I guess the trick is not to be too aggressive and only use it for dry dust not muddy dirt that's there from a rain shower etc. I suspect that I'll do the sealant and waxing in a few weeks whenever the temperature falls a bit here in the Midwest.


One final thing I need is a good leather conditioner - I have red interior in full leather - needs to be easy to apply, and very neutral in smell and touch (who wants to risk that amazing new car smell!)

 

I'll be having a friend that's the most anal detailer I've ever known put Optimum OptiCoat (clear ceramic coating) on the car. I've had him do a black Mini I had that lived outside, my ex-wife's silver Range Rover Evoque, and my current silver Focus ST. I do the old fashioned clay, hand (or random orbital), wax (p21s) on my 993, but for the new daily driver it's gonna be OptiCoat all the way. Best paint protection I have ever seen. I need to ensure to tell the dealer when it arrives to leave it the **** alone and just deliver it to me as they take it off the truck. I cannot control what they do to it in Stuttgart after I drop it back off from my European Delivery driving, but once it gets here I don't want it touched until Brandon can obsess over it. He does an IronX decontamination process, then hand clay, then random orbital polish (his machine makes my Griots machine look like a child's toy), then OptiCoat. It's all about preparing the paint for whatever you are going to protect it with. I can't wait until he's done with it, because seeing him loving on the car will help make up for the 8-10 post-return-from-Germany delivery wait.

p.s. anyone in central NC contact me and I'll get you his contact info

 

He said to post his website and contact info:
Ultimate Vehicle Protection: 2015 Porsche Macan Turbo Black |

 

I love black. Nothing better in the right conditions. Nothing worse than coming to realize that washing your car, (even using with reasonable care) causes most of the damage to your paint! Sorry, but it's true. You can help keep the damage minimal...using multiple buckets, blow dryers and microfiber, but all it takes is a few tiny, sharp, rock particles..hidden inside your wash mit, to wreck your black paint. I decided I wanted to drive this one, so I bought white! It'll still take some effort, but less than 1/4 the time is a reasonable estimate I believe. YMMV.

 

Yep, your spot on, then again I spent 3 hours using clay bar to remove the little acid rain rust spots from my wife's white car!

 

Don't EVER wash a car! The risk is too great that you will damage the paint!

The rational solution is to trade in once a month for a new one.

 

That's what I do. Makes sense no?

I've also become an advocate of the foam gun thing. Just love giving the car a bubble bath. None of that old fashioned way of washing a car. Just foam that baby up, let it soak, and watch the dirt just dissolve away.

Of course, we only do that for my wife's car. I just buy a new one every month.

 

@grim Yeah, I can see how it might get cost prohibitive to replace 2 cars a month, so the foam bubble bath makes perfect sense.

You could consider alternating replacement cars and trying to survive a 60 day lifespan. But I believe the risk of driving a dirty car would go up exponentially.

Maybe if you also have that Modesta coating applied every replacement, you might just barely make it?

That is a decision I would personally not want to make.

Modesta, Opticoat, they are all the same. Many different names that all do the same thing but lack any real depth. For true depth into the paint you need real Carnauba. But that means touching the paint every three weeks or so which just won't do. It's bad enuff doing the blow dry thing never mind actually using some microfiber to buff out the carnauba.

Maybe if we buy cheaper cars we could go with 45 day intervals and buy two at the same time?

I got to talk with the wife about that. She gets all irritable when she has to get used to where to put her purse in ANOTHER new car. :|

 

Modesta, Opticoat, they are all the same. Many different names that all do the same thing but lack any real depth. For true depth into the paint you need real Carnauba. But that means touching the paint every three weeks or so which just won't do. It's bad enuff doing the blow dry thing never mind actually using some microfiber to buff out the carnauba.

Maybe if we buy cheaper cars we could go with 45 day intervals and buy two at the same time?

I got to talk with the wife about that. She gets all irritable when she has to get used to where to put her purse in ANOTHER new car. :|

@grim This forum is a never ending source of entertainment as well as useful information.

My coworkers keep wondering why I laugh at random for no apparent reason.

 

I have a rental Hyundai i30 for three days of business travel and I sat in it at a red light yesterday thinking, "I could buy 5 of these for the price I'm paying for my Macan S". It was a sobering thought.

Then the lights went green and I got embarrassed by a 10 year old Prius. Suddenly it didn't seem so bad to have spent the dosh on the Porsche.

 

I have a rental Hyundai i30 for three days of business travel and I sat in it at a red light yesterday thinking, "I could buy 5 of these for the price I'm paying for my Macan S". It was a sobering thought.

Then the lights went green and I got embarrassed by a 10 year old Prius. Suddenly it didn't seem so bad to have spent the dosh on the Porsche.

@gobobbie Don't ever even consider it! I got on a kick where I decided I needed better gas mileage, and bought a Hyundai Hybrid Sonata. It was the only vehicle I have ever leased. I kid you not, I broke the lease in less than a year, I hated it so much! Absolute crap from the beginning. Life is too short to drive garbage...

Now, having said that, the technology package had some amazing features. (When they worked). I know @grim will love to hear that...

 

Temporary insanity.

 

Did you get the PDK back? What did they say?

Once you're a car enthusiast, you can't go back to buying toasters.

Unless toasters make you enthusiastic.

 

I am on my 2nd black Audi A 6 I have been pretty OCD for the last 41/2 years.
Why I got another black one is beyond me.
Guess nothing looks better when shiny.
By the time I go for the macan it will be sapphire blue,metallic mahogany or white.
Want to obsess but getting tired.

 

I gave up toast to tick some more boxes...........

 

I'm getting rid of our Highlander to jump into the Macan. I'm tired of the uncommunicative steering, the lumbering handling and the innocuous styling. I will miss the size and the visibility that it affords though!

A

 

Does anyone have experience using this FW1 Wash and Wax product? A friend of mine uses it on his Audi S5 and recommended it to me, but I want to get some more opinions. He says it's designed for NASCAR.

HIGH PERFORMANCE CLEANING WAX IN AN AEROSOL CAN

 

Arrgghhh... Where I am in Florida, every day (no exaggeration) the chances of rain are between 50% - 100%. I give up. I barely have time to wash it before the next rain. I guess I have to wait a few months for the next weather pattern and just live with the dirt!

 

This thread is discussing Money's washing technique. He's from FL.

 

Im from FL as well, when I got my Macan I made sure to strip it down, clay it, seal it, and put a good coat of wax on. When it rains every day the water beads right off. Then on the weekends I do a quick wash to get all the dirt off so that when it does rain again there are no spots or large amounts of dirt left and the car looks pretty good.

 

my first wash wheels tougher than expected but done!

 

Wow, that's an awesome video and wash job. Nice blow job too.

I've been in need of a good garden hose and reel. Just built one on that site. A mere $350. Couldn't get myself to pull the trigger just yet but probably will shortly.

 

Wow, that's an awesome video and wash job.

And here is the interesting thing. After all the work, and all the money Money put into his car, he traded it in on a GT3 taking a big hit.

 

Hmm, that power washing video of the inside and outside of the mercedes is very interesting. I didn't know the interior was waterproof.

I guess if a bunch of drunks spew inside, it's one way to clean it. But probably best to avoid the dash and buttons.

But then again, if that did happen in my car, I'd junk it. :laugh:

 

Totally gave up on hand washing my Macan. I live in MN and if I only hand wash the car it will be filthy dirty for 6 months. I am getting a free car wash at the dealer and so far so good. I will give a better treatment to the car when Spring comes for real.