Oct 4, 2010
dsm363 I just placed my order for an Arctic White Roadster which I imagine will show dirt a little faster than a darker color. I've never had a car that I cared enough to keep really clean and good looking other than taking it to the car wash once and a while.
This could of course apply to any car I guess but anyone have a good reference on the proper way to detail/clean the outside of your car (what products to buy and use, how to do it...etc)? I'll be starting off with just a soft top so not sure about taking it through a car wash. I will be ordering the Tesla paint armor too if that changes anything. Thanks!�
Oct 4, 2010
dwegmull I've owned white cars before: you will be surprised by how little dust shows (depending on where you live of course!)...
I'm not big on car detailing, but I do keep my Roadster mostly dust free by gently washing it with a clean sponge and a bit of car soap (Mother brand, I think). I'm sure others will shower you with good suggestions. However, there is one point I would like to make perfectly clear:
DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, TAKE YOUR ROADSTER THROUGH AN AUTOMATED CAR WASH.
�
Oct 4, 2010
dsm363 Thank you. That was one of the things I wasn't sure about. I assume the ones where you hold the spray wand yourself are ok? I guess I'm not looking to keep the car showroom ready all the time, just not dirty looking.�
Oct 4, 2010
Jaff Did you order the car cover?�
Oct 4, 2010
Doug_G You might be surprised... I used to have a white car, and it showed the dirt less.
Use a California Car Duster http://calcarduster.com/originalDuster.asp to touch up your car between washes. It won't fix you up after driving through rain and mud, but if the car gets a bit dirty and dusty you can spiff it right up. I got mine at Canadian Tire... I'm sure they're equally easily found in the USA.�
Oct 4, 2010
dsm363 I didn't order the car cover since it'll be in a garage most of the time.
Thanks for the tips Doug_G too�
Oct 4, 2010
Jaff Thanks Doug, that looks cool...there are 60 new houses under construction next door to me (being built on an old peach orchard with red, P.E.I. coloured earth) blowing straight at my garage door...this duster could come in very handy!�
Oct 4, 2010
PopSmith I've seen a handful of people use car covers on their "weekend car" inside the garage. However, if (when!) you start driving the Roadster on a daily basis this probably wouldn't be practical.
I believe the wheels are going to be the hardest part of the Roadster to wash due to the style of the spokes. You might be OK to use a pressure washer (carefully!) on the wheels only but it would be best to get word from an actual Roadster owner or directly from Tesla.�
Oct 4, 2010
stenkb I wash mine in my garage by hand once it gets a bit dirty - can't have a dirty roadster can we? Also the car is so small it takes no time to wash by hand.
Be careful of the TESLA lettering on the rear. It isn't held on by much glue - I lost the "A" once when my microfiber cloth snagged it and pulled it off! Luckily my Tesla rep quickly replaced it for me!!! gotta luv that service!�
Oct 4, 2010
Jaff I agree with you Pop that the car cover would be impractical for a daily driver, but with 6 acres of residential construction about 100 yards away, I'm going to have to live with it for a while...probably more so in the winter as it's more difficult to wash the car in the freezing temps.�
Oct 4, 2010
Jaff Thanks for the heads up on the lettering stenk...yeah, it is pretty small so it won't take too long...geez, I remember washing the Windstar in the driveway...had to get a friggin ladder out to reach the top.
I think that's when I stopped washing by hand and migrated to the automatic car washes...:biggrin:�
Oct 4, 2010
dsm363 I asked someone at Tesla to look into what products their Service team uses to prepare cars for delivery so I'll post that when I get an answer.�
Oct 4, 2010
Jaff Thanks dsm, I was just going to ask what cleaners & wax are recommended...I've never had a car with a carbon fiber body before.
�
Oct 4, 2010
SByer I've always been a little obsessive about taking care of my cars, so you may not want to go as extreme, but the service manager did mention mine was one of the cleanest they'd had in for yearly service ;-).
Griot's Garage has a detailing handbook that is a great place to start. When I got my used 911, I did the whole treatment, top to bottom, and it looked a bunch better - not quite new, but close. With a new car, things are much easier - the paint is still clean and doesn't need to have the fine scratches buffed out.
Do not use just any cloth/rag on your car! They will scratch the clear coat! Not in an obvious way, so I'm sure there are many people out there who will say "it doesn't matter" - but at certain angles... Good microfiber or pure cotton towels are recommended. A good boar's hair brush to help gently clean the exterior is good. A small detail brush (thing old-timey shaving cream brush) is good for interior detailing - getting the dust out of the corners.
As for product line, Zaino. No question - especially if you have the paint armor. Wax will just emphasize the paint armor instead of making it less obvious. Zaino's product line doesn't cover everything you need, so you need to fill in - I usually fill in from Griot's line.
For the soft top, RagTopp makes a cleaner / protector pair. It's what comes with a lot of soft tops.
For the interior, I use Griot's leather wipes at least once a month on the seats and leather parts, interior cleaner on the rest. Except for the carbon fiber or exposed paint parts, which I treat like exterior.
I've got the black wheels - I treat them like I treat the paint.
I agree on the California Duster - I have two, a big one for the body and a small one for the wheels (which gets dirtier faster). Also, whatever product line you choose, they usually have an 'in-between' wash quick-detail spray something or other to apply after dusting between washes.
I've got a picture from the March road rally - where I spent the entire previous day taking care of the car - which justifies (IMO) the time I spent.
Plus, the car just drives better when it's that clean.�
Oct 4, 2010
dsm363 Wow. Thanks for all of that information. That is extremely helpful. Will order that handbook and the other stuff too. Finally I'll have a car to go with my 5 Tesla t-shirts, 4 hats, 2 golf shirts and 1 corporate jacket too=)�
Oct 4, 2010
vfx Ive had many black an white cars.
"Nothing looks better than a clean black car." and "Nothing gets dirtier faster that a black car."
White and silver look clean for the longest.
I have a wash routine. it's three hours. I have not been able to shorten it.�
Oct 4, 2010
Jaff Thanks SBuyer, that's a wealth of info!...I hope I can get the Griot's product line up here. :smile:�
Oct 4, 2010
dsm363 I'd love to hear what your wash routine is sometime too if you get a chance to post it. Thanks.�
Oct 4, 2010
Doug_G So you're planning to drive it through the winter? I must confess as much as I love the car, I am reluctant to winter drive it, for a few reasons:
- dings from sand/stones being kicked up into the body (paint armor doesn't protect everything)
- the Roadster is reportedly good in snow, and you can put on snow tires, but here in Ottawa we get snowfalls higher than the bottom of the car. It's a rare car that can move when its wheels aren't touching the road...
- hand washing seems like an impractical thing to do in Februrary, and it's gonna get dirty every time it goes out
At least it's not gonna rust...�
Oct 4, 2010
Jaff I know Doug, but I have no choice...it's a company car so I have to use it.
Ottawa usually gets more snow than we do here in Niagara...I'm putting the recommended Pirelli snow tires on...my drive in to work is only about 2 kilometers through town...if / when we get a big snow, I still have the Lexus I can use...it will be a lot of washing though, but I figure the fun of driving it in the Spring to Fall will be well worth it.�
Oct 4, 2010
stenkb I will be putting the Pirelli's on as well and driving all winter - except the couple weeks we get a foot or two of snow - in which I kept my gas guzzling Hummer for this reason.�
Oct 5, 2010
dsm363 I found this thread about detailing a Tesla Roadster on a different forum. He works for Adam's Polishes but it looks nice.
SByer: I went ahead and ordered from Girot's Garage: Interior Cleaner Wipes, Leather Care Wipes, and The Detailer's Handbook. I found 'Raggtopp Fabric Cleaner and Protectant Kit' on Amazon so I guess that's the stuff you were talking about as well. Thanks again.
Dave�
Oct 5, 2010
mpt I've used a home pressure washer for a year now on the roadster with no ill-effect; it's especially good for keeping the suspension parts clear of stones and muck.
As a year-round driver, the only issue I've had has been the stone chips, actually, the almost complete removal of the paint on the sills. I'm heading into the second winter and I don't expect to have any paint left on there by spring. I'm still waiting on a long term fix from Tesla.�
Oct 5, 2010
dsm363 There aren't any special products they recommend at Tesla for cleaning the car (just heard back). Just lots of soap and water.�
Oct 5, 2010
vfx Mine is just a wash routine. That MB thread is a full detail job. On the Tesla Owners forum someone put up a long post covering their whole wash routine. That was back in early 2009 but the new forum does not seem to have a search engine.�
Oct 17, 2010
dsm363 I've got the whole Zaino system on the way. He suggested going ahead and applying the Zaino products as soon as the car arrived (not waiting 6 months for the paint to harden) since his products are not wax based. Does that sound right? I guess I'll wash the car with dawn and follow his suggestions/instructions online when it gets here if it does. I've never really spent any time detailing a car before so would hate to get the Roadster and mess up the paint in the same day.�
Oct 17, 2010
SByer Scratching is the only real worry - use soft things, don't use random rags (borderless cotton or microfiber towels won't scratch, cut up t-shirts with logos on them will), don't overuse the same one, and don't wear jeans or anything with a button on it. It's good to break out sweats (without a grommet) and a cotton t-shirt to detail a car in. And wash the towels yourself afterwards - it's the only way to make sure that no fabric softener gets involved in their cleaning.
I printed out Zaino's instructions and taped them to the side of the garage so I could glance at them. It's pretty easy stuff. Wish we had it 20 years ago.�
Oct 20, 2010
Nichen how about a solar-Tesla?
This guy is actually using a fully functioning Solar-TeslaI don't know what it cost but you gotta admit it looks pretty damn nice
:wink:
�
Oct 20, 2010
dsm363 That looks cool but is probably just paint to look like solar panels and advertise for a solar company (I see the smiley face now...does look cool though)�
Nov 4, 2010
TEG http://www.teamspeed.com/forums/detailing-paint-protection/46359-2010-tesla-roadster-sport-detail.html
�
Jan 29, 2011
cinergi So I'm researching local self-service car washes so I can at least rinse mine off as it's absolutely disgustingly filthy from the recent winter driving ... There's a scrub-a-dub with self-service bays which I'm going to go check out but as I'm researching, I cam across a link and what do I notice at the bottom of the page? Take a look
http://www.newcarswashfree.com/�
Feb 3, 2011
kgb I'm not usually concerned about the appearance of my car, but with my Tesla, because it is a bit of a statement, I want it to look its best. For the past few months, I have been washing it myself. It is a small car and doesn't take long. I've been using these special lint free, microfiber cloths. They feel like fleece. I was also using a "double bucket" technique about which I had heard. Every wash seemed to go uneventfully, so I was lulled in to a false sense of security. Recently, my car was particularly dirty and I was taking my wife out for a date, and I didn't have time to wash it myself. So I went to a hand washing place, when I got out, it was dusk and the car looked good. The next day, there were swirls all over my car. And being black, it was pretty obvious. I am very disappointed. Just warning other owners to be careful... just because they hand wash doesn't mean they will take the same care as you. Looks like they washed and dried my car with sandpaper!
Next time I wash, I'm going to try and see if my car wax will cover it up. :frown:�
Feb 3, 2011
qwk "If you want it done right, you usually have to do it yourself."
^^Very true statement, especially when it comes to small details.�
Feb 3, 2011
strider Sorry to hear that kgb. I will add my +1 for Zaino products. They have a product (Z5 IIRC) that will help w/ swirl marks.�
Feb 3, 2011
dsm363 I had my car detailed by a mobile car detailer recently. I had bought all the Zaino stuff but he wasn't familiar with it so he went ahead and used that Xylon stuff instead. It looks pretty good but I'll use the Zaino stuff next time.�
Feb 12, 2011
kgb Just an update:
The swirls from the one time wash were easily dealt with using an inexpensive liquid wax. Whew.
The liquid wax isn't perfect, and since so many are promoting the benefits of Zaino, I'll give it a shot. I'll drop $100 on their system and try it. I'll report back on whether I think it is any better than the cheap stuff I normally buy.�
Feb 19, 2011
dsm363 I know you're supposed to hand-wash the car at all times but are those car washes with just the spray wand ok (one where you pop in a few quarters and use the high pressure wand)? Would be useful after a rain at least.�
Feb 19, 2011
Jaff dsm, I use the pressure wands at the local car wash to get rid of the slush & grime in between my regular Friday wash...I carefully pull the wand trigger down just enough to move the dirt...I never use full trigger.
I only rinse off the front from the headlights down (being careful to angle the spray away from the front fans & louvres), the doors & lower quarter panels, and the rear (again, being careful to angle the spray away from the hatch seams)...takes about 2 minutes and makes the car look significantly better getting a cursory wash like this done as opposed to doing nothing.
Due to the cold weather, I do the wash at the end of the day just prior to parking the car in the garage for the night...keeps the trunk & doors from freezing up.�
Feb 20, 2011
Doug_G Jaff, I just tried this on my Roadster. Some Googling turned up a really good spray wash place in Bell's Corners, which is ~10 minutes from home. More-or-less followed your instructions, in particular the light pull on the trigger. My Roadster looks a heck of a lot better now! The water is heated and I didn't freeze my butt. Will definitely do that again.
By the time I got home the trunk had already frozen shut! Fortunately a very light tug while pressing the release popped it free.
What do you do for your weekly "thorough" wash? Turn your driveway into ice?�
Feb 20, 2011
Jaff Nope!...wife's cousin has a detailing shop so I get the family rate + a high volume discount as I get my Roadster washed every Friday morning...his shop is a 2 minute drive from my office, so my car is clean inside & out and dried prior to heading back out into the cold.
His ramp does get pretty icy though...I've done a few dances on it! :redface::biggrin:
To prevent my trunk icing up, I use a dry microfiber cloth for a little hand drying before I head home.�
Feb 20, 2011
Doug_G That's cheating!�
Feb 21, 2011
Jaff Really?...I call it "marrying well". :biggrin::biggrin::wink:�
Mar 28, 2011
kgb I'm having a problem with the soft-top roof. I realize this will require a brush of some sort, but does anyone have suggestions for this?
Lint brush or sticky tape? What have you used?�
Mar 28, 2011
Dragon I would use a vacuum cleaner.�
Apr 27, 2011
Doug_G So they just banned ALL outdoor water use in southern Ottawa until at least late August. The supply is limited due to a water main that broke during the winter (producing a sinkhole that swallowed a city maintenance truck). The city staff feel that the temporary bypass they're still using can't handle watering the grass, filling pools, etc.
They explicitly banned washing your car outdoors. Geesh, what idiots! When I wash my car I use one bucket of soapy water and a few minutes rinsing with the hose. Surely that uses LESS water than a mechanical car wash!�
Apr 27, 2011
clea what if you wash your car using water captured in a rain barrel? we've got enough of it coming down lately but will they still come after you?�
Apr 27, 2011
NigelM In occasionally drought-ridden Florida we are allowed to use groundwater. The groundwater is full of bits of sand and dirt so we run it through a water filter (Everpure is a good one with a long-life capacity) which you can buy online for about $150. This is fine for car washing, but you will need to dry off the car as you'll get droplet marks otherwise. It also has the added benefit here of reducing your water bill!
Or, why not just park outside when it's raining?�
Apr 27, 2011
Doug_G Yeah, you can use rain water. There's talk of a $50 rebate for rain barrels. Sounds like a government operation, no?�
Apr 27, 2011
Doug_G There you go! I'll wait with a bucket, soap, and brushes until it starts raining. Then I'll start soaping the car in the downpour. Sounds wonderful.�
Apr 28, 2011
Jaff Hey Doug, there is a shop in Alberta called auto obsessed ( Auto Obsessed - Auto Obsessed Ltd. )...they sell many different types of auto care products including the Griot's Garage line.
Griot's has a green coloured liquid that you spray on & wipe off called "Spray on car Wash"...spray on, wipe off with a micro fibre cloth...although I have not used this product yet, I have found the many other Griot's products that I've used to be fantastic.
The Spray on car wash is specifically designed for use when water is not available due to government by-law, shortages, etc.
If your order from Auto Obsessed is over $150.00, he waives the delivery cost and because it's from Canada, there is no duty or brokerage fees to be paid.�
Apr 28, 2011
dwegmull I use a brush designed to remove lint from clothing. It is similar to this one: The Evercare Company 02300 Lint Pic-Up Magik Brush�
Apr 28, 2011
Doug_G Thanks Jaff, I'll look into it.�
May 5, 2011
kgb UPDATE:
I bought the Zaino Bros intro package, and I finally had enough time to "detail" the car. I just wanted to share my impressions. The result looked good, but I am not convinced that it was significantly superior to any other wash/wax system.
What I did:
I did the wash, dry, the clay bar, wash, dry, Z-5 pro & ZFX
When I was done, it did look very good. Definitely no swirls, but still had some shallow scratches in the clear coat (near the handle and charge port). I never used a clay bar before, and that definitely makes a difference. Zaino claims that better results are obtained with multiple layers and if you finish with Z-2 polish (after the Z-5). I admit that I didn't do that. Normally my wash takes around 30 minutes, this took significantly longer... I din't time it, but it felt like an hour and a half. Also, I don't like to wash in the sun, but better lighting would have helped. The clay bar takes away some debris easily, and some require more work. When I got out in the sun, some parts of the car looked so good that the parts I missed with the clay bar were such a disappointment (especially after taking so long to clean). I guess the first try is a learning experience.
All in all, a good product. Perhaps better results are obtained in the hands of more experienced detailers.�
May 5, 2011
Jaff I agree with you...I like the finished Zaino product, but I'm not convinced that their system looks any better than Griot's and I think Griot's products are easier to apply...maybe its just me...�
May 5, 2011
strider What I like about Zaino is that it's much easier to keep the good results going. Their "waxes" last much longer than traditional products. I only do the strip wash, clay, seal routine every two years. Now that you'd done the hard work of claying and laying down the first layer of seal, in the future you can just wash it w/ Z-7 and every few months to a quick Z-5 or Z-2 application (no ZFX needed) and it will keep looking great w/ minimal work. I also like their leather cleaning and conditioner products.�
Jun 7, 2011
smorgasbord I pick up my car tomorrow!
Has anyone used Meguiars? I've heard good things about the NXT wax. One concern is that my car has the paint armor, so I'd want a wax that's compatible with that, and doesn't leave a residue at the edges of the film, nor makes the film hazy.
If it matters, my car is Thunder Gray.�
Jun 10, 2011
hjr Anybody have a good mobile detailer in Connecticut (New Haven area) ? Hard to find but worth the cost and saved time.�
Jun 10, 2011
Nvbob I picked up a Meguiar's Smooth Surface Clay Kit (16oz Quick Detailer, 2x80gm clay bars, 6oz quik wax, & microfiber towel) and a couple of extra microfiber towels the other day. Today, I washed the car, dried it with a large microfiber towel, used the quick detailer & one of the clay bars, and then used the quik wax. The kit is designed for clear coat surfaces.
I was very surprised on how the car came out. The surface feels & looks like glass - very nice. I have never used clay before and I agree with kgb that it makes a difference. Our Roadster is sterling silver and it just shines!�
Jun 10, 2011
smorgasbord I've used clay on my previous BMWs with good success.
Just a warning, however - 3M does not recommend using clay on Star Shield (aka Paint Armor). Clay is a very fine abrasive.�
Jun 10, 2011
Nvbob Good tip Smorgasbord, thanks!�
Jun 15, 2011
ra-san There are already several Zaino recommendations, but since the topic is open, I'm cutting and pasting an email reply I'd made to a couple roadster owners that had asked about what I used to detail mine.
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�
Jun 16, 2011
S-2000 Roadster Your Hummer drinks "gas"? Mine drinks biodiesel
As for detailing, here's what I've been doing for 21 years:
Brand name products are not really needed, but they sure make money for certain companies - especially given the human propensity for anecdotes. There are some good products out there, but the basics can be generic or general purpose.
I use the same bulk, organic soap that I use for dishes. Car buffs claim that this is horrible, and I assume that's because they use organic wax products that get washed away. After 21 years of using organic dish soap on the same car I've never seen any ill effects. The only blemishes on my clear coat are where I got too aggressive scrubbing road tar and never hired anyone to buff it out.
I have never waxed a car in my life, at least not more than once. It seems like a complete waste of time, and I don't particularly like the white build-up of wax in every crack. I imagine this would be even worse with the paint armor, which already collects foreign matter all around the edges. I especially don't like the idea of repeating a process that is not accumulative - the wax eventually melts off or is washed off. I never even heard of a clay bar until I started talking to Tesla folks. Instead, I have had good results with Finish First, a synthetic material that permanently fills in the tiny scratches in clear coat that cause swirls. Except for new scratches, every application of Finish First makes your car more mirror-like than the previous application. It's entirely different than applying organic wax for a temporary shine. That said, I have not tested this product on my Tesla, just the S-2000. The Tesla is still less than 3 weeks old!
Regarding those hand-held spray wash facilities, I think that they're fine. I believe that a manual car wash is technically the same as a hand wash - the only real difference is the soap mixed into the water and perhaps more pressure. In fact, they save the environment because the waste water is filtered of most petroleum and other chemicals before it drains into the earth. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have storm drains that feed unfiltered waste water directly into salmon streams, so I always either use a manual car wash or drive onto my lawn instead of the street or driveway so that the lawn filters the chemicals locally.
Speaking of the environment, wipes just end up in the landfill - better to use washable rags and liquid soaps or leather conditioning products. It seems a shame to drive an electric car but still participate in the mindset of single-use disposable consumer products. A lot of these products leave a gloss that screams 'amateur' in my aesthetic. Just say no to disposable wipes.
In my opinion, shiny tires look ridiculous. I've never treated my tires with Armor-All, and my high performance tires have never blown out or even shown signs of problems. By the time I've cleaned the wheels, the tires are already clean enough that a quick spray is sufficient. I always buy quality tires and always replace them in sets of 4 (except the S-2000, which seems to go through rear tires twice as fast as fronts). They always look brand new, so why grease them up with the equivalent of hair gel?
Rather than pressure wash the wheels, you can buy a bristle brush designed for cleaning wheels that will fit into the various crevices. Just be careful not to get any in your eye or on yourself as those bristles can fling brake dust mud everywhere.
The fact that the Tesla Roadster has a carbon fiber body should not be an issue of concern at all. It's still the same auto paint and clear coat as any other car. It's really the clear coat that you're cleaning, not the paint or body material. If you get down to the actual paint or carbon fiber then you have a serious problem on your hands!
If you live in a cold area, consider using plastic dishwashing gloves or mechanics gloves while washing your car. Dry hands are much warmer than wet hands. I actually started using the gloves because my cloth car wash mitt bleeds black dye so badly that my hands would be stained after washing my Berlina Black S-2000 (so much for cool-looking car wash accessories). Then I noticed that I wasn't nearly as cold when it's raining or windy. In Seattle, it rains so much that you sometimes have to (hand) wash your car while standing in the rain - unless you don't care about what you car looks like at all.
As for the car cover in the garage: Be mindful that dust still falls in a garage given enough time. That's true even if you don't live in a construction area. My old roadster sat in the garage over this past winter, and I had to wash it when I took it out for a drive recently - it was covered in fine dust that detracted from the finish. One of those dry brushes that was recommended in this thread might work as well as a car cover, though.�
Jun 16, 2011
slcasner I use the Zaino products and have been satisfied with the results. Here I've typed up some tips that are about techniques rather than products.
I wash and rinse the wheels first, then dump the bucket and rinse it out. I've been just using Dawn on the wheels since I don't polish them. I use an old terry-covered car wash sponge that I had before the Tesla for the wheels to keep it separate from the one used on the body.
A tip I learned from Bob Sexton is that if you turn on the A/C full blast while you wash the car, this will make the fans run and keep water from collecting in the condenser. This avoids the problem of having water blow up on the windshield and front louvers when you start driving after the wash.
For the main phase of washing the car, I start with the top and work my way down, as most guides suggest. I use a non-loop microfiber covered car washing sponge. I have not used the two-bucket approach (one with soapy water and one for rinsing the sponge), but that sounds like a good idea.
I dry with two microfiber towels, one that gets soaking wet and wrung out periodically, and one or more others that pick up the water that remains from using the first cloth as a squeegee. I do the top first, then the glass, and then move to the front or back. In my driveway, on a sunny morning the back will get sunlight first, so it needs to be dried first.
When working toward the front, I open the bonnet and dry both the inside and outside in the open position, being careful not to push too hard against the hinge stops. If you do the whole front first with the bonnet closed, and then open the bonnet, to dry underneath, the wet inner surfaces will just drip down onto the nose. Also, there is a channel underneath the bonnet that collects water, and it is hard to keep the towel out of that water when the bonnet is closed. After opening the bonnet, the A/C can be turned off. With two people, one does the outside and inside of the bonnet while the other dries the surfaces under the bonnet with old junk towels.
In the rear, one problem is drips running down from the spoiler when you open the trunk lid. You can avoid that by pulling the edge of a towel taut and sliding it down in the crack between the end of the spoiler and the spar of the trunk lid.
Also in the second phase is the inside of the trunk hatch. Since a lot of dirt collects on top of the battery box and the PEM, I just use the damp junk towels to clean off those surfaces. Also don't miss the top surface of the plastic rear wheelwell liners. The tricky part here is that there are several painted surfaces around the hatch hinges and to the rear of the trunk. You need to be careful not to use the dirty towels on those surfaces, or to get your good towels dirty on the adjacent surfaces.
The body panel underneath the door is always a problem spot to clean. Plus, there is a significant cleaning job to do on the door jams after you open the doors. Therefore, I treat the door jams and the body panel under the door as a separate wash phase to be done after the rest of the car. I usually wash the body panel under the door in the first phase, too, but I don't bother drying it.
Be very careful about dirt that collects under the rubber door seal just above the (optional) triangular logo panel on the door sill. It is very easy to wipe along there and continue the wipe in an arc out away from the door sill, leaving a big scratch.
One trouble spot that I did not notice until recently is dirt that collects on the door gasket on the lower half of the outside of the A pillar (at the edge of the windshield). It causes scratching of the mating painted surface on the door.�
Jun 17, 2011
vfx Steve details on his detailing is much like my exterior proceedure. I would add:
Park on a slight upslope so water rolls off the back of the trunk lid.
Use a spray bottle with water to pre clean off gravel on door sills. Clean the underpanel with the door open.
Be extra extra careful around TESLA letters on the back. They come off easily.
Junk towels also for inside top of trunk lid, inside charge port and under diffuser.�
Jun 17, 2011
tdevince I also use the Zaino products to wash/wax my car. One thing I do to minimize how wet my drying towel gets after washing the car is that I use a leaf blower to "blow dry" the car. This gets water out of the channel under the hood as well as other areas where it tends to collect. Then I come around with a towel to dry whatever the leaf blower didn't get. That way a single towel will dry your car with out getting soaking wet, then you're ready to wax. The leaf blower is actually pretty quick and if you maintain a good wax finish on your car, it does a surprisingly good job at getting most of the water off.�
Jun 18, 2011
S-2000 Roadster Nice one! I usually drive around and try to reach 40 mph, but the leaf blower is faster and probably works better in some areas since you can change the direction of the air.�
Jun 18, 2011
tdevince Exactly, you can dry most of the car and get the water out of some hard to reach areas (like around the backup camera if you're not parked on an incline).�
Jun 20, 2011
kgb That better be an electric leaf blower, not a gas guzzler! :wink:�
Jul 5, 2011
kgb Another UPDATE:
I made a trip to the store to pick up a new shammy, and I saw an orbital applicator/buffer. I've never used one before, but I know the pros use them. I thought back to my previous washing sessions, and my shoulders were getting tired just thinking about "wax on & wax off." So I splurged on the $20 buffer. OMG!
Because I've never used an orbital buffer before, I cannot compare my results to non-Zaino, but what a difference! First I'd like to comment on how much easier it is. Plus it is a huge time saver. If it is 100F where you live like it is here, it is sooooo worth it. As for results, WOW! Like glass! I feel like such a 'tard for not getting one sooner. I always figured they were more expensive, but for $20, it is worth it. The only thing easier is paying someone to detail your car for you.
So, to summarize (all this can be found in the pages before this): Lint brush to softtop, california duster to dash, vacuum, interior protectant wipe-down, 2 bucket wash, shammy dry, clay bar, re-wash, wash wheels, shammy dry, apply Zaino Z5+ZFX with orbital applicator & get hard to reach spots by hand, orbital buffer, wash windows. Sounds like a lot longer than it is. The car is pretty small, so each step goes pretty fast.
Next purchase... the leaf blower!�
Jul 5, 2011
tdevince kgb,
so how long is your entire process and how much time do you think the orbital buffer saves?�
Jul 5, 2011
kgb I'm going to have to time it, but it doesn't seem like long. I have the car broken down into segments: Driver side front, driver door, driver side back, the trunk/boot, passenger side back, passenger door, passenger side front, PEM & rear well liners. (8 sections) I'd be surprised if the 2 bucket wash takes took more than a minute per section. I probably spend about a minute per wheel. The clay bar probably takes the longest the first time (5-10 minutes), but the second time I did it, there weren't many spots that needed it. Wax application (sans buffer) took just about a minute per section, but it seemed like a lot more due to the effort. On the other hand, the orbital buffer seemed like it took 10 seconds per section. The real time and effort savings is in the wax removal/buffing. I could buff a section in 30 seconds per section with the orbital buffer, but by hand, it seems like a couple minutes per section. But now that I am typing this... and reading what I am typing, I think I sound full of sch*t . I'm going to have to actually time this. If this takes me more than 30 minutes, I will pay to have my car detailed.�
Jul 6, 2011
Jaff Just to be clear K, you're using a random orbital, right?
�
Jul 6, 2011
kgb Yes, random orbital, specifically marketed for car washing (I forgot the brand, but it is some car washing brand). Today I timed myself with a 2 bucket wash/dry. The wash takes less than one minute per section, BUT the drying with the chamois (or shammy as I had posted earlier) takes a bit longer than I expected. I think I spent around a minute per section with drying. So, it was 2 minutes to fill the buckets and add soap and carry them to the car, then around 6-8 minutes to wash and about 8 or so minutes to dry. All I can say is that when I was done with wash/dry the timer said 19 minutes!!! That was just the car... no wheels, no clay bar, no interior wipe down... although those don't really take too long. So I would revise my estimate to approx 45 minutes for a whole car detail. But I might look into a battery powered leaf blower and see if that dries the car faster.
I washed my car in 105F sunny heat... 1 hour later, thunderstorms!�
Jul 8, 2011
tdevince I don't know how much power the battery power blowers have, mine is a plug in blower and it creates a pretty good wind.�
Jun 4, 2012
jordanthompson Cleaning products/techniques?
I have just discovered that yellow is not a good color for a roadster. It looks great to be sure, but roadsters have to look excellent all of the time and yellow attracts dirt. I'm convinced of it. I even get bugs on it before I am done drying it!
Suffice it to say, I find myself cleaning this car every other day... I actually think its fun
I am using a Meguire's wash of some sort and it seems to work well enough. I am looking ahead to when I need to wax/polish it and am looking for suggestions. My brother-in-law (the one with a Ferrari) has suggested Speed Shine from Griot's. Anyone have any experience with this product?
Also, the car has paint armor on it and dirt collects (and sticks very effectively) to the edges. Any suggestions on how to clean this?
thanks,
Jordan�
Jun 4, 2012
bonnie Already a few threads on this topic.
This one is probably the most comprehensive: Any Tips on Detailing a Roadster?�
Jun 4, 2012
NigelM Insects are attracted to the color yellow....(Think: "flowers")....
I use Armor All Wash & Wax Detailer for a quick spray, takes bugs and bird messages off in an instant. A quick spray on a cloth wiped along the paint armor edges will also help. I also use it to clean off dust and dirt collected on the door sills. I find it a really good product for in-between washes and detailing. Note: Use Microfiber cloths!
Hey, they even put a yellow car on the front!�
Jun 4, 2012
jordanthompson Anyone know how to get the dirt from the paint armor edges?�
Jun 4, 2012
W.Petefish Clay Bar and some work.�
Jun 4, 2012
strider Zaino, Zaino, Zaino.
http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=Z&Category_Code=APPLICATION�
Jun 4, 2012
jordanthompson Wow! I guess there is. I was searching for cleaning instead of detailing. Thanks - I'll ask my questions over there.�
Jun 4, 2012
Nvbob Tesla sent us a cleaning kit last year with glass cleaner, car shampoo, detail spray, application pads, and microfiber towels. The cleaning and detail products had Tesla labels on them but all of them turned out to be relabeled Adams products (Adams Polishes). We tried Griots and Zaino but decided we liked the Adams products more.
When we recently had our annual service and we noted they were using Adams detailing spray in the shop.
For wax, we have been using the Meguire's Ultimate Quick Wax - it's spray on, easy to use, lasts a long time, and looks real nice.
If you clay bar the car (to get tree sap off) try to stay away from the star shield edges.�
Jun 4, 2012
mcornwell A soft bristled toothbrush should help as well...�
Jun 4, 2012
smorgasbord I'd be real careful as most of the dirt at the edge is on the non-armored side, and bristles can scratch.
I've heard a Q-Tip can use used, but I would think plenty of liquid (like a Speed-Shine) and a micro-fiber towel/pad would be best.�
Jun 4, 2012
strider I've used a toothpick. Just make sure you don't lift the edge of the armor. Hold the toothpick perpendicular to the car surface.�
Aug 7, 2012
jordanthompson Anyone know how to clean the microfiber seats? I read somewhere to use a 50/50 mix of alcohol (I'm guessing they don't mean rum) and water. Sounds a little strange....�
Aug 7, 2012
jerry33 The official word is here.�
Aug 7, 2012
SCW-Greg I have one of these brushes and they are phenomenal. Mine is over 12 years old, and it still works great. Very gentle, and sucks up the dust. Highly Recommend!
That and Meguiar's auto soap, helps preserve wax coatings, while cleaning gently.
If you get paint scuffs/scratches from other cars, things that are "on" your paint, you can use Eagle-One's "Nevr-Dull" polishing wad. Just pull off a small amount of wad and gently hand buff out scratches. Also works great on road tar and in my case road paint from striping.�
Apr 1, 2013
adiggs Teg, in the teamspeed.com link you provided, there are a series of pictures from the detail effort, including a shot of a sticker on the PEM / battery of the car. My question for anybody who knows - are any of those numbers a serial number, or otherwise unique to that car?
I ask because my 'new' Jet Black 2.5 Sport is an exact match to all the info on that sticker, and I started off thinking that the two sure to look an awful lot alike (with the difference that I don't (yet) know how to pull out that mirror finish they got).
Thanks
�
Apr 1, 2013
mcornwell I'm guessing the TSN stands for Tesla Serial Number...�
Jul 23, 2013
JohnnyLounge21 Just love all the info on this SByer. This is exactly the owner I am (just took delivery of #1190) and I'm really excited to take some of your tips!�
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