I am happy to say I am a new 2004 F-150 owner and member to this forum (this is my first thread.)

I have never owned a black vehicle before or have washed one for that matter. But I did today for the first time, and I have water spots all over! I live in FL, where the water is hard and the sun is hot, so I guess they are hard to avoid.

Does anyone have any solution to this problem? I try to dry my truck ASAP, but the water evaporates before I have a chance to dry. Are there any products out there that remove these water spots (especially one where you do not have to re-wax right after)? I guess next time I should wait until the sun goes down before washing.

 

I use the Mr. Clean wash system. It really does help, because the filter takes a lot of the deposits out of the water that causes the spots in the first place.

I follow that up with wiping the truck down with a California Water Blade, and a chamois for the tight spots the water blade won't reach (like the wheel trim).

 

I wash mine in the evening, or early in the morning, then haul A$$ when the drying begins. I use a cham-ie (spelling?) called the "absorber", works great, most auto parts and wal marts sell them.

 

Never wash it. Dirt prevents water spots!

Grim

 

I just used the Mr. Clean system on my black FX4. It worked Great! No water spots at all. You can buy it at Wal-Mart for about $18.64. Plus you can go to their website and have them send you a $5.00 off coupon. This is my 3rd black vehicle and water spots are bad on black. This thing worked great, no drying needed.

 

Moved to General Care...

 

How many washes do you get out of a box of Mr. Clean

 

Thanks for all the replies! I went to my local PepBoys to get the Mr. Clean system, but all they had were the filter re-fills and soap re-fills. Seems that everyone has had good luck with this product though, huh. I also picked up one of those California Water Blades too. Although, I couldn't figure out why the 11" one was $9.99 and the 14" one was $19.99. Three inches can't be all that much better...unless...well...you know what I mean. Thanks for the info!

 

OT but, be very careful with the Cali Water Blade. I've mentioned here MANY times that it's VERY capable of causing scratches and I would gladly send mine to anyone wishing to pay for the shipping.

I have several marks where the blade has 'hung' on a drier portion of the vehicle and came out of my hands only to scratch/ding the paint. Further, I've heard of others talking about the silicone blade, itself, causing scratches.

With black being the hardest color, by far, to keep swirl/scratch free, I'd probably find the receipt and head back to Pep... that's just me though.

RP

 

Has anyone tried using a filter like the ones they sell for RV's? I have the same problem and was thinking of putting one on the hose and see if it helps. They're not to expensive at Wally World. Any thoughts? Carl

 

I started a thread somewhere and I can't remember where (maybe showcargarage?) asking the same thing about water filtration...

I think the general consensus was that, 'no', not many people have experimented with a filtration system of sorts. I think it's a GREAT idea and have thought about doing it myself but simply haven't done it. Seems like a no-brainer to me honestly... PUR needs a filter for your outside faucet!

RP

 

If you HAVE the room, you can easily plumb in a filter or softener just before your outside spigot. Or plumb one in after your meter. Home Dept has a selection. I have about 2 feet of horizontal space and 6 feet of vertical to play with. I have been kicking the idea myself. I may also install the softener in the utility room before my sinks and showers. My town water is not that bad. I am not sure if the benifit is worth it?

I did however, this past Saturday do a performace upgrade to my driveway / washing station spigot. I had 1" after the meter and a 1" x 1/2" tee to the spigot and 1/2" copper feeding the spigot. I installed a 1" x 3/4" tee and 3/4" copper and a 3/4" spigot.

My ultimate hose nozzle now ROCKS.

 

Thanks for the info RP. Since this is my first black vehicle, I think I am going to take your advice and return the water blade. Maybe I can wait a week or more until PepBoys restocks the Mr. Clean System and just get that instead. Thanks again!

As for installing a inline filter to my house, I think I'll pass. Only because it is a rental house and I will only be here for one more year. Sounds like a good idea for my next house though.

 

I got a Mr.Clean and I must say it works well (the spot free side). I did not care much for the soap. But that's just me. If you go to Costco, you should be able to get the 10 use filter and soap, for the same price of the starter package (3 use).

 

Try this method it works pretty well, uses a lot of water but the results are nice.

The Fast And Easy Way to Dry Your Car
by Dwayne McPeeks
Copyright (c) 2003 -- All Rights Reserved

Here is a tip to make drying your car faster and easier after you wash it!

When rinsing the suds off of your vehicle, take the spray nozzle OFF of your water hose and use a stream of water instead of a spray. The disadvantage of using a spray nozzle to rinse your car is that it leaves thousands of tiny droplets of water on your paint which means their is more water for your towel or chamois to absorb when drying.

By using a stream of water, you literally flood the surface of your paint with water and this causes the water to sheet. This means that more water is pulled off of the vehicle surface by gravity, and their is less water remaining on the car. Start rinsing at the top of the vehicle and work your way down as gravity pulls the water down. Rinsing in this manner will save you time!

When you are finished there will be a few drops here and there on the vehicle. At this point I like to use a Metro Air Force Blaster to blow out the cracks and crevices of the vehicle and blot up any water that may come out of these areas with a soft and absorbent microfiber towel.