# How Do You Keep Your Cruze Looking Good?



## avenue (Feb 7, 2011)

How do you keep your Cruze looking good? Do you wax it, or just wash it? If you wax it, what type of wax do you use? Do you use the kind that you need to rub on, and rub off, or do you use some type of spray? Does it do a good job?

What do you put on the tires?


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## shawn672 (Oct 31, 2010)

I park in a public garage, near the reserved spaces, and I take it through the touch-free laser wash about 3-4 times a week.

In the spring/summer/fall it's washed and waxed very frequently


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

...local "Octopus" car wash..._monthly_ it seems.


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## shawn672 (Oct 31, 2010)

You drag your car through that thing?  
Think about how many rocks/dirt are stuck in those things, sliding across your paint...


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## montgom626 (Jan 16, 2011)

avenue said:


> How do you keep your Cruze looking good?


Just me in the drivers seat is enough


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

shawn672 said:


> You drag your car through that thing?
> Think about how many *rocks/dirt* are stuck in those things, sliding across your paint...


...which is worse? The _muddy_ *Mississippi* or the _muddy_ *Colorado*?


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## elwood58 (Feb 2, 2011)

avenue said:


> What do you put on the tires?


I use Aerospace 303 on the tires.


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## shawn672 (Oct 31, 2010)

70AARCUDA said:


> ...which is worse? The _muddy_ *Mississippi* or the _muddy_ *Colorado*?


enough with the riddles old man!
lol jk, idk what you just said though..


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

...washing cars with "*dirty*" water.


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## robertbick (Jan 1, 2011)

In the winter in Upstate NY, I only wash my cars maybe once every 2-3 weeks using a local car wash or self service bay. The rest of the year I wash by hand when needed. I use a high quality wax such as Klasse AIO twice a year. I also use 303 on the tires and dash.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

...pardon my ignorance, but what's "303"? A special cleaner for tires and plastics?


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## robertbick (Jan 1, 2011)

70AARCUDA said:


> ...pardon my ignorance, but what's "303"? A special cleaner for tires and plastics?


303 Products, Inc.: 303 Aerospace Protectant


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

*Zaino*

I have been using ZAINO products since the summer of 1998. It is not a wax or a polish, but a polymer. I have not kept up with their newer products which I believe are even easier to use than the original ones. Zaino on a dark car is AWESOME and lasts a long time! Touch-ups take MINUTES!

Their website:

Zaino Store

With the new Cruze coming next week, I have to read up on their latest products!


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

...I get a big "chuckle" from _anything_ that invokes the name "*aerospace*" for a product that doesn't get _off_ the ground (figuratively speaking).

...what happened to "old-fashioned" soap and water?


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## Diretoy (Feb 4, 2011)

Wash with Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash & lambswool mits. Dry the exterior with a chamois. Dry the door jams with microfiber towels. Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Wax after the wash & dry. Nothing on the tires other than soap, water and a soft bristle brush. Oh yeah, Stoner Invisible Glass Cleaner for the windows.


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## avenue (Feb 7, 2011)

Diretoy said:


> Wash with Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash & lambswool mits. Dry the exterior with a chamois. Dry the door jams with microfiber towels. Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Wax after the wash & dry. Nothing on the tires other than soap, water and a soft bristle brush. Oh yeah, Stoner Invisible Glass Cleaner for the windows.


Well, I think it's about time I give the Cruze a good bath. I don't want to use the original wax that takes forever to do, I want to use something much quicker. I'm looking for the best thing that is for sale at Wal-Mart, Target, Autozone, Advanced Auto Parts, or Pep Boys.

So far, after reading this thread, it looks like the quoted post might have the best stuff. It's a "quick" kind of wax, which is what I'm looking for, and it's something that should be available at Wal-Mart. Does anyone else have any comments on what I should get? Do you think I should just pay someone to detail the car, or should I just do it myself?

Thanks!


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## cruze 2011 (Oct 20, 2010)

ive been using turtle wax ice liquid ,its goes on very easy and very easy to wipe off you can also go right over all your black plastic trim on your cars and trucks and it makes everything look like new no white residue left around anything like the other waxes ive tried.


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## kerber700 (Mar 10, 2011)

Autozone has a great selection of car washes and waxes, which all do about the same thing. After the wash, you can use a microfiber cloth and *this* as a quick alternative to liquid and paste wax.


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## fenix (Mar 30, 2011)

70AARCUDA said:


> ...what happened to "old-fashioned" soap and water?


they died with the big block


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## chad473 (Feb 21, 2011)

Diretoy said:


> Wash with Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash & lambswool mits. Dry the exterior with a chamois. Dry the door jams with microfiber towels. Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Wax after the wash & dry. Nothing on the tires other than soap, water and a soft bristle brush. Oh yeah, Stoner Invisible Glass Cleaner for the windows.


I use a lot of the same. Have always liked Meguiar's stuff. Have never tried the quick wax, but the quick exterior detailer is great for touch ups on water spots and light dirt between washes. I can easily do the entire car in about 10-15 minutes. Just spray on, wipe off with a microfiber and you are good to go. It's a godsend for the trunk/bumper area that gets hit the hardest with dirty water spots.

Otherwise, I have been hitting the touchless car wash about every week or two. Once the weather warms up for good I'll move to hand washing and clay/wax the car for the summer. 

Also, I use Rain-x on the windows. Love that stuff.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

Hand wash weekly / bi-weekly in the warm months and touchless car wash bi-weekly in the winter months. I wax twice year, spring and fall. With waxing a new car it is very important to use a finishing wax or sealer and not a cleaner wax or polish that actually has abrasives in them that can actually damage your new paint.


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## Cruzzer (Dec 13, 2010)

Meguiars has a New car Kit to get your Cruze looking it;s Best 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

$20 bones at your local Wally World


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

I'd also like to add that car cleaning/care products and just like any car part, you get what you pay for. There is a reason one kind of wax costs $8.99 and another costs $89.99.....


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## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

i would never take any of my cars/trucks to a car wash...well maybe the Sierra but thats it! None of my cars have ever seen the inside of those stupid car washes (touchless or not). I personally love HAND-washing each and every car I own, for many reasons. Save yourself the $10 and you can do a better job by hand washing it. Save your paint from those rough machines at the car wash and frankly the touchless ones leave marks and streaks all over the car! 
REAL MEN HAND WASH lol....

I recommend ICEshine for tires (CanadianTire or any autoshop) and TurtleWax for waxing purposes. I use the TurtleWax on my vettes and beleive me when I say it makes a big difference.


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## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

The cruze, Z06, C4 and the S4 never touch ground in the winter, so I only handwash in the summer time if you guys are wondering lol. I start them weekly just to let the engine warm up and thats it. I keep my cars in MINT condition.


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

CHEVYCRUZE RS said:


> i would never take any of my cars/trucks to a car wash...well maybe the Sierra but thats it! None of my cars have ever seen the inside of those stupid car washes (touchless or not). I personally love HAND-washing each and every car I own, for many reasons. Save yourself the $10 and you can do a better job by hand washing it. Save your paint from those rough machines at the car wash and frankly the touchless ones leave marks and streaks all over the car!
> REAL MEN HAND WASH lol....
> 
> I recommend ICEshine for tires (CanadianTire or any autoshop) and TurtleWax for waxing purposes. I use the TurtleWax on my vettes and beleive me when I say it makes a big difference.


I'd like to know how you hand wash a car in sub freezing temps? A touchless wash is not going to hurt your paint or get your car truely clean but it will rinse most of the dirt and salt off your car in the winter months. 

Since this is the first new car i have ever owned i contacted a local (very well known) professional detailer to ask for advice on which products to use. Here are a couple quotes from his email.



> There are a few pure waxes or sealants on the racks. Meguiar's is the oldest brand and although not always the best stuff, they carry good stuff you can bet on. I stay away from Turtle, Armor All, Eagle One, etc.
> 
> So disclaimer aside, the wax I use on my M3 is Dodo Juice Supernatural. I have the tub and the stick version. I try to use Supernatural shampoo to clean it, but sometimes I can't spend the extra time to 2-bucket it and I use my foam cannon (which is more safe than the 2-bucket!). As a quick detailer for after washing (I never Quick Detail without washing, personally) I use Dodo Juice Red Mist Tropical on a shag microfiber towel, wiped nice and slow. The truck gets any Spray Wax really. Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Wax works great and is super quick, lasts an easy month and looks fantastic.
> 
> Many of our customers who make orders online tend to buy in the $50-$100 range for waxes. Some worth mentioning among these is Pinnacle Sourveran, Wolfgang 3.0, Zaino, Blackfire, P21S, etc. For a carnauba wax I'd say Sourveran - easiest to apply and remove by far, and a deep wet look topped only by waxes like Supernatural or Zymol (not the crap Zymol over the counter - which is made I believe by turtle wax). For sealants, Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 is the easiest to apply and remove, with Blackfire being a close second. Menzerna Power Lock is good as well, and the choices are, obviously, endless!


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## ChevyPower (Nov 9, 2010)

Has anyone tried Clay Bar? I heard that stuff will make your paint smooth and help remove any imperfections in the paint. I really gotta start getting into this automotive detailing stuff, love having a clean car, but having a show room quality car is the ultimate!


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

Here is a link to the guy's site i quoted above. There are some pretty good car care videos in the "Additional Resources" link at the top of his site.

Exotic, Specialty, & Luxury Car Detailing In Metro Detroit


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

ChevyPower said:


> Has anyone tried Clay Bar? I heard that stuff will make your paint smooth and help remove any imperfections in the paint. I really gotta start getting into this automotive detailing stuff, love having a clean car, but having a show room quality car is the ultimate!


Clay bars are great! Check the link i posted above and watch the videos!


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## give_it_all_ (Apr 13, 2011)

I usually was my car once a week.
I use Meguire's Gold Car Wash, then Mother's clay bar if it's needed. Dry it off and use Dodo Juice wax. I use a whole bunch of other stuff as well to go the extra mile, but forget all the names right now.


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## klchiew (Jan 15, 2011)

Do check out the forums section of autopia.org. Heed the advice of those guys there, frequent posters are professional detailers, and the jobs they do are simply amazing. There are lots of advice for which products to use and how to use it properly.


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## erlindbl (Apr 12, 2011)

Clay bar and any good quality wax. The Clay bar will make it smooth as a baby's bottom.


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## WHITECO (Mar 31, 2011)

I am still trying to figure out the best product to shine the Eco rims...I tried Plasx with the powerball and it was ok...It's hard cause they are clearcoated rims and you get conflicting reports on how to deal with clearcoated rims.


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## chad473 (Feb 21, 2011)

CHEVYCRUZE RS said:


> and frankly the touchless ones leave marks and streaks all over the car!


nothing a good microfiber absorbant towel can't cure. I always use one after the touchless to get rid of the water left behind after going through the blowers. I never use their wax or other frills..just the basic wash then dry. Save handwashing for the spring/summer.


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## MetallicBlackCRZ (Mar 21, 2011)

What I use and its awesome!


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

WHITECO said:


> I am still trying to figure out the best product to shine the Eco rims...I tried Plasx with the powerball and it was ok...It's hard cause they are clearcoated rims and you get conflicting reports on how to deal with clearcoated rims.


Treat them the same as the painted surfaces on your car, any good sealant or finishing wax will be good.


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## give_it_all_ (Apr 13, 2011)

klchiew said:


> Do check out the forums section of autopia.org. Heed the advice of those guys there, frequent posters are professional detailers, and the jobs they do are simply amazing. There are lots of advice for which products to use and how to use it properly.


That's where I've learned much of what I know about keeping my car clean. Excellent site


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## MaximusPrime (Mar 23, 2011)

Cruzzer said:


> Meguiars has a New car Kit to get your Cruze looking it;s Best
> 
> Uploaded with ImageShack.us
> 
> $20 bones at your local Wally World


Funny you mentioned this, I picked this kit up the other day at Pep Boys. I've heard good things about Meguiars. I haven't had a chance to try it out though. How do you dry the cloths? Air dry?


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## Skilz10179 (Mar 22, 2011)

Most of the fine scratches your paint will get over it's lifetime will come from washing it. One thing *everyone *should buy for their wash bucket is a grit guard, it helps separate debris in your wash bucket from your sponge or wash mit. Its the best $5 you'll ever spend!


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## gman19 (Apr 5, 2011)

ChevyPower said:


> Has anyone tried Clay Bar? I heard that stuff will make your paint smooth and help remove any imperfections in the paint. I really gotta start getting into this automotive detailing stuff, love having a clean car, but having a show room quality car is the ultimate!


Yes! I've been claying our cars for several years now. I just detailed our '10 Equinox with www.chemicalguys.com line of products.

I washed with citrus wash, clayed, applied Jetseal 109, then XXX Carnuba wax. 
The hood and front end got 2 additional coats of Butter WetWax for a little extra protection.

I used Meguiers for years, and it is good stuff, but I believe the Chemical Guys stuff is easier to apply and remove/use in general.
I used their VRP Dressing on the wheels and all the interior non-leather trim, and the rubber seals around the doors. 

I'll upload some photos of the 'Nox to the garage, and will probably detail the Trans AM in a few weeks, and pics will follow...


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## KrissKross (Nov 29, 2010)

My neighbor has a car wash next to us..so I usually have them do it there and I bring in my own materials so they don't use the ones they've been using with other cars. 

But when I wash the car..I use a 2 bucket method. 1 bucket with soap..the other with plain water. Dip wash mit into the soap, wash the car, then swoosh the wash mit into the clean bucket before going back to the soapy bucket. Keeps the wash mit clean from particles and helps in reducing swirl marks and scratches. 

Also, I usually clean the bottom half of the car 1st..to get everything clean. Then I use another wash mit to clean the whole car. I've seen some people use their wash mits to clean the wheel wells and wheels, then to the paint..ouch! imagine all of that grit scratching up against your paint.


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## cruzeman (Mar 13, 2011)

mothers car wash,california gold polish and carnuba wax...finished of with meguiars tire gel.....niceeeeeee


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## chevycruze2012 (Nov 13, 2012)

avenue said:


> How do you keep your Cruze looking good? Do you wax it, or just wash it? If you wax it, what type of wax do you use? Do you use the kind that you need to rub on, and rub off, or do you use some type of spray? Does it do a good job?
> 
> What do you put on the tires?


Well Avenue...as a professional detailer, i thought i would help you out to keep ur cruze looking its absolute best. Heres what i recommend using:

Meguiars ultimate wash and wax carwash solution or mothers wash and wax carwash solution
Meguiars ultimate wash and wax anywhere..(if you choose not to use water and a bucket) This is a new product of megs for 2012. I love it alot btw.
After washing vehicle, i immediately follow the next step: claying the vehicle with either mothers or meguiars clay kit. Its inexpensive too. YOu get everything you need to do ur job right. 
Then once vehicle is clayed, if you choose to buff and or polish your car to remove any swirls, scratches, or halograms, i will use either swirlx swirl remover by meguiars, meguiars ultimate compound, or sctrachx 2.0.(depending on what ur cleaning up of course)
Then add a good carnauba wax, like mothers carnauba wax, or what i recommend for best protection, meguiars ultimate wax. It comes in paste or liquid. Both remove very easily once dried to a haze. Wipes off with a clean soft mf towel. To preserve your finish and wax protection, wash it regularly with either of the two soaps i listed because any other soap, or power washing it will strip the wax totally. One question anyone like yourself might ask, is what can i do to keep it shiny and maintained in between washing and waxing? Heres the answer. Use a detailer or spray wax. I use four products back and forth and love the results i get. They are meguiars ultimate quik detailer, meguiars ultimate quik wax, mothers california gold quik detailer, and mothers california gold spray wax. All four are amazing items. This is the missing process in between washing and waxing that people tend to forget to do. Its a simple mist on-wipe off process. All you need is plenty of soft mf towels.

For wheels..since most wheels nowadays are a painted surface like the car, you would want to wash the wheels the same way. You can use a wheel cleaner, but unless you got heavy brake dust thats caked on, you dont need to use it. A carwash solution does the trick well. However, a wheel and tire cleaner can be used to clean the tires, just spray on a dry tire and aggitate it with a tire brush to break up the grime more, and rinse and dry with a drying towel. I use a drying towel that i dont use to dry the car with to avoid scratching. (I have seperate towels for every use for detailing). I would clay the wheels too and add a coat or two of wax on there as well. The reason why i suggest meguiars ultimate line of products is because they really work, and your expectations are kept high from these. Then once wheel polishing is done, follow up with your tire dressing. I really like the Meguiars Hot Shine tire spray or the mothers tire spray. Meguiars has a new product out called Endurance tire dressing. It comes in three different choices for applications...spray, gel, or aerosol. Its got a high gloss that wont sling off the tire going down the road like traditional dressings.

For interior cleaning...theres products i narrow down to best performance and protection. I would either use meguiars ultimate protectant or mothers protectant. These are very good for high gloss without the bad glare effects, and has long lasting protection against harmful uv rays.

I personally have a thing for mothers and meguiars products lol but when it comes to glass cleaning i either use mothers glass cleaner, meguiars perfect clarity glass cleaner or even stoner invisible glass cleaner. I use a waffle weave glass towel for superior results. 

Then once all interior panels are detailed and windows are cleaned, i give it a nice vaccuming. Ive heard two different senarios. Either vaccum before and after your interior cleaning, orr...wait to vaccum when ur all done detailing that way all the other stuff is picked up. In my opinion, i would do a vaccum before and after. But its about personal preference.

Last thing is the list of materials i recommend for safe and easy applications and removal processes:
Meguiars supreme shine mf towels (3pk for 7.99)
Meguiars soft foam applicator pads(2pk for 2.49)
Meguiars waffle weave drying towel(1 for 7.99)
Mothers detail brush kit (2pk)
Mothers multipurpose mf towels(12pk for 25.00)
Mothers tire, wheel and well brush kit(14.99 for 3 brushes)
Waffle weave glass towels(2.49 each on detailing.com)
Meguiars DA polisher(ranges from 139.00 to 179.99. Autogeek.net, detailing.com, or meguiars has this)
Lastly items (i promise lol) the best way to clean your mf towels and dry them the right way is using stricly a mf towel detergent. And dont use fabric softeners, bleaches, or stain spray removers, dry on low heat or no heat at all...mainly because high heat will melt the soft fibers in the towel and causing them to scratch the surface and potential swirls in ur paint. I do have a video on youtube for you to check out on the process of this. 
Microfiber towel cleaning and maintaining - YouTube


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