[Elliott@DetailAddict]

Hey guys!

Over the past few years we have heard many horrific stories about what people do to their vehicles. We've decided to share our pain with some info about what you wouldn't and shouldn't do. Feel free to add to the list! Maybe you know something funny that someone has done to their car.This will be great for those who need a little reminder.

• Wash the car with a dish washing sponge!
• Wash body paint with a brush!
• Use household products to clean your paint: such as CLR to remove water stain or detergent to wash the car!
• Use an automatic drive through car wash or go to a place they say it's "hand wash."
• Wash wheels with a brush or cloth and then onto the body paint!
• Allow the dealership wash or detail the car!
• Buffing off wax or polish with a terry cloth!
• Rubbing smudges or pricking off dirt with your fingernails!
• Use all-purpose cleaner on non-anodized wheels!
• Drop a clay bar and use it again!
• Leaving bird droppings, eggs, spit, or sap on the paint!
• Parking next to sprinklers!
• Place things onto the car or the trunk!
• Driving behind a big rig!
• Use a duster to touch-up the car!
• Parking under a tree (sap or bird droppings)
• Using an ice scraper/shovel to scrape snow/ice off the car
• Don't piss off your wife/girlfriend

[AggieATO]

Parked near a tree at work and came out to a sap-spotted car...infuriating. Complete lapse in judgement.

[Riick]

how do i clean up dried up bug juice off my front bumper? there's this outline of something fierce on my paint and regular soap/water doesn't remove it.

[claycourter01]

Any exceptions allowed?

Brush: I have a boar's hair brush, from a reputable detailing site, designed for use on the paint. It seems sufficiently gentle; I would not bear down on it. Assuming an appropriate suds level, I actually like the idea of lifting off dirt with the brush rather than rubbing with a mitt.

Automatic car wash: I tend to avoid them also. Certainly avoid car washes with any brushes or dangling fabrics that will physically contact the car. But how about touchless car washes? For those of us in climates where salt is used on the roads in the winter, touchless car washes can be useful in the winter, especially for rinsing salt from under the car.

Car duster: I know this is a polarizing issue. I have one, and it seems safe to me, at least in the Spring when the car is covered in pollen. Again, I certainly wouldn't bear down on it, but the idea of lightly dusting the pollen off the car doesn't seem to be too bad to me.

[evoix]

I was angry when my neighbor was cleaning snow off his 335 with a snow shovel. I wanted to punch him in the face so bad!!!

[claycourter01]

Originally Posted by Riick

how do i clean up dried up bug juice off my front bumper? there's this outline of something fierce on my paint and regular soap/water doesn't remove it.

Stoner's tar/bug remover is very good.

[AggieATO]

Originally Posted by claycourter01

Any exceptions allowed?

Car duster: I know this is a polarizing issue. I have one, and it seems safe to me, at least in the Spring when the car is covered in pollen. Again, I certainly wouldn't bear down on it, but the idea of lightly dusting the pollen off the car doesn't seem to be too bad to me.

I wouldn't use it. You might as well drag a dry microfiber towel across a dirty car...

[AggieATO]

Here's another one:

My GF was waiting outside for me to unlock the car after leaving a restaurant and she set her purse on the trunk of my fairly dirty car. DO NOT SET ANYTHING ON THE CAR...EVER.

[Elliott@DetailAddict]

Originally Posted by evoix

I was angry when my neighbor was cleaning snow off his 335 with a snow shovel. I wanted to punch him in the face so bad!!!

Ouch! That's very painful to watch.

Originally Posted by AggieATO

Here's another one:

My GF was waiting outside for me to unlock the car after leaving a restaurant and she set her purse on the trunk of my fairly dirty car. DO NOT SET ANYTHING ON THE CAR...EVER.

This is definitely one of my pet peeves.

[StevenY.]

Pretty much everything on the list is what I know not to do. It sucks that my driveway is under a tree, I get bird droppings often but immediately rinse it right off. What sucks is that my driveway isn't gated and the other day I caught this punk ass kid lean up against my paint and needless to say, I now have light scratches on my paint.

[evoix]

Originally Posted by AggieATO

Here's another one:

My GF was waiting outside for me to unlock the car after leaving a restaurant and she set her purse on the trunk of my fairly dirty car. DO NOT SET ANYTHING ON THE CAR...EVER.

I hope you broke up with her!!!! lol joking. Yea i hate that.

[SHEEDI]

going to hand car washes, they INSTALL SWIRLS ON YOUR PAINT

[NJ Krish]

Had a bmw on school parking. Seen the guy every other day since we park in same lot. Always has bird shit on his car and never removes it. His response - "Oh it will eventually rain and remove it"

[Elliott@DetailAddict]

Originally Posted by SHEEDI

going to hand car washes, they INSTALL SWIRLS ON YOUR PAINT

Yea, even though it's a "hand wash" they don't use any proper techniques. I recently saw a hand car wash using a California Car Duster as a wash mitt...

Originally Posted by Njzkrish

Had a bmw on school parking. Seen the guy every other day since we park in same lot. Always has bird shit on his car and never removes it. His response - "Oh it will eventually rain and remove it"

Ouch. That owner doesn't deserve to drive a BMW.

[DMH-01]

A friend of mine decided to drive around with a seized brake caliper

[Elliott@DetailAddict]

I have never seen anything like that before...Poor car.

[Boxtyp3]

My wife rubbed her hands on my dirty car when we had a fight. Moral of the story, don't mess with an angry wife!

[Elliott@DetailAddict]

Originally Posted by Boxtyp3

My wife rubbed her hands on my dirty car when we had a fight. Moral of the story, don't mess with an angry wife!

Agreed. They know how to take advantage of the situation.

[mastermayhm]

ahhhh some of these literally make me quiver. haha good pointers

[Elliott@DetailAddict]

Keep them coming! Love listening to your stories!