[SuperBmw]

So today I tried my first hand wash and WOW was that a long and tedious process haha.

I washed about 1/3 to 1/2 a panel with one side of the mitt lightly, then went over it again with the other side and then redid the whole panel one final time. After all this was said and done... when I tried to use my waffle weave drying towel I found t hat it was just sticking to the paint and it wouldnt glide across the paint at all smoothly with no pressue.

I folded the towel many times expecting it to just glide, but I ended up having to just scrunch it up and drag it across the paint with a bit of pressure. So I got the car mostly dry and thought my quick detailer (CG synthetic) would help dry up the rest, when I sprayed it on and tried to wipe it with a very plush microfiber, I had the same issue again with the towel really sticking to the paint.

Does my car need to be clayed or something or is this just how it is?

My products are all high quality and purchased from detailedimage.

[chrisE92]

I'm going to say your car needs to be clayed. Maybe follow up with a polish if you're up for it. I washed and waxed two cars today, one that I just picked up on Wednesday, and one that I got in 07. Both times, the towel went across the surface easily at all times.

[henry418]

You probably have water spots. Clay it

[tbracing]

If the water is still beading up then your good on wax and just need to clay it.

[Detailed Image]

Thank you for the purchases it's sincerely appreciated. I've worked on some cars before where the surface feels dry and the towel wants to cling to the surface. However the DI Microfiber Waffle Weave Drying Towel it's not supposed to be slick or really glide super easy. I also recommend blot drying the car which is a bit safer. If you clay polish and protect (wax or seal) the paint it should certainly feel better the next time. If you need recommendations don't hesitate to ask!

Greg

[MuttGrunt]

Too easy: you purchased some outstanding products from DI, but as you stated, this was your first hand wash AKA you're car isn't waxed/sealed.

Without any protection on your car, it isn't going to be very slick. Waxes and sealants increase surface tension which makes them feel slick while beading or sheeting water. As you've noticed, the surface isn't slick and thus trying to pass a clean and high quality microfiber towel over will feel grabby. You'll need to do a thorough wash, clay, and lay down a layer of wax or sealant for the proper feel to come through. Once you try this, I think you'll find the results you're looking for.

Happy detailing!

[jopa489]

Agreed with all the posts above. You have quality products, but just need to do some prep work to get the paint slick. Try claying and layering down a sealant and/or wax. That will add protection to your paint, make it slicker, and help make future maintenance washes easier.

[Envious Eric]

clay it, polish it, seal it. Then your next washes will be easier and you wont have the "grabby" effect from the paint/towels

[SuperBmw]

Thanks everyone for all the help!

I plan to glaze, seal and wax it.

The only problem is Claying/Polishing. I'm not comfortable enough to polish it myself and don't have the money right now to pay $400-500 for a professional to do it.

As for claying I'm afraid I may add some marring to the paint if I clay it and don't polish it after.

Love the detailing section on this forum!

[dday]

Everyone has pretty much covered the bases here. But here's some good news, the first time you detail is always going to take the longest.

Clay your paint, give it a nice polish, then seal and/or wax, the next time you wash it'll be much easier. An alternative here is to have your car detailed by a pro once or twice a year to remove the swirls and do maintenance washes and occasional waxing yourself.

[dday]

Originally Posted by SuperBmw

Thanks everyone for all the help!

I plan to glaze, seal and wax it.

The only problem is Claying/Polishing. I'm not comfortable enough to polish it myself and don't have the money right now to pay $400-500 for a professional to do it.

As for claying I'm afraid I may add some marring to the paint if I clay it and don't polish it after.

Love the detailing section on this forum!

Check out the porter cable kits out either on DI or detailersdomain, its virtually impossible for you to do damage to your paint with one. If you enjoy the detailing process it's well worth picking one up

[Envious Eric]

you dont always have to have a perfected paint job on a daily driver car. That is ONE thing that people dont always understand. Like when I post up a 14-20 hour detail on a jet black BMW, its not going to look the same in person as when I do a 8-10 hour detail on a black bmw. There are different levels of needs, maybe yours isnt at the highest level so, therefore, you dont need the super high end paint correction, but rather just a light clay and polishing to smooth out the paint, and restore some gloss while leaving some paint defects in the paint leaving MORE clear on the paint for future polishing/gloss enhancing jobs in the future...Full correction jobs are mainly for severly jacked up cars, show cars, and weekend warrior cars, not your average DD car! So if you drive your car daily, try to keep it in the 80-90% perfected range and you will more than likely be a happy guy...that type of work wont run you a bill of 4-500, more like 2-300

[jeffvb9]

Originally Posted by SuperBmw

Thanks everyone for all the help!

I plan to glaze, seal and wax it.

The only problem is Claying/Polishing. I'm not comfortable enough to polish it myself and don't have the money right now to pay $400-500 for a professional to do it.

As for claying I'm afraid I may add some marring to the paint if I clay it and don't polish it after.

Love the detailing section on this forum!

Why would you use glaze? Do you have defects you are trying to hide/cover up?

[jmen11]

If all you want is a smooth surface just use the clay for now. Just use plenty of lubrication. If you're gentle enough you can get away with little to no marring, then just wax.

[SuperBmw]

Originally Posted by Envious Eric

you dont always have to have a perfected paint job on a daily driver car. That is ONE thing that people dont always understand. Like when I post up a 14-20 hour detail on a jet black BMW, its not going to look the same in person as when I do a 8-10 hour detail on a black bmw. There are different levels of needs, maybe yours isnt at the highest level so, therefore, you dont need the super high end paint correction, but rather just a light clay and polishing to smooth out the paint, and restore some gloss while leaving some paint defects in the paint leaving MORE clear on the paint for future polishing/gloss enhancing jobs in the future...Full correction jobs are mainly for severly jacked up cars, show cars, and weekend warrior cars, not your average DD car! So if you drive your car daily, try to keep it in the 80-90% perfected range and you will more than likely be a happy guy...that type of work wont run you a bill of 4-500, more like 2-300

Haha, yeah I definitely get what you are saying, but after seeing how a freshly detailed car looks its really hard not to have a desire for that flawless look, I've become pretty anal about my finish as of late.

Originally Posted by jeffvb9

Why would you use glaze? Do you have defects you are trying to hide/cover up?

Yeah, I thought maybe glaze would help hide a tiny bit of the swirling until I can get it polished.

[TwinPowerF30]

It's normal. Wet car adds friction.