Gave my car a well deserved wash

[KrisZ]

Well, my car hasn't been properly washed by hand probably close to two years and the last time it was washed was about 6 months ago. I moved to a new subdivision and there was too much construction going on for me to even bother washing the car.

So, my Mazda finally got a well deserved wash:

It's got some dings but the car still shines

Here is how my newly purchased Coopers looked like just couple weeks ago

They look better now

The builder is still not done, as you can see, but at least I got a driveway, so the car hopefully stays a bit cleaner.

 

[ahoier]

Come on, you gotta tell us your secret wash product(s), what did you use on the wheels?

 

[cp3]

Looks good! Are the brakes new? The calipers and hubs painted? They look good for an '06.

 

[KrisZ]

Thanks guys.
My products are quite common. For general wheel cleaning I use Simple Green diluted about 4:1 in a spray bottle and brush used for cleaning baby bottles, courtesy of my wife

To shine the tires I first give them a spray of Armor All tire Foam, this gets into all letters and design patterns on the tire. I follow that with Meguiars tire gel, the gel is thick, that's why I use the foam, so that I don't have to use too much gel, otherwise it will sling and look ugly.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: cp3
Looks good! Are the brakes new? The calipers and hubs painted? They look good for an '06.


Calipers were painted when the car was one year old, the rear calipers seem to hold quite well, the front ones are starting to show surface rust though. Brake rotors are new, I put them this summer, but before installation I painted them as well.

Here is a picture of the front wheel, the caliper needs a do-over.

 

[mopar_monkey]

thumbs up for the tires! great choice!

 

[SLCraig]

Looks good. have a friend with the identical card. Same color and trim level.

 

[cp3]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: cp3
Looks good! Are the brakes new? The calipers and hubs painted? They look good for an '06.


Calipers were painted when the car was one year old, the rear calipers seem to hold quite well, the front ones are starting to show surface rust though. Brake rotors are new, I put them this summer, but before installation I painted them as well.

Here is a picture of the front wheel, the caliper needs a do-over.

I tried the caliper kit with ceramic brush on paint this year when I did the fronts on the G6. I'm curious to see if it holds up better than the engine paint I've been using. Calipers weren't bad but the hubs rust through every winter. I used silver first time on the G6, then my son talked me into trying red...looks pretty good so both cars are red now.

 

[daves87rs]

Looks great! Good choice on the tires as well...

 

[rjacket]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Here is how my newly purchased Coopers looked like just couple weeks ago

They look better now

The builder is still not done, as you can see, but at least I got a driveway, so the car hopefully stays a bit cleaner.


Oddly enough, your rotors looked cleaner before than after!

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: rjacket
Oddly enough, your rotors looked cleaner before than after!


That's because the pics were takan shortly after the wash. What you see is surface rust on the rotors.

 

[CharBaby]

Good looking M3 Kris. From the pics, it looks brand new. Nice job!
My daughters '06 mazda3i is bright silver metalic paint with the black interior(dark gray in the middle or the seats).
She has the same wheels as yours, no sun roof but with the spoiler on the trunk lid which she hates(just doesn't like 'em). The only good thing she can say about the spoiler is, that is block out the headlights of the vehicle behind her(even though the car is equiped with the auto dimming rear view mirror & compass). Her '06 also has the same red tail lights. We both like the optional smoked tail lights which I have seen on other mazda3's

Other than those items, it's pretty much the standard 3i with a few options. If she bought it new, she would have gotten a different exterior color such a charcoal or burgandy but, overall she loves the car and the MPG is awsome as has been the rest of the car...No issues in over 2 years of ownership.