Waaahhhh

Arrrr! You could be ruining the paint!

If you're using the Brush car washes, I don't care HOW 'paint friendly' they say they are, they do damage the paint! After about 50 carwashes, go out and look on a nice, bright sunny day, and you'll see the 'spider-webbing' in the finish. This is caused by carwashes with the brushes.

Tha manual washes with the 'foaming brush' are just as bad.

Get an artificial sheepskin mitt, and bring a bucket with you. Wash the mitt in the washer occasionally, or just buy a new one once in a while.

One thing I have noticed with Toyotas (I work at a Toyota dealer...) and really with ALL cars: the new VOC requirements for Auto paint have made the finishes REAL soft, and they will scratch and blemish VERY easily.

A good coat of wax every three months and a godd washing in between will kepp you car looking good for a long time. With the prices of cars these days...

Keep the Prius...

Trade the wife! ;)

Oh gee. :-( Mt 3-year old VW looks pretty good--unless you look very closely, abd then you would see those tiny little lines. I go to the car washes that tout themselves as touchless or something, although they do have dangling strips of cloth. Everything else is blown on and off.

I have to say I am a bit reluctant to take this car to the car wash though. I'm afraid those strips of cloth will get caught on the spoiler/the mirrors.... Probably unfounded fears...

Ask the Car and Driver editor that took a Brand New 1996 Supra twin turbo through the car was and ripped off the $600 spoiler! Of course, it was about 4 times the size of yours!

Hey, I'm guilty, too, but I have 'classic' Toyotas with more robust paint! It took years for the swirls to show up (I also wax 4 times a year and buff every two...)

The paint on the newer cars (2001 up) is junk. Some of the worst paint I have ever seen. It has to do with the Federal VOC laws.

If you had the car Simonized when you bought it, you should have been given a kit with it. Follow the instructions. if you didn't, DON'T!!! I have seen Simonized cars get just as bad as others; the only difference is the guarantee. BTW, they DO seem to honor the guarantee quite nicely: we had a car come in with encrusted bird droppings and they painted the hood, no problem!

Otherwise, go to AutoZone, etc and get some Meguire's wax (in the Yellow can, or Gold Class) Don't use a cleaner wax unless you absolutely have to! Give it a good coat of wax abut every 3-4 months and it should look good for a long, long time!

Good Luck!

"Bill" wrote in news:nPudnftybO snipped-for-privacy@onvoy.com:

Mother's Back to Black should restore it.