I've spent the last 40 minutes or so cleaning my 300SD, which had collected a horrendous load of weird dirt on the hood. There is still some barely noticeable filth in some places... I have been using normal soap and a pad that claims to scrub without actually scratching (it works well). Does anyone have any thoughts on a different sort of cleaner or cleaning method that I could use? I think it's juuuuuuust a little too much for me to just try waxing over it.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Dawn for dishes works pretty well. After that, ya gotta use the clay bar.

AFTER you get it cleaned up, in the future when you wash, use a capful of Meguiar's Gold car wash in your bucket.

Easy on the finish but it really makes the wash job easier and is still gentle on the finish.

(Thanks to iwrock for this tip..it really works.)

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

What are you using exactly?

Do a dawn dish soap wash to strip wax
I use Poorboys World products and Meguairs Pro line stuff

Once dry clay bar the paint. Then apply Meguairs #7 glaze and follow the instructions.

Then seal it with a high quality cranium via wax.

side note: I did once clean the entire body of a black 1980 Volvo wagon that sat for a year under a nasty tree. Whole car was covered in sap droppings. I cleaned it one dropping at a time with Ajax liquid cleaner and cotton rags. Took literally 20 hours (plus the skin off my fingers-use latex gloves!). But the car looked like brand new, not its real 11 year age. You can try that stuff if you want. It is strong. I'm serious about the gloves!

I'm using Meguiar's "Deep Crystal Car Wash".

I'd forgotten about claying it...

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

dish soap + clay bar +seal/glaze

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/25304-secret-removing-oxidation-restoring-show-car-finish-antique-single-stage-paints.html

Learn young grashoppah

Clay bar, once its dry. I polished that thing relentlessly and with a decent wax it really really shines well. Wax is really what makes the difference, get a random orbital buffer and go to town on it. Once that wears off though I noticed that grime sticks to the paint for some reason (ran into the same issue). I THINK that paint is an older respray, my guess is the original paint oxidized and clearcoat wore down since it was a TX car.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Take it from the PO of my 190E parts car, 60 grit sand paper will clean it up REAL good.

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

Hehe 60 grit will kill this car, I am the PO it is good paint in good condition.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Thank you old grasshoppah.
I agree with you on the respray bit, if for no other reason than that I don't see how the interior could have sustained the sun damage it did without the paint going bad.

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Maguire’s paint care or their paint cleaner (I forget which) and a clay bar will do minor miracles.

The cleaner called 409 and a clay bar will do almost as well.

Simple Green.

Not on paint.


The link I provided is the definitive way of restoring older single stage paints.