First wash...

[chingf0rd]

So the car was getting a tad filthy. So being a Sunday and before the World Cup games I thought I'd give it a good wash for the first time.

Observations:

Crystal white is an amazing colour. Sparkly!

Hosepiping the car with the key in your pocket unlocks the car if you aim at the door handles. Sensitive!

Black roof is really difficult to dry without leaving water marks if in the sun. Splotchy!

And yes, the sun roof exhibits the bulging fit as described in the other thread.

[Willowxc40]

It’s very satisfying isn’t it And agree the crystal white really sparkles when clean!
Had loads of fun doing mine this week.
I used a foam lance with magifoam by autobrite, and rinsed off.
Washed with Maguires Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner all over with a wool mitt and rinsed off and dried.
Then used Gtechniq 0.5 W6 Iron and General Fallout Remover to get rid of any contaminates (esp on the alloys), again rinsed off and dried. I then applied Gtechniq 0.5 C2 Liquid Crystal v3 to seal and protect the paint...Very good stuff IMO. Used some simoniz black treatment for all the plastic (there is a surprising amount actually). Windows polished with fast glass. Finally detailed the 20’s with alloy wheel protection and tyre shine stuff.
Seemed over top for a first wash but just didn’t trust the dealer to have the attention to detail that I have for my car.

[johnbluerio]

The way to avoid the white blotchy roof is use a kartcher window vac ( other makes are available) after rinsing and don't leather off apart from the odd areas it won't reach. It's a brilliant piece of kit.
If you use the window vac on the whole of the car, may have to empty a couple of times, but much quicker and easier than a wash leather plus you can reach all the roof without a step ladder if vertically challenged.
Agree once clean the Crystal white is truely a beautiful finish, shame the door reveals and the rest of the exposed bodywork sections are in plain white basecoat, or has mine not been properly finished? no seen this money saving change in finish on any other new motor before. I am going to ask the dealer when it goes in for the 3 month check up.

[Boomer]

The way to avoid the white blotchy roof is use a kartcher window vac ( other makes are available) after rinsing and don't leather off apart from the odd areas it won't reach. It's a brilliant piece of kit.

That's a really good call, John. Hadn't thought on a window kartcher on the roof. There is no doubt the black roof is a real pain to keep blotch free - esp in this nice and hot weather (but then the message there is not to wash when it's hot and sunny and you still have time to get your "towel" to it).

But for me the real boon will be to use the kartcher on the bonnet where the water just sits in large quantities (and even a bare arm sweep leaves loads of water behind).

Thanks for the tip.

[pjm007]

Agree once clean the Crystal white is truely a beautiful finish, shame the door reveals and the rest of the exposed bodywork sections are in plain white basecoat, or has mine not been properly finished? no seen this money saving change in finish on any other new motor before. I am going to ask the dealer when it goes in for the 3 month check up.

That’s a new puzzle John. Just checked my BB which has the same level of sparkle (brilliant in this weather) in the finish as the Crystal White, but can see no signs of any plain base coat. Anyone else seen this basecoat feature?

[Boomer]

Agree once clean the Crystal white is truely a beautiful finish, shame the door reveals and the rest of the exposed bodywork sections are in plain white basecoat, or has mine not been properly finished? no seen this money saving change in finish on any other new motor before. I am going to ask the dealer when it goes in for the 3 month check up.

That’s a new puzzle John. Just checked my BB which has the same level of sparkle (brilliant in this weather) in the finish as the Crystal White, but can see no signs of any plain base coat. Anyone else seen this basecoat feature?

I've treated all my paintwork and can't say I've noticed either (I'd expect that a plain base coat would jump out). Seems strange that the "robots" would have misapplied and for it to also miss QC.

[Andy S]

I'll check Mrs S's car when she gets home on the door shuts etc, but cannot say that I've noticed it when washing ......

Agree with the sparkle (it's fantastic), however the sparkle currently overshadowed by the two dents that I now have in the bonnet from something being thrown-up whilst on motorway. Got a dent-man coming on weds evening to take a look - Here's hoping he can do some 'magic'.

[Boomer]

I'll check Mrs S's car when she gets home on the door shuts etc, but cannot say that I've noticed it when washing ......

Agree with the sparkle (it's fantastic), however the sparkle currently overshadowed by the two dents that I now have in the bonnet from something being thrown-up whilst on motorway. Got a dent-man coming on weds evening to take a look - Here's hoping he can do some 'magic'.

Ouch - feel your pain.

Lucky it didn't take the windscreen out as well. Must have been substantial.

[q3billy]

I'll check Mrs S's car when she gets home on the door shuts etc, but cannot say that I've noticed it when washing ......

Agree with the sparkle (it's fantastic), however the sparkle currently overshadowed by the two dents that I now have in the bonnet from something being thrown-up whilst on motorway. Got a dent-man coming on weds evening to take a look - Here's hoping he can do some 'magic'.

I had something like that a few years ago driving down the M1. Saw a lorry driver chuck something out his window and it came flying towards me, hit my bonnet with such force it dented and stripped it down to bare metal. Scared the life out of me, I only bought the car the previous week as well

[Boomer]

Agree once clean the Crystal white is truely a beautiful finish, shame the door reveals and the rest of the exposed bodywork sections are in plain white basecoat, or has mine not been properly finished? no seen this money saving change in finish on any other new motor before. I am going to ask the dealer when it goes in for the 3 month check up.

That’s a new puzzle John. Just checked my BB which has the same level of sparkle (brilliant in this weather) in the finish as the Crystal White, but can see no signs of any plain base coat. Anyone else seen this basecoat feature?

I've treated all my paintwork and can't say I've noticed either (I'd expect that a plain base coat would jump out). Seems strange that the "robots" would have misapplied and for it to also miss QC.

Just reporting back and I think the base coat issue might be real (well certainly on crystal white). On my door reveals the paint certainly looks flatter, but I've not yet been in the "right" light every time I've remembered to look. Could be that they are just cleaner and/or I'm looking in a flat light. Need to get a bright light/torch to confirm.

Doesn't really bother me visually as it is so hard to tell even when relatively close (and I am still not sure). But then it gets me (assuming this is the case) that Volvo are penny pinching and not giving all visible surfaces the same paint job (I can forgive them the engine bay).