Washed her last night, and you could almost hear her say "AAAHHHHH!".
I waxed the new wheels before I mounted them, and it was sweet - the water was beading up on them! Even on the vertical surfaces. Cleaning them was cake.
Oh, the many uses of peanut butter. Creamy Jiff works best )
Hugo - no sweat. You can click on the number of the post, and then there is a scribble button.
including Meguiar's, Liquid Glass and Nu-Finish. I usually try whatever Consumer Reports recommends. In their latest test of car polishes they liked the cleaning ability, gloss and non-staining on black plastic trim of 3-M Cleaner/Polish. Since my cars are white, I tried it and it really worked great; even totally removed the fine scratches in the recessed area by the door pulls. Best of all, it did not stain the black plastic and rubber, and it doesn't dull the finish like many other name brand products. The only downside, is that CR found that its protection wasn't as long lasting as some of the other products, but with clear-coat finishes cars don't need the frequent polishing that used to be required. As far as odor, Liquid Glass actually smells nice, Meguiars and 3-M are tolerable, and Nu Finish is disgusting (it makes your hands smell like an oil refinery for two days, even after using a lemon-scented mechanic's hand cleaner).
...Turtle Wax's Black Chrome, does a nice job on the appearance and will conceal trace amounts of residual white wax. A toothbrush, as many have suggested, is a great application tool on textured plastic trim pieces.
What is the best way to look after the rubber seals around the windows? My windows have developed a faint border where they make contact with the rubber. Presumably this is degrading the rubber a little so I need some preventative measures!
The best thing to do with the rubber seals so that there are no marks left from the frame of the car, is to spray them with a silicone lube. This helps it keep moisture out, and the windows from sticking to the rubber, and is especially important in the winter season ...
Lithium is actually a metallic element (Li, #3, a light metal similar to sodium and potassium, never found in its metallic state in nature, always in compounds), and lithium grease is just stuff that contains lithium. As I recall, lithium grease is somewhat conductive electrically, and a good thermal conductor.
Silicone (not to be confused with elemental silicon, as in computer chips :-) ) is a synthetic oily/rubbery compound that can be made with lots of different properties. The grease form is a good dielectric (=> does not conduct and holds static electric charges apart). I am not sure what their chemical formulae are (I suspect they are silicon-chain molecules analogous to the carbon-chain molecules for oils, though). Silicone compounds are generally clear (see-through).
Oils are of course natural oily/rubbery compounds, mixtures of different hydrocarbon chains, that can be separated into different products with different properties. The grease forms are again pretty good dielectrics and moderately good thermal conductors. Some lighter stuff (gasoline, kerosene) is clear but by the time you get to oils and greases they get darker, either translucent or opaque.
As it turns out, this site happens to have a bunch of information on various greases. You want to choose the right kind of lube for the right job -- as Juice says, some oils will dissolve some rubbers (because they are so similar chemically). Silicone will not. Lithium grease will (I think) not hold a static charge but will tend to hold grit, and of course is opaque white, rather than clear.
Not willing to bet on this one, but I think any product designed as a rubber treatment (e.g. Son of a Gun, Armor all, Something Better, etc.) will work fine without the risk of harming the gaskets or making them slimy/oily. I do notice that with the frameless Legacy windows a black residue gathers along the edges of the windows where they meet the gasket. It takes glass cleaner and a razor to scrape it off. Protecting the rubber (something I rarely do) will probably help prevent this and prevent wind noise in the future.
It's nice to see that everyone seems to care personally for their Soobs - waxing, polishing, etc. I am one of those who don't really have the time to do all that. So what are your thoughts on simply going to a Mobil station or similar and get one of their premium car wash jobs for $5 every now and then (not a single post mentioned this possibility)? I picked up my 00 OB a week ago and love it already, but it's a car for having fun, and it's supposed to get me to dusty Texan state parks on the weekends. Is nobody as lazy as I am ?
Many thanks, everyone, for the great information! I guess I'll pick one product, give it a shot, and let you all know how it goes.
For the record, I'm with machius, never been a real car-care fanatic, although that seems to be changing somewhat since I got my Soob. For convenience's sake I usually go to the local "touchless" car wash, but they've never done better than a reasonably good job on my car, so every few months I personally give my Forester a wash and wax. This routine feels like a good balance for me, and besides the annoying wax stains on the plastic trim (which I hope to eliminate soon) the results on the car have been very satisfactory.
... under "normal" conditions. Of course, like oil changes, "normal" conditions might be "the car gets driven 100 highway miles once a week and stays in the garage otherwise" or something. :-)
I put on my Zaino back in Feb or March or so, and it still seems to be doing pretty well, but I do keep my cars in a garage.
I can be pretty lazy, too. Lots of people I know spend $8-$10 on a car wash every week or so. That's $400-$500 per year, more than I just spent for a set of high-performance 16" Michelins. I avoid car washes because they do add up and I can do a better job anyway. I usually run it through a brushless (which just means there are swirling rags instead of bristles) every other week. Then in the spring I get really motivated and give it a good cleaning with bug & tar remover, followed by a coat of wax/polish. Any polish once or twice a year is good enough to keep a modern clearcoat finish looking good for 15 years. Even my dad's '84 Dodge van looks good where there is still paint (rust occurs from inside out; all the wax in the world won't stop it!). There is one caveat: a "touchless" car wash will use high pressure jets of water/soap. That's got to be stripping away your wax/polish! That's why I prefer the "brushless" over "touchless" Ditto on any car wash that begins with the hand-held steam spray guns at the entrance. I usually ask the guys to hold off on those if I don't expect to wax for a while. Whatever scratches you accumulate from the synthetic rags or bristles they use will polish out; dark colors are another story. Anyone with a black car knows the love/hate of it and how easily EVERYTHING shows up. The truth is that if you do virtually nothing in three years, which is what many of my friends with leased cars do, the car will still look great when the dealer cleans and polishes it and puts it on his lot for resale. And if you do everything possible to keep your car pristine, it will inevitably become a magnet for every shopping cart, road hazard, and carelessly opened door within 10 miles.
I use(d) a Silicon Emulsion from GM. I bought it when I had my 86 Cavalier Z24....(yes, I knew not of Subaru back then!!!)
Comes in small bottle. Its white with a creamy texture and the cap comes with a small round furry applicator attached. You apply and let dry (about 30 minutes). I applied in fall and spring.
I used it for my Talon even though it was a GM product. When I recently traded in my Talon for my OB (yes I saw the light) the rubber seals, even after 8 years, looked and felt like new.
I have yet to visit my local GM dealership to purchase another bottle to do my Soob. Hopefully, they still carry the stuff. I don't recall any damage/discoloration to tint, but it is something I would check out before using.
Checked with my old Chev dealer. Its still available as a GM product and called Silicon Emulsion and comes in bottle with applicator brush as described. In Canada, its $4.75 + tax, so imagine its only a few bucks in the US.
I had an AWD Talon a few years ago. It was an awesome ride and could blow the doors off any Subaru but didn't have the quality or reliability of a Subaru. Hopefully Subaru will offer the new H-6 in the rest of their model line-up and marry it with a 5 sp MT. )
I hear ya' on the Talon!! I had the Turbo and it smoked!! I believe it was rated at 0-60 km in about 6.6 or 6.7 seconds. Even by today's standards thats not bad, but back in 91, it was a speed demon!!!
However, I found the interior somewhat noisy and the fit and finish by no means comes close to the Soob. Rode like most sports cars...rough!!!
Now, with a young child in the back seat, speed is of lower priority, but like Juice, I wouldn't mind a bit more power in the Soob. Although, I find my driving is much more tame knowing that I don't have a 190 horse turbo under the hood.......on second thought.......bring on the WRX!
I'm sure you meant 0-60 miles/hour, not km. My Forester will reach 60kph (37.5mph) in less time than that.
My neighbor had a first generation model, but it was too low to the ground for serious snow. He said he'd scrape driveways a lot with the front lip spoiler.
Actually, if I recall correctly, the 0-60 time was 6.5 (and yes that's MPH). The 195 HP combined with AWD and the P225/55VR16 Goodyear Eagle tires made for some great skidpad times. But in the real world, you had to come to almost a complete stop to avoid bottoming out on speed bumps and the like. And no, it wasn't mcuh use in snow any deeper than 3-4 inches.
Luck11: Belated or not, thanks for chiming in on this product. It sounds like the beauty of it is in the dispenser so that you don't have to worry about overspray etc.
Darlene: The Safe Cut sounds like a good product as well. Are you able to compare it to other products in harshness -- e.g. bug and tar remover, which I use only sparingly because I don't fully trust it.
Anyone: Have you been able to find either of these products on line or locally?
I got most of the stickers and letters off my sport except for two pinstripes and I'm very pleased. Now go on to the next post unless your a glutton or want to do it yourself.
I took the stickers off as advised by heating the corner with a hair dryer and then slowly peeling away while heating. Don't use too much heat though or the sticker becomes too soft and fragile.
I took the letters off by heating with a hair dryer and running dental floss through the glue (some type of rubber cement). I think fishing line might be better for getting more of the glue off initially, but I don't fish.
WARNING: Subaru puts their letters on some cars with pins, so removal will leave a hole in your car--check on your model and year before removing.
I got the glue residue off with a combination of heating, rubbing with my finger, clay, bug and tar remover and mostly patience.
The car still has two non-standard-pinstripes just below the window level and I hate them both. When I bought the car, I thought no big deal, I'll take them off. To my surprise, both of the stripes look painted and one might even be below the clear coat. So without practical removal options/advise, I didn't touch them.
I had planned to leave the lower, standard pinstripes that outline the panels, but since the above two are probably staying, I decided the bottom ones have to go. These were the hardest to remove on all counts; too much heat it would melt, too little heat it would break and the residue was very stubborn.
I can see a faint outline from where the pinstripes were. I'm not sure but think it's due to the sticker taking some of the clear coat with it rather than due to fading. Still it's barely noticeable and only in some areas.
The other stickers, even the letters were much easier to get off and I can't see any sign of damage or fading whatsoever.
I also left the AWD stickers on the side windows, in part because of earlier warnings about towing and liability of tow truck operators, but also because they don't offend me and they're not in the way of cleaning or anything.
My car is now clean and waxed except for the roof because .... And no, I haven't waxed the wheels yet or the door jams.
Why not the roof: I'm waiting to get the cross bars off. The threads for the screws holes are apparently stripped. I got all the screws loose, but only two came fully out. Don't quite now how to go any further without damaging the rack and I'll need help.
More about the lower pinstripes: Removal also revealed tiny but deep scratches in the paint at the four points where the pinstripes overlap -- behind front wheels and in front of real wheels. Don't know if they were put there as an application guide or by an application tool.
Yep...I meant MPH. Anyway, mine was actually the Plymouth Laser RS...cheaper sister car of the Talon and Eclipse....just easier to describe as a Talon. Anyway, no AWD on mine.
It did not have the body skirts like the Talon so it had a bit more clearance, and with the winter tires, I found it quite good in the snow actually! Obviously not as good as the Soob, but up here, 3-4 inches of snow in the winter is the norm and I had no problem. Where it had difficulty is where it got beyond 6 or 7 inches, at which point it was definitely "plowing" the snow. Oh well, its history now and these concerns are no more with a Soob in my driveway!!!
Mary: no prob about the Emulsion. If you have any difficulty finding it in the US, I can find out if the Chev dealer up here would ship to the US. With one spring and one fall application, one bottle should last at least 2 or 3 years.
Q: I am due to pick up my brandy-[non-permissible content removed] new Forester S in Blue Ridge Pearl on the 18th of August. I was wondering if I should wax or otherwise treat the exterior with anything to preserve the finish immediately? A polymer perhaps? What's your opinion? I live in NYC to give you an idea of the conditions I will face:)
Q: I am due to pick up my brandy-[non-permissible content removed] new Forester S in Blue Ridge Pearl on the 18th of August. I was wondering if I should wax or otherwise treat the exterior with anything to preserve the finish immediately? A polymer perhaps? What's your opinion? I live in NYC to give you an idea of the conditions I will face:)
Since our OB was built in May '00, I think it's safe to wax it. (6 week rule would make it safe to wax in mid-July)
Our Winestone OB was sitting at the front of the dealers lot - along a road that was getting some major construction & resurfacing done. Just a lot of dust and grit. It sure cleaned up nicely at delivery though!
I've used Megiuar's Gold Class liquid on my previous ride (red 97 Chevy Z71) and my wifes medium red metallic Saturn SL. Goes on easy, comes off ok (might need some elbow grease). I'll try it out on our OB tomorrow.
I did notice that our wheels have what looks like a wax pencil marking on them. It looks like something quality control writes on them - like a number code. It's small - about 1/2. I tried rubbing it off with a damp cloth and got minimal results. Seems like it comes off a bit with a fingernail though. Any thoughts on something easier to clean those off with?
In the Maintenance & Repair" section, I just described some suggestions a touch-up expert gave me recently. Here is the "Cleaning" part of his advice:
1. Never go to a Car Wash! And he meant touchless car wash stations in particular. The reason is that they use very harsh chemicals in order to compensate for not using brushes etc. The chemicals can be deadly for the paint in the long run.
2. Don't overdo the waxing/polishing. We talked a long time about all the nice products that are out there. Forget stuff that you can find mostly in department stores, like Turtle Wax and NuFinish products. They don't "work" (I will tell what he meant by that). Use the better products that have been discussed here in length, such as Meguiar's and Zaino. But don't overdo it. Most polishes and waxes hurt more that they do good. They may look shiny and nice, but they don't do what they are supposed to do: putting moisture back into the paint and protecting it. Instead, they draw more moisture out of the paint. If you want the car shiny, he said, just pour a can of oil over it. That's just as useful. Keep the waxing/polishing to a minimum, and, if you do, use carnuba based products, or even pure carnuba wax (very expensive, though). He also stressed that a simple detergent is more than enough for washing the car before putting on any other things. Even vinegar is fine (heavily diluted, of course).
So, he was drawing the line between those who want there car to shine like a mirror and those who want to make sure that the paint get's the most protection.
I'm thinking of removing "Forester" stick-on lettering from driver's and passenger's doors. I'm afraid these letters will be getting in the way of waxing. That is, wax will be stuck on the edges of the letters, making the whole door to look kind of dirty.
Did anyone experience any waxing problems with those "Forester" letters glued to the doors?
If I was to remove the letters (with hair dryer, I presume), what's the good way of removing remaining glue from the paint, w/o damaging the clear coat?
3M makes a great adhesive remover that you can get at auto finish supply stores... the kind that sell to the auto body shops. You can also buy it online at Griot's Garage http://www.griotsgarage.com
I hope I explain this right. Did you have to remove the innner wheel well lip trim at the rear wheel well to install the fender flares. Thanks for the info and great pictures on your site.
Comments
I waxed the new wheels before I mounted them, and it was sweet - the water was beading up on them! Even on the vertical surfaces. Cleaning them was cake.
Oh, the many uses of peanut butter. Creamy Jiff works best
Hugo - no sweat. You can click on the number of the post, and then there is a scribble button.
-juice
It will remove over spray, old wax, and fine scratches.
Darlene
-juice
-- ash
I'm guessing it's also non-oil based, so it should be OK. Oil can make rubber seals deteriorate.
-juice
Lithium is actually a metallic element (Li, #3, a light metal similar to sodium and potassium, never found in its metallic state in nature, always in compounds), and lithium grease is just stuff that contains lithium. As I recall, lithium grease is somewhat conductive electrically, and a good thermal conductor.
Silicone (not to be confused with elemental silicon, as in computer chips :-) ) is a synthetic oily/rubbery compound that can be made with lots of different properties. The grease form is a good dielectric (=> does not conduct and holds static electric charges apart). I am not sure what their chemical formulae are (I suspect they are silicon-chain molecules analogous to the carbon-chain molecules for oils, though). Silicone compounds are generally clear (see-through).
Oils are of course natural oily/rubbery compounds, mixtures of different hydrocarbon chains, that can be separated into different products with different properties. The grease forms are again pretty good dielectrics and moderately good thermal conductors. Some lighter stuff (gasoline, kerosene) is clear but by the time you get to oils and greases they get darker, either translucent or opaque.
As it turns out, this site happens to have a bunch of information on various greases. You want to choose the right kind of lube for the right job -- as Juice says, some oils will dissolve some rubbers (because they are so similar chemically). Silicone will not. Lithium grease will (I think) not hold a static charge but will tend to hold grit, and of course is opaque white, rather than clear.
Chris
Really? Gas also melts styrofoam! Figured this out when I was a kid doing bizarre science experiments. So their claim is meaningless.
I'm lucky none of those blew up.
-juice
I do notice that with the frameless Legacy windows a black residue gathers along the edges of the windows where they meet the gasket. It takes glass cleaner and a razor to scrape it off. Protecting the rubber (something I rarely do) will probably help prevent this and prevent wind noise in the future.
Mischa
For the record, I'm with machius, never been a real car-care fanatic, although that seems to be changing somewhat since I got my Soob. For convenience's sake I usually go to the local "touchless" car wash, but they've never done better than a reasonably good job on my car, so every few months I personally give my Forester a wash and wax. This routine feels like a good balance for me, and besides the annoying wax stains on the plastic trim (which I hope to eliminate soon) the results on the car have been very satisfactory.
- Theresa
I don't see myself waxing more than once or twice a year at best, Mary
However, it's a busy world! Just have a look at the car wash before entering. Is it really touchless? How do finished cars look?
Be wary of the non-touchless ones. Some of the synthetic fabrics they use could scrath your clear coat.
-juice
I put on my Zaino back in Feb or March or so, and it still seems to be doing pretty well, but I do keep my cars in a garage.
Chris
There is one caveat: a "touchless" car wash will use high pressure jets of water/soap. That's got to be stripping away your wax/polish! That's why I prefer the "brushless" over "touchless" Ditto on any car wash that begins with the hand-held steam spray guns at the entrance. I usually ask the guys to hold off on those if I don't expect to wax for a while.
Whatever scratches you accumulate from the synthetic rags or bristles they use will polish out; dark colors are another story. Anyone with a black car knows the love/hate of it and how easily EVERYTHING shows up.
The truth is that if you do virtually nothing in three years, which is what many of my friends with leased cars do, the car will still look great when the dealer cleans and polishes it and puts it on his lot for resale. And if you do everything possible to keep your car pristine, it will inevitably become a magnet for every shopping cart, road hazard, and carelessly opened door within 10 miles.
I use(d) a Silicon Emulsion from GM. I bought it when I had my 86 Cavalier Z24....(yes, I knew not of Subaru back then!!!)
Comes in small bottle. Its white with a creamy texture and the cap comes with a small round furry applicator attached. You apply and let dry (about 30 minutes). I applied in fall and spring.
I used it for my Talon even though it was a GM product. When I recently traded in my Talon for my OB (yes I saw the light) the rubber seals, even after 8 years, looked and felt like new.
I have yet to visit my local GM dealership to purchase another bottle to do my Soob. Hopefully, they still carry the stuff. I don't recall any damage/discoloration to tint, but it is something I would check out before using.
Was that Talon AWD?
-juice
-juice
Frank P.
-juice
However, I found the interior somewhat noisy and the fit and finish by no means comes close to the Soob. Rode like most sports cars...rough!!!
Now, with a young child in the back seat, speed is of lower priority, but like Juice, I wouldn't mind a bit more power in the Soob. Although, I find my driving is much more tame knowing that I don't have a 190 horse turbo under the hood.......on second thought.......bring on the WRX!
My neighbor had a first generation model, but it was too low to the ground for serious snow. He said he'd scrape driveways a lot with the front lip spoiler.
-juice
Frank P
-juice
Darlene: The Safe Cut sounds like a good product as well. Are you able to compare it to other products in harshness -- e.g. bug and tar remover, which I use only sparingly because I don't fully trust it.
Anyone: Have you been able to find either of these products on line or locally?
Mary
I took the stickers off as advised by heating the corner with a hair dryer and then slowly peeling away while heating. Don't use too much heat though or the sticker becomes too soft and fragile.
I took the letters off by heating with a hair dryer and running dental floss through the glue (some type of rubber cement). I think fishing line might be better for getting more of the glue off initially, but I don't fish.
WARNING: Subaru puts their letters on some cars with pins, so removal will leave a hole in your car--check on your model and year before removing.
I got the glue residue off with a combination of heating, rubbing with my finger, clay, bug and tar remover and mostly patience.
The car still has two non-standard-pinstripes just below the window level and I hate them both. When I bought the car, I thought no big deal, I'll take them off. To my surprise, both of the stripes look painted and one might even be below the clear coat. So without practical removal options/advise, I didn't touch them.
I had planned to leave the lower, standard pinstripes that outline the panels, but since the above two are probably staying, I decided the bottom ones have to go. These were the hardest to remove on all counts; too much heat it would melt, too little heat it would break and the residue was very stubborn.
I can see a faint outline from where the pinstripes were. I'm not sure but think it's due to the sticker taking some of the clear coat with it rather than due to fading. Still it's barely noticeable and only in some areas.
The other stickers, even the letters were much easier to get off and I can't see any sign of damage or fading whatsoever.
I also left the AWD stickers on the side windows, in part because of earlier warnings about towing and liability of tow truck operators, but also because they don't offend me and they're not in the way of cleaning or anything.
My car is now clean and waxed except for the roof because .... And no, I haven't waxed the wheels yet or the door jams.
Cheers, Mary
Why not the roof? If it's too high, try standing on a milk crate.
-juice
More about the lower pinstripes: Removal also revealed tiny but deep scratches in the paint at the four points where the pinstripes overlap -- behind front wheels and in front of real wheels. Don't know if they were put there as an application guide or by an application tool.
Mary
-juice
It did not have the body skirts like the Talon so it had a bit more clearance, and with the winter tires, I found it quite good in the snow actually! Obviously not as good as the Soob, but up here, 3-4 inches of snow in the winter is the norm and I had no problem. Where it had difficulty is where it got beyond 6 or 7 inches, at which point it was definitely "plowing" the snow. Oh well, its history now and these concerns are no more with a Soob in my driveway!!!
Mary: no prob about the Emulsion. If you have any difficulty finding it in the US, I can find out if the Chev dealer up here would ship to the US. With one spring and one fall application, one bottle should last at least 2 or 3 years.
-juice
-juice
Our Winestone OB was sitting at the front of the dealers lot - along a road that was getting some major construction & resurfacing done. Just a lot of dust and grit. It sure cleaned up nicely at delivery though!
I've used Megiuar's Gold Class liquid on my previous ride (red 97 Chevy Z71) and my wifes medium red metallic Saturn SL. Goes on easy, comes off ok (might need some elbow grease). I'll try it out on our OB tomorrow.
I did notice that our wheels have what looks like a wax pencil marking on them. It looks like something quality control writes on them - like a number code. It's small - about 1/2. I tried rubbing it off with a damp cloth and got minimal results. Seems like it comes off a bit with a fingernail though. Any thoughts on something easier to clean those off with?
-subearu
1. Never go to a Car Wash! And he meant touchless car wash stations in particular. The reason is that they use very harsh chemicals in order to compensate for not using brushes etc. The chemicals can be deadly for the paint in the long run.
2. Don't overdo the waxing/polishing. We talked a long time about all the nice products that are out there. Forget stuff that you can find mostly in department stores, like Turtle Wax and NuFinish products. They don't "work" (I will tell what he meant by that). Use the better products that have been discussed here in length, such as Meguiar's and Zaino. But don't overdo it. Most polishes and waxes hurt more that they do good. They may look shiny and nice, but they don't do what they are supposed to do: putting moisture back into the paint and protecting it. Instead, they draw more moisture out of the paint. If you want the car shiny, he said, just pour a can of oil over it. That's just as useful. Keep the waxing/polishing to a minimum, and, if you do, use carnuba based products, or even pure carnuba wax (very expensive, though). He also stressed that a simple detergent is more than enough for washing the car before putting on any other things. Even vinegar is fine (heavily diluted, of course).
So, he was drawing the line between those who want there car to shine like a mirror and those who want to make sure that the paint get's the most protection.
Mischa
I waxed my wheels, and I'll tell you, it was the best thing I've ever done. They clean easily, and brake dust just doesn't stick in the first place.
I actually think waxing the wheels is more useful than waxing the paint!
-juice
Did anyone experience any waxing problems with those "Forester" letters glued to the doors?
If I was to remove the letters (with hair dryer, I presume), what's the good way of removing remaining glue from the paint, w/o damaging the clear coat?
My problems are in the door jambs, so I just end up opening each door, the hatch, and the hood to be thorough.
-juice
Bit
Her number is on it, including an 800 number, and her e-mail.
Tell 'er juice sent ya.
-juice