Some Washing Tips

[MrVelvet]

I'm sure there are probably detailed discussions of cleaning a 300C on this board but here are a few observations of my own. Hope they are of some use.

Like all cars, the 300C has its own little peculiarities when it comes to the weekly cleaning routine in order to keep the vehicle looking its best.

There are a couple of areas that require a little extra attention during the actual washing process.

The first of these is the area directly behind the front edge of the rear wheel arch (shown in Fig 1 below) – a lot of road grime accumulates here so a bit of extra time is required to ensure it is clean.


Fig 1

The same applies to the identical area at the trailing edge of the front wheel arch.


Fig 2


The area at the trailing edge of each rear door (where there is a small ledge) also requires a bit of extra care as this is another area where grime accumulates.


Fig 3

While doing that bit it is a good idea to open the doors and wash along the metal part of the sill as this can’t be reached from the exterior.

The 300C has a number of carefully designed water traps that require attention to avoid troubles later in the life of the vehicle – these are detailed below in the order they should be approached.

Hint:I tend to make use of two micro fibre chamois – a large one for the removal of water from the large panels and a much smaller one for getting into those horrible niche spots that designers seem so fond of creating, I also still use one synthetic chamois for cleaning inside wheel arches.

Boot Area

Water will pool in this area in fairly large quantities. Unlike most of the other areas where attention is required this one should be tackled before the exterior of the boot lid has the water removed.

Fig 4 shows the underside of the boot lid which requires a wipe all around the perimeter while Fig 5 shows the area next to the hinge which needs to be mopped up on both sides of the car.


Fig 4


Fig 5

While the boot is up take the opportunity to wipe the upper surface of the bumper as this is another water trap while the boot lid is down.

Under Bonnet

The first water trap (Fig 6) is the area on the underside of the bonnet leading edge.


Fig 6

The next (Fig 7) is the area on both front sides just inside the bonnet.


Fig 7

The inner guard area (Fig 8) on each side also allows water to pool.


Fig 8

The area next to the plenum chamber on both sides of the car (Figs. 9 & 10) also retains a lot of water.


Fig 9


Fig 10

Sundry

There are a couple of other areas where a little attention to detail and water removal will help.

A quick wipe inside the fuel filler door (Fig 11) will not only remove any excess spillage that will eventually damage the paint work but will also remove another potential water trap.


Fig 11

The area inside the door sills should also come in for some attention with particular care paid to removing excess water from the underside of the door. The leading edge of the rear door (Fig 12) is easiest done with the rear door closed and the front open.


Fig 12


NOTE: Continued in Part 2 below.

[hemiwagn]

Great wryte up! Thanks!

[Lik2race]

I for one.appreciate the time spent doing this write up,
touched on some areas sometimes overlooked.
Thanks,
Stan aka Lik2race

[MrVelvet]

PART 2....

While the front door is open it is also easy to clean the area around the door hinges with the small micro fibre. Also the trailing edge of the door (Fig 13) should receive a wipe.


FIG 13


FIG 14

The inner edge of the rear guard (Fig 14) also requires a quick wipe along with the sill panels (Fig 15) as these will otherwise get grimy over time.


FIG 15

The inner guard lining (particularly at the rear) is fairly visible on the 300C and this area (Fig 16) should have some attention when washing to stop the build up of road grime. It’s also handy to dry that same area with an old chamois after washing and then applying a liberal coat of Turtle Wax Wet’n’Black Tyre Shine to this area (Fig 17) – this product is cheap, easy to apply (it’s simply a clear silica formula so overspray isn’t an issue) and lasts for a couple of weeks. Works well on tyres too.


FIG 16

[Rambit]

Never saw this thread before today. All those areas are VERY familiar to me though. You must be updating your pics I guess. Thanks MrVelvet!

Bernie

[GoofyTimL]

Excellent pictorial and emphasis on the "little" details. But... Sure took a long time to get those additional pics! How often do you wash the car? LOL j/k!

As Bernie said... all those areas you mentioned get the treatment from me with every wash. But I would add that you need a set of paint-matched mud flaps! That adds a few more crannies to keep an eye on during the wash.

[tugbone]

Nice post that is the only way to clean a car jams,trunk,hood everything
or it's not really clean.It's like taking a shower and not cleaning your ears.
yuk!! I also wipe down all the plastics in the motor area and wipe it down with armorall so when people wan't to see the hemi it shines just like the paint does.
Respect

[dunsantos]

Awesome post~! Thanks for taking the time....

[MrVelvet]

Sorry that the additional pics had to be separated but I exceeded the original number of images allowed in a post.

Cheers
Russ

[wanna300]

i washed my car today using a high pressure washer.. and i did not have as much water in all those places you mentioned.. weird.. what are you using to wash your car!!!? high pressure washer with NOS attached?