not one shot fired today

[bandit1250]

This was one of a very few days I didn't fire a single shot in any of my rifles. The weather was good for shooting but had other things to do. My wife and I went to the drag races Sunday and the over flow parking was in a field that was very dry and dusty and the other vehicles in and out really made it bad. So today was detail the Corolla day. I couldn't leave it go with all the dust all over it and under the hood on the engine and everything from driving in all that dirt in the field. I did the full treatment including the engine compartment. It takes some time to do it right and it was hot but I did it under the carport and that helped a lot. Looks better now. It is a 2012 Corolla S. 62,000 miles with 5 speed manual. We averaged 40.4 MPG on the trip Sunday. My wife and I came up with the graphic idea on the front to hide a gravel chip they wanted $300+ to fix. We came up with the design and then had it made up and put on. Also had a copy of the S badge that is on the trunk put on the side at the bottom on the ground effect. This only cost me $85 to get rid of the chip in the front bumper cover.



Looks better under the hood with the dirt and grass seeds gone.

[clovishound]

I let my 25 year old Toyota build up a protective layer of dirt. It works.

[daytime dave]

Please tell us how you clean that engine.

[CT_Shooter]

Bandit, that car looks like it's never been driven, let alone ever been dirty. Wow. Excellence.

[Sir Henry]

Please tell us how you clean that engine.

I take mine to a car wash. Just don't put the wand too close and its best not to clean a hot engine so let it cool off first. If you clean your engine a couple times a year you can spot any leaks.

[White Squirrel]

bandit, you are as good at car detailing as you are at shooting!

Is there anything you don't do well?

[Deadwood Dutch]

Nice car, dependable and one that will go for a very long time. One of the best selling cars in the world since 1966. I had one and it had over 100,000 miles on it, but it was caught in a hail storm and that was the end of it, otherwise I would have kept it. I expect to keep my new Toyota RAV4 Hybrid for a very long time also. You do great detailing!

[bandit1250]

Please tell us how you clean that engine.

I use the same products I use at work on the motorcycles. I don't have any oil leaks or let them get way ahead of me and that usually means no need for degreasers. I just spray the motor cycle wash on light and then use some in a bucket of water and wash with a paint brush or use a parts brush if really dirty. Then I use clean water and a different brush to go over it again and it rinses it off. I stay away from high pressure washers unless it would be a really neglected engine with oil and grease build up. We have found at the cycle shop high pressure can cause more problems than just a light spray from a garden hose. If wiring connections don't have dielectric grease in them they can corrode in the connections then it kills the current and starter button start to fail and horn buttons and head light switches don't work from the corrosion. Manufacturers don't recommend high pressure washers on motor cycles or 4 wheelers because it forces dirt and water into where you don't want it to get. I had the owner at a local used car lot tell me he did $1200 damage to sensors under the hood of a late model car using a pressure washer. There is some very high cost sensors under the hood of late model vehicles that high pressure washing can destroy. Maybe some get away with it but I don't take the chance especially if I am doing the job for some one else. You better at least drive it to dry things out after washing but it still can cause expensive issues using the high pressure washing. The older vehicles were a little more forgiving because of the lack of the many sensors on the new stuff. In the upper part of the hood I use the spray polish and give it a light coat and leave it go a few minutes and then hand wipe it with a clean cloth. The Mountain Shine is used last and it is great at bringing the black items and hoses and things back to looking new. This is used by car dealers also to give used cars that new under hood look. Great for tire sidewalls also. If the tires are not muddy I don't even scrub them just spray it on and let it sit while I am doing something else and then use a junk micro fiber rag and wipe it off and looks like new. Also good for the black trim on body parts. The way I do it may take a little more elbow work but the results are good enough for me and no cost having to replace sensors. I will do my older car this week to get it ready for some local car cruises and post a picture after finished using the items shown.