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Old 11-03-2003, 04:00 PM   #11
lemming
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BimmerNut
What PDZ said...wax really helps
i like to think that polymer stuff lasts longer, but any old wax seems to really make cleaning wheels painless.

just my 2 cents.

that wheel wax stuff from tirerack is okay. got the same results with el cheapo waxo from autozone, though.

haven't ever tried to use wheel cleaner, though.
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Old 11-03-2003, 05:23 PM   #12
Terri Kennedy
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Originally Posted by rwg
Wow. I am a more than a bit surprised. I was not impressed with the wheel cleaner (and I use a lot of Griot's stuff). Come to think of it, I am not impressed with any wheel cleaner that I have tried, including the spray on wash off versions.
I have been happy with the BMW wheel cleaner - I wet the wheels with the hose, spray on the cleaner, do an in-and-out pass in each spoke (I have Type 73's) with the BMW wheel brush, swirl around the face with the brush, and then rinse with the hose. Takes about 2-3 minutes a wheel.
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Old 11-03-2003, 06:42 PM   #13
Rob
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Well, part of the problem with this discussion is that we may have differing standards of what a clean wheel is. Rkt, I have seen your car and I think you are probably as nuts as I am. But if a speck of brake dust is present, I am typically not satisfied. It makes for long car wash sessions. Yes, I take the wheels off about once a month to clean and wax the insides . . . that doesn't necessarily mean I have a problem.

Terry, unless you have some mystic powers that I don't, I would never be satisfied with your process. Not that they wouldn't be clean, just that I would be able to find more break dust to clean off. I search for it, you see.

As for wax, it definately helps, but it doesn't last long. Speed shine is great, but unless you spray the loose dust off first, you have rags that are covered in break dust. I stopped using speed shine on the wheels every day when Kelley complained about the lines the rags were leaving in the washing machine at the water line. If you spray the loose stuff off first, well - you have the hose out already and maybe the pressure washer. If you are me, you end up washing the entire car.

So I use soap and water. But I am going to try Griot's wheel cleaner again. I still have lots. I have noticed that if you use the pressure washer first, the wheels are not difficult to clean with soap and water. Especially the smooth e36 contour wheels.
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Old 11-03-2003, 06:54 PM   #14
Terri Kennedy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rwg
Terry, unless you have some mystic powers that I don't, I would never be satisfied with your process. Not that they wouldn't be clean, just that I would be able to find more break dust to clean off. I search for it, you see.
Well, before a show I'll pull the wheels and clean the inside surfaces as well. But with this basic regimen, I've done well at competitions. As an example, at the Old Westbury Concour in September I scored all 30 points out of a possible 30 for wheels & tires. And this is with Type 73's, which most people seem to dislike because of how hard they say they are to keep clean. Maybe I do have some sort of magic system - I don't think they're hard at all to clean. Perhaps it is the BMW wheel brush I'm using - it fits in the spokes nicely and cleans 100% of the area of the spoke in 2-3 passes.
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Old 11-03-2003, 09:14 PM   #15
operknockity
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry Kennedy
I have been happy with the BMW wheel cleaner - I wet the wheels with the hose, spray on the cleaner, do an in-and-out pass in each spoke (I have Type 73's) with the BMW wheel brush, swirl around the face with the brush, and then rinse with the hose. Takes about 2-3 minutes a wheel.
I also use the BMW wheel cleaner, a big bristle brush and the BMW wheel brush kit right now, and I find them satisfactory. It takes me more than 2-3 minutes per wheel, but that's because I go far too long between cleanings so the brake dust really gets a chance to cake up. Getting the front fascia clean really is wet/squirt/wait/brush/rinse. Getting the inards clean is another matter which is where the curved brush from the BMW brush kit comes in handy. And I've got the stock Style 96 wheels which are really easy since they don't have all those little nooks and crannies. Of course I have much lower standards than folks who show their cars!
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Old 11-03-2003, 09:24 PM   #16
Rob
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry Kennedy
Quote:
Originally Posted by rwg
Terry, unless you have some mystic powers that I don't, I would never be satisfied with your process. Not that they wouldn't be clean, just that I would be able to find more break dust to clean off. I search for it, you see.
Well, before a show I'll pull the wheels and clean the inside surfaces as well. But with this basic regimen, I've done well at competitions. As an example, at the Old Westbury Concour in September I scored all 30 points out of a possible 30 for wheels & tires. And this is with Type 73's, which most people seem to dislike because of how hard they say they are to keep clean. Maybe I do have some sort of magic system - I don't think they're hard at all to clean. Perhaps it is the BMW wheel brush I'm using - it fits in the spokes nicely and cleans 100% of the area of the spoke in 2-3 passes.
*looks around nervously* Are you a good wizard or a bad wizard?

I could never get my wheels clean enough to show in 2 to 3 mins each. I will have to check out this "bmw wheel brush" and see if it is the source of your magical powers. Perhaps the BMW wheel cleaner is your magical brew. Perhaps each are but simple spell components . . .
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