Mr. Clean Autodry and NXT Soap ?

[paco]

I am interested in the Mr. Clean Autodry system for it's water filter. It is about 30$cdn here in Montreal. I know the manual says not to fill it up with 3rd pary soap, but did anyone try it ? Maybe with another polymer soap like Zaino's or Meguiar's NXT ?

I was thinking about using the Mr. Clean just for it's filtered water talents but still use the Meguiar's NXT Car Wash soap that I will buy this week-end with the rest of the NXT line of products.

Does anyone know if the Mr. Clean soap is any special ? Or will I achieve the same results with another polymer soap like the Zaino or NXT, but just rinsing it with the de-ionized water ?


Thanks,

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paco

[scooterboy]

I have the system (and like it), but haven't tried it with my Zaino soap. Someone else recently posted that they tried using Zaino soap and the no-spot drying didn't work correctly.

So I guess the Mr Clean soap IS special...

[paco]

Hmm,

Anyone would like to compare Soaps ?
Should I just revert back to using the Mr. Clean Soap but still use the NXT or Zaino wax ?

scooterboy, what do you use to take care of your baby ?


Thanks,

--
paco

[scooterboy]

Oh, I'm a Zaino head.

It says right on the box that Mr Clean soap will not remove any waxes, so I think it's compatible with whatever wax you like. I'll probably still occasionally wash it the old way with the Zaino soap, but I have to admit - saving the hand drying time is quite nice.

[Windshadow]

I use the NXT Wax and the Mr Clean with fantastic results the Mr Clean wash just makes the NXT look terrific a bit longer as the sheeting action of the special soap seems to work a bit for 2 or 3 rain storms till the next wash...

[paco]

Interesting! The concensus over at Autopia seems to be that air drying is evil, and people are snobbing the Autodry system in favor of hand drying their cars.
I noticed may of you liked the Autodry, maybe it's because the MINI has so much less metal to dry!!

How much time are you guys waiting for your MINI's to dry (when it's not windy) ?
Also, how would you rate the water pressure when the Autodry is installed on the hose ?

I would use Dawn before applying NXT, but will use the Autodry for "normal" car washes. Do you rinse your wash mitt/microfiber or you wash the whole car in one take without rinsing dirt off of the mitt ?


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paco

[Windshadow]

Length of dry time is linked to air temp, wind speed and Relative humidity so I am not able to give a figure that would mean anything it could be 20 min or 2 hours I guess... took it about 30 min I guess last time but I was not realy watching my car dry it looked dry when I went out in it later that day which is all I care about... why does it matter anyway?
As to someone not likeing the MR Clean System the only reason I can think of is expense... I estimate that it will cost me about 60 to 70 cents in Mr Clean Soap and the amortized use of the water filter each time I use it

but if you have realy bad water and so only get 7 to10 washes to a filter and a large SUV like a Ford Excessive to soap then it might cost you $2 a time or more...

I have a bucket of (warm at this time of the year) water that I rinse my wash mitt in after doing each section ( top and rear, left side, right side Bonnet and then the wheels) wether I need to I do not know force of almost 50 years of car washing habbit for me... all I can say is I started Washing my Dad's 1955 M-Benz 300SL Gullwing when I was 7 and I would guess that I have done well over 2000 car plane and boat washes in that time and the Mr. Clean System beats anything I have ever used (and I have used over a 100 I would guess) 6 ways to sunday and hands down... I would keep using it even if it cost me $5 each time it is that good

[paco]

Windshadow, thanks for your insightful answer

Other people noticed the Mr. Clean left a kind of film after washing, did any of you guys notice that too ?


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paco

[Windshadow]

Nope not on my BRG MINI ( what color was the complainers car? perhaps that makes a difference?)but the autodry sheeting action seems to last for a rainstorm or 2 after each wash so I guess something might be there I am very thorough with the Rinse though... if some one was being cheap with the filtered water (or eben as I have seen reported elsewhere used the reg unfiltered water to save a few pennies then they might leave a visible film... use it right and I do not see how it cou;d

[paco]

Well Mr. Windy Lightning, here are some last questions before I plunge my head in my pillow ...

The complainer's car was black (I believe). My Cooper is Jet Black ...

What do you think of the soap compared to other car wash soaps you've tried ? Is it enough for the wheels and arches ?

When you do the NXT Tech Wax dance, do you wash with the Mr. Clean or some other soap (with standard buckets) ? Other have reported problems waxing after the Mr. Clean because of that film.

This is offtopic, but did you try the NXT Spray Wax ?


Cheers!!

--
paco

[BruceK]

Quote: Originally Posted by paco

Interesting! The concensus over at Autopia seems to be that air drying is evil, and people are snobbing the Autodry system in favor of hand drying their cars.

Some people actually think drying by hand is somehow better?

Think about it: with hand drying you are rubbing a somewhat abrasive (microscopically anyway) chamois or cotton towel over the car body, and guess what, you are then leaving a small amount of moisture on the surface to air dry (!).

With air drying as done with the AutoDry system, nothing touches the car after the final filtered rinse water, so you skip the abrasive rubbing part entirely. Since the water is filtered, it is almost 100% free of contaminates that might settle on the painted surface.

Clearly, touch-free drying by AutoDry is superior to rubbing a car dry.


BTW, here's another thread on the AutoDry system:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...hlight=autodry

[scooterboy]

I find that the Mr Clean soap doesn't suds up nearly as much as I'd like. Other than that, I like it.

I'd estimate it takes about 10-15 minutes for full drying to occur on an average day. There's always a last little pool of water right next to where each wiper is attached.

I do find the water pressure is reduced by the device, even in the "bypass" setting. So I give the car a good powerful rinsing with my brass nozzle before attaching the Mr Clean.

I've noticed no "film" left behind at all.

[MarkV]

I have been using autodry for about two months now. As soon as Canadian Tire had it I was there! I used it on my previous Jet Black Z3 and it worked great. It's excellent on my new DS/W MCS too.

I clearly like the results I have had from autodry. However.....there is definitely something weird about it. My sponges/mitts get clogged with black residue over a fairly short time. It will not wash out. I've been using a bucket filled with the autodry detergent (from the dispenser) rather than applying straight to the car. Even my bucket developed a black film. Whats that all about? You need to figure in new sponges/mitts every few washes because the black goo ends up on the car you are trying to clean.

In fact if you are not using rubber gloves it ends up ingrained in your skin and under the finger nails. If you use rubber gloves they end up black too. In fact after a while you can pull it off the gloves like stringy dried up silicone.

The official P & G line is that the soap is so efficient it is lifting more grime than you've ever seen before. I'm very cynical about that.

I really like that I am avoiding possible swirl marks from chamois or cloth drying but I am becoming a little concerned about the above issue. Its also brilliant to rinse off, go inside for half an hour and return to a gleaming clean car. Especially in the cold Canadian spring weather! The shine IS awesome.

I'll watch this thread with interest.

Mark

[paco]

Mark, this is concerning! I too would begin to doubt if I were you ...
I have the Mr. Clean box in my trunk and I still am wondering if I should just return it and go 'traditional' with the NXT wash and the two buckets method

Anyone else experienced the weird goo/residue problem with Mr. Clean's Autodry ? Could the black from your car be the residue with your car's black paint tint ?


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paco

[MarkV]

Paco: No I dont think it had anything to do with the Jet Black paint colour on the Z3....its still occuring on the Dark Silver MCS.

Last two washes I went back to my old product for the wash then "rinsed" it with a sprayed application of the Mr.C detergent all over then immediately rinsed that off as prescribed with the nonfiltered, then filtered water. That had good spot free results, still less effort than hand drying and no dreaded swirl damage danger. I think I might do this going forward. Hardly used an of the Mr.C that way so cost wont be too much of an issue.

FYI the filter is lasting quite well. I'm past the suggested 10 wash life and its still fine.

BTW regardless it is, not surprisingly, more effort than the ads on TV would have you think. Definitely need shade, need to make sure it doesn't dry at all before you get to the final filter rinse etc. I'm not really selling this for them am I?!

I think you should try it for yourself and chalk the $30 to experience if you dont like it. Lots of people seem to love it and haven't reported my concerns (although some have in other, non-MINI2 forums).

Cheers!

Mark