Discussion
Bugs stick to my car like nobody's business. It's getting quite irritating. So let's preface this with - "my car needs a really, really good clean, before any treatment can be done"...
How do you avoid having an insect graveyard on your bumper/headlights/bonnet?
I've almost reached the point where I feel that I might not be stupid to put clingfilm over my headlights and bumper and just tear it off and put more clingfilm down whenever it's looking particularly gross. Any gaping flaws to this idea?
Nb. Bugs only die on the car while it moves, and it's a car that is used, so leaving it stationery is unfortunately not feasible. I'm looking for genuine advice on mitigating my bug gut problems.
How do you avoid having an insect graveyard on your bumper/headlights/bonnet?
I've almost reached the point where I feel that I might not be stupid to put clingfilm over my headlights and bumper and just tear it off and put more clingfilm down whenever it's looking particularly gross. Any gaping flaws to this idea?
Nb. Bugs only die on the car while it moves, and it's a car that is used, so leaving it stationery is unfortunately not feasible. I'm looking for genuine advice on mitigating my bug gut problems.
Various 'detailing' products about but none of them are a magic bullet
http://www.m.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread...
http://www.m.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread...
Suppose if you were design a device to catch insects and splatter and dry them, a car is the perfect solution, hit them at speed to kill and spill their innards onto a warm surface with air at high velocity.
I find the best way is, like bird poo, to douse the car with water an hour or so before you want to wash it, or wait until after a rain shower as both ways soften stuff significantly.
I find the best way is, like bird poo, to douse the car with water an hour or so before you want to wash it, or wait until after a rain shower as both ways soften stuff significantly.
Prevention is the best option.
Beep the horn every 2 seconds to let them know to get out of the way and at night don't use your lights, it just attracts them.
Beep the horn every 2 seconds to let them know to get out of the way and at night don't use your lights, it just attracts them.
- Note do not do either of the above. I suggest a coating on the paitwork after a full detail. They seem to slide off the ceramic coating on my car.
J4CKO said:
Suppose if you were design a device to catch insects and splatter and dry them, a car is the perfect solution, hit them at speed to kill and spill their innards onto a warm surface with air at high velocity.
I find the best way is, like bird poo, to douse the car with water an hour or so before you want to wash it, or wait until after a rain shower as both ways soften stuff significantly.
This weekend was pretty bad for "bug baking factor". Maybe I should have gone for resale white instead of "bad thermal properties grey".I find the best way is, like bird poo, to douse the car with water an hour or so before you want to wash it, or wait until after a rain shower as both ways soften stuff significantly.
I keep the front end of my Vito van well polished in the hope that a good coat of wax lessens the adhesion of the splatted bugs.
When this fails diluted traffic film remover melts them away easily, then I re apply polish. The Vito's boxy profile means every week I'm faced with a thick carpet of dead bugs at this time of the year.
When this fails diluted traffic film remover melts them away easily, then I re apply polish. The Vito's boxy profile means every week I'm faced with a thick carpet of dead bugs at this time of the year.
Rather like birds insect one the front have a lot of acid which is what ultimately if left leads to etching of the clearcoat.
Having a protected surface will reduce the effort required and also minimise the chance of it etching.
If you are doing a long trip Wolfs Chemicals used to do a product called "the mask" a sprayable temporary clear bra.
Clean the car then spray this on the front, once finished with then just wash it as normal. A good product overall, but sadly Wolf's has fallen out of favour and one of the partner's who was the real detailer behind it has now left the business.
Having a protected surface will reduce the effort required and also minimise the chance of it etching.
If you are doing a long trip Wolfs Chemicals used to do a product called "the mask" a sprayable temporary clear bra.
Clean the car then spray this on the front, once finished with then just wash it as normal. A good product overall, but sadly Wolf's has fallen out of favour and one of the partner's who was the real detailer behind it has now left the business.
Shaw Tarse said:
Riley Blue said:
Bugs are trophies after a good drive.
There is something cool about road grime on a nice carGlad to hear there's products that dissolve them. I don't think the previous owner did much to look after the paint on this car so it might need some waxy TLC to get it to be a bit less sticky to bugs.
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