Does anyone remember the infomercials of a few years ago that claimed beading was a thing of the past. They're claim was sheeting was better and sold some products that caused water to sheet instead of beading. Anyone have any insight.

Also, is anyone familiar with the Mr. Clean autodry system, and personal observations anyone?

Its very important to keep a car clean! I keep our accord and the Ranger clean and protected.

We bought the Accord on a friday. I shaved emblems off as soon as we got it home and pulled the dealer sticker off. I bought all the basics used on the car for it first detail at wal-mart. http://www.psyshack.com/detail.jpg Results http://www.psyshack.com/fr.jpg and http://www.psyshack.com/if.jpg

I switched over to Meguiars Gold Class wax and ended up with this on a over cast day. http://www.psyshack.com/dsfh.jpg I had installed the dash trim kit and started using Meguiars rubber and vinyl cleaner protectant... Its great stuff! http://www.psyshack.com/d.jpg

Im now using Meguiars NXT. the stuff is amazing in depth, color shine and reflection. But has no staying power. Seems to fade pretty fast in over all look and how it protects. But man does it pop paint.http://www.psyshack.com/nxtds.jpg http://www.psyshack.com/nxtd.jpg The engines in our hondas clean up very well and hold details well. So spend sometime under the hood and other not seen much areas. http://www.psyshack.com/e2.jpg http://www.psyshack.com/ivtec.jpg

You car will look better longer and it will be easier to keep clean and in top shape. We bought this car in late may of 05. It has almost 17k miles on it already . Looks like the day we bought it minus afew rock pecks from the 125 miles a day it gets put on it. I didnt have a clear bra put on it. I certin the wife will bend the hood and fenders at some point so it would have been a waiste.

Clay bars are a most before any waxing or polishing. They get stuff out you cant feel. They really help to keep that new car paint popping look. And they are sooo easy to use. You can make your car look 10x better than it did on the lot. We get constant comments on this car. Wife is amazed at how people react to it.

I have asked Mrs. Claus for a Zaino kit for Christmas. I hope I like the look and protective qualitys as much as others do. If not Im going back to a grade #1 carnauba wax.

psy

I bought one, then threw it away after 2 uses. The DI cartridges get used up very fast in the final rinse. We have soft water here. They shouldnt go away so fast!

This spring Im going to put together a filter system for my car washing. Can be made form canisters and filters bought at your home improvemnt center. I have one for my water used in my fish tanks. Sediment filters followed by a DI filter. I put a carbon filter inbetween the other two for my fish water. Cost is right around $100 to get it built with $50 a year maybe more in repalacement filters. Will only use it for final rinse.

Rinsing with distilled (or demineralized) water is a cool idea, never thought of that, but I hate washing my car so I try to think about it as little as possible. My dream wax is one that I apply once a year that will survive the truly rare washings it will receive (read when it rains), a sacrifical layer indeed. :-)

Anyone ever hear of the 5 Star Shine product? It seems to fit the bill but I have never tried it, and I only just recently heard about it.

- Kurt

Sorry, I can't resist:

DuPont, EPA reach $16.6M Teflon settlement
Tasha Eichenseher, E&ENews PM reporter

DuPont has reached a $16.5 million settlement with U.S. EPA over accusations that the chemical company withheld information about health risks posed by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is used to make Teflon, the agency announced today.

The company will pay a $10.25 million fine and also spend $6.25 million for environmental projects, including a $5 million to study nine other DuPont chemicals that could release PFOA and $1.25 million for environmental education programs in Wood County, W.Va., where DuPont manufactured PFOA.

EPA called the settlement its largest civil administrative penalty ever. "It sends a clear message to the regulated community that EPA takes seriously the reporting requirements for substantial risk information on chemicals used in manufacturing," said Grant Nakayama, assistant administrator for enforcement.

EPA has accused DuPont on eight different accounts of covering up the health and pollution effects caused by PFOA over the last 20 years. The settlement agreement addresses violations of reporting requirements under two laws -- the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act.

EPA says the company withheld information about PFOA blood levels in residents near its plant, the transfer of PFOA from mother to fetus, drinking water quality and toxicological studies including examinations of rat inhalation.

DuPont could have faced up to $300 million in civil fines under federal law for not reporting data. Nakayama defended the settlement, saying the company had substantial legal defenses and that the agreement is still 60 percent greater than any other civil administrative penalty the agency has negotiated. The agency deals with nearly 2,000 such penalties, outside of the legal system, each year, he added.

Under the terms of the settlement, DuPont does not have to admit to any liability.

EPA has yet to determine whether PFOA should be listed as a possible human carcinogen.

The agency is also releasing further guidance on Toxic Substances Control Act reporting requirements, according to Susan Hazen, principal deputy assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances.

"Our interpretation of the reporting requirement differed from the agency's," said DuPont Senior Vice President and general counsel Stacey Mobley in a statement. "The settlement allows us to put this matter behind us and move forward."

DuPont and EPA officials first reached an agreement in November and administrative law Judge Barbara Gunning gave the two parties until today to formalize and publicly announce the terms of the settlement (Greenwire, Nov. 29).

Steve,
Well, I guess you just couldn't resist now huh? I think this is a little over the top as far as how serious you are about this stuff. I guess it's the Lawyer in you.

Thanks for the info. Based on this new information, I'll refrain from putting any teflon on my car.

-But when you compare the number of omelets that have been saved, thanks to Teflon, the gains obviously outweigh any possible side effects.

So, what's PFOA do to you? If it'll make the cholesterol less sticky, I'm all for it!

The compound in question is used the manufacture of Teflon...it is not actually present in the final product. Generally, the EPA is uspset over worker exposure and impacts to groundwater.

DKeane
Senior Scientist
XDD

Pick up my HCHII on Jan 2nd