32
votes
Accepted
Do I really need to wash the outside of my car?
tl;dr: How much did you pay for that shirt? How often do you wash it? Why would you bother? Shirts just get dirty anyway. Can't you get another shirt?
Are there any benefits of washing the ...
- 24.3k
23
votes
Do I really need to wash the outside of my car?
The reason many people wash their car every week is to keep it looking nice and from the good old days of bad paint and no rust protection.
These days, paints are significantly better and stand up ...
- 548
21
votes
Accepted
What is an "A pillar"?
Pillars are vertical supports on a vehicle. They are located around all the glass on an automobile. They are important for holding glass in place and adding structural integrity to a vehicle, ...
- 4,730
16
votes
What are the pros and cons of fiberglass body?
I think the main disadvantage of Fibreglass (aka Glass Reinforced Plastic or GRP) is that it cracks and breaks in an impact, rather than deforming and absorbing energy like metal does - so a GRP ...
- 28.7k
13
votes
What are the pros and cons of fiberglass body?
Pros
Lightweight.
Does not rust.
Does not get dents.
Cons
Breaks/cracks if bent too much.
Is not as durable as metal.
Can deform with heat.
- 159
12
votes
What are the pros and cons of fiberglass body?
The major reason is probably cost.
Steel panels need expensive tooling to produce them, but once an investment has been made in that tooling the panels can be produced rapidly and cheaply. Drop in a ...
- 561
11
votes
Accepted
What clean, non-sticky lubricant can I use for door hinges?
Great question. My preference is silicone spray, as you suggested. I'm pretty sure this one is the one I usually get for this kind of job. Apparently I'm not the only person who thinks this is a ...
- 5,245
8
votes
Accepted
Paint peeling around body filled area 6 months on
Bodywork is something that cannot be rushed. While others are suggesting chemicals that may be suited for this application, it is not necessarily going to be a solution to your problem. The most ...
- 4,730
8
votes
Accepted
What can be used to protect the under-carriage of a hot rod?
I would use epoxy primer to start. You can then spray paintable undercoat on your frame, underbody.
They come in various forms as depicted in the image below.
You may also use a rocker guard type ...
- 4,730
8
votes
What clean, non-sticky lubricant can I use for door hinges?
My weapon of choice for such a job is something like WD-40's White Lithium Grease:
(source: wd40specialist.com)
- 39.1k
7
votes
Accepted
How to remove the clips of the Honda Emblem. Safely
With a flat thin small screwdriver, you should be able to wiggle under it and pry up a little bit, then move to the opposite side of the same fastener and do the same thing. Working back and forth ...
- 153k
7
votes
What are the protrusions on a front-end bra for?
I like to refer to those as eyebrows, and in the specific image you posted, they are to add some stiffening and down force to the center of the bra so the flat edge against the hood doesn't flap ...
- 13.3k
7
votes
Do I really need to wash the outside of my car?
I work from home, so my car stays in the garage for long periods of time. It doesn't get much mud or salt spray, and after it's washed, it looks pretty fresh for a month or two. It's often 6-months ...
- 71
7
votes
What is an "A pillar"?
What is a Pillar
There are three main types of pillar when referring to the design of a car - A, B and C. The A pillars on your car hold either side of the front windscreen in place. They are the ...
- 7,927
6
votes
Accepted
What does "Chopped & Channeled" mean?
Chopped and channeled refers to two different things, but are usually done together to create a specific look usually utilized by hot rodders.
Here is a decent attempt at a Photoshop "chop job" (pun ...
- 153k
6
votes
How can you prevent the frame and undercarriage on your car from rusting?
Rust is a chemical reaction that occurs when metal contacts air and water. The type of reaction is electrochemical, meaning electrons are being exchanged, and salty water being very conductive just ...
- 12.2k
5
votes
Why did my clear coat turn out matte instead of glossy, and how can I fix it?
The likely cause is that the paint was applied too thin per coat or the nozzle was too far away. A coat thick enough to get a glossy sheen is seen but not too thick that runs develop is the proper ...
- 11.6k
5
votes
Accepted
Why did my clear coat turn out matte instead of glossy, and how can I fix it?
@IHNIWID ..
Yes, the "color" coat(s) need to be wet-sanded aka "color sanded". And then thoroughly cleaned of sanding dust. This needs to be perfectly smooth before clear, even if it appears dull. ...
- 12.4k
5
votes
What are the pros and cons of fiberglass body?
One thing that most people neglect to mention is UV stability: even with so-called UV inhibitors, any GRP which is left out in the sunlight will begin to deteriorate: the resins will become brittle ...
- 51
5
votes
Can polishing compound ruin my car's paint job?
Yes, you did indeed apply an abrasive "compound". Polish materials come in coarse and finer grits just like sandpaper. To polish scratches left by a polish of a course grit finer grits are used to ...
- 11.6k
5
votes
Remove the body on a Discovery 3 just to replace turbo?
The turbo on the Discovery 3&4 CAN be removed without removing the body, anyone telling you otherwise are simply not a skilled mechanic or are trying to rip you off by charging you for loads and ...
- 2,781
4
votes
Do I really need to wash the outside of my car?
I assume that if you ask "Are there any benefits of washing the outside of my car?" you are not referring to the obvious cosmetic benefits. So I assume that the overall question is essentially summed ...
4
votes
Do I really need to wash the outside of my car?
Apart from the obvious benefit that a clean car looks nicer, washing your car will also remove all sorts of stuff that, on the long run, will harm its exterior: Salt attracts moisture, which speeds up ...
- 371
4
votes
Do I really need to wash the outside of my car?
I wash my car before winter every year before it gets too cold. I give it a thorough detailing and then I apply 2 coats of hard wax to make sure I did a good job. This is my idea of giving the body ...
- 41
4
votes
Subaru Forester Power Tailgate won't open
Same problem affected my 2014 Forester XT. I followed Badpirate's advise except that I didn't short the two terminals: taking the positive lead off is too much work. I removed the negative lead and ...
- 41
4
votes
How do I stop my shock spring from rubbing?
I would check/replace the strut's top mount. The rubber may be worn allowing excessive movement at the top of the strut. Try pulling in the strut to see if the top mount moves excessively. If the ...
- 24.9k
4
votes
What is an "A pillar"?
The pillars are what connect the sides of the car to the roof. Convertibles are the only cars I'm aware of that don't have what could be considered pillars.
The pillars separated into driver side ...
- 16k
4
votes
Accepted
What does it mean if there is "Bondo" under the trunk mat behind the spare wheel?
That's not bondo. It's seam sealer. This is used to ... well ... seal seams in the metal. It provides a seal as well as provides better structural support. This comes from the factory with the stuff ...
- 153k
3
votes
What does "Chopped & Channeled" mean?
To see a real car that has been 'chopped' and 'channeled', check out my custom car: http://lilmerc.co.uk
As stated in the answer above, the 30s/40s/50s/60s cars are usually the best candidates as ...
- 31
3
votes
Programmatically defrost car windows?
The most convenient solutions are an electric engine block heater (as @mikes mentioned) or a petrol/diesel powered stationary heater. The latter is expensive, but generally more powerful than a block ...
- 4,422
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible