Keeping Tail pipe clean

[Zimmer]

besides braving the sub-freezing temperatures and the howling wind and using warm water to clean off the tail pipe is there anything else any of you's recommend?
Last spring I noticed a lot of pitting. Its not a huge deal but its a nice accent to the car.

This NE winter has been a storm/week and its almost impossible to keep up. I washed me car last week after 2 storms and it snowed the next day!

Thanks.

[MS3Steve]

There was a thread on here about someone using PB Blaster on their exhaust tip and they said it helped it stay cleaner for a longer time, but I can't find the thread now.
Something I do is keep my old socks and when I wash my car just dip a sock in the soapy water after washing my car and wipe down the tip, this keeps my sponge or any good cleaning towels from getting dirty.

[Kain]

I washed me car last week after 2 storms and it snowed the next day!

Aye, that be a wee bit of work, was it, lad? Stop by me hoose in Dublin for a pint.

[Sport6]

I have pretty much given up on keeping the tailpipe clean. At this point it almost would look weird to me if I saw something shiny back there.

[ElGaspo]

same as last post...when the car was new, i was compulsive about keeping the tip clean, now having it sooty is almost a badge of honor. when i DID clean it, i found that just a couple of good squirts of windex & a few paper towels did the job pretty well....

[Zimmer]

I have pretty much given up on keeping the tailpipe clean. At this point it almost would look weird to me if I saw something shiny back there.

that's what she said. lol jk... lame i know

I do remember seeing that thread but had no luck finding.

I don't want to keep washing me car in the frigid weather. My hand went numb.

[peeaanuut]

i got a pack of cheap interior wipes in the car. After I wipe down the inside I will take the dirty rag and go wipe down the tail pipe. I do this every 2 or 3 days.

[Zimmer]

yes but you don't have salt and sand and such on your roads I'm guessing.

[Fenrir]

I have a microfiber cloth that I got from walmart for like a dollar I use. Size of a washcloth, and I only use it for cleaning the tailpipe. Just a little water and wipe it down, works pretty well.

[SBSPEED3]

i havent tried it on the MS3, but when i had my truck (00 f150 harley davidson) i would use chrome polish after cleaning with left over car wash water, after the polish i would wax it with a good caranuba (spelling?) wax. this wouldnt necessarily keep it from getting dirty, but it really made it easier to clean when it did, you could pretty much hose it off and it was clean. this way, when you re wax the car, and use dish soap to remove the old wax, the pipe comes out super clean, and you only have to rewax it. i only used the chrome polish every 6 months or so when i did it this way, and it gave the chrome that slightly blue mirror finish

$0.02

-Nick

[djthom]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41EBG2VF6TL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

This stuff is by far the best at getting that black carbon deposit stuff off after a wash.

i LOVE this stuff!

Zimmer you can trust a fellow new englander!

[Zimmer]

i havent tried it on the MS3, but when i had my truck (00 f150 harley davidson) i would use chrome polish after cleaning with left over car wash water, after the polish i would wax it with a good caranuba (spelling?) wax. this wouldnt necessarily keep it from getting dirty, but it really made it easier to clean when it did, you could pretty much hose it off and it was clean. this way, when you re wax the car, and use dish soap to remove the old wax, the pipe comes out super clean, and you only have to rewax it. i only used the chrome polish every 6 months or so when i did it this way, and it gave the chrome that slightly blue mirror finish

$0.02

-Nick

Actually I should have mentioned this. Last spring I couldn't get the exhaust tip clean clean with generic water/soap. Appeared there was a layer of corrosion. I actually did use a similar chrome polish, I believe made by Turtle Wax. That helped A LOT, but did not fix everything. I was hoping for something I could do periodically to protect the chrome. I suppose I just hope for the best and either brave the cold and clean it or wait for a warm day to get down and dirty.

[Zimmer]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41EBG2VF6TL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

This stuff is by far the best at getting that black carbon deposit stuff off after a wash.

i LOVE this stuff!

Zimmer you can trust a fellow new englander!

ha just saw this I'll give it a shot! Do you apply it during the winter too? I cleaned off the winter wheels the other day and I couldn't feel anything!

[Silver Ecstasy]

Eagle One Nevr-Dull to properly clean exhaust tip. Turtle Wax Chrome Polish for the final touch. Definitely helps with cleaning each time. Although, I'm wondering how disgusting it's going to be since I haven't done it in almost a few months now.

[mo08ms3]

I haven't tried anything special besides chrome polish but I have found that if I keep up with it, it comes off easy.

[djthom]

ha just saw this I'll give it a shot! Do you apply it during the winter too? I cleaned off the winter wheels the other day and I couldn't feel anything!

yeah after i go through the auto wash...i got my tin in the jack compartment for easy access! (yeah yeah "that's what she said")

i haven't tried finishing it off with a wax but will next wash.

Dude i am seriously ALL SET with NE winters...i want to see some palm trees!

[Peter B]

Zimmer
Its like -5 out right now... game over man, game over! Try washing anything outside right now and you will mostly likey freeze to whatever it is you are washing. :D Its so cold i went stepped out side over my lunch, and my ass instantly froze and fell off.

In all serousness, for now i would just wipe it down with some windex or some sort. When it warms up a bit then go at it. I have all but given up on keeping my car clean. The only thing I have done is to go to one of those do it your self car washes with the high preasure hose. I just sprayed some water on it to remove the salt and sand, and then sprayed their "wax finsish", rinsed and was left. It was soo cold the water was freezing before it rolled off the car.

If we get a 50 degree day im gonna vaccume the inside, and detail it. When the spring comes I will do a real job touchin up the outside and making her pretty again. Then back to bi-weekly washing.

-Pete

[Antonio DiMarco]

besides braving the sub-freezing temperatures and the howling wind and using warm water to clean off the tail pipe is there anything else any of you's recommend?
Last spring I noticed a lot of pitting. Its not a huge deal but its a nice accent to the car.

This NE winter has been a storm/week and its almost impossible to keep up. I washed me car last week after 2 storms and it snowed the next day!

Thanks.

But now that I'm closing on 40 and have a family I don't bother cleaning the car in the winter. I just wax it in the fall and leave it until the spring. Has worked well for me. In a way I thinkt he thick coat of road grime that settles on the paint actually protects it, with the wax undercoat of course. :-)

MA has been storm central for a number of weeks but ever since I got my snows I actually enjoy driving the MS3 around in the snow. It's like a tank. I've also found it "feels" better with ESC disabled when driving in the snow. ESC causes a floating sensation when you brake on a slick surface. Whereas disabling it makes you feel more planted and more in control. I fear for those people who think ESC is a failsafe means of saving their sorry ass from bad drving habits.

[Russm]

Mothers Chrom polish

[CruisinSpeed6]

I was looking for something to clean the tips myself and found Stainless Steel Magic, used it on the tips and it did a pretty good job cleaning and keeping them clean... just chiming in.

[Silver Ecstasy]

But now that I'm closing on 40 and have a family I don't bother cleaning the car in the winter. I just wax it in the fall and leave it until the spring. Has worked well for me. In a way I thinkt he thick coat of road grime that settles on the paint actually protects it, with the wax undercoat of course. :-)

My dad who has been doing auto body work and paint for almost 30 years says this to me a lot. It'll act as a little bit of a buffer for the paint. Although, a nice claybar will clean any contaminants in Spring.

[mr_mazda329]

Mothers Chrom polish

Thats what I use. Very good stuff. I use it with my polishing wheel on my Dremel. I be showin off my bling.

[PCspeed3]

dude I was pissed, the other I looked and my Cobb tip had small rust spots on it from the damn salt. ARRRGHHGAAHHH!!

[squidmotion]

i wipe it down with the same towel i clean off the wheels with...

then turn it black again the very next day... :)

[maestro]

Grrrrr.......... title sounded more like a porno, thought I was going to score a free movie.

[martyxcore]

i pretty much hate chrome so i like mine black

[ericrapp]

Meguairs has a polish that does not scratch, for stainless. that works perfect for my Corksport SS exhaust tip. I will go and look tomorrow but it is for wheels and brake dust i think. Then i drive for a little bit and more soot. Was it the infamous Swampass who had the insightful comment about our tailpipe soot?

[ecniemann]

Any suggestions how to get the heavy, crusty crud off when it has only been cleaned once in 2 years?

I tried once with my wheel brush last summer. I did the outside first, then reamed the inside pretty good. That bad boy looked like the grate on my Weber grill before I started. Still did not remove everything, even after wiping with old towels, etc. I then spent like 20 minutes cleaning my wheel brush. Maybe the soot will form a protective barrier from the salt, etc.

[GoFast]

Any suggestions how to get the heavy, crusty crud off when it has only been cleaned once in 2 years?

I tried once with my wheel brush last summer. I did the outside first, then reamed the inside pretty good. That bad boy looked like the grate on my Weber grill before I started. Still did not remove everything, even after wiping with old towels, etc. I then spent like 20 minutes cleaning my wheel brush. Maybe the soot will form a protective barrier from the salt, etc.


new tip (2thumbs)

[ecniemann]

new tip (2thumbs)

I think I might just embrace the blackness.

[GoFast]

lol thats what i decided to do also. gives it a stealthy vibe

[Zimmer]

I am I want it to *bling!*

[blue-sun]

Here's how **I** keep my tailpipe clean (just did it yesterday too)

www.blue-sun.net/Details/HowTo

been working like a charm for me for years.

[ecniemann]

Here's how **I** keep my tailpipe clean (just did it yesterday too)

www.blue-sun.net/Details/HowTo

been working like a charm for me for years.

Thanks! I knew I saw that somewhere, but could not remember.

[RUMBLEFISH]

I use a special 12 step process myself to keep it clean. I dont wash the rest of the car but that tail pipe looks sweet.

Anybody want to start a thread on how to clean your lower rear bumper?(rofl2)

[TRDMS3]

I have a microfiber cloth that I got from walmart for like a dollar I use. Size of a washcloth, and I only use it for cleaning the tailpipe. Just a little water and wipe it down, works pretty well.

hell ya they work well (bow)

+1