So you've got a nice shiny new car....so any tips for keeping it looking its best?

[leon]

OK, so I've finally got a car thats better than the crappy knackered old Escort I used to have. But as my escort's paint work was already crap I never really tried to make it look too good. So I'm not really up on what products are good and any specific ways I should be cleaning it.

So have any of you guys got some advice for making my shiny black car as black and shiny as it was the day I picked it up from the show room?

At the moment I've got Merr (sp?) shampoo stuff and wax.

As I know so little any advice is gonna be good and appreciated

[Pee]

rinse , turtle wax shampoo , rinse , shamoise (sp ;o) , autoglym polish

keeps my mini looking delish

i used mer on my mini and didnt like it, left marks all over

[Shad]

I do the following...

1. Jet wash - don't hold it an inch from the body work like my mate did (honestly, can't turn my back for 5 seconds ) or it WILL take the paint off. On a medium spray though it's good for getting the crud off. Remember to do inside the wheel arches.

2. Sponge - nice bucket of warm (not boiling hot but not cold either) water mixed with any decent car shampoo. I use Halfords car shampoo, works well for me. Use a different sponge for the wheels.

3. Jet wash - maximum spray setting, just coax the suds off and leave all wet but clean and non-soapy.

4. Chamois - remove excess water from paint work. Try to keep the leather fairly wet but not dripping. You shouldn't be left with too many streaks or droplet marks.

5. Wax/polish - use two soft cloths (old tea-towels are great in my experience). Apply a light coating of polish with cloth A and rub it in until there's a light whitish haze. Use cloth B to buff it up and leave a gleaming (streak-free) panel.

[elneckio]

You made a good choice in Mer, that stuff is great.

Car salesman I spoke to the other day was just getting involved with this stuff : http://www.jewelultra.com/english.htm

He reckons they had a farm 4*4 come in a while back that was covered in all kinds of farm muck and looked like it had never been washed, they gave it a quick wash down and it came out looking like new. He asked the owners if they had paid for any paint protection when bought and apparently they had paid for this stuff, he was a complete convert !

Maybe it was just sales patter but might be worth a look.

[Lowe]

For best results, rinse, soap up, rinse each panel one at a time. Start with the roof, then the bonnet, then the side.. work from the top of the car down.

I use Zymol myself.. it's full of Carnuba wax and all their stuff is 100% natural. I've used a lot of polishes (I get bottles free for showing the car at shows ) and nothing's topped my Zymol yet.

[sdp]

I like the turtle wax shampoo because it can shift a lot of muck without much effort and it's cheap too - There are 100% extra free bottles in the shops at the moment .

If I can be bothered I polish it with triplewax, but my paintwork has seen better days

[Butuz]

Originally posted by Lowe
For best results, rinse, soap up, rinse each panel one at a time. Start with the roof, then the bonnet, then the side.. work from the top of the car down.

Yeh i always do that too, it is the best way of washing a car.

Rinse, clean, rinse each pannel.

Roof
Back
Right Side
Left Side
Front
Skirts and sills
Wheels
Shammy
(keep rinsing the whole car as your going around it ready for shammying, keep it all wet so no spots or streaks form)

Butuz

[sparrow]

a bucket and sponge
and some tlc

better still get the bird to do it while you nip off and have some real pleasure


the pub.................lol


regards


sparrow

[Maz]

Get the car Supagarded

Supagard is a product which leaves a thin plastic film on your paintwork.

All you do is wash and dry no need to wax/polish for at least 3 years!

[Lowe]

Had a bloke come around the door the other day doing that for 100 quid. Great on a new car, but I wouldn't do it on a older car since it'll just cover the imperfections. :/

[Maz]

Originally posted by Lowe
Had a bloke come around the door the other day doing that for 100 quid. Great on a new car, but I wouldn't do it on a older car since it'll just cover the imperfections. :/

Yeah thats a good point, but the car does need a VERY thorough clean before its applied.

Also £100 for a Supagard is half the retail price