How To Keep Your Car Gleaming New... Always!

It’s a great feeling to buy a new car. Everything’s gleaming
new and the smell of fresh leather lingers as you drive. You
even catch yourself constantly stealing glances at the
reflection of your shiny new car.

How about 12 months later? Does your car still look new or
does it look dull, tired and old? How can some people keep
their cars gleaming new while others look old 12 months out
of the showroom?

The trick lies in how you care for your car. It is easy if
you know how.

1) Wash Your Car Every Week

Dust and dirt will accumulate on your car’s paintwork.
Nothing much you can do to prevent it. The only answer is to
wash it! This is especially true if your car was exposed to
rain. If you leave it to dry under the sun, it will leave
watermark stains on your paintwork. These are very tough to
remove later.

To wash your car, get a clean & soft terry cloth or use a
cloth diaper. You can easily pick it up at the baby’s
section in your favorite departmental store. If you want
something fancier, then get Meguiar’s Ultimate Wipe cloth
(http://www.fdcars.com/newsletter/n2-1.htm). Apart from
cloth, you’ll need a quality car shampoo. I use Meguiar’s
NXT Generation Car Wash
(http://www.fdcars.com/newsletter/n2-2.htm). It’s cheap and
will last you quite some time.

First, hose off any dirt, mud or grime from your car. Then
mix 3 caps-full of shampoo with a small bucket (20 oz) of
water. Use your cloth to apply it to your car. It’s best to
use circular motions. Wash off the shampoo with a clean
cloth/cloth diaper under running water. Once you’ve cleaned
off all shampoo residue, wipe dry your car with a new
cloth/diaper, making sure all panels are wiped completely
dry.

Since brake dust accumulates on your rims, clean it with
some shampoo as well. Since you’d normally spend more time
inside your car than admiring the paintwork, it makes sense
to vacuum your car interior when you wash your car.

2) Wax Your Car Every Month

You can either send your car to an auto detailer for waxing
or take the DIY route. If you have an hour or two to spend,
then try waxing it yourself. It’s really not that difficult.

Make sure you wash and dry your car before waxing. It’s best
for you and your car if you park it somewhere shady while
waxing it. Use a quality carnauba wax like Meguiar’s NXT
Generation Tech Wax
(http://www.fdcars.com/newsletter/n2-3.htm). Apply the wax
in a circular motion onto your car with the included sponge.
Apply the wax on one section at a time, remembering the
sequence. Finish applying it on the entire car.

Then, use a dry soft terry cloth/cloth diaper to wipe off
the extra wax. Begin with the first panel you worked on and
go on from there. Make sure you shake off any excess wax
that accumulates on your cloth. It’s easier to wipe off wax
when your cloth isn’t itself caked with wax. Finish wiping
the entire car.

Check for any remaining wax residue and clean it off.

Make sure to wash your cloth with liquid softener to prepare
it for your next use. This ensures there isn’t any remaining
dirt that might scratch your car the next time you use the
cloth to wax it.

3) Apply Tyre Polish To Complete The Look

Spray your tyres with Meguiar’s Hot Shine High Gloss Tyre
Spray (http://www.fdcars.com/newsletter/n2-4.htm) to
complete that shiny, wet look. It’s easy to apply with the
trigger spray and you’ll can do it in less than 5 minutes.
Having shiny tyres really makes your car look newer.

4) Apply Leather Conditioner To Protect It

If your car comes with leather seats, make sure you clean
and condition it at least every other month. Meguiar’s
Medallion Premium Leather Care conditioner
(http://www.fdcars.com/newsletter/n2-5.htm) will do the
job. Wipe the cleaner/conditioner onto your leather seats
with a clean terry cloth/diaper. Leave for 15 minutes before
wiping off any extra residue. This helps to keep your
leather supple and smelling like new

For your vinyl surfaces (dashboard, door interiors, etc), do
the same thing but use Meguiar’s Vinyl & Leather
Cleaner/Conditioner
(http://www.fdcars.com/newsletter/n2-6.htm) instead. Your
interior will remain looking brand new.

5) Show Off Your Nice & Shiny Car

Your car will continue to look brand new if you follow this
routine. Your friends and family will admire your "new car"
even though it’s 3 years old. The best thing? You’ll fetch
higher prices when you sell your car next time. With it’s
gleaming paintwork and spotless interior, you won’t have any
trouble getting a buyer for your car.

P.S. The writer is not affiliated with Meguiar’s. He is just
a satisfied customer.

About the Author

Fantic Carro is the founder and webmaster of
FD Cars which is a
resource for car lovers worldwide. Visit his site for more
articles, reviews and tips on cars:
http://www.fdcars.com

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