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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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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 (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.

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