legendguy

I have read with interest the descriptions of detailing your cars. I am impressed with the effort and I'm sure you are rewarded with great looking cars. However, I mainly want to make sure that the finish of the various materials holds up to the evvironment. I'm not sure I can commit that much time to the upkeep but would like to do it myself. Are there any simplified regimes that work well at making the finish of outside/inside materials last. I don't need the deep shine, just good long-lasting results. I am willing to wash the car frequently if that would help.

Currently, I wash the car myself or have the local carwash (hand dry) do it every week or two and bring in for detailing (includes a wax) once a year.

What happens to cars after a while if they only get washed??

RadMon

Today's waxes and polymer sealants do several things and no car should be without them (unless you really don't care about the look or resale value of your car).

Waxes/sealants not only give your car it's best shine/gloss, they also protect it from nature (color fading, bird droppings, tree sap, bug splats and road tar).

Forget about the auto car washes or assembly-line detail places. They don't get all of the dirt off and when they "hand dry" the cars, they are drying your car with a wet towel used on the 10 cars before yours which are loaded with dirt. You might as well get out some sandpaper and dry your car as it's essentially the same thing and will lead to massive scratches and swirls which will make your paint look more and more "sickly" over time.

Do your best to wash your car yourself with a soft brush (like those made by Oxo) or a lamb's wool mitt. Never use a sponge! Wash as often as you can (every two weeks is decent enough for most people but many people find it hard enough to make time once a month).

The best thing to do is to make sure that bird/bug/tree/tar splats don't stay on your car long. These evils can work their way through your wax and clear coat right into your paint and create a blemish that only a professional can get out (if at all). Due yourself a favor and clean them off as soon as you see them (which means a decent visual check every day).

For ease of use, try a cleaner wax from Mother's or Meguiars. These can strip off most environmental contamination as well as leaving a nice shine/gloss. Just be aware that even the best wax will only last 2-3 months. Polymer sealants last longer (4-6 months). Some of us prefer to clean the car well and then apply a polymer sealant (for longest lasting protection) followed by our favorite wax (protection plus a good shine/gloss). We then wash every couple of weeks followed by a quick detailing spray (a quick wax with a very high shine but it doesn't last terribly long). Then every 3-4 months we wash well and put on another coat of wax or sealant.

Once a year the car really needs to be thoroughly cleaned to get off the yearly build-up of contaniments that normal washing will not remove. This includes an abrasive polish (the easiest to use and find are the Meguiars Deep Crystal and Premium Paint lines). If you're really getting into it then you can look into clay bars which are the best at removing contaminants, especially those that actually embed themselves in the clear coat of your paint.

In summary, start with a good cleaning (perhaps with one of the above-mentioned abrasive products) to make sure you start with a clean slate. Follow this up with a coat of your chosen sealant and/or wax. Wash every few weeks and apply a quick detailer to enhance both protection and shine. Every 3-4 months you'll want to apply a while new coat of wax or 4-6 months a whole new coat of polymer sealant. And be sure to check your car regularly to get off those bird/tree/bug splats so they don't do permanent damage.

For interior care, all you really need is a decent vinyl/rubber cleaner/protectant. I prefer Lexol Vinylex but there are a LOT to chose from. Once this is done, all you need to do (like once a week or every time you wash your car) is to take a damp cloth and wipe down the interior surfaces to remove dust, etc. Then every 2-3 months apply a new coat of protectant to keep it looking nice and protecting it from UV damage. Of course very time you wash your car you should think about vacuuming it as well.

For more car-care advice, be sure to stop by Autopia.org!!!

If you're serious about caring for your car but don't have the time, use the phone book to look up a prefessional detailer. A good detailer can make your car look better than new thus keeping it looking nice and retaining it's value as much as possible. Just try to avoid the mass-market businesses; they do an OK job of cleaning the interior but most (not all) have no idea of how to properly care for the exterior of the car and usually do more damage (that's only apparent after using them year after year as the scratches and swirls gradually build up until they then become a really visible problem that only a professional can buff out).

majormojo

legendguy, I think you should check into a product call NuFinish. It's in an orange bottle, you should be able to find it almost anywhere. Now, the hardcore "spent my whole weekend applying a zillion layers of Zaino" guys will laugh it off, but it's a decent product that has done pretty well in the last couple of Consumer Reports car finish tests. The main criticism leveled against it is that it's not quite as shiny as some of the others. But it is better than nothing and it will provide decent paint protection. It is fast to apply and lasts a really long time. Maybe not the "once a year car polish" like they advertise, but probably a good six months or so. If you're looking for something that is "good enough" and doesn't require much effort, it's probably just the ticket.

For the interior, look for a good vinyl/rubber treatment product. A lot of people like something called 303. The best place to find 303 seems to be boat shops, auto places don't usually carry it. I haven't tried it yet myself, I'm still trying to find some locally. I like Meguiars #40 vinyl & rubber cleaner/conditioner. I use it on the interiors of my cars and on the soft top of my convertible. It's a wee bit shinier than I'd like for the top of the dash, but once it is dry it is not greasy and doesn't attract/hold dust.

I've also been using Meguiars Gold Class leather treatment for the leather parts of the seats and interior. Probably any good leather care product will be OK, apply it a couple times a year at least.

darth62

I couldn't find 303 Aerospace Protectant anywhere around town. I eventually ordered it from carcrazy.net. Delivery is free and the prices are all discounted.

But, if you don't want to go through that bother, you can get Vinylex at any Pep Boys. I've used both, and I think Vinylex works just about as well. A tad more shiny, but not much.


You should be away that, in the lastest Consumer Report's test, both NuFinish and Meguiar's Cleaner Wax got dinged for causing swirls and light scratches. The clearn wax that had least problems with that, according to CR, was 3M. This is probably only an issue if you have a dark car.

Personally, I've been using Meguiars for years, and never had a problem.