Greetings,

I am a new mustang owner (08 V6 vert). I think the search function on this forum is still out of commission so i'm posting in the hopes that i'll receive a little advice.

This is my first "new" car. I want to do what I have to do to treat it as nicely as possible. I haven't gone through the whole owner's manual yet so perhaps that will shed some light as well.

What are the basics that I should be doing this summer to maintain my girl? My hubby spent this afternoon showing me how to actually wash a car correctly (who new there was a wrong way to do it...). That's where his knowledge stops as he's not a car guy at all.

I have leather seats. I'm assuming I should be conditioning them semi-regularly? Any advice?

What are your preferred products for washing/waxing the exterior?

Any guidance as to what products I should be using on the dash etc?

For our commuter car, I just use an Armourall (sp?) product that I got at Canadian Tire. I'm not touching my new car with anything that's not recommended.

Any help is appreciated.



Me and my girl .

EC

 

congrats on the pickup. both the ladies in the pictures look great. justin (juztang) is one of our site sponsors. his website is obsessivedetail.com he hangs around the detailing forums all the time and treats all his customers right. he carries pretty much any product you need to take care of your cars appearance. he has some good leather conditioner and a product to clean your interior panels that doesnt leave the greasy texture like armor all. and with a black car, you will def want to get a good polish and wax combo. the prices on his products are a little higher that products that you would pick up at autozone or somewhere, but they are well worth it. and he also gives a 10% discount to forum members. i have ordered quite a bit from his site, and have always been overly satisfied with the products and customer service he gives

 

For info on convertible top care, check out autogeek.net.

There are different cleaning methods and products depending if you have a vinyl or cloth top.

 

Hopefully your hubby showed you the two bucket washing method. Make sure you blast off as much dust/dirt/grime as you can with the hose, don't be afraid to be really aggressive with the water.

Fill one bucket with your car wash solution & water. Fill another bucket with clean water. It's always best to wash from the top of the car down. Since you are a 'Vert, start with the hood and work your way to the back. Saving your decklid/trunk/bumper for last as they will be the dirtiest on your car.Spray water on the body panel you wish to wash, make sure your sponge/microfiber mit is soaked with your car was solution. Try to wash in ONE direction, no circles or rubbing. By washing in one direction (horizontally) and drying in another direction (vertically) , you will be able to determine when or how you are putting scratches/swirls in your paint and you can take steps to avoid further damage.

After you wash ONE body panel, make sure you rinse your sponge/mit well in the clean bucket of water,squeeze outthe water and then repeat your washing process with a clean sponge/mit.

Since you have a black car like me, scratches and swirls show VERY easily. I've found that if I make sure the panel is really wet right before I apply my soapy mit and use the lightest pressure possible, it goes a long way in preventing scratches.

Before you do all this, inspect your car in good lighting and find all the current swirls and scratches so you don't get confused when you wash/dry in opposite directions and figure out how you are scratching your paint.

Since your car is black, I would recommend a glaze like ObessiveDetail.com's Wet Glaze. I use it on my black car and it looks friggin' awesome. If your car is garaged and you want a 'boutique' wax (a wax high in carnauba that lacks traditional durability of over the counter waxes) that'll really bring out depth and shine, you should try Obsessive's Wet Obsession, it's friggin' unbelievable. If you want extra durability and ease of application, check out Optimum Opti-Seal. I also use it on my car and it lasts a LOT longer than any carnauba wax.

 

Thanks for the awesome advice. ObsessiveDetailing here I come.

EC