Car maintenance

[vwpologti]

Hey VW fans,

This is a general thread asking about your tips about keeping your car looking new. Please post your recommendations for what products to use.

I'm going to try some Armorall Extreme Tyre Shine on my 3 week old GTI. The look of wet jet-black tyres contrasting with the silver of the Detroit wheels is just too sexy.

[anglo_dude]

Hey VW fans,

This is a general thread asking about your tips about keeping your car looking new.

I've been using Zainos for the outside for my Golf for the last year, and it just shines when the car is clean, and the dirt washes off very nicely.

I'll be doing that with the Polo as well, so it'll be double bubble

Should mean that the paintwork stays nice and smooth all the time.

[maclean_cherry]

My mate raves about Dodo Juice products. I'll be giving the .:R36 a once over with some of it on Thursday before my drive down to Melbourne and then on Saturday before the show..

Besides that, give the interior plastics a thrice over with protectant every weekend (spraying on to the cloth outside the car and then lightly rubbing over the surface)

I haven't had to use wheel shine on my car since I picked it up 2 months ago and the tyres look very naturally black... I wouldn't touch Armorall products with a 40 foot pole.. Invest in some Meguiars or Auto Glym at least..

Besides that, don't let people bring food or drink in the car and vacuum it once a week as well.

Enjoy your new pride and joy!

[levendi001]

Car mainenance

Dodo juice is fantastic... Really makes paint pop if prepped rite... Clay bar etc... Love dodo red mist use it a spray Detailer. Zaino z8 very good too.

[Vdubboys81]

It seems Dodo is pretty recommended. I've read about Naviwax, and heard its quite awesome. Mostly seen on JDM cars, nothing German yet. But have used Zymol which was awesome, all natural can use your hands to but wax etc on, no harmful chems, but can't find here. But this Dodo is natural as well. Any recommendations? We used Auto Glym on our Merc before and the stuff is great, but just so many harmful chems in them. Wanting the more natural route if possible. What do you guys use? And I have heard from many armorall is horrible for interior surfaces. Actually will cause the dash to dry out and crack much faster than using something, think armorall was all marketing and everyone used it in the 80's early nineties.

[Vdubboys81]

I've been using Zainos for the outside for my Golf for the last year, and it just shines when the car is clean, and the dirt washes off very nicely.

I'll be doing that with the Polo as well, so it'll be double bubble

Should mean that the paintwork stays nice and smooth all the time.

Gotta love the Candy white! What do you use for wax? Like a carnauba wax, I couldn't find one or anything similar from Zainos.

[gavs]

Car maintenance

White is not a good colour for carnauba. You would be better off with a synthetic sealant.

[Transporter]

Gotta love the Candy white! What do you use for wax? Like a carnauba wax, I couldn't find one or anything similar from Zainos.

I have used Mothers on our Forester and after 11 years the paint was still like new. I've waxed it once year. Nowdays I use Autoglym.

[maclean_cherry]

I have used Mothers on our Forester and after 11 years the paint was still like new. I've waxed it once year. Nowdays I use Autoglym.

correct me if I'm went but mothers don't offer waxes, only polishes?

[Transporter]

They have the full range of products and had the 3 stage wax system back in 1999 right through now.

[Zakarados]

I found that Price and branding normally reflects how easy the product is to apply and remove. (wax and clay)

I've tried all the local 'supercheap' style brands and they are so annoying to apply and remove compared to using products from specialist brands sold by zas or ccp.

The end result on Candy white is negligible, so you pay more to spend less time on it. On darker paints, you will probably see a difference between brands.

[Transporter]

I found both Mothers and Autoglym very easy to use. The Mothers 3 stage wax system (from Supercheap) beads the water even after 12 months. I have used the Mothers clay bar on the Forester mentioned above only once in 11 years, the paint was unbelievably fresh looking after 11 years of parking under the stars only.

[gavs]

Car maintenance

Yeah, mothers and autoglym are bloody good products, the reason you will find they are cheaper is because of volume in the local market. If Wolfs or Duragloss products were over the counter like Autoglym is, you wouldn't be paying the same premium price for them.

Personal preference for all products now is Wolfs. Wolfs Hard Body would put even the dearest "paint protection" to shame after 12 months.

[Zakarados]

I am using Prima products at the moment. Very easy to apply and remove. The Clay lube is unbeatable from all the others I have tried.

Also all the fluids have a nice candy smell infused into it. ^_^

[prcurrie]

Dodo jucie and clay bar and then finish with the Nanolex products including the Nanowax - makes the white really come out and washing is a breeze after you've applied it.

I try to do that every 6 months.